LANSING — The Michigan House took action on school safety and unemployment Tuesday, among other long-anticipated measures that are seeing renewed attention.
All Democratic lawmakers were present Tuesday, meaning they could pass party-line proposals with their slim 56-54 majority.
The House passed a package to both expand maximum unemployment collection from 20 weeks to 26 weeks, and increase weekly payouts over the next 3 years.
The weekly maximum would increase from $362 currently to $446 in 2025, $530 in 2026, and $614 in 2027. Under the proposal, the total amount paid to unemployment would increase from about $750 million to around $1.3 billion
“Unemployment benefits are not a permanent solution, but they are a lifeline for people who find themselves out of a job through no fault of their own to get back on their feet,” said Rep. Jim Haadsma, D-Battle Creek. “From the gas pump to the grocery store, families across Michigan are coping with higher costs — but families without a stable income are struggling the most.”
The package also adds protections for those leaving jobs due to domestic violence and ties future increases to inflation.
Opponents say the increases would be unfair to employers and enable some on unemployment to stay out of the workforce for longer.
“That’s going to cost me as an employer,” said Rep. William Bruck, R-Erie. “It’s going to cost every employer in the state, increase costs, increase long range costs, and it’s not good for our economy.”
The length requirements would bring Michigan in line with most other states and restore the schedule Michigan used before 2011. The bills passed on mostly party-line votes.
The House also approved a school safety package, which lawmakers say has been worked on since the Oxford High School shooting in 2021.
The package requires Michigan State Police to develop uniform terminology for school emergencies, defining terms like ‘lockdown’ so multiple agencies can better communicate.
“I rise in support of the school safety package, which will ensure that our schools are equipped to respond potential threats — keeping kids safe,” said Rep. Kelly Breen, D-Novi. “Statistically speaking, kids are safer in school than anywhere else — but there are things that we can do to protect our kids and educators.”
The package also requires school boards to create a behavior threat assessment and management team, which would include a doctor, psychologist, social worker, family therapist and other professionals.
Those boards would develop plans to intervene with students who may be displaying concerning behaviors and establish policies for sorting credible threats from non-credible threats.
Those policies wouldn’t go into effect until late 2026 if signed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.
Most of the bills in the package passed with strong bipartisan support.
“We must show the people of Michigan — we as lawmakers can come together and produce solutions that address real needs in the state, and from where I stand, these bills are long overdue,” said Rep. Luke Meerman, R-Coopersville.
Lawmakers will hold session Wednesday and Thursday of this week, and will meet for at least two days next week.
