State Rep. Mark Tisdell updates Rochester Hills on budget, K–12 smartphone ban and pending social media, zoning bills
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Summary
State Representative Mark Tisdell told the Rochester Hills City Council that a smartphone ban for K–12 classrooms has been signed into law and outlined pending bills on social media age verification, a proposed excise tax on minors' smartphones and a state-funded 'Michigan Homes' zoning incentive package that he said avoids preemption.
State Representative Mark Tisdell briefed the Rochester Hills City Council on state budget developments and several bills he described as addressing teen mental health, housing and local zoning.
Tisdell said the House Appropriations Committee "unilaterally non renewed $645,000,000" in grants but that the legislature renewed about $2.1 billion in other earmarks; he urged review of interest and "work project" funding that flows into the general fund. He framed these budget moves as part of a larger review of state spending priorities.
Tisdell told the council that House Bill "41 41" was signed into law "prohibiting the use of smartphones in K through 12 public schools during instruction," calling it a bipartisan effort to reduce harms linked to in-class smartphone use. He also described pending bills, including one he identified as "4388" that would require age verification for certain social-media accounts and another referred to as "5496" that would apply a 32% excise tax to smartphones purchased for minors; he said the measures are intended to give parents and schools tools to address teen mental-health harms tied to social media.
On housing and zoning, Tisdell described a bipartisan "Michigan Homes" package he and others are drafting that would offer state funding and incentives to communities that adopt specified zoning and building practices rather than imposing statewide preemption. He said the plan uses "carrots" — financial incentives — rather than mandates.
Councilmember Miss Neubauer, who identified herself as a planning commissioner, thanked Tisdell for the school-related work but voiced strong opposition to any state preemption of local zoning authority. "Tell them they're not the boss of us and we don't want it," she said, emphasizing Rochester Hills' recent master plan and local control over nuanced development standards. Tisdell replied that he has discussed alternatives with local mayors, and he described a separate "senior deals" proposal intended to increase housing turnover among long-term homeowners.
No formal legislative actions were taken by the council during the update; Tisdell said he would follow up with legislative language and staff to address local concerns.
