HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE
REP. NANCY DEBOER
CHAIR
COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES
Wednesday, March 18, 2026
10:30 AM
Room 327, House Office
Building
The House Committee on Education and Workforce was called to order by Chair DeBoer.
The Chair requested attendance to be called:
Present: Reps. DeBoer, Linting, Paquette, Fox, Kunse, St. Germaine, Pavlov, Wilson,
Koleszar and Byrnes.
Absent: Rep. Weiss.
Excused: Rep. Weiss.
Representative Linting moved to adopt the meeting minutes from March 11, 2026. There being no
objection, the motion prevailed with unanimous consent.
The Chair laid HB 4477 before the committee:
HB 4477
(Rep. Steele)
A bill to amend 1976 PA 451, entitled "The
revised school code," (MCL 380.1 to
380.1852) by adding section 1170c.
A substitute (H-1) for HB 4477 was adopted at the March 4th, 2026, meeting.
Representative Linting moved to adopt substitute (H-2) to HB 4477. The motion prevailed 10-0-0:
FAVORABLE ROLL CALL
Yeas: Reps. DeBoer, Linting, Paquette, Fox, Kunse, St. Germaine, Pavlov, Wilson, Koleszar
and Byrnes.
Nays: None.
Pass: None.
The Chair laid HB 5646 and HB 5697 before the committee:
HB 5646
(Rep. Kelly)
A bill to amend 1976 PA 451, entitled "The
revised school code," (MCL 380.1 to
380.1852) by adding section 1531k.
HB 5697
(Rep. DeBoer)
A bill to amend 1976 PA 451, entitled "The
revised school code," (MCL 380.1 to
380.1852) by adding section 1531k.
Representative Linting moved to adopt substitute (H-1) to HB 5646. The motion prevailed 10-0-0:
FAVORABLE ROLL CALL
Yeas: Reps. DeBoer, Linting, Paquette, Fox, Kunse, St. Germaine, Pavlov, Wilson, Koleszar
and Byrnes.
Nays: None.
Pass: None.
Representative Linting moved to adopt substitute (H-1) to HB 5697. The motion prevailed 10-0-0:
FAVORABLE ROLL CALL
Yeas: Reps. DeBoer, Linting, Paquette, Fox, Kunse, St. Germaine, Pavlov, Wilson, Koleszar
and Byrnes.
Nays: None.
Pass: None.
Representative Kelly testified in support of HB 5646. Questions and discussion followed.
The following people submitted a card in support of HB 5646, but did not wish to speak:
Robert LeFevre & Colby Cesaro, representing MI Independent Colleges & Universities.
Molly Macek, representing the Mackinac Center.
Mike Latvis, representing Wayne RESA.
John Severson, representing the Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators.
The following people submitted a card in support of HB 5697, but did not wish to speak:
Brian Shoaf, representing the Detroit Regional Chamber of Commerce.
Venessa Keesler, representing Launch Michigan.
The following people submitted a card in support of HB 5646 and HB 5697, but did not wish to
speak:
Steve Liedel, representing the Business Leaders for Michigan.
Jeff Cobb, representing EDTrust Midwest.
Beth DeShone, representing the MI Forward Network.
Melissa Horste, representing Mi LEAP.
The committee returned to consideration of HB 4477.
The following people submitted a card in opposition to HB 4477, but did not wish to speak:
Matt Schueller, representing the MI Association of Superintendents and Administrators.
Bob Kefgen, representing the MI Association of Secondary School Principals.
Representative Linting moved to report out HB 4477 with recommendation, as substitute (H-2).
The motion prevailed 10-0-0:
FAVORABLE ROLL CALL
Yeas: Reps. DeBoer, Linting, Paquette, Fox, Kunse, St. Germaine, Pavlov, Wilson, Koleszar
and Byrnes.
Nays: None.
Pass: None.
Representative Linting moved to excuse Representative Weiss from the meeting. There being no
objection the motion prevailed by unanimous consent.
There being no further business before the committee, Chair DeBoer adjourned the meeting at
10:58 AM.
Representative Nancy DeBoer, Chair
Brittany Middaugh
Committee Clerk
bmiddaugh@house.mi.gov