Michigan House Bill HB4666

Michigan 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 6/24/25
• Refer: 6/24/25
• Report Pass: 10/22/25
• Engrossed: 10/23/25
• Refer: 10/28/25
• Report Pass: 12/18/25
• Enrolled: 12/18/25
• Chaptered: 12/31/25
• Passed: 12/31/25

Caption

Insurance: life; reference to "colored" persons; eliminate. Amends sec. 2082 of 1956 PA 218 (MCL 500.2082).

Summary

HB 4666 amends Michigan’s insurance code to remove outdated racial language from the statute governing life insurance. The bill revises Section 2082 of the Insurance Code to prohibit life insurers from making any distinction or discrimination based on race or color in premiums, rates, rebates, discounts, policy conditions, or death benefits. It also preserves the existing rule that any such discriminatory policy term is void. The bill also restates the enforcement provisions for violations of this anti-discrimination requirement. An insurer that violates the section is subject to a $1,000 civil fine per violation, enforceable by the attorney general, and an officer or agent who violates the section may be charged with a misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in jail, a fine, or both. In practical terms, the measure updates and reinforces Michigan’s prohibition on race-based discrimination in life insurance underwriting and policy administration.

Impact

The bill makes a targeted amendment to MCL 500.2082 within Michigan’s Insurance Code. It does not create a new regulatory program, but it clarifies and modernizes the statute by eliminating the reference to “colored” persons and reaffirming that life insurers may not discriminate on the basis of race or color. The law continues to authorize civil penalties and criminal penalties for violations, with enforcement by the attorney general.

Sentiment

The available voting history suggests broad bipartisan support and little opposition. The bill was reported from committee unanimously, passed the House overwhelmingly, and later passed the Senate with only one dissenting vote. No committee testimony is provided, but the near-unanimous votes indicate general agreement that the statute should be updated and the anti-discrimination rule preserved.

Contention

There is little evidence of substantive controversy in the available record. The main issue appears to be a technical and symbolic update to remove outdated terminology from the insurance code while keeping the underlying prohibition on racial discrimination intact. The only notable dissent is a single no vote in each chamber’s floor action, but no stated objections or competing positions are included in the materials provided.