HB 4396 amends Michigan's Juvenile Diversion Act to permit researchers to access certain juvenile justice records for research purposes under strict safeguards. It requires researchers to submit requests to the state court administrative office, obtain approval, and sign a data use agreement that protects personally identifiable information from public disclosure. The agreement must prevent misuse and exempt the data from public disclosure under Michigan's Freedom of Information Act. This change directly affects researchers studying juvenile justice outcomes, not the minors involved in cases.
SB 517 amends Michigan's school code to clarify how school districts can use bond funds. It allows districts to borrow for physical infrastructure (like buildings, playgrounds, and initial technology hardware/software purchases) but explicitly prohibits using bond proceeds for ongoing technology costs - such as software upgrades, maintenance, training, or repairs. The bill directly affects school districts by restricting their borrowing options for technology-related expenses. It also requires independent audits of bond spending and permits residents to sue if districts violate these rules.
This bill updates Michigan's Child Abduction Broadcast Act to rename it the Child Abduction and Missing Child Broadcast Act and expand how radio and television stations can share information about missing children. It allows broadcasters to disseminate child abduction alerts through various channels, including social media, when they receive information from the Michigan Department of State Police under the existing Amber Alert system. The legislation also provides legal immunity to broadcasters who accurately share this information from the state police. The bill will not take effect unless it is passed together with a companion bill, SB 892.
SB 757, the "Stop Addictive Feeds Exploitation for Kids Act," prohibits social media platforms from showing users under 18 an "addictive feed" (content recommended based on their data) without parental consent or verified knowledge the user is not a minor. It directly affects social media companies operating platforms with addictive feeds as a core feature, requiring them to obtain verifiable parental consent for minors or confirm non-minor status. Key provisions include banning notifications about addictive feeds to minors between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. and during weekday school hours, restricting how age data is used, and imposing $5,000 fines per violation for noncompliance. The bill focuses on restricting algorithmic content delivery to minors, not banning social media use.
SB 758, the "Kids Code Act," establishes new rules for online platforms to protect children's safety and privacy. It prohibits major online services (with $25M+ annual revenue or 50k+ Michigan users) from using addictive design features like infinite scroll, auto-playing videos, or gamification that encourage excessive use by minors. The law requires platforms to verify a user's age when they have actual knowledge they are under 13 and restricts how they collect biometric data or use "dark patterns" that manipulate children. It directly affects large social media and app companies operating in Michigan with significant child users, while excluding platforms where over 98% of users are adults.
SB 759 amends Michigan's Consumer Protection Act to explicitly treat violations of the Kids Code Act (which protects children's online privacy) as violations of the main consumer protection law. This means companies that break rules about collecting or using children's data under the Kids Code Act would also face enforcement actions under the Consumer Protection Act. The key mechanism adds a new provision (section 3(dd)) to the Consumer Protection Act, linking Kids Code violations directly to existing consumer protection penalties. This bill primarily affects businesses operating in Michigan that handle children's personal information online, making compliance with both laws essential. The bill was introduced in December 2025 and referred to the Finance, Insurance, and Consumer Protection committee.
SB 760, the "Leading Ethical AI Development for Kids Act," prohibits operators of companion chatbots from making these AI systems available to minors (under 18) if they could encourage self-harm, unsafe behavior, or harmful interactions like sexual content. The bill specifically bans chatbots that simulate emotional relationships by retaining personal data, asking unsolicited emotional questions, or prioritizing user validation over safety. Operators face $25,000 fines per violation and can be sued by harmed minors or their guardians for damages. This applies to business-owned chatbots designed for ongoing emotional engagement - not customer service or internal tools - and takes effect in 2027.
SB 145 prohibits Michigan employers from asking job applicants about their past wages, credit scores, or credit history during the hiring process. This directly affects job seekers by preventing employers from using this information to make hiring or compensation decisions. The bill amends Michigan's Fair Employment Practices law to explicitly ban employers from requesting or seeking such details, replacing a prior prohibition on wage history inquiries. It aims to reduce pay discrimination by ensuring compensation decisions are based on current job requirements, not past earnings or credit data. The law would apply to all employers covered under Michigan's wage and employment protections.
SB 525 limits when Michigan state agencies can use drones (unmanned aircraft systems) to inspect facilities they regulate, requiring facility owners' consent or specific circumstances. Exceptions include obtaining written consent from owners (with conditions about FAA compliance), using a warrant, addressing imminent safety threats, inspecting infrastructure like roads or telecom towers, or during declared emergencies. Agencies must mark state-owned drones and share collected data (videos, photos) with facility owners upon request. The law explicitly excludes law enforcement drone use during investigations.
SB 583 allows Michigan taxpayers to receive tax notices by email if they have consented to electronic communication. The bill adds Section 28a, requiring taxpayers to provide written consent for electronic notices before the Department of Treasury can send them via email. This change directly affects individual and business taxpayers who choose to opt into electronic notices for tax matters. The key mechanism is the new consent requirement, which replaces the previous default of mail-based notices for all taxpayers.
