History has been made at the state Capitol, as Lieutenant Governor Garlin Gilchrist has become the first black lieutenant governor to sign a bill into law in Michigan history. Gilchrist is currently serving as acting governor due to the trade mission in Israel by Governor Gretchen Whitmer. In remarks in the Capitol Rotunda, he said the bill signing “symbolizes the opportunity that exists when we create a space for more participation from a more diverse set of voices and experiences.”
The legislation he signed, House Bill 4044, reverses a lifelong ban on felons who submit applications for insurance provider licenses provided they haven’t been convicted of a felony within the past ten years. The state denied 61 such applications last year from people with felonies in their past.
