Michigan Senate adopts maternal‑health omnibus and dozens of bills; declares April Community College Month

Lede: On April 21, 2025, the Michigan Senate passed a multi‑bill maternal‑health package and approved a broad set of other measures, including Senate Resolution 28 designating April as Community College Month and Senate Resolution 26 designating April 18 as Lineman Appreciation Day, during a floor session that produced dozens of referrals and final‑passage votes.

Nut graf: The package of maternal‑health bills (a group referenced in the chamber as an omnibus) includes measures to expand perinatal services, require reporting and review of biased or unjust perinatal care, and add midwives to certain repayment and reimbursement programs. Most other items on the calendar — from changes to the State School Aid Act to amendments to the Insurance Code and Social Welfare Act — advanced with little floor debate and recorded vote tallies were read into the record.

Body: Senator Geiss spoke at length in favor of the maternal‑health package, describing the group of measures as advancing “positive birthing experiences that are grounded in joy and love” and saying the bills aim to dismantle systemic barriers that disproportionately affect Black and brown birthing people. The senator said the package would require the Department of Health and Human Services to publish studies and reports on biased or unjust perinatal care, codify the duties of the maternal mortality review team, create a reporting mechanism for obstetric racism, and expand coverage and reimbursement for midwives and off‑site fetal testing.

Senator Irwin, sponsor of Senate Bill 18, urged support for her bill to change how income belonging to youth in foster care is handled, saying, “I think that the income of these foster care kids is their income, and it should be reserved for their needs.” She described the bill as restoring earnings to foster youth rather than the state appropriating those amounts into the general budget.

The Senate adopted Senate Resolution 28, naming April 2025 Community College Month, after remarks from Senator Anthony describing scholarship programs such as Michigan Reconnect and Michigan Achievement Scholarship and highlighting community colleges’ role in workforce development. Senator Huitinga offered Senate Resolution 26 to designate April 18 as Lineman Appreciation Day; the resolution was adopted without amendment.

Votes at a glance (final passage and recorded tallies as read into the record): - Senate Bill 129 (amend Open Meetings Act): Passed — 20 yes, 16 no, 1 excused. - Senate Bill 93 (amend Food Law): Passed — 36 yes, 0 no, 1 excused. - Senate Bill 18 (amend Foster Care and Adoption Services Act): Passed — 36 yes, 0 no, 1 excused. - Senate Bill 29 (amend Public Health Code; part of maternal‑health package): Passed — 22 yes, 14 no, 1 excused. - Senate Bill 30 (create Biased and Unjust Care Reporting Act): Passed — 22 yes, 14 no, 1 excused. - Senate Bill 31 (amend Public Health Code): Passed — 22 yes, 14 no, 1 excused. - Senate Bill 32 (amend Insurance Code of 1956): Passed — 36 yes, 0 no, 1 excused. - Senate Bill 33 (amend Estates and Protected Individuals Code): Passed — 19 yes, 17 no, 1 excused (as recorded). - Senate Bill 34 (amend Elliott‑Larsen Civil Rights Act): Passed — 22 yes, 14 no, 1 excused. - Senate Bill 36 (amend Public Health Code): Passed — 36 yes, 0 no, 1 excused. - Senate Bill 37 (amend Insurance Code of 1956): Passed — 27 yes, 9 no, 1 excused. - Senate Bill 38 (amend Social Welfare Act): Passed — 36 yes, 0 no, 1 excused. - Senate Bill 39 (amend Social Welfare Act): Passed — 36 yes, 0 no, 1 excused. - Senate Bill 135 (amend Insurance Code of 1956): Passed — 36 yes, 0 no, 1 excused. - Senate Bill 136 (amend Public Health Code): Passed — 36 yes, 0 no, 1 excused.

The Senate also reported committee‑level action and new introductions earlier in the session. Multiple bills were offered on first reading and referred to relevant committees, including the Committee on Economic and Community Development (for example, Senate Bill 213 and Senate Bill 214 were referred to that committee as recorded on the introduction and referral calendar). Several other bills were referred to Appropriations, Health Policy, Civil Rights, Judiciary and Public Safety, Transportation and Infrastructure, Natural Resources and Agriculture, Veterans and Emergency Services, Housing and Human Services, and Education.

Procedural notes and next steps: Several items (Senate Bills 107 and 144) were considered in the committee of the whole and reported without amendment; the Secretary placed reported bills on the order of third reading. Where the transcript recorded only an introduction and referral, committee review is the next step; when the transcript recorded a final passage tally, the bills are passed by the Senate as read into the record.

Ending: The Senate adjourned and scheduled its next session for Tuesday, April 22, at 10 a.m., as announced by the majority floor leader.