Legislative Update 10-4-24

October 4, 2024Blog, Events, Legislative, MAC news, MACSC, Marketing, NACo

Registration is open for 2024 New Commissioner School sessions in November-December

The Michigan Association of Counties is again pleased to partner with Michigan State University Extension (MSUE) to present the New Commissioner School (NCS) courses in the weeks after the Nov. 5 General Election.

Registration and online course content for the school is now available! This program has been preparing new and veteran commissioners since 1968. Participants will explore governance complexities, understand their roles, learn about county finance and develop strategies for effective decision-making and collaboration.

The 2024 NCS includes self-paced online modules or live webinars in November, followed by in-person workshops in December. Participants should plan to complete either the self-paced content or the live webinars AND attend one of the in-person workshops in order to receive their certificate of completion from MSU Extension and County Commissioner Academy credits from MAC.

The December live locations are:

Dec. 2 – Bavarian Inn and Conference Center, One Covered Bridge Lane, Frankenmuth (to allow for onsite preparation registration closes Nov. 25)
Dec. 3 – BayPointe Inn, 11456 Marsh Rd., Shelbyville (to allow for onsite preparation registration closes Nov. 25)
Dec. 9 – Kirtland College, 4800 W. 4 Mile Rd., Grayling (to allow for onsite preparation registration closes Dec. 3)
Dec. 10 – Bay College Escanaba, 2001 N. Lincoln Rd., Escanaba (to allow for onsite preparation registration closes Dec. 3)

For more information or to register, visit events.anr.msu.edu/ncs/.

Please contact MSU Extension Specialist Eric Walcott at walcott3@msu.edu with any questions.

Bill to expand options for opioid antagonists moves to Senate floor

Legislation to expand the available options of opioid antagonists to local governments, non-profits, public safety departments and more was voted out of the Senate Committee on Health Policy this week.

Senate Bill 542 , by Sen. Kevin Hertel (D-Macomb), would allow a government entity that received an opioid antagonist from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) at no cost to choose the formulation, type of delivery service, method of administration or dosage of the opioid antagonist. The ability to decide on formulation or dosage only applies if the formulation or dosage chosen would not result in a loss of Federal funding.

An opioid antagonist includes naloxone, or any “similar and equally safe” drug approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of drug overdose.

Currently, counties can utilize the MDHHS naloxone (an opioid antagonist) portal to access naloxone at no cost. SB 542 expands the type of opioid antagonist available to government entities through the MDHHS portal.

MAC supports SB 542 and efforts to expand resources to counties for reduction, treatment and prevention of the opioid epidemic.

For more information on this issue, contact Samantha Gibson at gibson@micounties.org.

Podcast 83: Commissioners can use issue briefs to help MAC staff in run-up to ‘lame duck’

With legislative activity in Lansing still on a slow simmer, at best, MAC’s advocacy staff continue to prepare for what is expected to be an extraordinary “lame duck” session after the General Election, MAC’s Podcast 83 team explains in a new episode.

“First, there are the concerns around minimum staffing,” said Deena Bosworth. “Legislation in the House right now would make minimum staffing a mandatory subject of bargaining at the local level, particularly for Public Act 312 employees, and you combine that with the expansion of binding arbitration to corrections officers earlier this year, that’s highly concerning for us, and we will continue to oppose that going into lame duck.

“On the tax and finance side of things, we’re looking at perhaps tackling the ‘Dark Stores’ legislation,” Bosworth added. “Reps. (Julie) Brixie and (Jenn) Hill have some bills in and I know it’s a very big priority for them.

“And clearly the no. 1 issue is our Revenue Sharing Trust Fund again, which is sitting in the Senate Finance Committee; we are hoping that they move it out of there. We do know we have an overwhelming number of legislators in support of it. It’s just (a matter of) will they move it and put it on the governor’s desk for her signature?”

Bosworth also noted that MAC has released a series of one-page “Issue Briefs” for members to use in their talks with state legislators.

“We give them a little bit of background on the topic and really what we want you to talk to your legislators about,” Bosworth said. “So please, everybody … look up those issue briefs. If you are seeing your legislators back in district before the election … please bring some of these items up and help us get over the finish line on some of them.”

MAC Issue Briefs

Host and Executive Director Stephan Currie reviewed the results of MAC’s Annual Conference, held Sept. 24-26, including:

The installation of Wayne County’s Melissa Daub as MAC’s 116^th Board president
The election of John Malnar of Delta County as the newest MAC Board director

View the full episode, recorded on Sept. 30, by clicking here.

Previous episodes can be seen at MAC’s YouTube Channel.

And you always can find details about Podcast 83 on the MAC website.

Senate committee reviews wrongful conviction legislation

Michigan’s Wrongful Imprisonment Compensation Act (WICA) offers a wrongfully incarcerated person $50,000 for each year they were in prison. Upon dismissal of charges, or a retrial finding the individual not guilty, the wrongfully incarcerated person can file a WICA claim.

Senate Bill 997, by Sen. Stephanie Chang (D-Wayne), requires a prosecutor to respond within 60 days to participate in a suit regarding a WICA claim. While MAC supports the goal of ensuring wrongfully incarcerated individuals are made whole by the government, requiring already severely understaffed prosecutor’s offices to respond to claims within 60 days exacerbates overwhelming workloads. SB 997 would also increase court costs, and as the largest funding source for trial courts, counties cannot be subject to increased costs. MAC is working to require state funding to alleviate this financial burden.

Senate Bill 1014, by Sen. Jeff Irwin (D-Washtenaw), requires the storage of DNA evidence for the duration of an individual’s sentence, so that it can be retrieved in the event of a WICA claim or overturn of conviction. While such DNA is crucial in substantiating a wrongfully incarcerated person’s innocence, requiring local courts to store and retain the DNA for decades poses increased storage and labor costs.

MAC is working with bill sponsors to alleviate the unfunded mandates posed by SBs 997 and 1014. The bills await further testimony in the Senate Committee on Civil Rights, Judiciary and Public Safety.

For more information on this issue, contact Samantha Gibson at gibson@micounties.org.

Webinar to review medical transport effort in Michigan

The U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) oversees the Ground Emergency Medical Transportation (GEMT) program. GEMT provides funding and support to eligible healthcare providers through state agencies, aiming to ensure that individuals without reliable transportation can access emergency medical care. This program improves access to emergency services for Medicaid beneficiaries, bridging the gap between patients and healthcare facilities and facilitating timely care during emergencies.

While Michigan doesn’t currently participate in the program, our state has the eighth-highest number of Medicaid enrollees in the nation. Local emergency services and ambulance providers are not fully reimbursed by Medicaid to cover the costs of medical transportation for this significant segment of our communities. The GEMT initiative in Michigan seeks to address health disparities, promote health equity, and reimburse local agencies and emergency services providers for serving vulnerable populations.

A $500,000 appropriation was secured in the FY25 state budget to assist MDHHS in starting up GEMT in Michigan. House Bill 5695, by Rep. Mike McFall (D-Oakland), requires MDHHS to participate in the federal GEMT reimbursement program and awaits movement in the House Insurance and Financial Services Committee.

The GEMT Webinar on Monday, Oct. 7 at 11 a.m. (Eastern) will review the status of HB 5695 and key next steps in moving this program forward. Topics for the one-hour session will include the anticipated schedule for legislation, provider cost reporting, committee testimony preparation and DHHS preparation committee.

Click here to register.

For more information on this issue, contact Samantha Gibson at gibson@micounties.org.

MAC on the Road: Tri-County Summit in Macomb County

MAC Executive Director Stephan Currie and Governmental Affairs Director Deena Bosworth joined MAC President Melissa Daub (center), First Vice President Antoinette Wallace (second from right) and Board Director Sarah Lucido (second from left) at 2024 Tri-County Summit on Friday in Macomb County.

The summit, a gathering of leaders from Macomb, Oakland and Wayne counties, continued the theme of “Moving Forward. Moving Together” and focused on environmental issues such as disaster planning and climate change, as well as sustainability and regional transportation.

Oct. 15 info event set for broadband funding

Local governments and Internet Service Providers (ISPs) can connect and explore partnerships at a matchmaking event on Oct. 15. The Michigan High-Speed Internet office (MIHI) will be hosting “Building Bridges for BEAD” at the Crystal Mountain Resort in Thompsonville.

This is an opportunity for locals and ISPs that are interested in applying for Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) funding to learn more about potential collaborations. Public and private partnerships will be paramount to the successful deployment of broadband infrastructure across Michigan.

The forum will be “a fast-paced, guided activity” to initiate conversations and allow for networking. To register or learn more, click here.

NACo again encourages veteran recognition with Operation Green Light

America’s counties have a long and proud history of serving our nation’s veterans, a legacy that continues to this day as we work with our federal, state and local partners to ensure that the former service members have access to the resources they need to thrive.

Once again on Veterans Day, the National Association of Counties (NACo) and the National Association of County Veterans Service Officers (NACVSO) invite the nation’s 3,069 counties, parishes, and boroughs to join Operation Green Light and show support for veterans by lighting our buildings green from Nov. 4-11, 2024. By shining a green light, county governments and our residents will let veterans know that they are seen, appreciated and supported.

To show support, counties are encouraged to use this template to pass a resolution declaring your county’s participation in Operation Green Light. 

Staff picks

Could parks and beaches replace coal plants in Michigan? Bay City may find out (Bridge Michigan)
Advancing inclusive development in rural towns (Brookings Institution)
What counties should know about the Congressional Observer Program ahead of the November 2024 election (NACo County News)
Michigan Lead Service Line Status (chart) (Michigan Senate Fiscal Agency)

Registration is open for 2024 New Commissioner School sessions in November-December

October 1, 2024Blog, Events, Legislative, MAC news, Marketing

The December live locations are:

Dec. 2 – Bavarian Inn and Conference Center, One Covered Bridge Lane, Frankenmuth (to allow for onsite preparation registration closes Nov. 25)
Dec. 3 – BayPointe Inn, 11456 Marsh Rd., Shelbyville (to allow for onsite preparation registration closes Nov. 25)
Dec. 9 – Kirtland College, 4800 W. 4 Mile Rd., Grayling (to allow for onsite preparation registration closes Dec. 3)
Dec. 10 – Bay College Escanaba, 2001 N. Lincoln Rd., Escanaba (to allow for onsite preparation registration closes Dec. 3)

For more information or to register, visit events.anr.msu.edu/ncs/.

Please contact MSU Extension Specialist Eric Walcott at walcott3@msu.edu with any questions.

Legislative Update 9-27-24

September 27, 2024Blog, Events, Legislative, MAC news, MACSC, Marketing, NACo

President Daub urges ‘collective voice’ for counties at Annual Conference

Melissa Daub of Wayne County is congratulated by her mother, Sandy Cauchi, after taking the oath of office as MAC’s 116th Board president.

New MAC Board President Melissa Daub of Wayne County outlined her vision for the association of “increased participation, influence and impact” during her inaugural remarks at the 2024 Annual Conference held this week in Grand Traverse County.

“We must be a collective voice that resonates throughout our state, ensuring that the needs and perspectives of every county in Michigan are heard and addressed,” Daub added during her speech after she took the oath as MAC’s 116th leader during the traditional President’s Banquet on Sept. 25.

Plenary sessions at the conference focused on the ominous rise of threats against local public officials and how county leaders can promote wellness in stretched county work forces. Michigan’s 83 counties are responsible for more than $3.6 billion in public revenue and employ more than 40,000 full-time workers.

Commissioners gathered at the event also reviewed and approved MAC’s policy platforms for 2024-25. These documents guide MAC’s advocacy staff in their work in Lansing and Washington, D.C.

During her semiannual Legislative Update presentation to members, Governmental Affairs Director Deena Bosworth warned that a busy “lame duck” legislative session is on the horizon, which makes it ever more important for county leaders to stay in close contact with legislators on such issues as a dedicated Revenue Sharing Trust Fund.

“Timeliness of presentations on safety and health issues was reflected in the attendance at those sessions and in the numerous questions from county leaders trying to address these new challenges,” said Stephan W. Currie, MAC’s executive director.

Issue briefs: Click here to see a variety of issue briefs designed by MAC’s advocacy staff to assist you in communicating with legislators.

Presentations and conference materials: Starting Oct. 1, visit MAC’s website to see presentation slides, photos and other materials from the 2024 conference.

The MAC Board of Directors elected officers for the 2024-25 term on Sept. 26 at the Annual Conference. They are (l-r): Bryan Kolk of Newaygo (2nd vice president); Melissa Daub of Wayne (president); Antoinette Wallace of Macomb (1st vice president); and Jim Storey of Allegan (immediate past president).

Board seats filled; new officers selected for 2024-25 year

John Malnar of Delta takes the oath as MAC’s newest Board director on Sept. 26.

During regional caucuses held at the 2024 Annual Conference, MAC members elected five members of the 16-member MAC Board of Directors:

Melissa Daub of Wayne County (re-elected as an at-large director)
Bryan Kolk of Newaygo County (re-elected as a Region 2 director)
Sarah Lucido of Macomb County (re-elected as a Region 5 director)
John Malnar of Delta County
Rick Shaffer of St. Joseph County (re-elected as a Region 3 director)

Malnar replaces Joe Stevens of Dickinson County as a Region 1 director on the board. Stevens served the maximum three terms on MAC’s governing body.

At the end of the conference, the MAC Board elected officers for the 2024-25 year. Members of the Executive Committee are:

Melissa Daub of Wayne County, president
Antoinette Wallace of Macomb County, first vice president
Bryan Kolk of Newaygo County, second vice president
Jim Storey of Allegan County, immediate past president

To see a full list of the MAC Board, click here.

Podcast 83: Blue Cross details work to aid counties on health costs

Designing health plans to help county employees save money is the topic of a special episode of Podcast 83, featuring a representative of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan (BCBS), a MAC Premier Partner.

I suspect that many in the audience are thinking about their benefit decisions for 2025 and … I like to really suggest our (Blue Care Network) HMO plans,” said Yaniv Ribon, a senior director with BCBS. “And I want to highlight one plan specifically, and that’s our point of service plan.

“It really combines the flexibility of a PPO with the cost savings of an HMO. And how that looks is that members still enjoy the convenience of not needing referrals and having access to benefits, whether they see an in-network provider or out-of-network provider, or maybe even living out of state or working out of state,” Ribon added.

Blue Cross also is focused on helping counties and their employees contain rising prescription drug costs, Ribon told Podcast host Stephan Currie.

“We launched Price Edge in June of 2023, little more than a year now, and we’ve already saved Blue Care Network members more than $14 million at the pharmacy counter. For those with chronic conditions, we launched a program we call Sempra. Sempra members receive discounts at the pharmacy counter for adhering to their regimen. … And lastly, again, thinking about generic medications. In 2020, we joined forces with many new plans across many states and partnered with an organization called Civica RX,” Ribon explained.

“We’ve got a broad network of doctors and hospitals in all 83 Michigan counties. So, no matter which county you’re in, we have a plan for you,” Ribon said. “We have a network of providers for you. But alongside that, we really see ourselves as a next generation HMO. And by that, what I mean is that all of our plans are jam packed with programs really designed to focus on whole person health.”

To view the episode, taped on Sept. 10, click here.

Previous episodes can be seen at MAC’s YouTube Channel.

And you always can find details about Podcast 83 on the MAC website.

Treasury webinar will focus on fundamentals, best practices

The Michigan Department of Treasury and Michigan State University Extension (MSU Extension) want to make you aware of our next Fiscally Ready Communities training opportunity. This FREE training is a 90-minute webinar that’s designed to assist appointed and elected officials.

Click here to register. – double check link

Upcoming webinars will be on Oct. 21, 2024, and Dec. 12, 2024.

“From Fundamentals to Best Practices”

This program focuses on implementing financial best practices, measuring fiscal health, and local government financial management fundamentals. It will include material on reconciling a bank account, how to read and interpret governmental financial statements, audit prep umbrella, how to complete and file an F65 Report, remitting taxes timely, and how to craft an appropriate and effective audit finding Corrective Action Plan. Participants will also receive resources to support best practice implementation and assess their local unit fiscal health.

For more information about Fiscally Ready Communities, please check out Fiscally Ready Communities webpage. This webpage includes Treasury’s 32-page Fiscally Ready Communities Best Practices document, which we encourage all local officials to review.

If you have any questions, email TreasLocalGov@michigan.gov with the subject line “Fiscally Ready.”

911 Committee to host cyber threat event

Following up on material presented at the 2024 Annual Conference, the Michigan State 911 Committee is co-hosting a “Cyber Threat Assessment and Planning Workshop” for county leaders in October.

The event will be Oct. 29-30 at the Horizons Event Center, 6200 State St., Saginaw.

“This workshop assists PSAP leadership and emergency managers in learning how to develop a Cyber Incident Response Process and a Cyber Incident Response Plan. To help the participants understand the nature of these incidents, day one the instructors will provide education on cyber incidents and conduct several live demonstrations of different cyber-attacks including phishing/credential harvesting, ransomware, and business email compromise.

“The second day of the workshop begins with an overview of a typical Cyber Incident Response Plan. This is followed by a discussion regarding the connection CSIRP and Continuity of Operations Planning. The remainder of the day is used to help participants use the template to build a response plan for a ransomware attack.”

Those county officials recommended to attend include: PSAP Governing Body Representatives; PSAP Coordinators, Directors, Leaders; and PSAP IT Support. (Due to limited availability, there’s a 4-person limit per agency/county at this time.)

Click here to begin your registration and search for code 1122393.

Lodging options are available at $107 per night. For more links and details, view the event flier.

Staff picks

Environmental Protection Agency announces $6.5 billion in available financing for water infrastructure projects (NACo County News)
Consumers Energy may get $770M from feds to fix century-old Michigan dams (Bridge Michigan)
Treasury, DOL and HHS release final rule on Mental Health Parity (NACo County News)
How to build awareness of flood risk and gain buy-in for flood control measures (American City and County)

Legislative Update 9-20-24

September 20, 2024Blog, Events, Legislative, MAC news, Marketing, NACo

Annual Conference opens on Sept. 24; will focus on health, safety

Experts from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Michigan State Police (MSP) will discuss the ominous trend of threats against local officials during a plenary session of the 2024 Michigan Counties Annual Conference on Sept. 25.

The conference will run Sept. 24-26 at the Grand Traverse Resort in Acme, Mich.

Kaylee Barker and Nishawn Spiller of the FBI will “delve into the critical roles that Election Crime Coordinators play in ensuring the integrity of our election processes. Participants will gain an understanding of how these coordinators work closely with local, state and federal agencies to detect and prevent election-related crimes.

In the same session, Matthew Helmkamp of the MSP “will provide an overview of the current threat landscape for elected officials and candidates, highlighting key concerns identified by the Michigan Intelligence Operations Center (MIOC) for the upcoming November elections.”

Other conference highlights include:

Workshops on topics ranging from the impact of Michigan Supreme Court decisions on tax foreclosure sums to the role of county officials in proper emergency response and management
Elections for five seats on the MAC Board of Directors
Installation of Melissa Daub, Wayne County commissioner, as MAC’s 116th Board president
Review and approval of MAC’s policy platforms for 2024-25 (see item below)

While online registration has closed, county officials do have the option to register on-site at the Grand Traverse Resort starting at noon on Sept. 24.

Podcast 83 offers special look at MAC policy platforms

MAC members review and vote on policy platforms at the 2019 Annual Conference at the Grand Traverse Resort. Members return to the resort next week to again adopt platforms at the 2024 Annual Business Meeting.

How MAC develops its policy positions is the subject of the newest episode of Podcast 83.

Host Stephan Currie was joined by the Governmental Affairs team of Deena Bosworth, Madeline Fata and Samantha Gibson to discuss the draft platforms that MAC members will review and approve on Sept. 26 at the 2024 Annual Conference.

“Our internal committees focus on different policy areas,” said Bosworth, “Every year, we also go over our platforms for our membership … We don’t bring every single bill that the Legislature introduces in front of each one of our committees. That would … really not be the best use of our time.

“After the committees do their work, those platforms go to our Board of Directors, and so the MAC Board reviews those policy positions that they’ve taken. … Then those platforms go to our general membership,” she added.

Among proposed changes for this cycle’s platforms are:

Economic development: “We’ve changed our platforms a bit to say, hey, counties need to be at the table if taxes are going to be abated for economic development purposes, counties need to be involved,” Bosworth explained.
Mental health: “We really honed our opposition to any attempt to privatize the public mental health system, which keeps coming up session after session,” Gibson reported.
Septic code: “We’ve talked about (a septic code) at length in the Environmental Committee,” said Fata. “So, we really expanded this section on a statewide septic code and sewage solutions. We included several new bullet points to address some of the concerns that have come out of those conversations.”

To see the draft platforms, visit the MAC website. (NOTE: To access this page, you will need your county’s credentials. If you don’t have them, email Amanda Despins at despins@micounties.org for them.)

Only commissioners who are registered for the conference may participate in the platform voting on Sept. 26.

View the full episode, recorded on Sept. 17, by clicking here.

Previous episodes can be seen at MAC’s YouTube Channel.

And you always can find details about Podcast 83 on the MAC website.

Voting rights bills advance out of Senate; MAC is a ‘no position’

Contentious bills on voting access passed the Senate along party lines on Wednesday.

During the Senate’s first voting session since June, the chamber passed Senate Bills 401-404, known as the “Michigan Voting Rights Act.” The bills are meant to bolster federal law and voting rights in the state for members of a protected class and for disabled electors. Local governments were supportive of the concept but offered a number of amendments throughout the committee process to make the practical implementation more feasible.

Under the initial proposal, a member of a protected class could file a complaint with a local unit of government if they felt impaired from participating in elections or the political process. The list of changes made to address local concerns include the creation of a fund for the reimbursement of legal fees, softer language to ensure malintent is evident, and certain stipulations for meetings between plaintiffs and defendants.

MAC does not have a position on the bills considering the number of concessions made by bill sponsors. The bills have been referred to the House Committee on Elections and MAC anticipates they will pass the House and be signed into law in the fall.

For more information on this issue, contact Madeline Fata at fata@micounties.org.

Grants available for ‘low-carbon’ roadway materials

Local governments now can apply directly for funds to utilize Low-Carbon Transportation Materials (LCTM) for road projects. The U.S. Department of Transportation has made available $800 million for non-state DOT recipients, including local governments, regional planning organizations and tribes, to use construction materials that “have substantially lower levels of greenhouse gas emissions.” These materials include steel, cement, glass and asphalt.

The goal is to reduce carbon emissions during the production of these materials, as well as during construction projects, and at time of disposal. About $1.2 billion was previously made available to state transportation departments under the same program.

A one-hour informational webinar will be held on Sept. 25 at 2 p.m. Eastern on this funding opportunity. Click here to register.

Grant applications must be submitted by Nov. 25, 2024.

Madeline Fata and Samantha Gibson were part of the MAC contingent at the 2024 Annual Policy Dinner put on by the Citizens Research Council of Michigan, a MAC affiliate, in East Lansing on Sept. 19. Former state budget director Mark Murray and the late Dr. Kathleen Wilbur were honored by the organization with the Eugene A. Gargaro Public Service Award at the event.

Staff picks

Study reveals which U.S. states are most vulnerable to cyberattacks (TechInformed)
Disaster funding helps U.P. counties recover from 2023 flood (MyUPNow.com)
Michigan legislators avoid Lansing in 2024, rarely meet as to-do list grows (Bridge Michigan)
Vessel rescued in English Channel after emergency call to Dover, Delaware, instead of Dover, England (Associated Press)

Legislative Update 9-13-24

September 13, 2024Blog, Events, Legislative, MAC news, NACo

Upcoming legislative work could include changes to ballot measure on wages, sick time

This fall, the Michigan Legislature may revisit the Earned Sick Time Act in light of a recent Michigan Supreme Court ruling. The court’s decision reinstated the original 2018 ballot language for the act, which had been significantly amended by the Legislature after its adoption.

With this ruling, legislators now have the chance to revisit and refine the act, offering clarifications and potential adjustments that could address concerns from both employers and labor organizations.

As of now, no specific bills have been introduced, but many expect that legislative proposals will emerge in the coming months. Any amendments could include updates to requirements for paid sick leave, coverage for part-time and seasonal workers, or changes in how employers manage and implement these provisions.

MAC has yet to take an official stance on the potential changes. MAC plans to review any new bill language carefully before determining to support the proposed amendments. MAC is closely monitoring developments and will engage with its membership and stakeholders to assess the impact of the forthcoming legislation.

A legal analysis of the ballot measures was obtained by MAC and notes:

“While most counties currently have wage rates that exceed these levels for their regular full-time employees, these changes could impact a number of county part-time, temporary and /or seasonal positions.

“The ESTA mandates that all employees (full-time, part-time, temporary, and seasonal) accrue sick time at a rate of 1 hour for every 30 hours worked. Employees accrue up to 72 hours (unless employer selects a higher limit) of paid sick time in a year. Employees of “small businesses” (employers with fewer than 10 employees) accrue up to 40 hours of paid sick time and 32 hours of unpaid sick time each year. In either instance, employees carry over any unused sick time from year to year. However, employees cannot use more than 72 hours (paid or unpaid) per year.”

To read the complete legal analysis, click here.

For more information on legislative work on this issue, contact Deena Bosworth at bosworth@micounties.org.

Policy platform drafts are now ready for member review in advance of Annual Conference

MAC members review and vote on policy platforms at the 2019 Annual Conference.

The draft platforms for 2024-2025 are now available on our website for your review. These platforms, which were approved by the MAC Board in early August after months of careful consideration and amendments, will guide our legislative efforts and policy positions at the state level.

NOTE: To access this webpage, you will need your county’s MAC credentials, which you can get from your county administrator’s office or by contacting MAC at melot@micounties.org or despins@micounties.org.

The platforms were developed through the diligent work of our internal committees, who reviewed the platforms from previous years and made necessary amendments to reflect current needs and priorities. Our internal committees ― Health and Human Services, Judiciary and Public Safety, Transportation and Infrastructure, Finance and General Government, Environmental and Regulatory Affairs and Agriculture and Tourism ― have played a crucial role in shaping these documents.

These platforms are critical in helping MAC staff respond to legislative developments and advocate for the interests of counties across Michigan.

Amendment process

MAC’s By-laws (Article III) state:

“Section 6 Platform. A member wishing to submit an amendment to the MAC Platform shall submit the amendment to MAC at least five (5) days prior to the opening day of the MAC Annual Conference. Such amendment will require a majority vote at the annual meeting to be adopted.

“An amendment to the MAC Platform may be presented from the floor during the annual meeting. Such amendment will require a 2/3 majority vote of the members at the meeting at which a quorum is initially established to be adopted.”

To meet the submission deadline, the text of an amendment must be sent to despins@micounties.org by 5 p.m. on Sept. 17.

The final vote on the platforms will take place during our Annual Business Meeting on Thursday, Sept. 26. Your participation in this process is essential, and we look forward to your input and involvement.

For more information, contact Governmental Affairs Director Deena Bosworth at bosworth@micounties.org.

Podcast 83: State Capitol remains a quiet place, policy-wise

Legislative activity remains minimal in Lansing, but MAC is monitoring several situations that loom for the end of 2024, members of the Podcast 83 team discussed in their newest episode.

On the revenue sharing front, MAC and its members are waiting on final calculations from the state Treasury Department to have final and firm fiscal 2025 investments.

“The way the budget ended up was that every county is going to get the same amount they got for this current fiscal year, plus an increase,” said Deena Bosworth. “Now the base is what you got in fiscal 2024, plus a $30 million increase …

“All of you who are out there thinking, ‘Well, what does that $30 million mean to my particular county?’ An estimate is on our website. … And I want to stress they are preliminary numbers. … As soon as the Michigan Department of Treasury can figure out what the taxable value is for 2024 for your particular county, they will go back and redo those numbers. We don’t expect them to change very much. So, what we have on our website is pretty darn close …”

MAC also is hard at work on trial court funding via a new workgroup.

“The trial court funding extension was pushed back to Dec. 31, 2026,” noted Samantha Gibson. “The goal is, in the meantime, for the State Court Administrative Office and the Michigan Judicial Council to work on new recommendations for reform. Right now, there is a clerical workload study going on. … I and two of our board members, Melissa Daub and Ken Mitchell, serve on that group. We were tasked with coming up with a survey that’s going out to local court staff clerks, traffic, criminal, probate, you name it. They’ll be doing a workload study, filling out that survey. And then once those survey results are reported, then recommendations can move along in that process.”

Finally, new language is out from advocates who want to impose a statewide septic code.

“It’s substantially different,” said Madeline Fata, in reference to the new language over previous drafts. “We are still taking a look at it, still trying to analyze what the practical implementation of it means … Hopefully, by the (Annual) Conference, we’ll be able to speak to it a little better. So those of you attending the conference will be able to get a little more information.”

View the full episode, recorded on Sept. 9, by clicking here.

Previous episodes can be seen at MAC’s YouTube Channel.

And you always can find details about Podcast 83 on the MAC website.

MAC extends its Opioid Settlement Technical Assistance Program

MAC is excited to announce the continuation of its no-cost technical assistance to counties on opioid settlement funds.

MAC has been awarded funds from Bloomberg Philanthropies to continue the technical adviser – opioid settlement funds planning and capacity building position through the end of June 2025. We strongly encourage counties to begin or continue work with our technical adviser and utilize the Opioid Settlement Resource Center tools and templates.

Over the last two years, the technical adviser has responded to 296 technical assistance requests, engaged 72 counties, conducted 78 presentations, completed 31 media interviews and created 46 work products. We look forward to our continued work in the opioid settlement space.

For more information, contact Amy Dolinky at dolinky@micounties.org.

MAC on the Road

MAC’s Gabriel Zawadzki crisscrossed the state recently to do Christmas in August, delivering MAC’s 125^th Anniversary gifts to members that had not received them, including (l-r) Montmorency (Administrator Aprille Williamson); Barry (retiring Administrator Michael Brown) and Tuscola (Administrator Neil Hammerbacher).

Climate and health adaptation planning technical assistance is now available to Michigan communities

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) invites applications for the Climate and Health Adaptation Planning technical assistance opportunity. This initiative is designed to empower two Michigan communities to effectively address and mitigate local health-related climate concerns by engaging in a graphic visioning process that provides communities with a consensus vision, planning recommendations, and a set of before/after images to guide adaptations that address climate impacts on public health.

The MDHHS Michigan Climate and Health Adaptation Program (MICHAP), Michigan State University (MSU) School of Planning, Design and Construction (SPDC) and MSU Extension have partnered since 2017 to advance climate and health adaptation statewide. The Climate and Health Adaptation Planning technical assistance opportunity seeks projects that integrate planning and design elements within a climate and health adaptation framework. Eligible projects must directly address specific climate-related challenges, such as rising temperatures, flooding, drought, poor air quality, vector-borne infection, and other climate-related hazards, while also focusing on health and vulnerable populations.

Examples could include improved landscape management or physical design interventions, including innovative green infrastructure techniques, that enhance the resilience of downtown streetscapes, parks, bikeways and trails, open space systems, parking lots, neighborhoods or industrial/commercial areas, while simultaneously addressing a locally identified climate-health concern. All projects must focus on a specific site location, which can vary from a single parcel to a subarea.

Michigan cities, villages, townships, counties and tribal nations are eligible to apply. Interested communities must complete an application by Nov. 1, 2024, at 11:59 p.m.