Leadership is expected to meet during the break for the start of firearm deer hunting season and Thanksgiving to iron out goals
By Elena Durnbaugh and Nick Smith
Gongwer News Service
Following the election, House and Senate leadership have yet to address what the priorities will be for the remaining month of session under a Democratic trifecta.
Several bill packages were introduced this week, though, which could offer clues.
Leadership is expected to meet during the break for the start of firearm deer hunting season and Thanksgiving to iron out their goals. With nine remaining session days scheduled during lame duck session, Democrats have a long potential wish list to accomplish in their final weeks of holding total control of Lansing.
Teacher Pensions: A two-bill package sponsored by Rep. Matt Koleszar (D-Plymouth) and Rep. Regina Weiss (D-Oak Park) would make changes to the current teacher retirement system. The bills, HB 6060 and HB 6061 , would provide for a defined benefit and retiree health plan for new hires and an election option for current employees.
Sex Ed: Rep. Rachel Hood (D-Grand Rapids) introduced a bill that would restructure sex education in Michigan. HB 6068 updates laws around the state's sex education, requiring it to be medically accurate, age and developmentally appropriate and objective.
Medical Liability: Another bill package sponsored by Rep. Carrie Rheingans (D-Ann Arbor) would expand medical liability for wrongful death. The Michigan State Medical Society has already released a statement opposing HB 6085 and HB 6086 .
Business Taxes: In direct opposition to the Strategic Outreach Attraction and Reserve Fund, Rep. Dylan Wegela (D-Garden City) introduced HB 6105 , which outlines an increased corporate income tax and revises how revenue is distributed (See Gongwer Michigan Report, November 12, 2024).
Aggregates: Aggregates are back, which proved to be a big fight in the House in May 2023 (See Gongwer Michigan Report, May 9, 2023). HB 6108 , HB 6109 , HB 6110 and HB 6111 would modify regulations for mining sand and gravel. The earlier bills were supported by the Oakland, Wayne and Macomb County executives.
Policing: A 10-bill package updates laws around police regulations. The bills included are HB 6112 , HB 6113 , HB 6114 , HB 6115 , HB 6116 , HB 6117 , HB 6118 , HB 6119 , HB 6120 and HB 6121 . The legislation would prohibit tampering with evidence by law enforcement, revises the law enforcement officer separation of service act, modifies the execution of search warrants and requires law enforcement agencies to create use of force policies.
A major policing package was also introduced in the Senate: SB 1091 , SB 1092 , SB 1093 , SB 1094 , SB 1095 , SB 1096 , SB 1097 , SB 1098 , SB 1099 , SB 1100 and SB 1101 .
The bills are similar to a major policing package introduced during the 2021-22 session, in which there were multiple Senate committee hearings, but no further action was taken.
Within the policing package are bills requiring the creation of use of force policies by departments, the creation of policies in which officers have a duty to intervene in incidents involving use of excessive force, prohibitions on evidence tampering by officers, changes to processes for executing search warrants, revisions to requirements for preserving records of officers who leave a department and allowing individuals who file complaints against law enforcement to remain private.
Public Employee Health Insurance: Another bill package would repeal a restriction on public bodies to contribute no more than 80 percent of the cost toward their employees' health care premiums, which was signed into law by former Republican Governor Rick Snyder. The bills in the package are HB 6136 , HB 6140 , HB 6141 and HB 6142 .
In the Senate, two bills, SB 1129 and SB 1130 , would require public employers to pay a larger share of their employees' health care premiums. Incremental increases above the existing 80 percent employer cap would be phased in between 2025 and 2029 under SB 1129 , while SB 1130 deals with the maximum amount a public employer must provide for medical benefit plans for employees.
Guns: House Democrats also put forward another gun control package, which would prevent law enforcement agencies from selling weapons they've seized and would weapons returned as part of a buyback program to be destroyed. The package includes HB 6144 , HB 6145 and HB 6146 .
In the Senate, legislation creating a no-sell list for firearms was introduced. SB 1086 would create a temporary do-not-sell list and an indefinite do-not-sell list for individuals seeking to purchase firearms. The bill outlines a process for individuals to apply for placement on either list. Similar voluntary do-not-sell lists have been passed in multiple states.
Housing: Rep. Kristian Grant (D-Grand Rapids) is leading on a bill package aimed at addressing the housing crisis. The bills, HB 6095 , HB 6096 , HB 6097 and HB 6098 expand the supply of housing across Michigan by removing barriers to developing diverse and affordable housing.
This week, nearly 50 bills were introduced in the Senate, some of which could be priorities that Democrats could fast track.
Petition Signatures: A three-bill package (SB 1108 , SB 1109 and SB 1110 ) containing changes to the petition process for election campaigns was also introduced. The bills would ban per-signature payment to petition circulators gathering signatures, require individuals be read or shown the summary of a ballot measure before signing a petition and ensure that in cases of an elector signing a petition more than once that only one signature be counted.
Bottle Bill: Also introduced was SB 1112 , which would put an expansion of the state's bottle deposit law before voters in the November 2026 election.
Gongwer News Service
Following the election, House and Senate leadership have yet to address what the priorities will be for the remaining month of session under a Democratic trifecta.
Several bill packages were introduced this week, though, which could offer clues.
Leadership is expected to meet during the break for the start of firearm deer hunting season and Thanksgiving to iron out their goals. With nine remaining session days scheduled during lame duck session, Democrats have a long potential wish list to accomplish in their final weeks of holding total control of Lansing.
Teacher Pensions: A two-bill package sponsored by Rep. Matt Koleszar (D-Plymouth) and Rep. Regina Weiss (D-Oak Park) would make changes to the current teacher retirement system. The bills, HB 6060 and HB 6061 , would provide for a defined benefit and retiree health plan for new hires and an election option for current employees.
Sex Ed: Rep. Rachel Hood (D-Grand Rapids) introduced a bill that would restructure sex education in Michigan. HB 6068 updates laws around the state's sex education, requiring it to be medically accurate, age and developmentally appropriate and objective.
Medical Liability: Another bill package sponsored by Rep. Carrie Rheingans (D-Ann Arbor) would expand medical liability for wrongful death. The Michigan State Medical Society has already released a statement opposing HB 6085 and HB 6086 .
Business Taxes: In direct opposition to the Strategic Outreach Attraction and Reserve Fund, Rep. Dylan Wegela (D-Garden City) introduced HB 6105 , which outlines an increased corporate income tax and revises how revenue is distributed (See Gongwer Michigan Report, November 12, 2024).
Aggregates: Aggregates are back, which proved to be a big fight in the House in May 2023 (See Gongwer Michigan Report, May 9, 2023). HB 6108 , HB 6109 , HB 6110 and HB 6111 would modify regulations for mining sand and gravel. The earlier bills were supported by the Oakland, Wayne and Macomb County executives.
Policing: A 10-bill package updates laws around police regulations. The bills included are HB 6112 , HB 6113 , HB 6114 , HB 6115 , HB 6116 , HB 6117 , HB 6118 , HB 6119 , HB 6120 and HB 6121 . The legislation would prohibit tampering with evidence by law enforcement, revises the law enforcement officer separation of service act, modifies the execution of search warrants and requires law enforcement agencies to create use of force policies.
A major policing package was also introduced in the Senate: SB 1091 , SB 1092 , SB 1093 , SB 1094 , SB 1095 , SB 1096 , SB 1097 , SB 1098 , SB 1099 , SB 1100 and SB 1101 .
The bills are similar to a major policing package introduced during the 2021-22 session, in which there were multiple Senate committee hearings, but no further action was taken.
Within the policing package are bills requiring the creation of use of force policies by departments, the creation of policies in which officers have a duty to intervene in incidents involving use of excessive force, prohibitions on evidence tampering by officers, changes to processes for executing search warrants, revisions to requirements for preserving records of officers who leave a department and allowing individuals who file complaints against law enforcement to remain private.
Public Employee Health Insurance: Another bill package would repeal a restriction on public bodies to contribute no more than 80 percent of the cost toward their employees' health care premiums, which was signed into law by former Republican Governor Rick Snyder. The bills in the package are HB 6136 , HB 6140 , HB 6141 and HB 6142 .
In the Senate, two bills, SB 1129 and SB 1130 , would require public employers to pay a larger share of their employees' health care premiums. Incremental increases above the existing 80 percent employer cap would be phased in between 2025 and 2029 under SB 1129 , while SB 1130 deals with the maximum amount a public employer must provide for medical benefit plans for employees.
Guns: House Democrats also put forward another gun control package, which would prevent law enforcement agencies from selling weapons they've seized and would weapons returned as part of a buyback program to be destroyed. The package includes HB 6144 , HB 6145 and HB 6146 .
In the Senate, legislation creating a no-sell list for firearms was introduced. SB 1086 would create a temporary do-not-sell list and an indefinite do-not-sell list for individuals seeking to purchase firearms. The bill outlines a process for individuals to apply for placement on either list. Similar voluntary do-not-sell lists have been passed in multiple states.
Housing: Rep. Kristian Grant (D-Grand Rapids) is leading on a bill package aimed at addressing the housing crisis. The bills, HB 6095 , HB 6096 , HB 6097 and HB 6098 expand the supply of housing across Michigan by removing barriers to developing diverse and affordable housing.
This week, nearly 50 bills were introduced in the Senate, some of which could be priorities that Democrats could fast track.
Petition Signatures: A three-bill package (SB 1108 , SB 1109 and SB 1110 ) containing changes to the petition process for election campaigns was also introduced. The bills would ban per-signature payment to petition circulators gathering signatures, require individuals be read or shown the summary of a ballot measure before signing a petition and ensure that in cases of an elector signing a petition more than once that only one signature be counted.
Bottle Bill: Also introduced was SB 1112 , which would put an expansion of the state's bottle deposit law before voters in the November 2026 election.
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