HB 4153 Michigan House · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Education: teachers and administrators; district-level certifications; provide for. Amends secs. 501, 521, 551, 1231, 1233, 1311b, 1526, 1535a & 1809 of 1976 PA 451 (MCL 380.501 et seq.) & adds sec. 1531l.

HB 4153 creates a new "local teaching certificate" pathway for educators in Michigan. It amends the Revised School Code to define a "certificated teacher" as including individuals holding either a standard teaching certificate or this new local certificate (under added Section 1531l). The bill directly affects teachers seeking certification through local school districts or authorized entities, rather than the standard state-issued process. Key provisions establish that local certificates must meet state standards but can be issued by districts or approved entities, expanding certification options for schools. This change modifies existing sections (501, 521, 551, etc.) to incorporate the new local certificate type into teacher certification requirements.

Issues: ✓ Education

Bill status passed both 4 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2025

Committee Review

Mar 2025

House Passage

Mar 2025

Senate Passage

Mar 2025

Governor

Introduced Feb 26, 2025 Last action Mar 18, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

As Passed by the House → Substitute (H-1) · 2 edits

MINOR

The bill text was replaced with a webpage listing of all bills in the Michigan Legislature Rules Committee, removing the actual legislative content of HB 4153. This appears to be a formatting or data extraction error rather than a substantive policy change to the bill itself.

TECHNICAL

All substantive legislative text defining public school academies, urban high school academies, and related definitions was removed.

A webpage table listing 100+ bills currently in the Rules Committee was added, including HB 4153 with its sponsor and subject description.

House Introduced Bill → As Passed by the House · 9 edits · Mar 12, 2025

MAJOR

This bill adds a new section (1531l) creating 'local teaching certificates' that school districts and public school academies can issue to individuals who meet specific education requirements, allowing them to teach specific subject areas without holding a state-issued teaching certificate. The bill also modifies existing sections to include these local certificates in various contexts, including teacher hiring, credential requirements, and certification processes.

Scope change

The bill expands who can be employed as teachers by allowing school districts and public school academies to issue their own local teaching certificates to qualified individuals who do not hold state-issued teaching certificates.

ELIGIBILITY

New section 1531l allows school districts, intermediate school districts, and public school academies to issue local teaching certificates to individuals who hold a bachelor's or higher degree in the subject area they will teach with a minimum 3.0 GPA.

Local teaching certificates are valid for up to 5 years and cannot be issued after July 1, 2035, after which individuals must obtain state-issued teaching certificates.

REQUIREMENT

Updated definitions in multiple sections (501, 521, 551, 1231, 1311b, 1526, 1535a, 1809) to include 'local teaching certificate' as an acceptable credential for teachers alongside state-issued teaching certificates.

Section 1526 now requires individuals using local teaching certificates to complete first aid and CPR certification before beginning employment, with the same requirements as state-certified teachers.

Section 1231 now allows school districts to hire and contract with teachers holding local teaching certificates for continuing contracts after 2 years of employment.

Section 1233 now permits noncertificated individuals to serve as substitute teachers if they meet specific education and experience requirements, including those holding local teaching certificates.

ENFORCEMENT

Section 1535a now applies criminal conviction-based teaching certificate suspension and revocation procedures to individuals holding local teaching certificates.

Section 1809 now includes penalties for using fraudulent, altered, or improperly obtained local teaching certificates, with misdemeanor charges and fines up to $1,000.

TECHNICAL

Removed the original author list and committee referral information from the bill header, which is standard formatting when a bill is amended and re-introduced.

Floor votes · House Mar 12, 2025

How they voted

This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Mar 18, 2025

Committee

REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

upper

Mar 18, 2025

Upper · Passed

PASSED BY HOUSE WITH IMMEDIATE EFFECT

upper

Mar 12, 2025

Lower · Passed

passed; given immediate effect Roll Call #24 Yeas 57 Nays 52 Excused 0 Not Voting 1

lower

Mar 11, 2025

Lower · Passed

substitute (H-1) adopted

lower

Mar 6, 2025

Committee

referred to second reading

lower

Mar 6, 2025

Lower · Passed

reported with recommendation with substitute (H-1)

lower

Mar 5, 2025

Lower · Passed

recommendation concurred in

lower

Mar 5, 2025

Lower · Passed

reported with recommendation for referral to Committee on Rules with substitute (H-1)

lower

Feb 26, 2025

Committee

referred to Committee on Education and Workforce

lower

Feb 26, 2025

Introduced

introduced by Representative Rep. Nancy DeBoer

lower

1 primary · 11 co-sponsors