that the House Oversight Committee authorize the Chair of the committee to execute a subpoena to the Michigan Department of Education. At its last meeting, this Committee heard testimony regarding the Health Education Standards Framework currently proposed by the Michigan Department of Education. The House Oversight Committee and, more broadly, the House of Representatives, has a clear legislative purpose in examining the proposed education standards and the process by which they were proposed, given that the proposed standards implicate several statutes enacted by the Legislature regarding sex education and health education in Michigan schools, and potential noncompliance with those statutes. On October 24, 2025, Representative Meerman and Chair DeBoyer sent a letter to the Michigan Department of Education, requesting internal documents regarding the proposed Health Education Standards Framework and related policy discussions. On October 31, 2025, the Michigan Department of Education responded that it would take “several months” to produce the requested documents. It appears that the Department does not want its internal communications about these standards revealed to the Legislature or the public before the standards are adopted. The party to be subpoenaed is the Michigan Department of Education. The documents to be produced by the Department are spelled out in the subpoena document that has been provided to all members of this committee.
Representative Meerman moved that the House Oversight Committee authorize the Chair of the committee to execute a subpoena to the Michigan Department of Education. At its last meeting, this Committee heard testimony regarding the Health Education Standards Framework currently proposed by the Michigan Department of Education. The House Oversight Committee and, more broadly, the House of Representatives, has a clear legislative purpose in examining the proposed education standards and the process by which they were proposed, given that the proposed standards implicate several statutes enacted by the Legislature regarding sex education and health education in Michigan schools, and potential noncompliance with those statutes. On October 24, 2025, Representative Meerman and Chair DeBoyer sent a letter to the Michigan Department of Education, requesting internal documents regarding the proposed Health Education Standards Framework and related policy discussions. On October 31, 2025, the Michigan Department of Education responded that it would take “several months” to produce the requested documents. It appears that the Department does not want its internal communications about these standards revealed to the Legislature or the public before the standards are adopted. The party to be subpoenaed is the Michigan Department of Education. The documents to be produced by the Department are spelled out in the subpoena document that has been provided to all members of this committee. The motion prevailed 10-7-0: FAVORABLE ROLL CALL Yeas: Reps. DeBoyer, Meerman, Paquette, Carra, Bruck, Rigas, Woolford, Wozniak, Lightner and St. Germaine. Nays: Reps. Miller, Pohutsky, Conlin, MacDonell, Mentzer, Tsernoglou and Wegela. Pass: None. The Chair laid before the committee testimony from Senator Webber. Senator Webber provided testimony on Michigan's Hawthorn Psychiatric Hospital. Questions and discussion followed. The Chair laid before the committee a presentation on the Michigan Auditor General Performance Audit Report-Office of Recipient Rights, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, September 2025. Ivy Jaroche, Heidi Herendeen, and Yvonne Benn, representing the Michigan Office of the Auditor General, gave a presentation on the Michigan Auditor General Performance Audit Report-Office of Recipient Rights, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, September 2025. Questions and discussion followed. The following person submitted a card wishing to speak, but due to the time constraints was unable to speak: Michelle Massey Barnes.