HB 4066 requires Michigan public schools to designate interscholastic athletic teams as "female," "male," or "coeducational" based on biological sex. It prohibits male students from participating in teams designated exclusively for females and protects schools from complaints or penalties for maintaining such single-sex teams. The law allows students or schools harmed by violations to seek legal remedies, including damages. It defines "sex" as biological sex listed on an individual's original birth certificate issued at or near birth. This bill directly affects public school districts, students, and athletic associations in Michigan.
HB 4223 requires all public and nonpublic schools in Michigan to develop and implement a school safety and security training plan starting with the 2026-2027 school year. The bill mandates that school resource officers, safety personnel, crisis response team members, and all school staff complete this training. The specific training content is defined in existing Section 1308f of the Revised School Code. This policy directly affects every school employee in Michigan's public and private schools, requiring them to undergo standardized safety training before the 2026-2027 school year.
HB 4225 requires public schools serving grades 6-12 to include a 24/7 suicide prevention hotline number and contact information for Michigan's OK2SAY program (a confidential student safety reporting system) on student identification cards starting July 1, 2026. Nonpublic schools serving the same grades are encouraged to do the same. The bill amends Michigan's "Save our Students Act" to mandate this inclusion, ensuring students have immediate access to mental health resources and safety reporting tools. It applies to all public school districts, public school academies, and intermediate school districts, with liability protections for schools that comply.
HB 4258 creates a statewide 24/7 hotline for the Michigan State Police to receive public reports about threats of self-harm, sexual abuse, assault, or violence targeting school students, staff, or schools. It requires the State Police to notify affected schools and local law enforcement within 24 hours of receiving such reports. The bill also mandates that existing school violence hotlines be disconnected within six months of the new hotline's launch and includes requirements for mental health resource referrals and staff training. This law directly affects schools, law enforcement, and students by establishing a standardized system for reporting and responding to school safety threats.
HB 4259 amends the Student Safety Act by updating key definitions to clarify the law's scope. It specifies that "school" includes all public, private, denominational, and parochial schools serving kindergarten through 12th grade, and "school property" covers buildings, fields, and school buses. The bill also defines the "hotline" as a statewide system for reporting safety concerns via phone, text, or online. These changes ensure consistent application of the Student Safety Act for all schools and safety reports. The bill requires concurrent passage of HB 4258 to take effect.
HB 4315 requires Michigan's Department of State Police and its Office of School Safety to develop and provide annual training materials for school personnel on school safety. The bill mandates specific training for: school resource officers (including position-specific training and legal updates), crisis response teams (covering target hardening and emergency response), all school staff (on threat reporting and the OK2Say safety tip line), and school security personnel (clarifying their legal authority). All training materials must be made publicly available on the Office of School Safety website. The bill directly affects school staff, resource officers, and security personnel across Michigan public and nonpublic schools.
HB 4222 requires Michigan public school districts, intermediate school districts, public school academies, and nonpublic schools to develop and update emergency operations plans every three years (starting July 1, 2026) in collaboration with local law enforcement. These plans must address specific safety scenarios like violence, fire, intruders, weather emergencies, mental health training, building security, and crisis response protocols. Schools must adopt plans with public input and notify the state education department within 30 days of adoption or updates, with all plan details kept confidential under state law. The department will track compliance and notify non-compliant schools, ensuring consistent safety planning across all school buildings.
HB 4238 prohibits Michigan public schools from entering agreements or accepting grants from specific "foreign countries of concern" (including China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, Cuba, Venezuela, and Syria) that would control curriculum, restrict school contracting freedom, or promote agendas harmful to U.S. security. Schools must share cultural exchange agreements with federal security agencies before signing, and federal agencies can block agreements deemed threatening. The law also bans accepting any value conditioned on promoting a foreign country's language or culture. It directly affects all Michigan public schools participating in international programs with the listed countries.
HB 4150 eliminates application evaluation fees for school-related processes under Michigan's Revised School Code. It directly affects individuals applying for educational certifications, programs, or school-related services by removing a requirement to pay fees when their applications are reviewed. The bill amends two specific sections (MCL 380.1531h and 380.1538) to delete the fee mandate, streamlining the application process. This change applies statewide to all relevant school applications governed by the revised code. The bill passed the Michigan House with strong support (83-26) on March 12, 2025, and is now awaiting further legislative action.
HB 4151 modifies Michigan's teacher certification rules, primarily allowing experienced educators from other states to obtain Michigan teaching licenses without retaking certain exams if they've taught successfully for at least three years in their home state. It maintains existing requirements for new teachers to complete reading competency training (including diagnosing reading disabilities) before advancing to professional certification. The bill also requires the education department to report annually on exam fees and develop standardized tests for teacher certification, while keeping the same reading proficiency standards for Michigan-certified teachers. These changes directly affect teachers seeking certification or additional endorsements in Michigan, especially those transferring from other states or countries.
