LANSING, Mich. — Sen. Joseph Bellino introduced six bills on the first session day of the 2025-26 legislative term.
“My hope is that as we start a new legislative session with Republicans now in control in the House, we will have a balanced exchange of ideas from both parties,” said Bellino, R-Monroe.
The first of Bellino’s bills, Senate Bill 9, would require Michigan public schools to ensure that every multiple-occupancy restroom or changing area designated for student use must be used by individuals based only on their biological sex.
“This is a commonsense measure to protect students in their schools,” Bellino said. “Requiring students to use bathrooms, locker rooms and showers based on their biological sex would help ensure a comfortable environment during these important developmental years.”
SB 10 would prevent foreign governments from purchasing farmland in Michigan. To ensure all loopholes are closed, foreign government-affiliated enterprises and people acting on behalf of a foreign government or an affiliated company would also be prevented from making any farmland purchases.
SB 11 would ban so-called sanctuary cities in the state of Michigan.
SB 12 would allow parents to claim their unborn babies as dependents on their state income taxes by changing the definition of a “dependent” to include a fetus that has completed at least 12 weeks of gestation and has been under the care and observation of a physician since that time.
SB 13 would create a new beginning farmer tax credit for owners of agricultural assets who sell or rent those assets to a new non-legacy farmer.
SB 14 would protect the ability of parents and fans of high school athletics to use cash to buy tickets for sporting events by requiring public schools in Michigan that charge a fee for high school athletic events to accept cash as a form of payment.
“These measures would protect our communities, prevent foreign governments from inserting control over our food chain by buying our farmland and help people who don’t come from a farming background become farmers,” Bellino said. “My bills would also provide tax relief by moving up the time when parents can claim their children on their taxes and ensure people are not excluded from watching their children compete or cheering on their local high school team simply because they don’t have a smartphone or a debit card.”
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