Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signs ‘Taylor Swift’ anti-bot legislation, dozens of other bills into law

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer recently signed dozens of bills into law, including child care safety legislation and the Taylor Swift bills.

“I’ll work with anyone to lower costs for Michiganders, protect consumers, keep kids safe, and cut red tape,” said Whitmer. “We’ve made historic investments in school safety, and our tax cuts for working families and seniors are putting more money back in Michiganders’ pockets. These commonsense bills will build on the progress we’ve made, make a difference for Michiganders, and help more individuals, families, and small businesses ‘make it’ in Michigan. Let’s keep getting it done.”

Here’s what to know about each of the bills signed into law on Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2025, according a release from Whitmer’s office:

Senate Bill 158 / House Bill 4262 – ‘Taylor Swift bills’

These bills crack down on the use of automated bots that buy large quantities of event tickets and resell them at inflated prices.

By prohibiting bot-driven ticket purchases, the legislation aims to give regular consumers a fairer chance to buy tickets at face value for concerts, sporting events, and live shows.

The law also authorizes the attorney general to impose civil penalties of up to $5,000 for a violation.

–> More on Senate Bill 158

–> More on House Bill 4262

Senate Bills 96, 97, and 98 – Child care center door locks

This bipartisan package allows licensed child care centers to install temporary locking systems on classroom and facility doors.

The bills extend to child care centers the same safety options that K–12 schools have had for several years, helping protect children and staff during shootings or other serious threats.

–> More on Senate Bill 96, 97 and 98

House Bill 4285 – Firearm safety education

This bill directs state education and natural resource agencies to offer a model elective firearm safety course for students in grades 6–12.

The course uses fake firearms and prohibits real weapons.

“In Michigan, hunting isn’t just a pastime, it’s a tradition,” said state Rep. Curt VanderWall. “Protecting this sport across the state starts with training young, aspiring hunters. What better way to educate them than to give them the option to learn it right at their own school? Empowering schools to teach responsible firearm handling in a safe, structured way will give students valuable skills that protect them during hunting season and teach respect for weapons. It’s great to have bipartisan support on this.”

–> More on House Bill 4285

Senate Bill 25 – Auto repair licensing reform

This bill modernizes licensing rules for auto repair businesses. It allows shops to register a nearby auxiliary facility under the same license, simplifies inspections and registrations, enables longer renewal periods for large facilities, and improves mechanic certification processes.

These updates are intended to reduce costs and delays while supporting both traditional and electric vehicle repairs.

–> More on Senate Bill 25

Senate Bill 93 / House Bill 4122 – Cottage Food Operations

This legislation eases regulations for small, home-based food businesses.

It raises the sales threshold before a business must obtain a license, aligns honey and maple syrup producers with other cottage food operations, expands where products may be sold, and improves access to guidance and resources.

The changes are designed to help small producers grow while maintaining food safety.

“By raising the annual sales cap for our honey and maple syrup producers, we’re helping level the playing field, allowing them to better compete and meet local consumer demand,” said state Sen. Sam Singh. “Most importantly, breaking down this critical barrier enables these producers to grow their business beyond what has so far been possible — something that’s not only of benefit to them, but to Michigan’s agricultural economy overall.”

–> Read more on Senate Bill 93 and House Bill 4122

Senate Bill 269 – Detroit Metro Airport improvements

This bill streamlines the state review process for infrastructure projects at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport.

By reducing administrative delays, it allows the airport to more quickly access federal funding for safety upgrades and operational improvements, helping reduce wait times and improve the traveler experience.

–> More on Senate Bill 269

Senate Bills 685-690 and 699 – Farmland Preservation Program

This multi-bill package clarifies and strengthens Michigan’s farmland preservation program.

It ensures farmers with existing agreements can retain tax credits, increases program funding, and improves recordkeeping and administration.

The reforms address past inconsistencies and protect family farms from unintended penalties while encouraging long-term land conservation.

–> More on this bill package.

House Bills 4098 and 4099 – Electronic Tax Tribunal Hearings

These bills allow Michigan’s Tax Tribunal to conduct hearings and proceedings electronically.

The change saves time and travel costs for taxpayers, increases accessibility for those who live far from hearing locations, and reduces administrative expenses for the state.

–> More on House Bills 4098 and 4099

House Bill 4401 – Pheasant hunting license

This bill removes the sunset provision on Michigan’s pheasant hunting license requirement.

By making the license permanent, it provides long-term certainty for hunters and supports ongoing wildlife and habitat management efforts.

–> More on House Bill 4401

House Bill 4493 – Food licensure exemptions

This legislation exempts certain concession operators working in state-owned buildings or on state property from specific food licensure requirements.

“Michigan is a state of opportunity, and all Michiganders deserve the chance to pursue their dreams. With this legislation now signed into law,we’rereplacing red tape with real opportunity by removing unnecessary obstacles that have unfairly held back Michigan’s legally blind and visually impaired business owners and entrepreneurs for far too long,” said state Sen.Sarah Anthony. “This legislation will lower costs for so many hardworking, disabled business owners and entrepreneurs statewide, including those who operate the 44 Business Enterprise Program sites right here in Greater Lansing.”

House Bill 4045 – Uniform Public Expression Protection Act

This bill creates a legal process to quickly dismiss meritless lawsuits designed to silence criticism or public participation, often known as SLAPP lawsuits.

By allowing courts to dispose of these cases early, the law helps protect free speech, civic engagement, and public debate while reducing unnecessary legal costs.

–> More on House Bill 4045

Senate Bill 23 – Land division and housing supply

This bill increases the number of parcels that can be split from a single tract of land, from four to ten.

The change is intended to expand the supply of buildable lots and support the development of more housing across the state.

–> More on Senate Bill 23

Senate Bill 136 – Radiation and mammography standards

This legislation updates Michigan’s radiation control laws to align with federal mammography standards.

It modernizes training requirements, fee structures, and oversight practices, helping ensure consistent quality and safety in breast cancer screening.

–> More on Senate Bill 136

Senate Bills 512 and 513 – Liquor Control Code updates

These bills modernize Michigan’s liquor laws by allowing college-branded alcohol packaging, permitting brewers to sell nonalcoholic beer, and clarifying branding and trademark rules.

The updates also support research and product development while strengthening protections for wholesalers and producers.

–> More on Senate Bill 512 and Senate Bill 513

Senate Bill 595 – Michigan–Indiana State Line Commission

This bill allows the Michigan-Indiana State Line Commission to help fund county-level surveying and remonumentation of the Michigan–Indiana border.

It also extends the commission’s authorization through 2030 to complete this work.

–> More on Senate Bill 595

House Bill 4065 – Liquor Licenses for Macomb, Wayne County Community Colleges

This bill allows Macomb Community College and Wayne County Community College to obtain permanent liquor licenses for event spaces.

The change eliminates the need to apply for individual permits for each event, making it easier to host conferences and large community gatherings.

–> More on House Bill 4065

House Bills 4282 and 4595 – Schoolcraft College liquor licenses

These bills allow the Liquor Control Commission to issue licenses for operations on Schoolcraft College property.

This enables on-campus businesses and educational programs, including brewing and distillation studies, to operate under the same rules as similar institutions.

–> More on House Bill 4282 and House Bill 4595

House Bill 4543 – Home heating credit adjustment

This legislation updates the inflation adjustment used to calculate Michigan’s Home Heating Credit.

The change ensures eligible households receive the maximum benefit possible on their annual tax returns.

–> More on House Bill 4543

House Bill 4666 – Insurance code modernization

This bill removes outdated and offensive language from Michigan’s Insurance Code and doubles the fines for insurers that engage in discriminatory practices based on race.

–> More on House Bill 4666

House Bill 4726 – Medicaid nursing home cost cap

This bill extends an existing cap on how much counties must contribute toward Medicaid-funded nursing home care.

The extension helps sustain county-owned facilities and ensures continued care for vulnerable residents.

–> More on House Bill 4726

House Bill 4836 / Senate Bill 349 – Work skills assessment opt-out

This legislation allows students to opt out of the state’s work skills assessment, formerly known as WorkKeys.

“Back when I was first elected to the Senate, I made a promise to do everything I could to get Michigan kids back into the classroom where they can learn and grow instead of sitting through hours of unnecessary standardized testing — and my bill to make the Work Skills test optional for eleventh grade students is an important step in the right direction,” said state Sen. Dayna Polehanki. “Passed with unanimous, bipartisan support in the Senate, my legislation empowers Michigan students and parents with more flexibility in their educational journey while also ensuring that they’re well-informed about the merits of the Work Skills test.” 

–> More on House Bill 4836 and Senate Bill 349

House Bill 5078 – Company K Memorial Highway

This bill designates a portion of M-22 as the “Company K Indian Veterans 1st Michigan Sharpshooters Civil War Memorial Highway” to honor the Native American veterans who served during the Civil War.

–> More on House Bill 5078

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