East Michigan News

State Representative Jerry Neyer presented testimony to the House Agriculture Committee on Thursday, advocating for his proposed legislation aimed at reducing financial penalties imposed on family farms that fail to report a workplace death of an immediate family member within the currently mandated eight-hour timeframe. The proposed House Bill 4017 seeks to address these concerns by mitigating the penalties.

Neyer explained, "The death of a loved one is one of the hardest moments we face, especially for farming families who work together day in and day out for their entire lives." He emphasized that his proposal aims to prevent grieving farm families from facing substantial fines due to missing an "obscure state requirement" during such difficult times.

This legislative effort is partly inspired by a 2019 incident involving Keith Eisenmann, a co-owner of a family farm who died after falling through a roof while repairing a barn. Following this tragedy, the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MIOSHA) fined the Eisenmann family over $12,000 for not reporting the incident within eight hours. Barb Eisenmann, Keith's widow, had prioritized her family's needs over filing state-mandated paperwork immediately after her husband's death.

Barb Eisenmann joined Neyer at the committee hearing. Neyer criticized the state's handling of the situation: "The insensitivity in how the state treated the Eisenmann family is inexcusable." He argued that officials should have supported rather than penalized them during their time of grief.

Neyer's bill proposes that while family farms must still report fatalities involving immediate relatives, fines will be significantly reduced if they fail to meet the deadline—specifically, by 80% for those without prior violations. Neyer pointed out that current regulations equate small family operations with large corporations when it comes to dealing with workplace accidents. His plan aims to adjust this disparity.

A similar bill introduced by Neyer last year passed in the House but stalled in the Senate. This time, he has been working closely with senators to ensure progress: "The Eisenmann family has been waiting long enough – it’s time the Legislature finally does its job and delivers for these people."

Since 2021, House Republicans have collaborated with the Eisenmanns to promote changes in state law regarding this issue. Currently, HB 4017 remains under review by the House Agriculture Committee.