Committee Meeting Resources

Thank you for volunteering for the SSI Onsite Program!

Below you will find bill and position statements for each committee.

If you are unsure of your assignment, find your Onsite information along the side and follow the “VIP assignments” link.

Lobbyists: please review the bill and analysis you are assigned to support or oppose (found below) to create your testimony. Follow this link for additional instructions for your role.

Committee Chairs: please review both bills for the committee that you are assigned. Follow this link for instructions for your role.

Bill Resources

Locate your bill and analysis below. Many bills have additional resources or even sample testimonies. Lobbyists can feel free to use all, part, or none of the sample testimony in their presentation.

Adams Committee

HB 5751 Safe Haven Devices - Sponsored by Adams Blue

SUPPORTING POSITION: You want to allow Newborn Safety Devices (NSDs) to be installed and used at emergency service provider locations in order to ensure the safety of newborns who are being legally abandoned by parents who are unwilling to engage in face-to-face interaction while legally abandoning their child. This bill would amend current Safe Haven Laws which you believe have been effective, but the protections should go one step further.

OPPOSING POSITION: You oppose this bill. You believe that additional complications would arise with this bill including the question of whether the mother is actually the one surrendering the baby, how much additional training must be given to the ones who must monitor the surrender, and the potential increased rates of abandonment as a result. It does not address who will be held liable happens to a baby placed in an NSD as well as requiring standards for NSD to be outlined by the Michigan department of Health after the bill passes, rather than including those standards in the bill itself. This means that no one will know what those standards are until after this bill is signed into law.

Bill & Analysis
Bill and Analysis – HB 5751 Safe Haven Device

Testimonies
Supporting Arguments – Testimony
Opposing Arguments – Testimony

Additional Resources
Explanatory Article – Baby Boxes, Safe Haven Laws: A “Last Resort’ to Curb Infant Abandonment
Explanatory Article – FAQ: Safe Haven Movement, Baby Boxes, and Laws

HB 4087 Homeless Youth Medical Care - Sponsored by Adams Green

SUPPORTING POSITION: You believe that the immediate needs of the youth in question must be addressed and that contacting a parent in these circumstances may be too difficult to acquire or would be hazardous to the youth in an abusive situation.

OPPOSING POSITION: You believe that this bill is too broad in what medical services may be provided and opens the door to removing consideration for parental consent in general and that, while well intentioned, this bill will likely have significant consequences for the family unit.

Bill & Analysis
Bill and Analysis – HB 4087 Homeless Youth Medical Care

Testimonies
Supporting Arguments – Testimony
Opposing Arguments – Testimony

Additional Resources
Explanatory Article – Supporting Homeless Youth in Michigan
Explanatory Article – Bill Introduction

***NOTE: LEAD has edited this bill to not allow homeless or runaway youth to consent to an abortion or gender affirming medical treatment. Please be aware of this as you do additional research for your testimony.

Jefferson Committee

SB 162 Emergency Responder Job Protection Act - Sponsored by Jefferson Blue

SUPPORTING POSITION: You want to allow volunteer emergency responders to fulfill their obligations to the public without having to suffer adverse employment consequences.

OPPOSING POSITION: You want employers to take a person’s obligations into account during hiring without fear of a potential lawsuit.

Bill & Analysis

Bill and Analysis – SB 162 Emergency Responder Job Protection

Testimonies

Supporting Arguments – Testimony
Opposing Arguments – Testimony

Additional Resources

Explanatory Article – Michigan EMS Worker Shortage
Explanatory Article – First Responder Staffing Shortages & Burnout
Explanatory Article – Michigan EMT Burnout and Shortages

HB 5016 Microchips - Sponsored by Jefferson Green

SUPPORTING ARGUMENT: You want to allow vulnerable adults and youth with special health needs to be microchipped as this is essential for their safety and protection from being lost or kidnapped.

OPPOSING ARGUMENT: You do not want vulnerable adults or youth to be tracked as this poses a significant risk for an invasion of privacy, causes undo distress to those being chipped, and that it creates a slippery slope for further tracking efforts.

Bill & Analysis
Bill and Analysis – HB 5016 Microchips

Testimonies
Supporting Arguments – Testimony
Opposing Arguments – Testimony

Madison Committee

HB 5019 Body Cameras - Sponsored by Madison Blue

SUPPORTING POSITION: You want to require Michigan law enforcement officers to wear and use a body camera when on duty, in uniform, and carrying a taser or weapon to provide for greater accountability and safety for both public and within law enforcement.

OPPOSING POSITION: You do NOT want to require Michigan law enforcement officers to wear and use a body camera when on duty and carrying a taser or weapon, due to concerns of privacy and the dangers of a blanket policy for all local law enforcement agencies.

Bill & Analysis
Bill and Analysis – HB 5019 - Body Cameras

Testimonies
Supporting Arguments – Testimony
Opposing Arguments – Testimony

Additional Resources
Explanatory Article – Pros and Cons of Police Body Cameras
Explanatory Article – Police Body Camera Benefits
Explanatory Article – Police Misconduct and Accountability, 2020
Explanatory Article – Assessing the Effectiveness of Police Body Cameras

HJR H Death Penalty - Sponsored by Madison Green

SUPPORTING POSITION: You want to reinstate the Death Penalty in Michigan.
*Note: While in real life, passing this resolution would bring the issue to the Michigan people to vote on, for our simulation, the students will be framing the debate as though passing this resolution would reinstate the death penalty.

OPPOSING POSITION: You want the death penalty to remain unconstitutional in Michigan.
*Note: While in real life, passing this resolution would bring the issue to the Michigan people to vote on, for our simulation, the students will be framing the debate as though passing this resolution would reinstate the death penalty.

Bill & Analysis
Bill and Analysis – HJR H Death Penalty

Testimonies
Supporting Arguments – Testimony
Opposing Arguments – Testimony

Washington Committee

HB 5826 Knife Rights Act - Sponsored by Washington Blue

SUPPORTING POSITION: You believe that there should be consistency in the law and that all laws regarding laws should be unilaterally applied to the whole state.

OPPOSING POSITION: You believe that decisions such as knife regulations ought to be given to local municipalities to better meet community need.

Please note: there are two identical bills on this issue: HB 5286 (2019 – this bill) and HB 4066 (2021). HB 5286 did pass out of committee, and HB 4066 passed both the House and Senate, but was vetoed by the Governor. For this simulation, please do not reference the result of the other bill; we will be arguing this bill as if it is the first time it has been introduced.

Bill & Analysis

Bill and Analysis – HB 5286 Knife Rights Act

Testimonies
Supporting Arguments – Testimony
Opposing Arguments – Testimony

Additional Resources
Explanatory Article – Michigan Knife Law
Explanatory Article - 25 Most Dangerous Cities in America
Explanatory Article - Knife Laws by State

HB 4003 Expired CPL Consequence - Sponsored by Washington Green

SUPPORTING POSITION: You believe that to impose a felony upon a citizen is an excessive infringement upon an individual’s second amendment right and too harsh of a punishment for what is often simple forgetfulness. You are in favor of reducing the penalty for carrying a concealed pistol on an expired concealed pistol license (CPL) from a felony penalty to a civil of $330.

OPPOSING POSITION: You believe that ownership of a CPL is a very weighty responsibility that should not be taken lightly. You believe that the current punishment of a felony is needed to keep gun owners responsible (a felony conviction with a prison sentence of up to five years and a fine that can be as high as $2,500, or both).

Bill & Analysis

Bill and Analysis – HB 4003 Expired CPL Consequence

Testimonies
Supporting Argument – Testimony
Opposing Argument – Testimony

Additional Resources
Explanatory Article – Detroit News, Bill Explanation

Explanatory Article – Michigan Law for Convicted Felons and Carrying a Gun

Explanatory Article – Explaining the Charges for Carrying a Concealed Weapon on an Expired License