Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signs bills aimed at lowering prescription drug cost, protecting vulnerable adults

CBS News Detroit Digital Brief for Dec. 8, 2023

LANSING, Mich. (CBS DETROIT) - Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced she signed bills Friday to lower the cost of prescription drugs, protecting vulnerable adults, safeguarding religious institutions and communities, and more.

"These bills are an important step forward that will lower the cost of prescription drugs and keep more money in Michiganders' pockets," Whitmer said. "They build on the work I did earlier in my term to increase pharmacy oversight and protect Michiganders from surprise medical billing. I am also proud to sign bills protecting vulnerable Michiganders from harm and safeguarding religious institutions and communities. Let's keep working together to build a Michigan we can all be proud of."  

Below is the list of bills:   

House Bill 4276, sponsored by state Representative Alabas Farhat (D-Dearborn), looks to reduce costs by increasing transparency and expanding oversight of costs associated with prescription drugs, Whitmer said.  

House Bills 4387 and 4320, sponsored by state Representative Sharon MacDonell (D-Troy), protects vulnerable adults by not allowing anyone to sexually abuse or exploit a vulnerable adult by coercing them for sexually explicit visual materials, Whitmer said.

House Bill 4476, sponsored by state Representative Noah Arbit (D-West Bloomfield), and House Bill 4477, sponsored by state Representative Ranjeev Puri (D-Canton), establish the crime of institutional desecration against religious communities and institutions and create misdemeanor and felony penalties for institutional desecration, Whitmer said.

House Bill 4885, sponsored by state Representative Donovan McKinney (D-Detroit), and House Bill 4923, sponsored by state Representative Joseph Aragona (R-Clinton Township), is set to protect patients who receive medication by bolstering the permitting process for people who work as medication aides so that Michiganders receive the correct medication and doses from qualified professionals, according to Whitmer.  

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