The 2023-2024 legislative session came to an end not with sweeping labor or environmental reform but with infighting and finger-pointing and virtually no major policy items advanced. House Republicans staged a walkout midway through the lame duck session and didn’t return until sine die, the procedural end to the term. House Democrats were not able to agree to a cohesive agenda resulting in the inability to garner 56 votes on all but the most benign bills. Ultimately, the House “threw in the towel” on Thursday, December 19. The Senate remained in Session for a marathon 29 hours starting Thursday, December 19 and finally adjourning for the year Friday, December 20, advancing as many Democratic priorities as they could.

Bills that ultimately did not make it to the Governor’s desk include changes to medical liability laws, nurse staffing ratios, protections for the 340B drug pricing program, tobacco licensure laws, expanding scope of practice for nurse practitioners, requiring the use of the Electronic Death Registry System for death certificates, changes to direct access for physical therapy services, and the repeal of the sunset for the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact.

Notable health care-related bills signed into law during the 102^nd Legislature (2023-2024) include the following:

• 2023 House Bill 4953 / Public Act 202 Health: abortion; revised judicature act of 1961; revise to reflect repealed abortion laws - monitor
• 2023 House Bill 4951 / Public Act 208 Criminal procedure: sentencing guidelines; sentencing guidelines and other references to certain abortion crimes; amend to reflect repeal - monitor
• 2023 House Bill 4949 / Public Act 286 Health: abortion; reproductive health act; create - monitor
• 2023 Senate Bill 219 / Public Act 97 Health occupations: pharmacists; pharmacists to order and administer certain vaccines and laboratory tests and dispense drugs under certain circumstances; allow - oppose
• 2023 House Bill 4362 / Public Act 100 Individual income tax: forms; option for individuals to complete a donor registry schedule to participate in organ donor registry with annual income tax return; provide for - support
• 2023 House Bill 4363 / Public Act 101 Health: anatomical gifts; inclusion on the donor registry of an individual who elects to be a donor on an income tax schedule; allow - support
• 2023 House Bill 4121 / Public Act 47  Health occupations: health professionals; permanent revocation of license or registration if convicted of sexual conduct under pretext of medical treatment; provide for - monitor
• 2023 House Bill 4122 / Public Act 48 Health occupations: health professionals; permanent revocation of license or registration if convicted of sexual conduct under pretext of medical treatment; provide for - monitor
• 2023 Senate Bill 69 / Public Act 60 Health occupations: health professionals; additional individual present during certain examinations of minors; require under certain circumstances and require consent - monitor
• 2023 Senate Bill 70 / Public Act 61 Criminal procedure: sentencing guidelines; sentencing guidelines for the crime of performing certain medical treatments on a minor without consent and another individual present and intentionally omitting certain services in a medical record; enact - monitor
• 2023 Senate Bill 71 / Public Act 62 Health: medical records; provision for the protection, retention, and maintenance of medical records referencing a vaginal or anal penetration treatment for 15 years by a health professional and health facility or agency; implement, and authorize department to provide guidance to licensees on certain medical services - monitor
• 2023 Senate Bill 72 / Public Act 63 Criminal procedure: sentencing guidelines; sentencing guidelines for the crime of performing certain medical treatments on a minor without consent and another individual present and – monitor
• 2023 Senate Bill 79 / Public Act 17 Crimes: weapons; penalties for storing or leaving a firearm where it may be accessed by a minor; provide for – support
• 2023 House Bill 4138 / Public Act 19 Weapons: firearms; license or background check for purchase of firearms; require – support
• 2023 House Bill 4146 / Public Act 37 Weapons: firearms; purchase of firearms or obtaining a concealed pistol license; prohibit if individual has an extreme risk protection order - support
• 2023 House Bill 4616 / Public Act 117 Mental health: children; conversion therapy; prohibit - support
• 2023 House Bill 4200 / Public Act 145 Health: screening; certificate of immunization; require department of health and human services to update to indicate whether minor has been tested for lead poisoning - monitor
• 2023 Senate Bill 31 / Public Act 146 Health: screening; screening minors for lead poisoning; require at intervals determined by the department of health and human services by rule, and require documentation of screening in certificate of immunization - monitor
• 2023 House Bill 4923 / Public Act 274 Health facilities: other; medication aide training and permit program; provide for - monitor
• 2023 House Bill 4276 / Public Act 279 Human services: medical services; Medicaid managed care contract with pharmacy benefit manager; regulate, and require reporting - monitor
• 2023 Senate Bill 410 / Public Act 285 Torts: product liability; limitation on liability for drugs that have been approved by federal Food and Drug Administration; rescind - monitor
• 2023 Senate Bill 133 / Public Act 313 Health: controlled substances; overdose fatality review act; create - support
• 2023 House Bill 5207 / 2024 Public Act 24 Family law: other; surrogate parenting act; repeal, and establish the assisted reproduction and surrogacy parentage act - monitor
• 2024 House Bill 5527 / Public Act 36 Education: safety; cardiac emergency response plans; modify - support
• 2024 House Bill 5528 / Public Act 37 Education: athletics; CPR and AED certification requirements for athletic coaches; provide for - support
• 2023 House Bill 4608 / 2024 Public Act 39 Health occupations: dietitians and nutritionists; licensure of dietitian nutritionists; provide for - monitor
• 2023 Senate Bill 27 / 2024 Public Act 41 Insurance: health insurers; equitable coverage for behavioral health and substance use disorder treatment; provide for - support
• 2023 House Bill 4342 / Public Act 155 Water supply: quality and standards, installations of filtration systems in child care centers; require - support
• 2023 House Bill 4619 / Public Act 156 Insurance: insurers; denying coverage based on gender, gender identity, or sexual orientation or expression; prohibit - support
• 2023 House Bill 4620 / Public Act 157 Insurance: health insurers; denying coverage for preexisting conditions; prohibit, and prohibit canceling coverage based on health of insured - support
• 2023 House Bill 4621 / Public Act 158 Insurance: health insurers; coverage for dependents under the age of 26; require - support
• 2023 House Bill 4622 / Public Act 159 Insurance: health insurers; annual and lifetime dollar limits; prohibit - support
• 2023 House Bill 4623 / Public Act 160 Insurance: health insurers; minimum required coverage; provide for - support
• 2023 Senate Bill 356 / Public Act 161 Insurance: health insurers; summary of benefits and coverage provided to insureds; modify - support
• 2023 Senate Bill 357 / Public Act 162 Insurance: health insurers; prohibition on rescission of coverage; provide for - support
• 2023 Senate Bill 358 / Public Act 163 Insurance: health insurers; providing coverage equivalent to a certain percentage of the full actuarial value of benefits under a health insurance policy; require - monitor
• 2023 House Bill 4579 / 2024 Public Act 51 Insurance: health insurers; reimbursement rate for telehealth visits; require to be the same as reimbursements for office visits - support
• 2023 House Bill 4131 / 2024 Public Act 52 Insurance: health insurers; coverage for health care services provided through telemedicine; modify - support

Bills agreed upon by both chambers and awaiting the Governor’s signature include the following:

• 2023 House Bill 5166 Health: other; perinatal quality collaborative; establish - monitor
• 2023 House Bill 5167 Human services; medical services; coverage for blood pressure monitors for pregnant or postpartum individuals; provide for - monitor
• 2023 House Bill 5169 Health: screening; mental health screenings and resources for mothers; provide for during certain time periods - monitor
• 2023 House Bill 5170 Insurance: health insurers; coverage for mental health screenings for new mothers; require - monitor
• 2023 House Bill 4224 Human services: medical services; workforce engagement requirements for Healthy Michigan plan; repeal - support

MSMS reviewed and offered feedback on all of these bills and more during this two-year legislative term. Many of the bills that did not pass are expected to be reintroduced next year but must once again go through the entire legislative process. MSMS will again be ready to review and respond to all healthcare-related bills and ensure the voice of Michigan’s physicians is well-represented in Lansing.