Lansing Update: Protecting Vulnerable Individuals, Cutting Red Tape for Catholic Schools
Posted June 26, 2026
Bills to Strengthen Protections for Vulnerable Adults, Children Earn MCC Support
Vulnerable adults and children in Michigan would be better protected from abuse and exploitation under legislation supported by MCC that would require state licensure for guardians and conservators.
House Bills 4727–4729 were approved by lawmakers this week in broad bipartisan votes—each bill garnered more than 100 votes in support from the 110-member House.
The package would establish several conditions for state licensure for guardians—who are nominated or appointed to care for a minor or legally incapacitated individual—as well as conservators, who are appointed by a court to manage a person’s estate.
The licensure requirements would include no prior convictions of serious crimes, such as those related to violence, sexual conduct, fraud, exploitation, or embezzlement, among others. The licensee would also have to be clear of any civil actions related to exploitation, abuse, theft, or fraud.
The legislation stipulates that those seeking licensure must complete certain education requirements related to guardianship certification, among several other requirements.
MCC supports the legislation because it implements safety regulations for guardians and conservators, which are intended to better protect the vulnerable adults and children that are entrusted to them.
House Bills 4727, 4728, and 4729 are sponsored by Reps. Jimmie Wilson, Jr. (D-Ypsilanti), Kathy Schmaltz (R-Jackson), and Curt Vanderwall (R-Ludington), respectively.
MCC Ensures Nonpublic Schools Included in Bill That Cuts Red Tape
Legislation to reduce administrative burdens for schools that also offer preschool programs—including nonpublic schools that do so—was approved by a House committee with MCC support.
Currently, schools that operate preschool programs must be licensed both as a school and a childcare center under state law. House Bill 5803, sponsored by Rep. Matthew Bierlein (R-Vassar), would eliminate the requirement for those schools to also be licensed as a childcare center.
The original version of the legislation covered public schools only, but MCC successfully advocated for including nonpublic schools in the bill. Among MCC’s advocacy principles is a commitment to protect nonpublic schools from excessive regulation.
The legislation is now before the full House.
Bill Guaranteeing Parental Access to Children’s Medical Records Clears House
Parents would be guaranteed access to their children’s medical records under a MCC-backed bill that passed the House with bipartisan support.
House Bill 5974, sponsored by Rep. Joseph Aragona (R-Clinton Twp.), would remove an exception in current law to ensure parents can access the medical records of their children regardless of the circumstances of the care received.
Current state law allows minors who receive health care without consent or notification of their parent, guardian, or parental figure to hold the “exclusive right” to access medical records related to that care. For example, minors on their own may consent to treatment for substance use disorders, sexually transmitted infections, and prenatal or pregnancy-related health care.
In most cases, the right to access and view medical records of a minor would belong to the parent, guardian or a person standing in as a parent, except for the scenario where a child receives certain care without a parent’s consent or notification.
The legislation removes that exception and stipulates that health providers cannot restrict the ability of the child’s parent or guardian to examine or obtain their child’s medical records.
House and Senate Pass Affordable Housing Bills Backed by MCC
The House and Senate have provided bipartisan support to MCC-backed bills to promote development of affordable housing for lower-income individuals.
Both chambers have advanced their own version of legislation that would incentivize developers to build housing specifically available for low-income individuals by establishing a state-level, low-income housing tax credit program.
The Senate version of the legislation—Senate Bills 966–968, sponsored by Sen. Jeff Irwin (D-Ann Arbor)—passed the upper chamber with nearly two-thirds of members in support.
The House version of the legislation—House Bills 5805 and 5807, sponsored by Rep. Joseph Aragona (R-Clinton Twp.), and House Bill 5806, sponsored by Rep. Kristian Grant (D-Grand Rapids)—all passed with at least 91 votes each in the 110-member chamber.
Senate Approves Bill Ensuring Access to Re-Entry Services for Those Leaving Prison
Legislation supported by MCC to ensure re-entry services are available to more incarcerated individuals released from custody passed the state Senate on a bipartisan 31-5 vote.
MCC supports policies like Senate Bill 592, sponsored by Sen. Sylvia Santana (D-Detroit), because it promotes comprehensive re-entry services—such as employment training and mental health and substance abuse counseling—to help the formerly incarcerated become productive members of society.
The legislation is meant to address the result of a state court ruling that could allow some individuals sentenced to life without parole as juveniles to be newly eligible for resentencing and possible release.
Due to current policy, many of those individuals may not qualify for re-entry services offered to other returning citizens upon release. The legislation would ensure those individuals have access to those services.
The legislation was sent to the House Judiciary Committee for further consideration.
Four Years After Dobbs, Widespread Use of Abortion Pills Threaten Human Lives
This week marked the fourth anniversary of the Dobbs decision handed down by the U.S. Supreme Court, which overturned Roe v. Wade and ended nationwide access to on-demand abortion.
Unfortunately, not only did Proposal 3 pass in Michigan afterward—creating a “right” to abortion in the state constitution—but since Dobbs, the use of abortion pills has increased nationwide.
In a statement this week, the U.S. bishops noted that the federal government has “enabled a nationwide mail-order abortion industry by allowing abortion pills to be prescribed in telemed appointments and sold both at neighborhood pharmacies and online, circumventing state laws that protect life in the womb.”
According to Human Life Action, the use of chemical abortion drugs such as mifepristone accounts for 63% of all abortions.
In response, Catholics are asked to pray for women who are deceived into taking these dangerous drugs to end their pregnancies. Catholics can also learn more and share with others about the abortion pill by downloading or printing this one-page resource.