Michigan Democrats are again trying to create a government board aimed at limiting prescription drug costs, a move that faces a hazy future in the Republican-controlled state House of Representatives.

A package of bills that would give the state power to place a cap on prices on expensive prescription drugs was approved Thursday by the Michigan Senate.

All 19 majority Democrats and one Republican — Sen. John Damoose of Harbor Springs — voted in favor of the Prescription Drug Affordability Board. The legislation was opposed by 15 Republicans, with one member abstaining and another was absent.

At a joint press conference Thursday at the Michigan Capitol, state Rep. Denise Mentzer of Macomb County, who sponsored one of the bills in the package, said “the time to act is now.”

“Michiganders are struggling now more than ever with rising costs, and for many, the prescription drugs they rely on are becoming out of reach,” the Mount Clemens Democrat said. “This is completely unacceptable. Everyone deserves to have access to the medication they need. This is not a partisan issue — it is a moral issue. Michiganders are relying on us to take action now to protect them from these rising costs that in many cases can make the difference in affording life-saving or life-changing medication.”

Another one of the bills was sponsored by Democratic Sen. Veronica Klinefelt of Eastpointe. Democrats are pushing the legislation as a way of lowering the cost of expensive medications, while Republicans have said it interferes in the free market.

Supporters say the proposed five-member board could set upper payment limits on medicines if it determined spending poses “affordability challenges” for hospitals and health care systems or high out-of-pocket costs for patients.

The governor would appoint the members of the board, who would consult with the proposed 21-member Prescription Drug Affordability Stakeholder Council. Its members would also be appointed by the governor, including two-thirds from nominee lists submitted by legislative leaders.

In 2023, a similar effort was introduced by the Democratic-controlled Senate after Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer endorsed the plan. But the House, which was led by Democrats at the time, did not move the legislation forward. After Thursday’s Senate approval, the legislation package was sent to the Republican-led House, where observers say it is unlikely to survive due to opposition from the pharmaceutical industry.