HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
COMMITTEE ON HEALTH POLICY
REP. CURTIS VANDERWALL
CHAIR
COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES
Wednesday, June 25, 2025
9:00 AM
Room 519, House Office
Building
The House Committee on Health Policy was called to order by Chair VanderWall.
The Chair requested attendance to be called:
Present: Reps. VanderWall, Thompson, Meerman, Tisdel, Bierlein, DeBoer, Prestin,
Schmaltz, St. Germaine, Bohnak, Frisbie, Brenda Carter, Witwer, Neeley, Hoskins and
Foreman.
Absent: Rep. Whitsett.
Excused: Rep. Whitsett.
Representative Prestin moved to adopt the meeting minutes from June 11, 2025. There being no
objection, the motion prevailed with unanimous consent.
The Chair laid HB 4484 before the committee:
HB 4484
(Rep. Fox)
A bill to amend 1939 PA 280, entitled "The
social welfare act," (MCL 400.1 to 400.119b)
by adding section 109z.
Representative Fox testified in support of HB 4484.
Jeanette Benigas and Alexa Chapman, representing Fix SLP, testified in support of HB 4484.
Questions and discussions followed.
The following person submitted a card with a neutral position on HB 4484, but did not wish to
speak:
Kelli Pierce, representing the Michigan Speech-Language Hearing Association.
The Chair laid HB 4306, HB 4307, HB 4558 and SB 303 before the committee:
HB 4306
(Rep. VanderWall)
A bill to amend 1949 PA 300, entitled
"Michigan vehicle code," by amending section
309 (MCL 257.309), as amended by 2022 PA
45, and by adding section 309a.
HB 4307
(Rep. DeBoer)
A bill to amend 1978 PA 368, entitled "Public
health code," by amending section 5139 (MCL
333.5139), as added by 2012 PA 354.
HB 4558
(Rep. VanderWall)
A bill to amend 1978 PA 368, entitled "Public
health code," by amending sections 5553,
5555, 5557, and 5561 (MCL 333.5553,
333.5555, 333.5557, and 333.5561), as added
by 2014 PA 269, and by adding sections 5560
and 5562.
SB 303
(Sen. Hauck)
A bill to amend 1978 PA 368, entitled "Public
health code," (MCL 333.1101 to 333.25211)
by adding section 16189.
Representative Thompson moved to adopt substitute (H-1) to HB 4306. The motion prevailed
16-0-0:
FAVORABLE ROLL CALL
Yeas: Reps. VanderWall, Thompson, Meerman, Tisdel, Bierlein, DeBoer, Prestin, Schmaltz,
St. Germaine, Bohnak, Frisbie, Brenda Carter, Witwer, Neeley, Hoskins and Foreman.
Nays: None.
Pass: None.
Representative Bierlein moved to report out HB 4306 with recommendation that the substitute
(H-1) be adopted. The committee further recommended that the bill and substitute (H-1) be
referred to the Committee on Rules. The motion prevailed 11-0-5:
FAVORABLE ROLL CALL
Yeas: Reps. VanderWall, Thompson, Meerman, Tisdel, Bierlein, DeBoer, Prestin, Schmaltz,
St. Germaine, Bohnak and Frisbie.
Nays: None.
Pass: Reps. Brenda Carter, Witwer, Neeley, Hoskins and Foreman.
Representative DeBoer moved to report out HB 4307 with recommendation. The motion prevailed
11-0-5:
FAVORABLE ROLL CALL
Yeas: Reps. VanderWall, Thompson, Meerman, Tisdel, Bierlein, DeBoer, Prestin, Schmaltz,
St. Germaine, Bohnak and Frisbie.
Nays: None.
Pass: Reps. Brenda Carter, Witwer, Neeley, Hoskins and Foreman.
The following people submitted a card in support of SB 303, but did not wish to speak:
Jason Lachowski, representing the American Association of Retired Persons Michigan.
Christine Shearer, representing the Michigan Association of Health Plans.
Representative St. Germaine moved to report out SB 303 with recommendation that the bill be
referred to the Committee on Rules. The motion prevailed 16-0-0:
FAVORABLE ROLL CALL
Yeas: Reps. VanderWall, Thompson, Meerman, Tisdel, Bierlein, DeBoer, Prestin, Schmaltz,
St. Germaine, Bohnak, Frisbie, Brenda Carter, Witwer, Neeley, Hoskins and Foreman.
Nays: None.
Pass: None.
Representative DeBoer offered the following amendments to HB 4558:
1. Amend page 5, line 7, after "5560." by inserting "(1)".
2. Amend page 5, line 16, after "patient" by inserting a period, striking out the balance of the
section, and inserting:
"(2) If a licensee conducts an examination and evaluation through telemedicine under this
section, the licensee shall not issue a valid prescription for a contact lens to the patient unless
all of the following are met:
(a) The licensee obtains the information described in section 5557(a)(ii) to (vi) from a valid
prescription that was issued for the patient following the patient's most recent in-person
examination and evaluation by obtaining an electronic, readable copy of the valid
prescription or by contacting the licensee who performed the patient's most recent in-person
examination and evaluation through a live telephone call or email.
(b) After reviewing the information described in subdivision (a), the licensee determines
that the information described in subdivision (a) is still appropriate for the patient.
(c) The licensee issues the valid prescription containing information that is identical
to the information described in subdivision (a).".
Representative DeBoer moved to adopt the amendments to HB 4558. The motion did not prevail
4-11-1:
UNFAVORABLE ROLL CALL
Yeas: Reps. Thompson, Bierlein, DeBoer and Neeley.
Nays: Reps. VanderWall, Meerman, Tisdel, Prestin, Schmaltz, St. Germaine, Bohnak, Frisbie,
Brenda Carter, Witwer and Foreman.
Pass: Rep. Hoskins.
Representative Bohnak moved to report out HB 4558 with recommendation that the bill be
referred to the Committee on Rules. The motion prevailed 11-5-0:
FAVORABLE ROLL CALL
Yeas: Reps. VanderWall, Meerman, Tisdel, Prestin, Schmaltz, St. Germaine, Bohnak, Frisbie,
Brenda Carter, Witwer and Hoskins.
Nays: Reps. Thompson, Bierlein, DeBoer, Neeley and Foreman.
Pass: None.
The Chair laid HB 4509 before the committee:
HB 4509
(Rep. Meerman)
A bill to amend 1978 PA 368, entitled "Public
health code," by amending sections 16801 and
17601 (MCL 333.16801 and 333.17601),
section 16801 as added by 2004 PA 97 and
section 17601 as amended by 2016 PA 238,
and by adding sections 16187, 16804, and
17603a.
Representative Meerman testified in support of HB 4509.
Dr. Chelsea Conrad, representing the Michigan Audiology Coalition, testified in support of HB
4509.
Kelli Pierce and Ana Claudia Harten, representing the Michigan Speech-Language Hearing
Association, testified in support of HB 4509. Questions and discussions followed.
Dr. Chelsea Conrad approached to answer questions from the Committee.
The following people submitted a card in support of HB 4509, but did not wish to speak:
Christine Shearer, representing the Michigan Association of Health Plans.
Taylor Alpert, representing the Michigan Health and Hospital Association.
Jeanette Benigas, representing Fix SLP.
Jason Lachowski, representing the American Association of Retired Persons Michigan.
Alexa Chapman, representing Fix SLP.
The Chair laid HB 4591 before the committee:
HB 4591
(Rep. Bohnak)
A bill to amend 1978 PA 368, entitled "Public
health code," by amending section 18101
(MCL 333.18101), as amended by 2019 PA
96, and by adding sections 16190a and
18105a.
Representative Bohnak testified in support of HB 4591.
Carol Berger, representing the Michigan Mental Health Counselors' Association, testified with a
neutral position on HB 4591. Questions and discussions followed.
Dr. Stephanie Burns, representing the Michigan Mental Health Counselors' Association, testified
with a neutral position on HB 4591. Questions and discussions followed.
The following people submitted a card in support of HB 4591, but did not wish to speak:
Jarrett Skorup, representing the Mackinac Center for Public Policy.
Taylor Alpert, representing the Michigan Health and Hospital Association.
Jason Lachowski, representing the American Association of Retired Persons Michgan.
Representative Witwer moved to excuse Representative Whitsett from the meeting. There being
no objection the motion prevailed by unanimous consent.
There being no further business before the committee, Chair VanderWall adjourned the meeting at
9:56 AM.
Representative Curtis VanderWall, Chair
Hazel Campbell-Crawley
Committee Clerk
hcrawley@house.mi.gov