LANSING, Mich. (Jan. 21, 2026) — Today, Sen. Mary Cavanagh (D-Redford Twp.) introduced Senate Bill 769 to bring greater accountability and dignity to the Michigan Dept. of Corrections’ (MDOC) medical communications system. This bipartisan legislation — crafted in tandem with the department and supported by a broad coalition of advocacy groups — would require MDOC to provide every incarcerated Michigander with standardized medical release and emergency contact forms, in addition to an informational brochure with instructions on both forms. Senate Bill 769 would also ensure that families are immediately informed in the event of a critical medical emergency of an incarcerated individual that requires hospitalization.
“Right now, there are no clear communications plans in place to ensure that families of incarcerated people are informed in the event of a medical emergency, leaving them to deal with the pain of being left in the dark while a loved one is in crisis,” said Sen. Cavanagh. “My legislation would protect the dignity of incarcerated Michiganders and their families by improving medical communications in our state’s correctional facilities — because even if someone is incarcerated, they still have loved ones who care deeply about their safety and well-being.”
This legislation is a Senate version of House Bill 5216, which was led by Rep. Stephanie Young (D-Detroit) after a constituent and mother shared the devastating experience of losing her son during his incarceration and not being contacted during his critical medical emergency. Senate Bill 769 has been referred to the Senate Committee on Civil Rights, Judiciary, and Public Safety where it awaits further consideration.