The House and Senate advanced key healthcare bills through the committee process during the week of Feb. 16 and legislation to restore Michigan to the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact (IMLC) awaits further consideration by the Michigan Legislature.
Senate Bill (SB) 303, sponsored by Sen. Roger Hauck (R-Mount Pleasant), or House Bill (HB) 5455, sponsored by Rep. Rylee Linting (R-Grosse Ile Township), if enacted, would ensure that Michigan remains part of the IMLC going forward. The compact supports access to care, particularly in rural areas, by allowing physicians to practice across state lines. The MHA continues to engage with lawmakers and advocate for the timely passage of the legislation to support physician participation in the compact and encourages members to contact their legislator in support of the IMLC through an MHA Action Alert.
In other legislative activity, HB 4899, which streamlines the evaluation and licensure of foreign-trained nurses, was reported favorably by the House Rules Committee with a recommendation for passage. The MHA-backed bill, sponsored by Rep. Jamie Thompson (R-Brownstown Township), now sits in the full House chamber.
HB 5313, sponsored by Rep. Matthew Bierlein (R-Vassar), was supported by the House Health Policy Committee and now heads to the House Rules Committee. The bill would reduce physicians’ continuing medical education (CME) hours requirement from 150 hours to 75 hours every three years, while also modernizing outdated regulatory structures related to physician disciplinary records under these CME guidelines. Following review by the MHA’s Legislative Policy Panel, the MHA supported HB 5313 in committee.
In the Michigan Senate, SB 590 and 591 were unanimously passed Feb. 19. The bills, sponsored by Sen. Rick Outman (R-Six Lakes) and Sen. Stephanie Chang (D-Detroit), strengthen the state’s Good Samaritan Law for all individuals acting in good faith when applying bleeding control techniques in emergency situations. The MHA supports this legislation.
Lastly, SB 301, introduced by Sen. Joe Bellino (R-Monroe), amends the Income Tax Act to allow an employer to claim a nonrefundable income tax credit for 100% of the wages paid to an eligible employee during up to 12 weeks of paid organ donation leave. The Senate Health Policy Committee heard testimony on this legislation and the MHA submitted a card of support for the bill.
Members with questions may contact the MHA advocacy team.