HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
COMMITTEE ON FAMILIES AND VETERANS
REP. KATHY SCHMALTZ
CHAIR
COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES
Tuesday, December 16, 2025
Noon.
Room 307, House Office
Building
The House Committee on Families and Veterans was called to order by Chair Schmaltz.
The Chair requested attendance to be called:
Present: Reps. Schmaltz, Wozniak, Fox, Johnsen, Thompson, Pavlov, Woolford, Young,
Byrnes and Xiong.
Absent: Rep. Rheingans.
Excused: Rep. Rheingans.
Representative Fox moved to adopt the meeting minutes from December 09, 2025. There being no
objection, the motion prevailed with unanimous consent.
The Chair laid HB 4696 and HB 4697 before the committee:
HB 4696
(Rep. Meerman)
A bill to amend 2008 PA 260, entitled
"Guardianship assistance act," by amending
section 2 (MCL 722.872), as amended by 2023
PA 69.
HB 4697
(Rep. Young)
A bill to amend 2008 PA 260, entitled
"Guardianship assistance act," by amending
section 4 (MCL 722.874), as amended by 2023
PA 69.
Representative Meerman and Representative Young testified in support of HB 4696 and HB 4697.
Questions and discussion followed.
Demetrius Starling and Rachael Wineland, representing the Michigan Department of Health and
Human Services, testified in support of HB 4696 and HB 4697. Questions and discussion
followed.
Joy Engelsman, representing DA Blodgett, testified in support of HB 4696 and HB 4697.
The following person submitted a card in support of HB 4696, but did not wish to speak:
Dr. Heather Bomsta, representing Michigan’s Children.
The following person submitted a card in support of HB 4697, but did not wish to speak:
Bianca Miles, representing Michigan’s Children.
The following people submitted a card in support of HB 4696 and HB 4697, but did not wish to
speak:
Danielle Sirianni, representing the Michigan County Social Services Association.
Elizabeth Henderson, representing the Michigan Federation for Children and Families.
Representative Young moved to excuse Representative Rheingans from the meeting. There being
no objection the motion prevailed by unanimous consent.
There being no further business before the committee, Chair Schmaltz adjourned the meeting at
12:45 PM.
Representative Kathy Schmaltz, Chair
Keith Feldpausch
Committee Clerk
kfeldpausch@house.mi.gov