Michigan HB 4552 & 4553 (2025) What are they? How will they protect us?
Prohibits the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services to promulgate rules interfering with the universal right to an exemption for vaccination to attend school. Also prohibits the exclusion of healthy students from school during an outbreak.
Michigan HB 4475 (2025) What is it? And how will it protect us?
Legal Framework | Embedded in the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act — Michigan’s core civil rights law. |
Protected Class | Adds “vaccination status” to the list of protected classes alongside race, religion, sex, etc. |
Employment Protections | Employers cannot refuse to hire, terminate, or discriminate based on vaccination status or immunity passport. |
Government Protections | Government entities (including schools and universities) cannot deny services, education, employment, or access based on vaccination status. |
Immunity Passport Ban | Bans use of “immunity passports” — defined as documents showing vaccination or recovery. |
Natural Immunity Recognized | Yes — included in the definition of “immunity passport” (vaccination or infection and recovery). |
Education Access Protections | Prohibits universities and community colleges from denying education based on vax status. |
Student Exemptions | Assumes continued use of MCL 333.9215 for student opt-outs (medical & religious/personal). |
In-Person Learning Guarantee | Not explicitly stated, but denial based on vax status is prohibited (ELCRA). |
Public Accommodations | Protected under ELCRA — applies to housing, employment, public access, etc. |
Healthcare Discrimination Protections | Not explicitly mentioned in this bill (ELCRA covers this). |