The bill amends the 1981 PA 216, which addresses the rights and liabilities of married women concerning real and personal property. Key changes include affirming that property acquired by a woman before or during marriage remains her separate property, and she retains the right to manage it as if she were unmarried. The language has been updated to replace "husband" with "spouse" throughout the bill, reflecting a more inclusive understanding of marriage. Additionally, the bill clarifies that a married woman is personally liable for contracts related to her separate property and that her spouse is not liable for breaches of such contracts unless they acted as a surety or co-signer.

Further provisions allow married women to act as sureties for debts, including those of their spouses, and to pledge their separate property as security for debts. The amendments ensure that judgments against a married woman as a surety can be satisfied from her separate property, regardless of whether that property benefits from the suretyship. The bill also stipulates that it will only take effect if certain resolutions become part of the state constitution, emphasizing the need for constitutional alignment with these changes.

Statutes affected:
House Introduced Bill: 557.21