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SR 39

Designating March as Kidney Disease Awareness Month

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Laura Chapman and 1 co-sponsor

Michigan expresses support for deeper political, economic, and security ties with Taiwan and urges actions to promote trade, investment, and international participation.

Completed legislative action
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Bill Summary · SR 39

Summary — SR 39 (Michigan Senate Resolution)

A resolution to express our commitment to strengthening and deepening ties between the state of Michigan and Taiwan.

Status: Adopted (Senate adopted May 1, 2025)
Introduced by: Senators Bayer, Chang, Shink, Runestad, and Webber (offered as SR‑39)

Purpose / Intent

SR 39 is a non‑binding Senate resolution that formally expresses Michigan’s support for deeper political, economic, cultural, and security ties with Taiwan. It signals the Legislature’s position on trade, diplomatic engagement, and practical steps Michigan entities can take to strengthen bilateral relations.

Key provisions and requests

The resolution makes a series of findings about U.S.–Taiwan and Michigan–Taiwan relations and then urges or expresses support for several actions (all declarative; the resolution does not create binding law):

  • Expresses Michigan’s commitment to strengthen and deepen ties with Taiwan.
  • Urges Michigan enterprises to refer to Taiwan by the name “Taiwan,” citing the Taiwan Relations Act (Section 4(b)(1)) as authority for doing so in business contexts.
  • Urges the United States and Taiwan to negotiate additional bilateral trade agreements, including an avoidance‑of‑double‑taxation agreement to facilitate investment and trade.
  • Supports Taiwan’s inclusion in the Indo‑Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) and other trade fora.
  • Urges the United States to continue providing defense articles and services to enable Taiwan to maintain a sufficient self‑defense capability and to continue the policy approach embodied in the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act.
  • Supports Taiwan’s meaningful participation in international organizations (examples listed: United Nations, World Health Organization, International Civil Aviation Organization, UNFCCC, INTERPOL) and endorses Taiwan making greater global contributions.
  • Notes growing regional security concerns (including cited intelligence assessments and PRC military activity) and frames deeper ties as aligned with shared values of democracy, human rights, rule of law, and prosperity.

Factual findings cited

  • U.S.–Taiwan bilateral goods trade exceeded $127.7 billion in 2023 and $158.6 billion in 2024 (national totals).
  • Taiwan imported roughly $3.93 billion in U.S. agricultural products in 2023 and about $3.8 billion in 2024; on a per‑capita basis Taiwan is a major market for U.S. agricultural exports.
  • Michigan exported approximately $257 million in goods to Taiwan in 2024 and opened a Michigan Taiwan Office in March 2024 to promote investment and trade.

Who is affected

  • Primarily symbolic: state government, Michigan businesses, business and trade advocates, and the Taiwanese‑American community in Michigan.
  • Intended audience also includes federal policymakers (the resolution “urges” federal action) and trade/diplomatic stakeholders.
  • The resolution does not change statutes, appropriations, or legal obligations, nor does it impose regulatory requirements.

Procedural / timeline notes

  • Introduced and offered in the Michigan Senate as SR‑39; adopted by the Senate (rules suspended) and officially recorded as adopted May 1, 2025.
  • Because it is a Senate resolution (expressing policy preference), it does not require gubernatorial signature to take effect; its effect is declarative and advisory.

Practical impact

  • SR 39 is a formal expression of Michigan’s political support for closer ties with Taiwan and may be used by state economic development offices and private sector actors to justify or promote increased trade, investment, and institutional engagement with Taiwan.
  • The resolution can strengthen political signaling to federal leaders and foreign partners but carries no binding legal or budgetary consequences.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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