HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
COMMITTEE ON HEALTH POLICY
REP. CURTIS VANDERWALL
CHAIR
COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES
Wednesday, February 18,
2026
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 Bohnak moved to adopt the meeting minutes from February 04, 2026. There being
no objection, the motion prevailed with unanimous consent.
The Chair laid HB 4779 before the committee:
HB 4779
(Rep. Wendzel)
A bill to amend 1978 PA 368, entitled "Public
health code," (MCL 333.1101 to 333.25211)
by adding section 20187.
Representative Wendzel testified in support of HB 4779. Questions and discussion followed.
Ben Frederick, representing Stryker Corporation, provided a demonstration on smoke evacuation
in operating rooms, and testified in support of HB 4779. Questions and discussion followed.
Ellie Kercher, RN, and Michelle Schaeffer, RN, representing themselves, testified in support of
HB 4779. Questions and discussion followed.
Jessica Rodriguez and Cara Erickson, representing the Michigan Ambulatory Surgery
Association, testified with a neutral position on HB 4779. Questions and discussion followed.
The following people submitted a card in support of HB 4779, but did not wish to speak:
Jennifer Pennock, representing the Association of Perioperative Registered Nurses.
Amy Zaagman, representing the Michigan Council for Maternal and Child Health.
The Chair laid HB 5302 before the committee:
HB 5302
(Rep. DeBoyer)
A bill to amend 1974 PA 258, entitled "Mental
health code," by amending section 273b (MCL
330.1273b), as added by 2020 PA 402.
Representative DeBoyer, joined by Patrick Patterson and Allison Heerst, representing the
Michigan Association of Recovery Community Organizations, testified in support of HB 5302.
Questions and discussion followed.
The Chair laid HB 4901, HB 5102 and HB 5313 before the committee:
HB 4901
(Rep. Thompson)
A bill to amend 1978 PA 368, entitled "Public
health code," by amending sections 17211 and
17603 (MCL 333.17211 and 333.17603),
section 17211 as amended by 2017 PA 22 and
section 17603 as added by 2008 PA 524.
HB 5102
(Rep. Kuhn)
A bill to amend 1978 PA 368, entitled "Public
health code," by amending section 16620
(MCL 333.16620), as added by 2006 PA 429;
and to repeal acts and parts of acts.
HB 5313
(Rep. Bierlein)
A bill to amend 1978 PA 368, entitled "Public
health code," by amending sections 16211,
16216, 16221, 16226, 16231, 16238, 17033,
and 17533 (MCL 333.16211, 333.16216,
333.16221, 333.16226, 333.16231,
333.16238, 333.17033, and 333.17533),
section 16211 as amended and section 16238
as added by 1993 PA 79, section 16216 as
amended by 2014 PA 413, sections 16221 and
16226 as amended by 2023 PA 209, section
16231 as amended by 2017 PA 249, and
sections 17033 and 17533 as amended by 1994
PA 234, and by adding sections 16211a and
16231b.
The following person submitted a card in support of HB 4901, but did not wish to speak:
Jarrett Skorup, representing the Mackinac Center for Public Policy.
Representative St. Germaine moved to report out HB 4901 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.
The following person submitted a card in support of HB 5102, but did not wish to speak:
James Budd, representing the Michigan Dental Association.
Representative Tisdel moved to report out HB 5102 with recommendation. 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.
The following people submitted a card in support of HB 5313, but did not wish to speak:
Kevin McKinney, representing the Michigan Osteopathic Association.
Dana C. Yuzon, MD, representing herself.
Daniel Ryan, representing himself.
Abdul-Rahman Albeiruti, MD, representing themself.
Dr. George Pappas, representing himself.
David T. Walsworth, representing himself.
Miriam Schteingart, representing herself.
Joan M. Cramer, representing herself.
James Sondheimer, representing himself.
Dr. Kala Ramasamy, representing themself.
Anthony Zacharek, MD, representing himself.
Katia Asali, representing herself.
David S. Weingarden, representing David S. Weingarden MD & Associates, PC.
David Boechler, representing himself.
Millie Willy, representing herself.
Representative DeBoer moved to report out HB 5313 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 Foreman 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
10:14 AM.
Representative Curtis VanderWall, Chair
Hazel Campbell-Crawley
Committee Clerk
hcrawley@house.mi.gov