SB 165 is a funding bill that allocates $166.4 million in state general funds for Michigan's Department of Education during the 2025-2026 fiscal year. It provides specific appropriations for key programs including special education services ($9.8 million), Michigan Schools for the Deaf and Blind ($19.4 million), and departmental operations like information technology ($4.9 million). The bill directs state funds to cover salaries, program operations, and essential services across education departments, with additional support from federal and private revenue sources. It directly affects state education programs and administrative functions, ensuring funding continuity for existing services without creating new policies.
SB 470 requires Michigan's Department of Education to create and implement a statewide Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management Program within 180 days. The program mandates schools to identify, assess, and manage potential threats through standardized risk-level models, secure data storage, and a centralized digital portal that integrates school, mental health, and law enforcement data. It directly affects all Michigan public school districts, intermediate districts, public school academies, and nonpublic schools by requiring them to use this system for student safety planning. Key provisions include secure access controls, annual training for staff, quarterly audits, and ensuring all data remains protected as education records under federal and state laws.
HB 4156 amends Michigan's high school graduation requirements for diplomas. It modifies mathematics credit rules by allowing students to fulfill algebra II requirements through approved career and technical education programs (e.g., engineering, computer science) that cover equivalent content, rather than solely through traditional math courses. The bill also clarifies social science requirements, specifying that students entering grade 8 before 2023 may satisfy the economics credit with a personal economics course containing financial literacy, while maintaining core history and civics requirements for all students. These changes directly affect Michigan high school students and school districts by altering diploma eligibility criteria.
HB 5223 prohibits retail box stores (over 20,000 sq ft) and membership warehouse clubs from using "dynamic pricing" on digital price tags. This means stores cannot change prices based on time of day, weather, customer location, or purchase history. The bill requires uniform pricing for all customers, mandates clear display of membership requirements and discounted prices if applicable, and requires stores to keep price change records for 12 months. It directly affects large retail chains using digital pricing systems in Michigan.
HB 4157 creates a pilot program for a state-administered assessment system in Michigan public schools, replacing the current M-STEP testing. It requires item analysis for all tests (showing which questions students answered correctly and common mistakes) and mandates that districts use only student enrollment data from the time of testing when calculating school performance scores. The bill allocates $500,000 for an online tool to provide secure, immediate access to student-level assessment data for educators and parents. This bill directly affects public school districts receiving state aid and their students in grades 11-12, as it modifies assessment requirements under the State School Aid Act.
HB 4662 allows Michigan courts, law enforcement, and other agencies to send crime victim notices (like case updates) via email or text message, in addition to traditional mail, when victims consent and provide contact details. Agencies must follow state communication standards and cannot use electronic notices if a victim has opted out. This update to the Crime Victim's Rights Act modernizes notification methods while ensuring victims retain full control over how they receive information. It directly affects crime victims in Michigan whose cases involve these notification processes.
HB 4196 amends Michigan's Enhanced Driver License and ID Card Act (MCL 28.305) to update how personal information is handled for applicants. It specifies that facial images and signatures collected for these IDs may only be shared with law enforcement agencies, other states (as required by federal law), or with an individual's written consent, while prohibiting disclosure of Social Security numbers on the card itself. The bill also clarifies retention rules for facial images (1 year unless fraud is suspected) and strengthens privacy protections by restricting disclosure of sensitive documents. This directly affects Michigan residents applying for enhanced driver licenses or official state ID cards, ensuring their biometric data and personal information are used only under defined, limited circumstances.
House Bill 4242 amends the public health code to update requirements for how medical licensees manage patient records. It mandates that healthcare providers explicitly document medical services involving vaginal or anal penetration in patient records, with certain exceptions. The bill establishes a general minimum record retention period of 7 years, which extends to 15 years for records of these specific penetration-related services, also with specified exceptions. Additionally, it outlines procedures for protecting record integrity and confidentiality, ensuring patient access, and for the proper destruction or transfer of records.
Senate Bill 39 requires Michigan's medical assistance program to provide coverage for remote ultrasound procedures and fetal nonstress tests. This allows patients to receive these services in their residence or other off-site locations through telemedicine. The bill mandates the department to update reimbursement rules for fee-for-service and managed care plans, enabling payment for these remote services using established CPT codes when the same standard of care is met. Reimbursement for these remote services is contingent on using HIPAA-compliant, FDA-approved digital technology for data transmission and FDA-cleared monitoring solutions for at-home use.
HB 4048 adds a new sentencing guideline for distributing intimate deepfake sexual images with aggravating circumstances, classifying it as a Class F felony punishable by up to 3 years in prison. This directly affects individuals convicted of disseminating such deepfakes, particularly those with prior offenses under Michigan law. The bill amends sentencing guidelines in Chapter XVII of the Michigan Penal Code to specifically address this crime, establishing a clear penalty framework for courts to apply. It became effective immediately upon the Governor's approval on August 26, 2025.
