HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
COMMITTEE ON HEALTH POLICY
REP. CURTIS VANDERWALL
CHAIR
COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES
Wednesday, November 12,
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, Witwer, Hoskins and Foreman.
Absent: Reps. Whitsett, Brenda Carter and Neeley.
Excused: Reps. Whitsett, Brenda Carter and Neeley.
Representative Schmaltz moved to adopt the meeting minutes from November 05, 2025. There
being no objection, the motion prevailed with unanimous consent.
The Chair laid HB 5201, HB 5202 and HB 5203 before the committee:
HB 5201
(Rep. Paquette)
A bill to amend 1978 PA 368, entitled "Public
health code," (MCL 333.1101 to 333.25211)
by adding section 2835.
HB 5202
(Rep. Wortz)
A bill to amend 1978 PA 368, entitled "Public
health code," (MCL 333.1101 to 333.25211)
by adding section 2837.
HB 5203
(Rep. Smit)
A bill to amend 1927 PA 175, entitled "The
code of criminal procedure," by amending
section 13k of chapter XVII (MCL 777.13k),
as amended by 2023 PA 208.
Representative Paquette, Representative Wortz, and Representative Smit testified in support of
HB 5201, HB 5202, and HB 5203. Questions and discussion followed.
Eileen McNeil, representing Citizens for Traditional Values, joined by Genevieve Marnon,
representing Right to Life of Michigan, Rebecca Mastee, representing the Michigan Catholic
Conference, and Ariane Fisher, representing Mother and Unborn Baby Care, testified in support of
HB 5201, HB 5202, and HB 5203. Questions and discussion followed.
The following people submitted a card in opposition to HB 5201, HB 5202 and HB 5203, but did
not wish to speak:
Caleigh Hunt, representing the Michigan Nurses Association.
Ashlea Phenicre, representing Planned Parenthood.
Merissa Kovach, representing the American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan.
Dr. Vashali Bhargava, representing the American College of Obstetricians.
The following people submitted a card in support of HB 5202 and HB 5203, but did not wish to
speak:
Katherine Bussard, representing herself.
Professor William Wagner, representing himself.
The Chair laid HB 5162 before the committee:
HB 5162
(Rep. St. Germaine)
A bill to amend 1978 PA 368, entitled "Public
health code," by amending section 7204 (MCL
333.7204), as amended by 2012 PA 182.
Representative St. Germaine testified in support of HB 5162. Questions and discussions followed.
The following person submitted a card in opposition to HB 5162, but did not wish to speak:
Mack Jones, representing the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs.
The Chair laid HB 4896, HB 4925, HB 4935 and HB 4981 before the committee:
HB 4896
(Rep. Woolford)
A bill to amend 1978 PA 368, entitled "Public
health code," by amending sections 17001 and
17011 (MCL 333.17001 and 333.17011),
section 17001 as amended by 2018 PA 624
and section 17011 as amended by 2006 PA
398.
HB 4925
(Rep. Phil Green)
A bill to amend 1978 PA 368, entitled "Public
health code," by amending sections 17012 and
17031 (MCL 333.17012 and 333.17031),
section 17031 as amended by 2018 PA 463,
and by adding section 17012a.
HB 4935
(Rep. Fairbairn)
A bill to amend 1978 PA 368, entitled "Public
health code," by amending section 16601
(MCL 333.16601), as amended by 2018 PA
463, and by adding sections 16187b and
16611a.
HB 4981
(Rep. Fairbairn)
A bill to amend 1978 PA 368, entitled "Public
health code," by amending sections 16281,
16905, 18101, 18105, 18106, 18111, 18114,
and 18117 (MCL 333.16281, 333.16905,
333.18101, 333.18105, 333.18106,
333.18111, 333.18114, and 333.18117),
section 16281 as added and section 18117 as
amended by 1998 PA 496, section 16905 as
amended by 2006 PA 388, sections 18101 and
18111 as amended and sections 18106 and
18114 as added by 2019 PA 96, and section
18105 as amended by 2006 PA 429.
The following person submitted a card in support of HB 4896 and HB 4925, but did not wish to
speak:
Taylor Alpert, representing the Michigan Health and Hospital Association.
The following people submitted a card in opposition to HB 4896 and HB 4925, but did not wish to
speak:
Karlene Ketola, representing the Michigan Academy of Family Physicians.
Kevin McKinney, representing the Michigan Osteopathic Association.
Representative Thompson moved to report out HB 4896 with recommendation that the bill be
referred to the Committee on Rules. The motion prevailed 11-0-3:
FAVORABLE ROLL CALL
Yeas: Reps. VanderWall, Thompson, Meerman, Tisdel, Bierlein, DeBoer, Prestin, Schmaltz,
St. Germaine, Bohnak and Frisbie.
Nays: None.
Pass: Reps. Witwer, Hoskins and Foreman.
Representative Prestin moved to adopt substitute (H-2) to HB 4925. The motion prevailed 11-0-3:
FAVORABLE ROLL CALL
Yeas: Reps. VanderWall, Thompson, Meerman, Tisdel, Bierlein, DeBoer, Prestin, Schmaltz,
St. Germaine, Bohnak and Frisbie.
Nays: None.
Pass: Reps. Witwer, Hoskins and Foreman.
Representative Meerman moved to report out HB 4925 with recommendation that the substitute
(H-2) be adopted. The committee further recommended that the bill and substitute (H-2) be
referred to the Committee on Rules. The motion prevailed 11-0-3:
FAVORABLE ROLL CALL
Yeas: Reps. VanderWall, Thompson, Meerman, Tisdel, Bierlein, DeBoer, Prestin, Schmaltz,
St. Germaine, Bohnak and Frisbie.
Nays: None.
Pass: Reps. Witwer, Hoskins and Foreman.
The following person submitted a card in opposition to HB 4935, but did not wish to speak:
David Hankey, representing the North East Board of Dental Examiners.
The following person submitted a card in support of HB 4935, but did not wish to speak:
Jason Lachowski, representing the American Association of Retired Persons.
Representative Bohnak moved to report out HB 4935 with recommendation that the bill be
referred to the Committee on Rules. The motion prevailed 12-0-2:
FAVORABLE ROLL CALL
Yeas: Reps. VanderWall, Thompson, Meerman, Tisdel, Bierlein, DeBoer, Prestin, Schmaltz,
St. Germaine, Bohnak, Frisbie and Witwer.
Nays: None.
Pass: Reps. Hoskins and Foreman.
The following person submitted a card in support of HB 4981, but did not wish to speak:
Carol Berger, representing the Michigan Mental Health Counselors Association.
Representative Meerman moved to report out HB 4981 with recommendation that the bill be
referred to the Committee on Rules. The motion prevailed 14-0-0:
FAVORABLE ROLL CALL
Yeas: Reps. VanderWall, Thompson, Meerman, Tisdel, Bierlein, DeBoer, Prestin, Schmaltz,
St. Germaine, Bohnak, Frisbie, Witwer, Hoskins and Foreman.
Nays: None.
Pass: None.
The Chair laid SB 95 before the committee:
SB 95
(Sen. Lindsey)
A bill to prohibit hospitals from attempting to
collect debts incurred when not in compliance
with price transparency laws; and to provide
remedies.
Russell Jakubowski, representing the Office of Senator Lindsey, testified in support of SB 95.
Patrick Neville, former Colorado House Republican Leader, representing himself, testified in
support of SB 95. Questions and discussions followed.
Steve Fenberg, former Colorado Senate President, representing himself, testified in support of SB
95.
Ilaria Santangelo, representing Patient Rights Advocate, testified in support of SB 95. Questions
and discussions followed.
Christin Deacon-Author, representing VerSan Consulting, testified in support of SB 95.
The following person submitted a card in support of SB 95, but did not wish to speak:
Caleigh Hunt, representing the Michigan Nurses Association.
Representative Hoskins moved to excuse Representatives Whitsett, Brenda Carter and Neeley
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
10:31 AM.
Representative Curtis VanderWall, Chair
Hazel Campbell-Crawley
Committee Clerk
hcrawley@house.mi.gov