[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6252781,"mediaKeyId","3185993-79b3333a4cf33a9f67160b2259ff30fa","parentId",3185993,"title","House approves bills aimed at prioritizing state benefits for Michigan residents","audioSeconds",132,"startMs",7744000,"endMs",7876000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3185993-79b3333a4cf33a9f67160b2259ff30fa&start=7744&end=7876","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3185993-79b3333a4cf33a9f67160b2259ff30fa/thumbnail_7744000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6252781/Michigan/House-approves-bills-aimed-at-prioritizing-state-benefits-for-Michigan-residents","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6252781-5a5e9d61899a93823a580cdadca9ac70/orig.mp4?Expires=1771141645&Signature=AKQcIOYjnFa9ukrvXwKV4Xw2Uc7O0kBL0v~7cBxkD4gOplxWKEixYeahBS8668eN9kIghNSVkuTCDH~kFrlUqSAd65NHq8K14CSrvIAqfDzDpcutm-cT7tD6QJj2Csmx7QQtrKgGY7ey68xnZmoljo83mky~OcARuqGEkgbDhAwlrSMImNY5Q4qB0tGsjb6D4Z-2EJmG-C6mF5cWG1qHoFouhwuOone7gXEy6s2w3Azl43xt6w61upWJaITlJpNnf3EQhrWlS4QCBgXftPpkaW6Zf5HAzlBKiHTonPXuKlwuMWKM-TVb0I6usUdS87M3xSIOQbjmiNnhsmjuhqDaAw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Session ","date","2025-05-01T00:00:00Z","article","LANSING — The Michigan House approved bills on third reading that sponsors said will prioritize state benefits and assistance for Michigan residents, including changes to the Social Welfare Act and an amendment to the State Housing Development Authority Act.

Representative Thompson, speaking for the package that included House Bill 4,340 (Social Welfare Act amendments), told the chamber, “This legislation is about fundamental fairness,” and said state resources should be directed to “residents of the state of Michigan.” Representative Linteen likewise supported the measures, saying they were about ensuring assistance goes first to “those who have paid into the system.”

Opponents argued the proposals would create barriers and harm vulnerable populations, with Representative Zong and others warning about impacts to seniors, disabled people and military service members overseas who might lack the documentation the bills would require.

The House recorded roll-call votes. House Bill 4,340 passed 63–43. House Bill 4,341, which the clerk read as an amendment to the State Housing Development Authority Act of 1966, passed 63–43 as well. For each bill the House ordered immediate effect.

Floor discussion focused on priorities for limited state resources, the fairness of eligibility rules, and the potential administrative burden of implementing new documentation or residency verifications. Sponsors said the bills did not conflict with federal requirements, while opponents disputed both the scope and the practical effects.

—

Details from the House session: House Bill 4,340 passed 63–43; House Bill 4,341 passed 63–43. Immediate effect was ordered by the House for both bills.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Session Thursday, May 1, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Michigan House approved measures intended to prioritize state-provided assistance for residents, including changes to the Social Welfare Act and a change to housing authority law; sponsors framed the bills as protecting residents’ access to limited resources.","taxTitle","Session, House of Representative, Committees\t\t\t\t\t, Legislative, Michigan","taxId",52838,"location","Michigan","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6252785,"House passes bill to bar certain hiring practices by state agencies, sponsors say it promotes merit",746,7993000,8739000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3185993-79b3333a4cf33a9f67160b2259ff30fa&start=7993&end=8739","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3185993-79b3333a4cf33a9f67160b2259ff30fa/thumbnail_7993000.jpg","/articles/6252785/Michigan/House-passes-bill-to-bar-certain-hiring-practices-by-state-agencies-sponsors-say-it-promotes-merit","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6252785-593e610497f87a937bf80d2e31b9a4d8/orig.mp4?Expires=1771141644&Signature=o~7Ky1u26v0GL160fMvKjWilbJS7YEh6Wz3l-ap5sBge6k-KEvjqjU65RV3q1CugKSTTSmJZnjKEnOovfJhkFfyWk5eepMO-8fNxLtc7MVl4ilnlKA172lsifVmjSNDRDIg50zvAxj9JD-OtJObx4oFzb6C-9FEd9eLH661dTXb5Ee6kXWU-cLw5oojROj7gTjdIo926uQFGEj7hN1uGYlpTl~S2SesElipVThpS3CBq5813XuZ9RD5AzR2KcjxvqCG0P19bLpbmf4eP0NKefIgDIkjUxa4cy2fzZ-q8nX1ogs~AbYCOUDIGw6SY7atmWLRwv6SC04GTh00Qr45c4A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","LANSING — The Michigan House overwhelmingly approved House Bill 4,288 on a 105–1 vote, a measure sponsors said will ensure merit-based hiring and opponents said risks being used to roll back diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts.

House Bill 4,288, described on the floor as “a bill to prohibit certain hiring practices by state agencies and provide civil sanctions,” drew bipartisan attention. Representative Pavlov told colleagues, “I rise today in support of house bill 4,288. I am proud to stand in favor of merit based hiring,” and framed the measure as ensuring appointments are based on “skills, education, experience, and know how.”

Representative Regas, who said he was surprised a colleague reintroduced a bill he sponsored previously, told the chamber, “HB 4,288 says loud and clear, Michigan's state workforce hires on merit, not race, not religion, not gender, not anything other than competency.”

A point of order from Minority Leader Fitzgerald questioned whether references to DEI in floor remarks were germane to the bill; the chair ruled the comments were relevant. Representative Burns, an original sponsor, emphasized fairness and opportunities for Michiganders who are qualified but lack insider connections.

After debate the House advanced the bill on third reading and recorded a final passage vote of 105–1. The majority floor leader moved for immediate effect, which the House ordered. The bill includes civil sanctions for agencies that violate the statute as drafted on the floor; the text also provided for a $10,000 fine mentioned by supporters in remarks.

—

Details from the House session: House Bill 4,288 passed 105–1 and was ordered immediate effect.","The Michigan House passed House Bill 4,288 to prohibit certain hiring practices by state agencies, described by sponsors as enforcing merit-based hiring and by opponents as a vehicle to roll back diversity, equity and inclusion policies.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6252790,"Michigan House rejects proposed constitutional amendment requiring proof-of-citizenship to register to vote",868,6333000,7201000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3185993-79b3333a4cf33a9f67160b2259ff30fa&start=6333&end=7201","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3185993-79b3333a4cf33a9f67160b2259ff30fa/thumbnail_6333000.jpg","/articles/6252790/Michigan/Michigan-House-rejects-proposed-constitutional-amendment-requiring-proof-of-citizenship-to-register-to-vote","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6252790-12622f9fcc970c219b6468c35d6eaf9e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771141644&Signature=T3KeSuKJ3LyDGLKYIsmDIJ5Eo4z62miHdHlDCRtlbXHnpwRUNz3ZUSXbgmz1p69FC-mwYCvc-GKgqXfOblcxF4FdnKJKzzSb8KNfxfXY7faIz4bKXlmBIhNLYKMQUY-Gbv4t3LuY~FTl~83LKk4F~2yNa0nvJHY0xdsr2IqXcVlxkw2fLYswmADhSdXnpKqMb3aUOmudwgkpO-iPzPeqoLB-qUbsYad952RYUW6myqQGikw2S~LN5z5NsrceHGXVtg9Y94T9y3TqqiMlGOjq1GfvOlIqi2WTjMNFzB0wUDsaIJi3mGgRc5uY9dA2isMg7sWOFnnK6oDOe3kJbiKdMQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","LANSING — The Michigan House voted to reject — for lack of a two-thirds majority — a proposed constitutional amendment that would have required proof of U.S. citizenship at voter registration and required identification to cast a ballot.

House Joint Resolution B (HJRB) drew extended debate on the House floor, with supporters arguing it secures elections and opponents saying it would disenfranchise eligible voters. “This resolution will disproportionately burden our senior citizens,” Representative Zong said on the floor, adding the proposal would “especially disenfranchise more than 2,000,000 married women in Michigan.”

Supporters said state processes such as Real ID implementation and Secretary of State records provide tools to make proof-of-citizenship verification feasible and that the amendment would give Michigan voters the choice to require added safeguards. “This legislation would give the people of Michigan the choice to amend our state constitution to ensure that only US citizens can vote in our elections,” a floor sponsor said.

Opponents cited experiences in other states and court challenges, arguing the proposals often block legal citizens from registering and can amount to a poll tax if citizens must pay for documents. “This poll tax will specifically prevent working families and married or recently divorced women from voting,” Representative Colazar said.

When the roll was called on the adoption, there were 58 aye votes and 48 nay votes. Because a constitutional amendment required a two-thirds majority of members elected and serving, the resolution was not adopted. The majority floor leader later moved to reconsider the vote; the motion to reconsider was agreed to and the matter was passed for the day for further consideration.

The floor record shows vigorous debate about implementation details, the availability of identification through the Secretary of State, and the potential for unintended disenfranchisement. No final change to state law occurred because the joint resolution failed to meet the constitutional threshold for adoption in this vote.

—

Details from the House session: House Joint Resolution B failed adoption (58–48); motion to reconsider was filed and the vote was reconsidered.","House Joint Resolution B, which would have required proof of U.S. citizenship when registering to vote and authorized free state-issued IDs for those who could not afford them, failed to win the two-thirds majority required for adoption.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6252795,"Michigan House approves bills restricting local limits on cooperation with federal immigration authorities",551,2593000,3144000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3185993-79b3333a4cf33a9f67160b2259ff30fa&start=2593&end=3144","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3185993-79b3333a4cf33a9f67160b2259ff30fa/thumbnail_2593000.jpg","/articles/6252795/Michigan/Michigan-House-approves-bills-restricting-local-limits-on-cooperation-with-federal-immigration-authorities","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6252795-748e9de69175ab4b55e2889e092d2af5/orig.mp4?Expires=1771141644&Signature=b9L2exLVfj6GhXfvCOLxV7YKBG7gj7niC35Lfcpz0O~bEF2u2gny8jpVz2uyo4r-5MKkpuOPuPOZeG6sp0OXKABB1u-FMyqNvtt9Zkqhae3EIe~wIo~-ei-M-XYY9llAI82r4KXGg82BlqSeqqWb3aeh8jjNEKRJaWrnOfOwxUfpOQlG3vGi6ZSHAQl4TwN6icsylKpGnKd8rI-lXoSh~lybl~Pp8oHckef7aPq261gs4HinvulZeN1-YKKgJDkSEqalAWfJhUyRi1X3MW~xsqHEogmkGv9FeP6HlHENxrg1QPbkcWAwP3zn-00aJq~~npb5gkVwZVduJI8GB3QD-w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","LANSING — The Michigan House on a party-line vote passed a package of bills aimed at limiting so-called sanctuary policies and increasing state oversight of local cooperation with federal immigration authorities. Lawmakers approved House Bill 4,338, House Bill 4,339 and House Bill 4,342 after floor debate that centered on public safety, state authority and local control.

Supporters said the bills protect public safety and the rule of law. “This legislation does not target immigrants. It targets lawlessness,” Representative DeSena said on the floor, adding the bills would allow the state treasurer to withhold funds from local governments that “have adopted a sanctuary policy.”

Opponents warned the bills could undermine community safety and local autonomy. “They tie the hands of law enforcement, diverting them to enforce federal immigration policy,” Representative Miller said. “These bills discourage crime reporting from immigrant communities, putting others at risk.”

The package includes bills with overlapping aims: a measure barring local units of government from enacting laws or policies that limit local officials or employees from communicating or cooperating with federal authorities, a companion bill with similar language aimed at counties, and a statute authorizing the state to withhold certain revenue-sharing funds from jurisdictions that adopt sanctuary policies. Sponsors described reporting requirements and withholding authority as tools to ensure accountability.

After a roll-call vote, House Bill 4,338 and House Bill 4,339 each passed 58–48 and House Bill 4,342 passed 57–49. Each bill’s passage was followed by a motion for immediate effect, which the chamber ordered.

The debate on the floor included references to a 2023 Department of Homeland Security report cited by supporters that, they said, showed instances of criminal noncitizens being released by sanctuary jurisdictions. Opponents countered by arguing the bills would prompt costly litigation and erode trust between immigrant communities and local police.

No additional implementation timeline or rulemaking details were provided on the floor; sponsors said the state treasurer and other agencies would have roles under the bills’ language. The bills will move next according to the Legislature’s process for enrollment and transmission to the governor.

—

Details from the House session: House Bill 4,338 passed 58–48; House Bill 4,339 passed 58–48; House Bill 4,342 passed 57–49. Votes were recorded on the House floor.","The Michigan House passed a package of bills that prohibit local governments from adopting policies that limit cooperation or communication with federal immigration officials and authorize withholding certain state funds from jurisdictions with sanctuary policies.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

House approves bills aimed at prioritizing state benefits for Michigan residents

House passes bill to bar certain hiring practices by state agencies, sponsors say it promotes merit

Michigan House rejects proposed constitutional amendment requiring proof-of-citizenship to register to vote

Michigan House approves bills restricting local limits on cooperation with federal immigration authorities