State Rep. Mike Harris is leading the push to approve “Stop the Bleed” legislation that would expand lifesaving bleeding-control training in schools and strengthen Good Samaritan protections for those who step in during emergencies.

As part of this effort, the House approved House Bill 4107, sponsored by Harris, in a 96 to 3 vote on September 25. Harris’s legislation updates Michigan’s model health curriculum for grades seven through 12 by requiring bleeding-control training alongside CPR and AED instruction. The training, based on nationally recognized programs such as Stop the Bleed or the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma, strongly encourages hands-on participation. Students will practice skills such as applying pressure, using dressings, wound packing, and applying a tourniquet. These are simple and effective steps that can keep someone alive until professional responders arrive.

“As a former police sergeant and EMT, I saw firsthand how quickly situations can turn and how critical those first few minutes are,” said Harris, R-Waterford Township. “With these bills, we can make sure more people are trained, more people are willing to act, and more lives are saved when accidents strike.”

The broader package also includes House Bill 4847, sponsored by Rep. Steve Frisbie, R-Pennfield, which updates Michigan’s Good Samaritan law to extend civil immunity to individuals who apply bleeding-control techniques such as direct pressure, dressings, wound packing, or a tourniquet before professional responders arrive. It clarifies that well-intentioned bystanders who act to save a life are protected from civil liability. These measures are consistent with Michigan’s existing emergency-aid framework. House Bill 4108, sponsored by Rep. Dave Prestin, R-Cedar River, creates a new Good Samaritan section specific to bleeding-control aid so these protections are consistently applied across statutes.

The legislative package is now awaiting further consideration in the Senate.