Michigan Senate Bill SB0370

Michigan 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 6/10/25
• Refer: 6/10/25
• Report Pass: 10/8/25
• Engrossed: 10/8/25
• Refer: 10/8/25
• Report Pass: 11/12/25
• Engrossed: 11/13/25
• Enrolled: 12/2/25
• Chaptered: 12/10/25
• Passed: 12/10/25

Caption

Military affairs: other; Tricare premium reimbursement program; create. Creates new act. TIE BAR WITH: SB 0540'25, SB 0542'25, HB 4962'25

Summary

SB 370 creates the Tricare Premium Reimbursement Program within the Michigan Department of Military and Veterans Affairs. The program is designed to reimburse eligible Michigan National Guard members for premiums they pay for Tricare Reserve Select coverage, Tricare dental coverage, or both, so long as there is enough money available in the Michigan National Guard Member Benefit Fund. The bill defines eligible recipients as National Guard members who qualify for those Tricare options and who also meet any additional eligibility criteria set by the department. The department is required to administer the program, develop the application process, and publish the application form and instructions on its website. It must also adopt administrative rules to implement the act under the Administrative Procedures Act. The bill is tied to SB 540, SB 542, and HB 4962, meaning it does not take effect unless all of those bills are enacted into law. Although the bill text creates a new reimbursement program, it relies on existing state fund resources and departmental rulemaking rather than creating a new standalone funding source.

Impact

The bill adds a new statutory program in Michigan law for reimbursing certain Tricare premiums paid by Michigan National Guard members, and it assigns implementation duties to the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs. It affects the Michigan National Guard Member Benefit Fund by making reimbursements contingent on available money in that fund, and it requires the department to establish eligibility and application procedures through rulemaking. The measure primarily impacts National Guard members who use Tricare Reserve Select or Tricare dental coverage, as well as the department responsible for administering the benefit.

Sentiment

The available voting history suggests broad bipartisan support and little opposition. The Senate passed the bill 34-0, a committee reported it without amendment by a 23-0 vote, and the House gave it immediate effect with a 100-1 vote. No committee transcripts were provided, so there is no recorded floor or committee debate to indicate significant controversy, and the near-unanimous votes suggest the bill was viewed favorably as a veterans and military family benefit.

Contention

The main structural issue in the bill is not policy opposition but dependency: reimbursements are only available if the Michigan National Guard Member Benefit Fund has sufficient money, and the program’s details are left to departmental rules. The bill is also tie-barred to three other measures, so its effectiveness depends on companion legislation being enacted. Any potential concern would likely center on funding availability, administrative discretion over eligibility criteria, and the coordination required with the related bills, rather than on the concept of reimbursing Tricare premiums itself.