Michigan House Bill HB5639

Michigan 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/26/26
• Refer: 2/26/26

Caption

State agencies (existing): treasury; online tariff calculator; provide for. Amends 1941 PA 122 (MCL 205.1 - 205.31) by adding sec. 5a.

Summary

House Bill 5639 would amend Michigan’s revenue collection law to require the Department of Treasury to create and post an online “tariffs calculator” on its website within 90 days after the section takes effect. The calculator would let users enter information such as zip code, household income, spending habits, and other department-selected metrics to estimate the total cost of tariffs and their adverse impact on the user’s financial health. The bill defines “tariffs” broadly to include tariffs imposed by the United States on another nation, or by a foreign government on the United States, so long as the tariff was levied on or after January 20, 2025. The measure does not change tax rates or impose a new tax; instead, it creates a new informational tool within the Treasury Department’s website and directs the department to determine additional inputs as needed.

Impact

If enacted, HB5639 would add a new section to 1941 PA 122, expanding the Department of Treasury’s duties to include development and maintenance of an online tariff-impact estimator. The practical effect would be to require state resources and website functionality for a consumer-facing calculator, while leaving existing tax administration statutes otherwise unchanged. The bill would affect Michigan residents and businesses seeking to understand how tariffs may influence household costs and financial well-being, but it does not itself regulate tariffs or alter federal trade policy.

Sentiment

Because there were no committee transcripts or recorded votes provided, there is no documented legislative debate or formal voting history to gauge support or opposition. Based on the bill text alone, the measure appears informational and consumer-oriented rather than regulatory or fiscal in the traditional sense. The overall tone of the proposal suggests an interest in public education about tariff effects, but the available record does not show whether lawmakers viewed it as useful, unnecessary, or politically motivated.

Contention

No specific points of contention are documented in the provided materials. Potential areas of disagreement, if raised in future debate, could include whether the Department of Treasury should be tasked with producing a tariff calculator, whether the department has the expertise to estimate household-level tariff impacts, and whether the bill’s definition of tariffs—limited to actions taken on or after January 20, 2025—appropriately captures the policy issue. Another possible issue is the subjectivity of inputs such as “spending habits” and the reliability of any resulting estimate.