Corrections: jails; certain federal employees certified or recertified as local corrections officers; prohibit. Amends sec. 13 of 2003 PA 125 (MCL 791.543).

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Erin Byrnes and 8 co-sponsors

HB 6211 would bar individuals certified or recertified as local corrections officers from serving as jail officers in Michigan, restricting their eligibility.

bill electronically reproduced 07/03/2026

#corrections:employees #corrections:jails #lawenforcement:other

Overview

House Bill 6211 (2025-2026, Michigan) seeks to prohibit certain federal employees who are certified or recertified as local corrections officers from serving in Michigan jails. The bill is sponsored by Rep. Laurie Pohutsky, with multiple co-sponsors, and was referred to the Committee on Government Operations on July 3, 2026.

Main purpose and intent

To restrict the use or certification of certain federal employees as local corrections officers within Michigan jails.

The bill appears to target individuals who hold federal credentials for jail or corrections work and would prevent them from being certified or recertified to serve as local corrections officers in Michigan jails.

Key provisions and changes

Prohibition on certification or recertification: The bill would bar individuals who are certified or recertified as local corrections officers from certain federal employee status from working as local corrections officers in Michigan jails. The exact scope (e.g., which federal roles or credentials are covered, and whether it applies to current employees or only applicants) is not fully detailed in the provided summary. The language would specify that these federal-certified individuals cannot be certified or recertified as local corrections officers in Michigan.

Implementation scope: The prohibition would apply to jails within Michigan and would affect the process by which jail officials certify new corrections officers or recertify existing officers who hold or obtain federal corrections credentials.

Who/what would be affected

Federal employees who are certified or recertified as local corrections officers and who would otherwise seek work in Michigan jails.

Michigan jails and jail administrators responsible for hiring and certifying corrections officers.

Potential applicants who currently hold or may acquire federal corrections credentials seeking local jail employment in Michigan.

Procedural and timeline aspects

Introduction and status: HB 6211 was introduced on July 3, 2026, by Rep. Laurie Pohutsky. It was referred to the Committee on Government Operations for consideration.

Next steps: If advanced by the committee, the bill would proceed through standard legislative stages (committee hearings, potential amendments, floor votes in the House, and Senate consideration) before any potential enactment. Specific timelines would depend on committee action and legislative calendars.

Potential implications

Policy intent aligns with prioritizing state-specific or local credentialing standards for jail personnel.

Could affect hiring flexibility for Michigan jails by limiting the pool of applicants to those without certain federal corrections credentials.

May raise questions about coordination between federal and local credentialing frameworks and potential legal or constitutional considerations, depending on how the prohibition is crafted (e.g., whether it sets distinctions based on credential type or employment status).

If you’d like, I can tailor this summary to include hypothetical or sample language (e.g., what the prohibitory clause might look like) or monitor for committee amendments to update the summary accordingly.