2025 brought laws for road repairs, legislative ethics

A Democratic governor, Democratic Senate and Republican House of Representatives collaborated to enact various laws in 2025.

Here are some of the most significant pieces of legislation enacted this year.

Senate Bill 8 (Public Act 1) and HB 4002 (Public Act 2) modified the tip wage and sick leave benefits that voters approved on employers in a 2018 ballot measure. The mandates went to the Michigan Supreme Court, which ruled against the Legislature’s earlier efforts to modify the requirements. These bills took effect in February 2025.

Public Act 3 (SB 99) & Public Act 4 (SB 100) were transparency and accountability measures, building on ethic guidelines that were created by Proposal 22-1 of 2022. New or revised requirements include listing the occupation and employer of an official’s spouse as well as increased disclosures on when lobbyists make a travel payment to or a charitable contribution in lieu of honoraria. The new laws also impose additional requirements on public officials’ unearned income and securities.

Artificial intelligence has given rise to various concerns, including its potential for imposing psychological and social harm. Public Act 11 (HB 4047) and Public Act 12 (HB 4048) create new crimes of creating or disseminating deep fake AI videos involving intimate content of a victim without that person’s consent.

Public Act 13 (HB 4524) cleaned up several provisions in Public Act 200 of 1945. This narrowly tailored bill applies mostly to homeowners associations in Southeast Michigan.

Lawmakers took significant action on funding road repairs in several bills. One was Public Act 22 (HB 4706), the Omnibus Appropriations bill. Four laws, Public Act 17 through Public Act 20 (HB 4180, HB4181, HB 4182 and HB 4183), ensure that sales taxes collected at the pump go to road maintenance and construction. Public Act 23 (HB 4951), which creates a new 24% excise tax on the wholesale price of marijuana, is also part of the funding package.

Earmarks got some attention in Public Act 32 (HB 4420) and Public Act 33 (SB 596). They formalize the reform process that began earlier in the year by providing more transparency in budget earmarks. They require legislators who request an earmark to attest that neither they nor their immediate family members had a financial interest in the request. Nonprofits set to receive taxpayer money need to be operating in Michigan for the preceding three years to be eligible, and the request must be made public 45 days before it is approved.

Public Act 55 (House Bill 5055) expands the jurisdiction and resources of the House and Senate sergeants-at-arms. Their jurisdiction has been limited to Capitol facilities. They now have jurisdiction over the entire state when it comes to investigating threats and providing security to lawmakers.

Public Act 31 (HB 4962), Public Act 36 (SB 370), Public Act 37 (SB 540) and Public Act 38 (SB 542) create state aids to members of the Michigan National Guard. They create the Michigan National Guard Member Benefit Fund and specify that money deposited into it will support the new Michigan National Guard Child Care Assistance program, the existing Michigan National Guard Tuition Assistance program and a program to reimburse expenses incurred in Tricare, a national health insurance plan for members of the military.

Zoos get some clarity under Public Act 34 (HB 5092). It allows them to keep large carnivores without facing a penalty for having been cited by the U.S. agriculture department for issues not related to their breeding program.