Shelby Review

Last week, the Michigan House moved forward with several legislative measures concerning foreign policy protections, energy and insurance reform, disaster relief, professional development, and personal freedoms.

A notable piece of legislation is HB 4279, which creates a formal apprenticeship pathway for members of the Michigan National Guard. The bill aims to enhance career readiness by providing access to apprenticeship programs while serving. Representative Josh Schriver co-sponsored this bill and noted his office's significant role in its development.

Another initiative spearheaded by Schriver is HB 4472, establishing a Deportation Task Force. This task force will review policies related to illegal immigration and propose actions to align Michigan with federal enforcement efforts. State Senator Jonathan Lindsey collaborated on this initiative.

Schriver also co-sponsored several other bills. HB 4466-68 seeks to prohibit gender transition procedures for minors, aligning with the principle of "Do No Harm." HB 4475 aims to prevent discrimination based on vaccination status, except in military service assignments during severe public health outbreaks. Additionally, HB 4473-74 would allow residents to opt out of obtaining Real ID-compliant driver’s licenses.

The House voted on multiple bills related to foreign ownership and influence. HB 4233 and HB 4234 aim to prevent adversarial foreign entities from owning farmland or critical infrastructure in Michigan. These measures passed with votes of 63–47 each.

Further bills addressed security concerns over technology and education ties with foreign governments. HB 4235 bans high-risk applications like TikTok from government devices (79–31), while HB 4238 and HB 4239 restrict financial agreements between schools and certain foreign governments (59–51 and 61–49). Similarly, HB 4240 limits public bodies from engaging in financial arrangements that could compromise state autonomy (61–49), and HB 4241 prevents economic incentives from being awarded to companies controlled by foreign adversaries (66–44).

On healthcare reforms, HB 4072 allows patients to retain prescribed medications post-surgery if they remain safe (109–0). Energy-related legislation includes updates recognizing newer technologies as viable energy sources through HB 4007 (82–27) and provisions for alternative fuel generators under HB 4283 (83–26).

In insurance matters, HB 4071 enables companies to offer risk-reducing products at reduced costs (108–1), while HB 4178 provides continuing education credits for attending professional meetings (108–1).

Lastly, several bills focus on voter registration processes and disaster response. These include requirements for offering voter registration applications alongside hunting licenses under HB 4136 (108–2) and emergency funding for ice storm recovery in the Upper Peninsula via HB 4328 ($100 million appropriated; vote:107-1).

HB4345 permits waiving up to fifteen school days during emergencies in the academic year (110-0).

In committee news, the Oversight Committee continues its investigation into election training procedures at the Department of State after delays in document provision despite subpoenas.

Representative Josh Schriver thanked constituents for their attention in his newsletter.