Michigan House adopts highway namings and passes three bills, including probate code change

The Michigan House of Representatives on March 11 adopted two ceremonial resolutions and passed three bills, including two measures to name stretches of highway and a change to the state probate code.

The House adopted House Resolution 38, declaring March 11, 2025, Community Volunteer Day, and House Resolution 39, declaring March 2025 Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month. Both resolutions were adopted by voice vote during the motions and resolutions portion of the session.

In floor action, the chamber approved three bills on third reading. House Bill 4003, a measure amending the Michigan Memorial Highway Act to name a section of U.S. 131 near Big Rapids for Sergeant Matthew Webber, passed on a roll-call vote of 108-0. "This legislation is more than just a name on a highway," Representative Koontz said while urging support for the measure.

House Bill 4046, another amendment to the Michigan Memorial Highway Act to honor a fallen trooper, passed 108-0 and was granted immediate effect on the floor. Representative Roth described the trooper's death in the line of duty and urged members to support the naming. The majority floor leader moved and the House ordered immediate effect for the bill.

House Bill 4018, a bill to amend the probate code of 1939, passed by roll call 74-34 and was also ordered to take immediate effect. The clerk announced the final tally after the roll call. A majority of members elected and serving voted in favor, and the bill therefore passed.

Other legislative business included committee reports and the adoption of substitutes on education-related legislation. The committee on education and workforce reported a substitute (h-1) for House Bill 4152; the floor then adopted a second floor substitute (h-2) offered by Representative DeBoer. Both substitutes were adopted by roll call, as announced on the floor; the clerk recorded the adoption but did not display individual vote tallies in the transcript excerpt.

The session also included a series of first-reading bill introductions. Multiple bills were introduced and referred to committee, including House Bills 4191 through 4194 and a group of bills numbered into the 4200s (for example, HB 4201–HB 4210); each introduction was read by title and referred to the committee named in the reading. Details of those bills beyond their titles and committee referrals were not specified in the transcript excerpts.

Votes at a glance

- House Resolution 38 (Community Volunteer Day): adopted by voice vote; no roll-call tally recorded in transcript. - House Resolution 39 (Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month): adopted by voice vote; no roll-call tally recorded in transcript. - House Bill 4003 (amend Michigan Memorial Highway Act — name U.S. 131 near Big Rapids for Sergeant Matthew Webber): Passed, roll-call 108 yes, 0 no; immediate passage placed on calendar and final passage recorded. - House Bill 4046 (amend Michigan Memorial Highway Act — highway naming to honor a trooper): Passed, roll-call 108 yes, 0 no; immediate effect ordered on the floor. - House Bill 4018 (amend the probate code of 1939): Passed, roll-call 74 yes, 34 no; immediate effect ordered on the floor.

What this means and what remains

The highway namings amend the Michigan Memorial Highway Act to give formal commemorative designations to stretches of state highway; the bill texts were read by title and sent to third reading before final passage. Changes to the probate code will take effect as provided in the enrolled bill and, where the House ordered immediate effect, as soon as the legislative process is complete and statutory enactment requirements are satisfied. The transcript does not specify effective dates or implementation details beyond the House ordering immediate effect for the measures noted.

The House adjourned with no further roll-call voting scheduled until its next stated session on Wednesday, March 12, 2025, at 1:30 p.m.