Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta and his wife, Callie, recently reached out to Michigan lawmakers to voice their backing for “Queenie’s Law,” a proposal that would prohibit public institutions in the state from conducting experiments on dogs.

The measure was introduced in March by Sen. Paul Wojno (D-Warren) in the Senate and Rep. Joe Aragona (R-Clinton Township) in the House. Although the bill is still in committee in both chambers, it advanced in late October from the House Committee on Regulatory Reform to the House Committee on Rules.

In a letter shared through a press release from the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, the LaPortas compared dogs used in laboratory research to their own adopted dog, Bonnie, emphasizing that all dogs deserve humane treatment. The organization also noted the couple’s appreciation that scientific research is gradually shifting away from the use of dogs.

Their message encouraged House Speaker Matt Hall and Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks to move the legislation forward. The bill is named after a dog who died following experiments conducted at Wayne State University.

“Michigan’s dogs are fortunate to have Sam and Callie advocating for them,” said Ryan Merkley, the Physicians Committee’s director of research advocacy, adding that taxpayers shouldn’t be required to subsidize painful research that yields little benefit.

Actors Lily Tomlin and Ernie Hudson have also thrown their support behind the effort, appearing in a television advertisement promoting the bill.