MEMBERS:
SEN. SUE SHINK, MAJORITY VICE CHAIR
SEN. PAUL WOJNO
SEN. JEFF IRWIN
SEN. SYLVIA SANTANA
SEN. JIM RUNESTAD, MINORITY VICE CHAIR
SEN. RUTH JOHNSON
THE SENATE
COMMITTEE ON CIVIL RIGHTS,
JUDICIARY, AND PUBLIC SAFETY
SENATOR STEPHANIE CHANG
CHAIR
4100 BINSFELD OFFICE BUILDING
P.O. BOX 30036
LANSING, MICHIGAN 48909-7536
PHONE: (517) 373-7346
FAX: (517) 373-9320
DRAFT
COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES
December 10, 2025
A meeting of the Senate Committee on Civil Rights, Judiciary, and Public Safety was scheduled for Wednesday,
December 10, 2025, at 9:00 a.m., in Room 1200 of the Binsfeld Office Building.
The agenda summary is as follows:
1. Reported HB 4045 (Rep. Hope) with recommendation.
2. Reported SB 539 (Sen. Bayer) with recommendation.
3. Reported SB 520 (Sen. Damoose) with recommendation.
4. Reported SB 521 (Sen. Damoose) with recommendation.
5. Reported SB 705 (Sen. Shink) with recommendation.
6. Testimony regarding HB 4418 (Rep. Thompson).
7. Testimony regarding HB 4419 (Rep. Witwer).
8. Testimony regarding HB 4734 (Rep. BeGole).
The Chair called the meeting to order at 9:03 p.m. She instructed the Clerk to call the roll. At that time, the
following members were present: Chair Chang, Sen.(s) Shink, and Irwin, a quorum was not present.
The Chair brought up HB 4045, and invited Rep. Hope to summarize the bill.
The Chair invited the following individual to present testimony regarding HB 4045:
Kaitlin Wolff, Uniform Law Commission – Support
The following cards were read of those individuals not wishing to present testimony regarding HB 4045:
Megan Reynolds, Michigan Poverty Law Program – Support
Mitch Albers, Michigan Association for Justice – Support
Nathan Triplett, State Bar of Michigan – Support
Kyle Zawacki, Gabrielle Dresner, ACLU Michigan – Support
Rev. Karen McFarland – Support
Dr. Erin Meyers – Support
Rita Williams – Support
Jennifer Cooper – Support
Dr. Judith VanderWoude – Support
Dr. Carol Sanchez – Support
Jan Baumgras – Support
Mary Sherzer – Support
Michael Campbell – Support
Michael Montaque – Support
Elyse Lopez – Support
Lily Eggers – Support
Emma Davidson Tribbs, National Women’s Defense League - Support
Sonny Koch, Americans for Prosperity Michigan – Support
Liz Abdnor, Abdnor Weiker LLP – Support
Danielle Canepa, Attorney at Law – Support
ACLU – Support
Institute for Free Speech – Support
Institute for Justice – Support
Tim Minotas, Sierra Club – Support
The following testimony cards were considered read in for the record regarding HB 4045:
Scott Young
Pat Rinvelt
Teri Frantz
Michael Steinberg
Matthew Cross
Kelly Houle
Seth Stern
Angela Kutyma
Ben Zuchowski
Kayla Jones-Terry
Jack Behm
Shelby Morse
Laughing Womyn Ashonosheni
Joaquin Tittle
Nancy Braun
Mary Andersson
Ruth Edlefson
Georgine Bello
Susanna Schindler
Jeannette Holdton
Marian Kelly
Todd Johnson
Jessica Rico
Rebecca Bastien
Dana Beck
Jason Dean
Kennedy Woodard
Geri Biggs
Nancy Dodge
Joshua Wheeler
Kay Perry
Derenda Lefevre
Kyle Zawacki
Mary Sanders
Kelly McCabe
Donna Romanowski
Micheal Chan
The Chair brought up SB 539, and invited Sen. Bayer to summarize the bill.
The Chair invited the following individuals to present testimony regarding SB 539:
Dr. Frederick Vars, University of Alabama School of Law – Support
At 9:35 a.m., Sen. Santana entered the meeting. A quorum was now present.
The Chair entertained a motion by Sen. Shink to adopt the meeting minutes from December 3, 2025. Without
objection, the minutes were adopted.
Testimony continued regarding SB 539:
Dr. Brian Stork, Michigan State Medical Society – Support
The cards were read of those individuals not wishing to present testimony regarding SB 539:
Chris Yaw, Disarmory Ministries – Support
Ryan Bates, End Violence Michigan - Support
The Chair brought up SB’s 520, 521, and 705.
The cards were read of those individuals not wishing to present testimony regarding SB’s 520, 521, and 705:
Matt Saxton, Michigan Sheriffs’ Association – Support
Rebecca Mastee, Michigan Catholic Conference – Support
The Chair entertained a motion by Sen. Santana to report SB 520 to the floor with recommendation that the bill
pass. The vote was as follows:
Yeas: Chair Chang, Sen.(s) Shink, Irwin and Santana
Nays: None
The motion prevailed and the bill was reported.
The Chair entertained a motion by Sen. Irwin to report SB 521 to the floor with recommendation that the bill
pass. The vote was as follows:
Yeas: Chair Chang, Sen.(s) Shink, Irwin and Santana
Nays: None
The motion prevailed and the bill was reported.
The Chair entertained a motion by Sen. Shink to report SB 705 to the floor with recommendation that the bill
pass. The vote was as follows:
Yeas: Chair Chang, Sen.(s) Shink, Irwin and Santana
Nays: None
The motion prevailed and the bill was reported.
The Chair entertained a motion by Sen. Shink to report HB 4045 to the floor with recommendation that the bill
pass. The vote was as follows:
Yeas: Chair Chang, Sen.(s) Shink, Irwin and Santana
Nays: None
The motion prevailed and the bill was reported.
The Chair entertained a motion by Sen. Irwin to report SB 539 to the floor with recommendation that the bill
pass. The vote was as follows:
Yeas: Chair Chang, Sen.(s) Shink, Irwin and Santana
Nays: None
The motion prevailed and the bill was reported.
The Chair brought up HB’s 4418, 4419, and 4734.
The Chair invited Rep. Thompson and Jocelyn Bundy of Rep. Witwer’s office to summarize HB’s 4418 and
4419.
The Chair invited Rep. BeGole to summarize HB 4734.
The Chair invited the following individuals to present testimony regarding HB’s 4418, 4419, and 4734:
Dr. Michael Redinger, Michigan State Medical Society – Support
The Chair recessed the committee from 9:55 a.m. to 10:04 a.m.
Testimony continued regarding HB’s 4418, 4419, and 4734:
Nicole Shannon, Michigan Elder Justice Initiative – Support
The Chair moved to excuse absent members from the meeting. Without objection, Sen.(s) Wojno, Runestad and
Johnson were excused from the meeting.
The cards were read of those individuals not wishing to present testimony regarding HB’s 4108, HB 4847, SB
590 and SB 59HB’s 4418, 4419, and 4734:
Sen. Rosemary Bayer – Support HB 4418
Marvin Lee, Henry Ford Health System – Oppose HB 4418
Robert Kennedy, Michigan Guardianship Association – Support
Ashley Steffen, Michigan Department of Attorney General – Support HB 4418-4419
Michelle Lindsay, Disability Rights Michigan – Support HB 4418-4419
Mary Pollock, Michigan State Employee Retirees Association - Support
The Chair moved to excuse absent members from the meeting. Without objection, Sen. Runestad was excused
from the meeting.
There being no further business before the committee, the Chair moved to adjourn the committee. Without
objection, the committee was adjourned at 10:21 a.m.
Date adopted by committee: