Michigan Senate approves land-division amendment and passes several liquor and land bills; committee advances criminal-code substitute

The Michigan Senate on March 2025 approved multiple bills and amendments in a session dominated by procedural business and a series of recorded roll-call votes.

The most closely contested action saw the Senate adopt Senator McBroom’s amendment to Senate Bill 23 (Land Division Act) and then give final passage to the bill. The chamber also gave final passage to Senate Bill 68 and unanimously approved Senate Bills 87 and 88 amid largely brief consideration.

The McBroom amendment to Senate Bill 23 was adopted by voice and recorded vote; the secretary announced 20 ayes on the amendment. On final passage of Senate Bill 23 the roll call was 30 ayes, 6 noes and 1 excused, which the secretary announced as sufficient for passage. Senate Bill 68 passed on a recorded vote of 31 ayes, 5 noes and 1 excused. Senate Bills 87 and 88 each passed with 36 ayes, 0 noes and 1 excused.

Separately, the Committee of the Whole reported that it had adopted a committee substitute (identified as S-1) for Senate Bill 71, a measure to amend the Michigan Penal Code; the substitute was concurred and the bill as amended was placed on the order of third reading of bills. The committee also reported Senate Bill 83 (an amendment to the State School Aid Act, 1979 PA 94) without amendment and placed it on the order of third reading.

Multiple bills were formally introduced and referred to committee during the session. Among those introduced on first and second reading were Senate Bills 135–146 (covering items such as amendments to the Insurance Code of 1956, the Public Health Code, the Michigan Vehicle Code, the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act, and the Mental Health Code). House bills transmitted to the Senate included House Bill 4032 (Public Health Code) and House Bill 4161 (supplemental appropriations for fiscal years ending 09/30/2026 and 09/30/2024); House Bill 4162 (amending the State School Aid Act of 1979) was also read and referred to the Committee on Appropriations.

There was no extended floor debate recorded on the final passage of the bills listed above; the clerk and secretary conducted roll-call and attendance procedures, and floor leaders moved the orders by unanimous or majority consent where noted. No amendments other than the McBroom amendment to Senate Bill 23 were pending at final passage for the bills reported here.

Votes at a glance

- McBroom amendment to Senate Bill 23: adopted (secretary announced 20 ayes). (Amendment adopted before final passage.) - Senate Bill 23 (Land Division Act): final passage announced as 30 ayes, 6 noes, 1 excused — bill passed. - Senate Bill 68 (Michigan Liquor Control Code of 1998 amendment): final passage announced as 31 ayes, 5 noes, 1 excused — bill passed. - Senate Bill 87 (Michigan Liquor Control Code of 1998 amendment): final passage announced as 36 ayes, 0 noes, 1 excused — bill passed. - Senate Bill 88 (Michigan Liquor Control Code of 1998 amendment): final passage announced as 36 ayes, 0 noes, 1 excused — bill passed. - Committee of the Whole: adopted committee substitute S-1 to Senate Bill 71 (Michigan Penal Code amendment); the amendment was concurred and the bill was placed on third reading. - Senate Bill 83 (State School Aid Act amendment, 1979 PA 94): reported out and placed on third reading without amendment.

Context and next steps

Bills placed on the order of third reading will return to the floor for final consideration, printed third reading, and any required final votes. Introduced bills were referred to their named standing committees (health policy; transportation and infrastructure; natural resources and agriculture; housing and human services; labor; appropriations), where staff analysis and possible committee hearings will determine whether they proceed to committee votes and then back to the floor.

The Senate recessed and returned multiple times during the day; recorded attendance and the secretary’s announcements established quorums and vote counts for each roll call. The Senate adjourned and scheduled its next convening for Thursday, March 13 at 10 a.m.

Ending: The session’s actions advance several measures to later stages of the legislative process; senators did not engage in extended floor debate on these items during the roll-call votes recorded in this transcript.