HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION
REP. MATT KOLESZAR
CHAIR
COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES
Tuesday, December 10, 2024
9:00 AM
Room 521, House Office Building
The House Committee on Education was called to order by Chair Koleszar.
The Chair requested attendance be called:
Present: Reps. Koleszar, Churches, Shannon, Weiss, Glanville, Conlin, Edwards, Wegela,
Xiong, Greene, Markkanen, Wendzel, Johnsen.
Absent: Rep. Paquette.
Excused: Rep. Paquette.
Representative Churches moved to adopt the meeting minutes from December 4, 2024. There
being no objection, the motion prevailed by unanimous consent.
The Chair laid SB 463 before the committee:
SB 463
(Sen. Camilleri)
A bill to amend 1976 PA 451, entitled "The
revised school code," (MCL 380.1 to 380.1852) by
adding section 1278e.
Representative Glanville testified in support of the proposed (H-2) substitute to SB 463.
Senator Camilleri testified in support of SB 463. Questions and discussion followed.
Karie Ward, representing Fostering Success Michigan, testified in support of SB 463.
Ryan Fewins-Bliss, representing Michigan College Access Network, testified in support of
SB 463.
Ashley Alvarado and Samantha Magdaleno, both representing One Michigan for Immigrant
Rights, testified in opposition to SB 463. Questions and discussion followed.
Onjila Odeneal, representing The Institute for College Access and Success, testified in
support of SB 463.
Christopher Kasper, representing the Michigan School Counselor Association, testified in
opposition of SB 463.
Elinor Jordan, representing the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center, testified in opposition of
SB 463. Questions and discussion followed.
The following people submitted a card with a neutral position on SB 463, but did not wish to
speak:
Brenda Pilgrim, representing the Michigan Association of School Boards.
The following people submitted a card in support of SB 463, but did not wish to speak:
Ben Locke, representing the Teach Plus Michigan.
Dwayne Gill, representing the Detroit Public School Community District.
Rob Moss, representing the Michigan Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential.
Jeff Cobb, representing the Education Trust- Midwest.
Adam Majestic, representing the Detroit Regional Chamber.
Daniel Hurley, representing the Michigan Association of State Universities.
Bob Kefgen, representing the Michigan Association of Secondary School Principals.
Robert LeFevre, representing the Michigan Independent Colleges and Universities.
Justin Clement, representing the Project Lead the Way.
Katie Witkowski, representing the Michigan Community Colleges Association.
The following people submitted a card in opposition to SB 463, but did not wish to speak:
Dr. Sheryl Kennedy, representing the Michigan Department of Education.
Representative Glanville moved to adopt substitute (H-2) to SB 463. The motion prevailed
13-0-0:
FAVORABLE ROLL CALL
Yeas: Reps. Koleszar, Churches, Shannon, Weiss, Glanville, Conlin, Edwards, Wegela,
Xiong, Greene, Markkanen, Wendzel, Johnsen.
Nays: None.
Pass: None.
Representative Conlin moved to report out SB 463 with recommendation, as substitute (H-2).
The motion prevailed 8-4-1:
FAVORABLE ROLL CALL
Yeas: Reps. Koleszar, Churches, Shannon, Weiss, Glanville, Conlin, Edwards, Xiong.
Nays: Reps. Greene, Markkanen, Wendzel, Johnsen.
Pass: Rep. Wegela.
The Chair laid HB 6255 before the committee:
HB 6255
(Rep. Weiss)
A bill to amend 1976 PA 451, entitled "The
revised school code," by amending section 12b
(MCL 380.12b), as added by 2016 PA 192.
Representative Weiss and Jeremy Vidito, representing the Detroit Public School Community
District, testified in support of HB 6255.
The following people submitted a card in support of HB 6255, but did not wish to speak:
Todd Tennis, representing the America Federation of Teahcers- Michigan.
Molly Sweeney and Imani Foster, representing the 482 Forward.
Mike Latvis, representing the Wayne Regional Educational Service Agency.
Representative Weiss moved to adopt substitute (H-1) to HB 6255. The motion prevailed 9-4-
0:
FAVORABLE ROLL CALL
Yeas: Reps. Koleszar, Churches, Shannon, Weiss, Glanville, Conlin, Edwards, Wegela,
Xiong.
Nays: Reps. Greene, Markkanen, Wendzel, Johnsen.
Pass: None.
Representative Edwards moved to report out HB 6255 with recommendation, as substitute
(H-1). The motion prevailed 9-4-0:
FAVORABLE ROLL CALL
Yeas: Reps. Koleszar, Churches, Shannon, Weiss, Glanville, Conlin, Edwards, Wegela,
Xiong.
Nays: Reps. Greene, Markkanen, Wendzel, Johnsen.
Pass: None.
At 9:56 AM, the Chair laid the committee at ease.
At 10:02 AM, the Chair called the committee back to order.
The Chair laid SB 285 before the committee:
SB 285
(Sen. Polehanki)
A bill to amend 1976 PA 451, entitled "The
revised school code," by amending sections 1147
and 1561 (MCL 380.1147 and 380.1561), section
1147 as amended by 2016 PA 192 and section
1561 as amended by 2016 PA 532.
Senator Polehanki testified in support of SB 285. Questions and discussion followed.
Dr. Nikolai Vitti, representing the Detroit Public School Community District, testified in
support of SB 285.
Mike Winter, representing the Michigan Christian Homeschool Network, testified in
opposition of SB 285.
Dr. Sheryl Kennedy, representing the Michigan Department of Education, testified in support
of SB 285. Questions and discussion followed.
Christa Fons, representing Clarkston School, testified in support of SB 285.
Tim Schmig and Jesse Levesque, both representing the Michigan Association of Christian
Schools, testified in opposition of SB 285.
The following people submitted a card in support of SB 285, but did not wish to speak:
Jennifer Smith, representing the Michigan Association of School Boards.
The following people submitted a card in opposition to SB 285, but did not wish to speak:
Katherine Bussard, representing the Herself.
William Wagner, representing the Himself.
Molly Macek, representing the Mackinac Center for Public Policy.
Representative Shannon moved to report out SB 285 with recommendation. The motion
prevailed 9-4-0:
FAVORABLE ROLL CALL
Yeas: Reps. Koleszar, Churches, Shannon, Weiss, Glanville, Conlin, Edwards, Wegela,
Xiong.
Nays: Reps. Greene, Markkanen, Wendzel, Johnsen.
Pass: None.
Representative Greene moved to excuse Representative Paquette from the meeting. There
being no objection the motion prevailed by unanimous consent.
There being no further business before the committee, Chair Koleszar adjourned the meeting
at 10:28 AM.
Representative Matt Koleszar, Chair
Legan Rose
Committee Clerk
LRose@house.mi.gov