Several MHA members testified June 13 to the House Judiciary Committee in support of legislation that would increase the fines for assaulting a healthcare professional or volunteer. House Bills (HBs) 4520 and 4521 were introduced by Reps. Kelly Breen (D-Novi) and Mike Mueller (R-Linden), and are also supported by the MHA. The bills seek to double the fines for assault and assault with a deadly weapon against healthcare workers to deter future attacks from happening.
Michelle Pena, MSN, RN, NEA-BC, chief nursing officer at Trinity Health, and Denny Martin, DO, chief medical officer at E.W. Sparrow Hospital, spoke in support of the legislation.
“Michigan is in an extremely delicate situation regarding healthcare worker shortages – most if not all medical professions are faced with this challenge,” said Martin. “We need to do everything we can to make sure our caregivers have the protection they need.” No votes were taken on the bills at this time.
Additional action was taken the week of June 12 on other bills supported by the MHA. On the House Floor, a bipartisan vote was taken in support of legislation to improve the Healthy Michigan Plan. HBs 4495 and 4496, introduced by Reps. Graham Filler (R-St. Johns) and Will Snyder (D-Muskegon), would eliminate unnecessary provisions in the Healthy Michigan Plan and make changes to help ensure its long-term success. The package would remove requirements that certain beneficiaries maintain Health Savings Accounts and pay co-pays or deductibles. Additionally, the bill removes the provision that a future administration could repeal the program if state savings are reduced. The MHA is supportive of both bills and will continue to monitor any future action.
In the Senate, further votes were taken on a package of bills intended to codify Affordable Care Act (ACA) protections into state law. Introduced in both chambers by Republican and Democratic policymakers, the package would ensure that many of the consumer protections found in the ACA remain in Michigan if there were significant federal changes to the law. The package includes Senate Bills (SBs) 356 through 358 and HBs 4619 through 4623. The MHA is supportive of the package, which has been passed in at least 15 other states. SBs 356 through 358 were passed by the Senate this week and were referred to the House Committee on Insurance and Financial Services for further consideration.
In the Senate Health Policy Committee, a vote was taken on a package of bills that would allow Michigan citizens to designate themselves as an organ donor on state tax forms. Introduced by Rep. Felicia Brabec (D-Pittsfield Twp), HBs 4362 through 4364 would allow the question to be asked on tax forms starting in the 2023 tax year. The MHA is supportive of the legislation, which is led by Gift of Life Michigan to reverse the decline in donor registrants. Gift of Life Michigan testified in committee that many states are seeing this because of the pandemic and online services leading to fewer trips to Secretary of State offices. The bills were voted out of committee and now head to the Senate Floor for a vote by the full Senate.
Members with questions about state legislative action may contact Adam Carlson at the MHA for more information.