Bills to protect students, increase school safety and more signed by Gov. Whitmer

LANSING, Mich. (WILX) – On Wednesday, Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed 19 bipartisan bills aiming to make Michigan schools, homes, and communities safer.

The governor also signed an executive order that ensures the diverse needs of Michigan students and educators are represented on the new School Safety and Mental Health Commission.

“Michiganders should feel safe whether they’re watching a movie at home or heading into the classroom,” said Gov. Whitmer. “That’s why I’m proud to sign these 19 commonsense bills that will keep Michigan families and neighborhoods safe from gun violence and other violent crimes. Each of these bills builds on my administration’s commitment to protecting Michiganders and their families. Since I took office, we’ve invested over $1.6 billion into public safety programs across six balanced, bipartisan budgets, ensuring Michiganders can feel safe no matter where they are. Together, let’s keep making a real difference in people’s lives.”

Below is a breakdown of all 19 bills signed on Wednesday, which include safe storage of firearms, protection from hate crimes, and expanding protections from sexual violence of all kinds, including sextortion.

House Bills 5450 and 5451

Sponsored by state Representatives Sharon MacDonell (D-Troy) and Julie Brixie (D-Okemos)

House Bills 5450 and 5451 will require information developed by the Department of Health and Human Services, on the safe storage of firearms, to be distributed to parents of students.

Currently, an estimated 150,000 Michigan children live in a home that has an unsecured firearm. Nationally, more than 70% of school shootings involve a firearm that is owned by a parent or close family member and taken by the shooter.

“Firearm-related incidents have plagued our communities for too long,” said Rep. Brixie. “These new safe storage education laws will help educate Michigan families on how to properly exercise their rights as a firearm owner by safely storing their weapons and keeping them out of the hands of children. It’s on all of us to work together to prevent gun violence and save lives. One firearm-related incident is too many.”

House Bills 6144, 6145, and 6146

Sponsored by state Representatives Felicia Brabec (D-Pittsfield Township) and Natalie Price (D-Berkley)

House Bills 6144, 6145, and 6146 will ensure the Michigan State Police (MSP) destroy all firearms turned over to it that were purchased under a gun buyback program.

“This legislation ensures when we destroy a firearm, our current practice of destroying all parts of the firearm will remain the standard now and for the future,” said Col. James F. Grady II, director of the MSP.

House Bills 4095 and 4096

Sponsored by state Representatives Stephanie A. Young (D-Detroit) and Ranjeev Puri (D-Canton)

House Bills 4095 and 4096 will help keep students and educators safe amidst public safety threats by requiring a standardized response terminology used by schools in response to emergency situations.

“These initiatives will ensure Michigan schools are able to respond to emergencies quickly and efficiently, keeping students and teachers safe when they’re in the classroom,” the Governor’s office said.

House Bills 5659 and 5660

Sponsored by state Representatives Luke Meerman (R-Coopersville) and Nancy DeBoer (R-Grand Traverse)

House Bills 5659 and 5660 aim to improve school safety for Michigan students and educators by creating the new School Safety and Mental Health Commission in the Department of State Police. The new commission will focus on improving mental health outcomes for school-aged children, adolescents, and their families, as well as reducing suicide rates amongst Michigan youth. These bills will work to keep our kids safer both inside the classroom and out.

In conjunction with the signing of House Bills 5659 and 6660, Governor Whitmer also issued the Executive Order 2025-1 to ensure that this new commission includes each critical viewpoint, voice, and role in its work. Specifically, the executive order ensures the below members are included in the School Safety and Metal Health Commission:

• One member who is a prosecutor. 
• The Director of MiLEAP (or her designee). 
• Gives the ex officio members of the board (the directors of MSP, DHHS, MiLEAP and the superintendent of public instruction) voting rights on the Commission. 
• Adds the duties of the former School Safety Commission to the new Commission. 

Learn more about EO 2025-1 at this link.

House Bills 5400 and 5401

Sponsored by state Representatives Noah Arbit (D-West Bloomfield) and Kristian Grant (D-Grand Rapids)

House Bills 5400 and 5401 bolster public safety efforts in Michigan, protecting individuals from hate crimes. The bills also amend the sentencing guidelines for a hate crime. By expanding the definition of a hate crime, these bills will help keep Michiganders of all backgrounds safer in their communities and across our state.

House Bills 5887 and 5888

Sponsored by state Representatives John Fitzgerald (D-Wyoming) and Kara Hope (D-Holt)

House Bills 5887 and 5888 expand protections from sexual violence of all kinds, by creating specific criminal penalties for sextortion. Sextortion is a crime in which an individual blackmails others, threatening to distribute sexually explicit photographs or videos of another person. The bills also define sentencing guidelines for these crimes.

“These bills address a growing form of crime in a modern world, helping Michiganders to live without fear of retribution,” the Governor’s office said.

House Bill 4485

Sponsored by state Representative Reggie Miller (D-Van Buren Township)

House Bill 4485 will help bring justice to survivors of sexual assault by extending the time for filing an indictment of criminal sexual conduct (CSC) charges in the second or third degree. Under the bill, an indictment for CSC in the second or third degree could be found and filed by the victim’s 42nd birthday, regardless of when the offense occurred. The bill will also reduce the danger of sexual violence against our children by holding sex offenders accountable under an increased statute of limitations, ensuring these predators stay registered.

House Bill 6046

Sponsored by state Representative Christine Morse (D-Texas Township)

House Bill 6046 will expand access to services that help prevent the worst of violent events before they occur. The bill ensures eligible providers working to offer community violence intervention services can utilize Medicaid to cover the cost. The bill also establishes a certification pathway and training requirements for violence prevention professionals.

House Bill 5549

Sponsored by state Representative Kelly Breen (D-Novi)

House Bill 5549 protects students and educators in the classroom by creating a behavior threat assessment and management team. This team will monitor concerning behavior of students and devise supportive measures to mitigate potential threats and give students the tools they need to thrive. This bill builds on the Whitmer-Gilchrist administration’s commitment to keeping our kids and educators safe as they head to school.

House Bills 4173 and 4384

Sponsored by state Representatives Abraham Aiyash (D-Hamtramck) and Luke Meerman (R-Coopersville)

House Bill 4173 and 4384 support “the Whitmer-Gilchrist administration’s commitment to pursuing criminal justice reform by creating the Michigan Sentencing Commission.”

“Our shared view of crime and rehabilitation have significantly shifted since the adoption of our current guidelines,” the Governor’s office said. This commission will support criminal justice reform in Michigan by recommending sentencing updates that reflect prevailing opinions towards reform and rehabilitation, decarcerating our facilities and giving more Michiganders a chance to “make it in Michigan.”

House Bill 5695

Sponsored by state Representative Mike McFall (D-Hazel Park)

House Bill 5695 will increase the financial support available to local municipalities that provide ground ambulance services to individuals relying on Medicaid. The bill authorizes a supplemental federal reimbursement program to enhance the financial stability of public ambulance service providers, providing support these programs need to continue providing vital services within our communities.

Subscribe to our News 10 newsletter and YouTube page to receive the latest local news and weather. Looking to hire people, or grow your business through advertising? Gray Digital Media is your one-stop marketing solution. Learn more.

Copyright 2025 WILX. All rights reserved.