MLC Intel: March 27, 2026
Michigan Legislative Consultants
Weekly Recap: The Senate held session Tuesday and Wednesday. The House began its annual spring break and did not hold session during the week.
Senate Passes Medical Compact Participation Bill: Following negotiations between the chambers, the Senate passed legislation to reinstate Michigan’s membership in the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact. The compact is an agreement among participating states that allows qualified physicians seeking to practice in multiple states to be eligible for expedited licensure in all participating states. Michigan first joined the compact in 2019, and the legislature extended its participation in 2022. Michigan’s active membership is set to expire on March 28, 2026.
Key Points: House Bill 5455 was introduced by Representative Rylee Linting (R-Grosse Ile). Unlike prior iterations of legislation allowing the state to participate in the compact, this bill does not include language providing for a future repeal. The bill was presented to Governor Whitmer for her signature.
Interstate Medical Licensure Compact: The compact allows a physician to be licensed in multiple states under the existing regulatory authority of state medical boards. While it creates an additional pathway for licensure, it doesn’t change a state’s medical practice act. A physician is under the jurisdiction of the state medical board where the patient is located. Currently, 42 states either belong to or are implementing membership. As of February 2025, approximately 3,600 doctors have obtained privileges in Michigan under the compact.
Employment Reforms Move: The Senate moved legislation prohibiting employers from seeking certain information from applicants during the hiring process. Specifically, the legislation bans asking about past pay, fringe benefits, credit report, or credit history. Additionally, it would ban employers from preventing employees from discussing wages in the workplace.
Key Points: According to the bill sponsor, Senator Sarah Anthony (D-Lansing), the legislation was crafted from the best-practice recommendations of labor economists and civil rights groups. A number of other states have passed similar legislation. The bill was moved to third reading on the Senate floor and awaits a final vote by the full chamber.
Importance: “As President and CEO of the Michigan Black Business Alliance, representing thousands of small business owners across our state, I can say clearly that wage transparency and fair hiring practices are not barriers to small business success — they are drivers of it,” said Charity Dean, President and CEO of Black Business Alliance (an MLC client). “Small businesses thrive when they can compete for the best talent, and that means evaluating people based on their skills and potential, not their credit history or what someone else chose to pay them. When we remove those barriers, we create stronger businesses, more equitable workplaces, and a more competitive economy for everyone.”
Committee Moves Online Protections: The Senate Finance, Insurance, and Consumer Protection Committee reported legislation addressing certain aspects of kids’ online use. Nicknamed the ‘Kids Over Clicks’ package, it sets guardrails for AI and social media usage for kids and teens.
Key Points: The four-bill package creates three new acts in Michigan. First, it creates the Stop Addictive Feeds Exploitation (SAFE) For Kids Act, which would prohibit social media platforms from providing personal data-driven feeds to minors unless parental consent is given. Second, it creates the Kids Code Act, mandating stricter data privacy and safety settings for minors on digital platforms, and giving parents more control over their children’s online accounts. Lastly, it creates the Leading Ethical AI Development (LEAD) for Kids Act, which would mandate that chatbots are inaccessible to children.
Next Steps: The bill package was sent to the Senate floor for consideration.
Spotlight On Representative Jason Hoskins: Representative Hoskins (D-Southfield) is serving his second term in the Michigan House of Representatives. Prior to the House, he served on the Southfield City Council. Before holding elected office, Representative Hoskins served as a key staff member for a State Senator and for a former State Representative. Additionally, he was an adjunct professor at Lawrence Tech University. Representative Hoskins graduated from Eastern Michigan University with a bachelor’s degree in political science and a master’s in public administration, with a concentration in local government management. He later received his law degree from the University of Detroit Mercy (UDM) School of Law.
District: He represents the 18th Michigan House District, which includes Southfield, Lathrup Village, and parts of Farmington, Farmington Hills, and Oak Park.
Committees: Representative Hoskins serves as minority vice chair of the Finance Committee and is a member of the Health Policy Committee.
We asked Representative Hoskins a few questions to learn more about him:
What’s your favorite travel destination outside of Michigan?
A – Spain
What did you want to be when you were a kid?
A – An actor or doctor
What’s your favorite game to play or sport to watch and/or play?
A – Mario Kart
Next Week: On Saturday, March 28, the Michigan Republican Party will host its endorsement convention for Attorney General, Secretary of State, two candidates for the Michigan Supreme Court, two candidates for the State Board of Education, and candidates for university boards. The House and Senate will continue their annual spring break, during which neither session nor committees are scheduled to meet. The next scheduled session day is Tuesday, April 14.