LANSING, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — Lieutenant Governor Gilchrist, in his role as acting governor, signed House Bill 4044, marking the first time in Michigan history that an African American Lt. Governor signed a bill into law.
“As the first black lieutenant governor to sign a bill into law, today’s historic action symbolizes the opportunity that exists when we create a space for more participation from a more diverse set of voices and experiences,” Gilchrist said in a statement. “Governor Whitmer and I built the most diverse administration in our state’s history because we believe that our practices, policies, and proposals should reflect and enable Michiganders from all backgrounds to be successful.”
The State says that, as written, the Department of Insurance and Financial Services can now issue insurance producer licenses to individuals with felonies, provided they have not been convicted of a felony in the last ten years.
Exemptions will still be provided for people with violent, fiduciary or financial-related crimes.
Under current law, the State of Michigan does not grant insurance licenses to individuals with felony convictions. As a result, the State denied 61 applications due to prior felony convictions in 2018.
The bill will take immediate effect.
