HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
COMMITTEE ON HEALTH POLICY SUBCOMMITTEE ON BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
REP. FELICIA BRABEC
CHAIR
COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES
Thursday, October 26, 2023
9:00 AM
Room 519, House Office Building
The House Health Policy Subcommittee on Behavioral Health was called to order by Chair
Brabec.
The Chair requested attendance be called:
Present: Reps. Brabec, Pohutsky, Glanville, Edwards, MacDonell, Rheingans, Schmaltz,
St. Germaine, Thompson.
Absent: Reps. Arbit, Hoadley.
Excused: Reps. Arbit, Hoadley.
Representatives Edwards and Thompson joined the committee remotely.
Representative St. Germaine moved to adopt the meeting minutes from September 14, 2023.
There being no objection, the motion prevailed by unanimous consent.
The Chair laid HB 5077 and HB 5078 before the committee:
HB 5077
(Rep. VanderWall)
A bill to amend 2019 PA 39, entitled
"Administration of opioid antagonists act," by
amending the title and sections 103 and 107 (MCL
15.673 and 15.677), section 107 as amended by
2020 PA 321, and by adding section 106.
HB 5078
(Rep. Rheingans)
A bill to amend 1978 PA 368, entitled "Public
health code," by amending section 17744b (MCL
333.17744b), as amended by 2019 PA 36.
Representative VanderWall, Representative Rheingans and Ken Heuvelman, representing the
Flint Odyssey House, testified in support of HB 5077 and HB 5078. Questions and discussion
followed.
The following people submitted a card in support of HB 5077 and HB 5078, but did not wish
to speak:
Norm Hess, representing the Michigan Association for Local Public Health.
Linda Davis, representing Families Against Narcotics.
The Chair laid HB 5178 and HB 5179 before the committee:
HB 5178
(Rep. Rheingans)
A bill to amend 1978 PA 368, entitled "Public
health code," by amending sections 7401, 7403,
7404, 7453, and 7457 (MCL 333.7401, 333.7403,
333.7404, 333.7453, and 333.7457), section 7401
as amended by 2016 PA 548, section 7403 as
amended by 2016 PA 307, section 7404 as
amended by 2016 PA 308, section 7453 as added
by 1988 PA 139, and section 7457 as amended by
2006 PA 458, and by adding section 5137.
HB 5179
(Rep. Rheingans)
A bill to amend 1978 PA 368, entitled "Public
health code," by amending section 7451 (MCL
333.7451), as added by 1988 PA 139.
Representative Rheingans testified in support of HB 5178 and HB 5179. Questions and
discussion followed.
Steve Alsum and Pam Lynch, representing The Michigan Overdose Prevention Coalition,
testified in support of HB 5178 and HB 5179. Questions and discussion followed.
Kim Gannon, PhD Candidate in Health Policy and Management, Yale School of Public
Health, testified in support of HB 5178 and HB 5179. Questions and discussion followed.
Cara Anne Poland, MD, MEd representing the Opioid Advisory Commission Chair, testified
in support of HB 5178 and HB 5179. Questions and discussion followed.
Linda Davis, representing Families Against Narcotics, testified in support of HB 5178 and
HB 5179.
The following people submitted a card in support of HB 5178 and HB 5179, but did not wish
to speak:
Aaron Lewis, representing himself.
Desirae Simmons, representing the City of Ypsilanti Council Ward 3.
Ryan McGavock, representing the Ypsi Bike Co-op.
Cynthia Bodewes, representing WeRoc.
Teresa Rouster, representing A Servant's Heart.
Sheri Wander, representing the Ypsilanti Peace House.
Halie Pratt, representing herself.
Kim Matheny, representing the Shelter Association of Washtenaw County.
Alexandra Zurkan, representing herself.
Kelly Doyle, representing the HIV / AIDS Alliance of Michigan.
Jane DeBoer-Rowse, representing the Oakland County Harm Reduction Program.
Paula Nelson, representing the Sacred Heart Rehabilitation Center.
Dani Meier, representing the Mid-State Health Network.
Steve Alsum, representing the Grand Rapids Red Project.
Pam Lynch, representing Harm Reduction Michigan.
Alex Cooper, representing Wolverine Street Medicine.
Roopa Gorur, representing Wolverine Street Medicine.
Sarah Small, representing Wolverine Street Medicine.
Shelby Anderson, representing Wolverine Street Medicine.
Pallavi Avasarala, representing Wolverine Street Medicine.
Maxwell Kuehn, representing Wolverine Street Medicine.
Nikita Sanghavi, representing Wolverine Street Medicine.
Ana Taylor, representing Wolverine Street Medicine.
Zoe Boudart, representing Wolverine Street Medicine.
Dominique Fahmy, representing Wolverine Street Medicine.
Isabella Johnson, representing Wolverine Street Medicine.
Michelle Pan, representing Wolverine Street Medicine.
Zuzanna Lutrzykowska, representing Wolverine Street Medicine.
Hannah Slater, representing Wolverine Street Medicine.
Alex Soos, representing Wolverine Street Medicine.
Matthew Benson, representing Wolverine Street Medicine.
Christopher Becker, representing the Prosecuting Attorney’s Association Legislative
Committee.
Strategies to Overcome Obstacles and Avoid Recidivism (SOOAR).
Lydia Meyers, representing the Community Health Awareness Group (CHAG).
Norm Hess, representing the Michigan Association for Local Public Health.
Matt Bourland, representing himself.
Jen Erskine, representing Oakland County Health Division.
Corn Williams, representing the Collegiate Recovery Program, Students for Sensible
Drug Policy, and Decriminalize Nature Michigan.
Yashica Ellis, representing Wellness Services.
Jessica Kowalski, representing ACCESS Community Health and Research Center.
Jesse Spencer, representing herself.
Ashley Shukait, representing herself.
The Southeast Michigan Drug Users Union.
Derek Frasure, representing himself.
Thomas Johnstone, representing himself.
Laura Eichenhorn, representing herself.
Nicole Adelman, representing herself.
Matt Strang, representing himself.
Andrew Galbraith, representing himself.
The Michigan Drug Users Health Alliance.
Aaron Shukait, representing himself.
Tina Kissella, representing herself.
Jeremy Hogaboom, representing himself.
Karla Winger Rondon, representing herself.
Alice Lesemann-Elliott, representing herself.
Emily Nolan, representing herself.
Charlotte Jackson, representing herself.
Danielle DuPuis, representing herself.
Victoria Garrow, representing The Lookout Project.
Dani Meier, representing Mid-State Health Network.
Karen Jacobson, representing the Kiwanis Club of Ann Arbor and Pet Pals Mutual Aid of
Washtenaw County.
Gina Dahlem, representing herself.
Allison Jane Wolff, representing herself.
Emily Vogt, representing herself.
Shannon Clare, representing herself.
The following person submitted a card in opposition to HB 5178 and HB 5179, but did not
wish to speak:
Matt Saxton, Executive Director, representing the Michigan Sheriffs' Association.
The following people submitted a card in support of HB 5178, but did not wish to speak:
Karen Thomas, representing herself.
Vickie Wellman, representing herself.
Molly Welch-Marahar, representing herself.
Representative MacDonell moved to excuse Representatives Filler and Hoadley from the
meeting. There being no objection the motion prevailed by unanimous consent.
There being no further business before the subcommittee, Chair Brabec adjourned the
meeting at 10:20 AM.
Representative Felicia Brabec, Chair
Melissa Sweet
Committee Clerk
msweet@house.mi.gov