Legislative Update 7-26-24

July 26, 2024Blog, Events, Legislative, MAC news, MACSC, Marketing, NACo

Governor signs FY 2025 budget

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has signed the FY 2025 budget into law, now designated as Public Act 121 of 2024. This budget brings a host of changes and allocations that impact Michigan counties. The most significant change comes in a $30 million increase in county revenue sharing. This increment is on top of the ongoing funding from FY 2024 and will be distributed to counties based on an inverse relationship to taxable value. The Department of Treasury has yet to finalize the distribution calculations, but updates will be provided as soon as they become available.

Justice System Funding

The County Jail Reimbursement Program receives a $5 per diem rate increase.

Michigan Indigent Defense Commission (MIDC)

A total of $37.4 million has been allocated to support grant distributions to district and circuit court funding units for the state’s share of the FY 2025 costs for MIDC standards.

The breakdown is as follows:

$24.6 million for standards 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 8
$12.9 million for standards 6 and 7

Kent and Macomb County Judgeships

The budget provides $305,500 for the partial year costs of two new judgeships—one in Kent County’s district court and another in Macomb County’s probate court.

Local Prosecutor Support Grants

To alleviate the workload on county prosecutors, $17 million has been set aside for grants to the 15 counties with the highest rates of violent crime per 1,000 residents. The funds will be distributed based on the population of each county, multiplied by $7.50.

Stormwater Management

The budget includes $10 million in ongoing funding for stormwater management planning grants and $300,200 in one-time funding.

Roads

While the budget does not allocate state dollars for a pilot project on mileage-based user fees, it does provide $74.5 million for 30 “Critical Infrastructure Projects.”

Elections

To support counties with the implementation costs associated with Proposals 1 and 2, and for financial disclosure investment grants, $1.5 million has been allocated.

Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs)

An investment of $161.8 million, including 12 full-time employees, is aimed at expanding CCBHCs into additional counties, along with conducting a study on the program.

Opioid Healing and Recovery Fund

$10 million has been designated on a one-time basis for regional community health entities, known as Prepaid Inpatient Health Plans (PIHPs).

Ground Emergency Medical Transport (GEMT)

A one-time fund of $500,000 will create a system for recording and accepting Medicaid reimbursement for emergency transport services.

Runaway and Homeless Youth Grants

The budget includes $5.3 million to support the expansion of runaway and homeless youth programs across various counties, including infrastructure and technology upgrades.

County Child Care Fund

An increase of $9.1 million was appropriated for the County Child Care Fund.

Foster Care Payments

The budget provides $16.9 million for foster care payments.

Housing

An appropriation of $5 million has been allocated for services to unhoused individuals in Genesee County, with an additional $10 million dedicated to affordable housing initiatives in the same region.

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

Counties now can sign on to Kroger opioid settlement

In September 2023, a settlement with Kroger was reached. This settlement will pay around $1.2 billion to states and subdivisions nationally and payment will be made over an 11 year period. In Michigan, local governments have the opportunity to sign-on to receive these additional funds between mid-July and mid-August of 2024.

To see the estimated total amount of funds for your county, you can visit MAC’s Opioid Settlement Resource Center website.

For more detailed payment information, such as expected payments by settlement by year, visit the Michigan Department of Attorney General Opioid Settlement Payment Estimator tool.

For mor information or for technical assistance with opioid settlement planning and spending, contact Amy Dolinky at dolinky@micounties.org.

Michigan gets $130M in federal help for clean energy projects

Nearly $130 million in federal aid will be made available for clean energy projects in Michigan, part of which will be used for financial incentives for locals to welcome utility-scale wind and solar projects to their communities.

The investment will help Michigan meet its goal of 60 percent renewable energy by 2030, a plan that was approved by the Legislature late last year with Public Act 235. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) allocated these funds to states that were aggressive in renewable energy policies. Governor Whitmer advocated for the clean energy package, as well as the renewable energy siting reform bills, in order to receive these funds.

The Renewables Ready Communities Award pilot will make available $30 million for local governments “that approve and host utility-scale renewable energy and energy storage through local processes.” Locals can be granted $5,000 per megawatt for projects with at least 50 megawatts of energy. The maximum amount a local can receive is $3 million for a single project.

The remainder of the $129.1 million will be used to incentivize developers to build renewable energy projects brownfield sites, technical support, workforce development and strategic planning.

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

Congressional committee advances changes to child welfare

Legislation to improve federal Title IV-B programs for child welfare and workforce recruitment and retention to serve families in poverty passed unanimously this week in the U.S. House Committee on Ways and Means.

H.R. 9076 updates Title IV-B, set to expire on Dec. 31, 2024, which currently lacks significant funding. The improvements, if passed, include a $300 million increase in mandatory funding over four years. This increased funding would assist those suffering from substance use disorders, improve child welfare legal proceedings, and dedicated funding for tribes.

MAC and NACo support H.R. 9076, allowing counties to continue to provide quality services to at-risk children and their families involved in the child welfare system.

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

Legislative Update takes mid-summer hiatus

MAC’s weekly email blast to members, Legislative Update, will not be released on Friday, Aug. 2 or Friday, Aug. 9 due to staff attendance at MAC and regional events.

Legislative Update will return to its regular Friday releases on Friday, Aug. 16.

Staff picks

State budgets are downsizing (Pew Trusts)
New state funding not enough to solve shortage of prosecutors, counties say (Bridge Michigan)
What does an overdose prevention center look like? (OPCIinfo.org)
Michigan wildlife officials discuss changing state’s deer hunt regulations (Michigan Public Radio)

Legislative Update 7-19-24

July 19, 2024Blog, Events, Legislative, MAC news, MACSC, Marketing, NACo

Fifteen counties to receive local prosecutor grant funding in state budget

Fifteen of the 83 counties will receive some of a $17 million appropriation in the state’s FY25 budget for their prosecutor’s office to reduce the caseload per attorney. These grants are meant to address the severe prosecutor shortage plaguing every county in Michigan.

The $17 million will allow eligible counties to raise assistant prosecutor salaries and make prosecutor’s offices in those counties more competitive and attractive to prospective employees.

Eligible counties include Berrien, Calhoun, Crawford, Eaton, Genesee, Ingham, Jackson, Kalamazoo, Kalkaska, Kent, Luce, Muskegon, Saginaw, Schoolcraft and Washtenaw.

MAC’s long-term goal is for the state to provide funding to all 83 counties for prosecutor offices and close the gap on the statewide prosecutor shortage.

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

Podcast 83 episode explores reality of financial hardship in Michigan

How county leaders can assist the growing number of Michigan households experiencing financial hardship is the focus of a special episode of Podcast 83.

Host Stephan Currie welcomed two special guests to discuss a recent report on financial hardships and an important informational tool for families to access help:

Kaitlynn Lamie, president and CEO of the Michigan Association of United Ways
Sarah Kile, director of community and partner engagement for Michigan 211

“ALICE is a study that stands for ‘Asset Limited Income Constrained Employed,’” explained Lamie. “We now have 10 years of ALICE data, and this is really looking at folks who are working, yet still struggling to make ends meet.

“The newest data (from May) showed that we have 100,000 new households in Michigan that fall below that ALICE threshold,” she added.

With these additions, 41 percent of Michigan households are below the threshold.

Those households, though, can connect for assistance via 211.

“Every county in Michigan is covered with a simple three-digit number when you’re looking for assistance,” said Kile. “So, you don’t have to figure it out on your own. We have trained, nationally accredited folks who ― 24 hours a day, seven days a week ― are waiting to find resources for individuals in your community. The most common are housing, food, utilities ― the basic needs.

“There are so many county commissioners, county leaders all over who’ve supported 211, whether it’s letters of support for funding or letters of support to get the service in their community,” she added.

To learn more about how the Association of United Ways can assist county leaders in understanding and responding to their local needs, view the full episode, recorded on June 3, 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.

AI report, elections highlight 2024 NACo Annual Conference

“The advent of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) worldwide presents unique opportunities and challenges for county governments,” states a new report from a National Association of Counties (NACo) committee that spent more than a year studying the issue.

Presentation of the report was one of just many activities at the NACo Annual Conference, held in Hillsborough County, Fla. MAC First Vice President Melissa Daub of Wayne led a Michigan delegation to the conference that included 27 commissioners from 13 counties.

Sonoma County, Calif., Supervisor James Gore was sworn in July 15 as NACo’s new president at the association’s Annual Business Meeting. At the same session, Michigan delegates participated in the election of George Dunlap of Mecklenburg County, N.C., as NACo second vice president.

“Four key themes emerged during our committee’s year-long exploration of generative artificial intelligence: Preparing the Workforce, Establishing an Ethical Framework, Promoting Policy Models and Enabling Responsible Applications. Each theme prompted our committee to study the impact of generative artificial intelligence deeply, specifically through the lens of county governance,” committee co-chairs Andy Brown of Travis County, Texas, and Gregg Weiss of Palm Beach County, Fla., wrote in the AI report.

“The goal of this report and toolkit is to enable county government to recognize low-risk versus high-risk implementations of artificial intelligence and generative artificial intelligence and address the challenges that both bring to local government,” they added.

NACo webinar to focus on federal rules on website accessibility

A national webinar on July 24 will focus on new federal requirements for county websites and mobile apps.

“The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) recently issued their final guidance to implement technical standards for counties to achieve web-based accessibility for county websites and mobile applications. Join NACo as we hear from the DOJ for an overview of the new guidance, ask questions regarding the guidance, and engage in a county panel to discuss implementation strategies, challenges, and opportunities for counties.”

The webinar will run from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. Eastern.

Click here to register.

If you have any registration questions, contact nacomeetings@naco.org.

MAC on the road in Wayne County

MAC’s Madeline Fata attended a session of the Wayne County Board. Commissioners on July 18, during which they board approved a contract to provide shuttle services for employees between an off-site parking lot and the county’s Criminal Justice Complex. After the meeting, Fata (center) met with Commissioner Melissa Daub (left) and Board Chair Alisha Bell.

Staff picks

Juvenile lifers can be ordered to pay restitution on resentencing, Mich. Supreme Court rules (Michigan Public Radio)|
Lifesaving drugs and police projects mark first use of opioid settlement cash in California (Kaiser Health News)
Kent Co. court specializing in domestic violence to launch soon (WZZM)
Gas taxes can’t pay for roads much longer, but Amazon deliveries might (RouteFifty)

Legislative Update 7-12-24

July 12, 2024Blog, Events, Legislative, MAC news, MACSC, Marketing, NACo

To-do list: Whitmer sign budget; Legislature pass revenue sharing reforms

It’s been two weeks since the Legislature passed the FY 2025 budget that includes a $30 million increase to county revenue sharing. However, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has yet to sign the legislation so it can be enacted.

MAC does not anticipate line-item vetoes affecting county revenue sharing, but the battle for proper sharing isn’t over.

While MAC is pleased with the FY25 increase, the budget bill falls short of securing county revenue sharing via a trust fund. MAC has been working on bills to carve out a portion of the state sales tax for statutory revenue sharing and secure it for use only as revenue sharing.

The goal is twofold:

Create a growing revenue source that tracks with the growth in state revenue
Protect the revenue from being allocated to other state priorities

Enacting these reforms will help insulate counties from the line-item veto and from the arbitrary increases and decreases in statutory revenue sharing enacted each year in annual budget bills.

County commissioners, please urge legislators (who are now back in their districts) to adopt the reforms bills, House Bills 4274-75, which passed by overwhelmingly in the House, but has been awaiting action by the Senate Finance Committee since November 2023.

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

‘Ax Tax’ ballot drive fails to make November ballot

A ballot drive for the statewide elimination of property taxes will not be on the November 2024 ballot after proponents failed to gain the necessary signatures by a July 8 deadline.

The “Ax MI Tax” proposal aimed to eliminate all real and personal property taxes in Michigan, which would strip more than $17 billion in funding for schools and local governments and provide little in replacement revenue. Further, such replacement revenue proposed for local governments would have prohibited spending on county jails, senior programs, parks and recreation, trash collection and maintenance of any public grounds.

While MAC applauds the decisions of voters not to sign this devastating proposal, it does not mean proponents have given up.

MAC will continue to collaborate with the Michigan Municipal League, the Michigan Townships Association and the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments to inform members of the dangers of this concept. The efforts of county commissioners to brief their constituents of the need for services at the county level contributed to the ballot drive’s failure this year.

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

MAC on the road: Washtenaw County

MAC’s director of governmental affairs, Deena Bosworth, was in Ann Arbor Thursday night for a session of the Washtenaw County Board, during which she presented a MAC “County Seals” poster to Washtenaw Chair Justin Hodge. Also in the meeting, the Board, by unanimous vote, authorized a millage for the November ballot for senior services. If it is approved by voters, Washtenaw would become the 81^st county to have a dedicated millage for senior services.

Since May 1, MAC has attended conferences or events in Wayne, Benzie, Mackinac, Branch, Grand Traverse, Menominee, Roscommon and Oceana counties. We may be in your county soon!

MACPAC is on record-setting pace for collections in 2024

MACPAC, the only political action committee committed to assisting advocates of county government in the Michigan Legislature, has raised nearly $10,000 at the halfway point of its fundraising year.

If MACPAC can maintain this pace of collections through the rest of 2024, it would set a single-year record, said Executive Director Stephan Currie.

“The contributions to date from dozens of county commissioners is much appreciated,” Currie said, “especially when you consider this is an election year and commissioners have their own campaigns to finance.

“I think this success reflects a growing understanding by our members that keeping allies in the Legislature is critical to county government,” he added.

Ionia, Newaygo and Branch counties are currently the top trio for cumulative donations in 2024.

Click here to see a full list of donors this year, as of July 1, 2024. Platinum members have given $500 or more. Gold members have given between $250 and $499. Silver members have given between $100 and $249.

It’s easy to make an electronic donation to MACPAC. Start that process by clicking here.

Utility panel seeks public views on Upper Peninsula Energy Study

The Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) is holding a July 30 hearing in Marquette for public comment on the commission’s ongoing UP Energy Study. Public Act 235 of 2023 directs the MPSC to deliver a report by Dec. 31, 2024, detailing the unique conditions influencing electric generation, transmission, and demand in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.

The hearing will run from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern at Northern Michigan University’s Northern Center, 1401 Presque Isle Ave., and will be livestreamed over Microsoft Teams. The link will be provided on the Commission’s event page closer to the meeting date.

For those who are unable to attend, written comments can be mailed to: Executive Secretary, Michigan Public Service Commission, P.O. Box 30221, Lansing, Michigan 48909. Comments may also be submitted in electronic format via the commission’s E-Dockets website, or for those persons without an E-Dockets account, via email to mpscedockets@michigan.gov.

The Commission is soliciting public comment until 6 p.m. Eastern on Aug. 9. Additional information on the UP Energy Study is available here. Background information on the 2023 energy laws and the MPSC’s implementation efforts is available here.

Staff picks

Is it a federal crime for government officials to accept gratuities? Supreme Court says ‘the answer is no’ (American City and County)
Michigan ranks 30th in road funding assessment (Citizens Research Council of Michigan)
Voters in several states can cut — or abolish — property taxes this fall (Governing)
EGLE grants to rehabilitate sites in Montmorency, Leelanau counties (Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy)

Legislative Update 6-21-24

June 21, 2024Blog, Events, Legislative, MAC news, MACSC, Marketing, NACo

Filing period opens for MAC Board elections at Annual Conference

County commissioners interested in serving on the MAC Board of Directors have until Aug. 23, 2024, to file for elections to fill five seats on the Board at the 2024 Michigan Counties Annual Conference.

The elections will be held on Sept. 25 at the conference at the Grand Traverse Resort. To be an official candidate, commissioners must file official notice of their intent to run. Applications are due by 4 p.m. on Aug. 23, 2024.

Four seats available represent regions, so will be decided by a vote in that specific region. The at-large seat is determined by votes in all six MAC regions.

To download an application form, go to https://bit.ly/2024appform.

The MAC Board of Directors is the key body in guiding the legislative and organizational strategies of MAC. Board terms are three years in length and individuals may serve up to three terms.

Following seats are vacant and will be filled at the 2024 Annual Conference:

Region I, Seat A (Open seat)
Region II, Seat A (Bryan Kolk of Newaygo County is the incumbent)
Region III, Seat A (Rick Shaffer of St. Joseph County is the incumbent)
Region V, Seat B (Sarah Lucido of Macomb County is the incumbent)
At-large, Seat C (Melissa Daub of Wayne County is the incumbent)

No director shall serve more than three full three-year terms, except in certain situations where a director is filling a vacancy in an unexpired term. If the elected replacement shall serve more than half of the unexpired term, it shall be considered as if such person has served one full term for purposes of term limits. If the person filling the vacancy shall serve less than half of the unexpired term, that person shall be permitted to serve up to three additional full 3-year terms.

Candidates who file are also encouraged to submit a statement of up to 400 words on why members should support them. These statements will be posted to the MAC website in late August.

If you have any questions about Board duties, please contact Executive Director Stephan W. Currie at 517-372-5374 or scurrie@micounties.org.

Prisoner release credit bills get first look in Senate

Legislation to allow certain prisoners to earn productivity credits to reduce their sentence received its first hearing this week in the Senate Committee on Civil Rights, Judiciary, and Public Safety.

Senate Bills 861–864 would only apply to future sentences in allowing prisoners to receive productivity credits. Under the legislation, prosecutors are required to notify victims at the time of sentencing that an earlier release date is possible, if the offender completes productivity credits.

While completing productivity credits would deem a prisoner eligible for early release, the parole board will still make final decisions regarding release dates, with final discretion remaining with judges and prosecutors.

SBs 861-864 would remove truth-in-sentencing, leaving many victims of crime with uncertainty regarding the minimum sentence their offender would serve.

MAC is opposing the legislation, alongside the Prosecuting Attorneys Association of Michigan, the Michigan Sheriffs’ Association and the Michigan Attorney General’s Office.

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

Bill to expand options for opioid ‘antagonists’ gets Senate hearing

Legislation to expand the available options of opioid “antagonists,” or medication that blocks the effects of opioids, to local governments and others received a hearing in the Senate Committee on Health Policy this week.

Senate Bill 542 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.

Counties currently 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.

Targets set, legislative sessions in question

All budget subcommittee chairs, save those responsible for the School Aid budget, have received their target numbers for their respective fiscal 2025 budgets. Targets are key to negotiating the final version of state budget between the legislative chambers and the administration and setting them is the next to last step to completing the budget for the year starting Oct. 1.

Following the negotiations between chambers to rectify the differences in their budget bills is the passage of the bills in conference committees, with both chambers set to take a concurrence vote. The major hold-up has been the battle between the parties on $670 million that the Democrats want to use to fund the Michigan Public School Employees Retirement System (MPSERS). By allocating these dollars to MPSERS, school employees would be relieved of paying 3 percent of their salaries to cover retiree health care.

Should the chambers agree to allocate this $670 million, the Republicans in the Senate, however, may not be willing to join Democrats in granting immediate effect to the budget, meaning the Legislature would have to adjourn sine die early for the budget bills to take effect by Oct. 1. We faced this same issue last year during budget negotiations and a messy dispute was avoided. But this year is an election year for the House and the Republicans could disrupt any plans the Democrats have for “lame duck” sessions in late 2024 by forcing an early adjournment.

More will be known next week when the Legislature is supposed to vote on budget bills.

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

Clock is ticking on compliance with energy siting law, expert tells Podcast 83

County officials need to be taking concrete actions now to prepare for the November implementation of a controversial state law on siting renewable energy facilities, a University of Michigan analyst told Podcast 83 in a new episode.

“If you hire outside legal counsel, or if you have outside planning experts, like you need to get them on retainer now because everybody is going to be changing their ordinances between August and the end of the year,” said Sarah Mills of the university’s Center for EmPowering Communities.

Public Act 233 was adopted in 2023 despite opposition from MAC and others due to its assault on local control by giving ultimate authority on siting decisions to the unelected Public Service Commission (PSC).

In a wide-ranging discussion with host Stephan Currie and MAC’s Madeline Fata, Mills explained that the law still leaves local governments with responsibilities ― and opportunities.

“One of the things that’s really important is to think about what the law does, and what it doesn’t do,” Mills said. “So zoning is still in effect; local governments can still zone for renewables. It’s just for those biggest projects. So solar projects that are over about 400 acres, wind projects that are like 330 or so and then energy storage projects, which we don’t have very many of right now. But this kind of scale of project that we’re talking about is something that could be on as little as five acres of land.”

Mills noted that the PSC will be issuing its final draft recommendations on how to implement the law on June 21, then the body will take feedback on them (click here to see where to provide such feedback) before issuing the final official plan around Aug. 9.

In the meantime, Mills said, counties need to decide whether they’ll adopt an ordinance at all, a compatible renewable energy ordinance (CREO) or a workable ordinance that allows locals to set criteria outside of the law but that might still be attractive to developers.

View the full episode, recorded on June 4, 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.

Treasury booth at MAC conferences sparks $250,000 in potential repayments

A booth at MAC’s 2024 Legislative Conference has started the process for claims that could mean thousands of dollars in currently unclaimed property.

Twenty-one claims were established by the Michigan Department of Treasury staff at the conference after they performed 64 searches on April 29 during the first day of the conference. Treasury says the total amount being claimed, both by individuals and counties themselves, is $172,300.

This is on top of the $90,225 in claims begun via a similar booth at MAC’s 2023 Annual Conference last fall.

For those who have questions about their claim status, call Treasury’s claim assistance line at 517-636-5320 between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m., Monday-Friday.

NACo academy can help your key employees hone their skills

Strengthen your team and improve your county’s future performance by giving your emerging all-stars — or yourself — an opportunity to level up.

Do you oversee program directors or other managers that you’d like to catapult into progressively more responsibility and growing effectiveness? Then send them through the National Association of Counties’ High Performance Leadership Academy, a virtual course that will run from Aug. 6 to Nov. 8.

Attendees will learn to plan, lead and sustain positive innovations across county government in the context of growing uncertainty and cascading challenges.

The 12-week course uses real-time webinars, self-paced activities and cohort-based learning, totaling about five hours per week. Request more information for your county at www.naco.org/skills today!

Staff picks

Limited access to health care can lead to higher rural death rates (Alpena News)
Stateside Podcast: Muskegon welcomes increase in cruise tourism (Michigan Public Radio)
The slow recovery of property values in counties hit hardest by the Great Recession (Citizens Research Council of Michigan)
African elephants call each other by unique names, new study shows (Associated Press)

Legislative Update 6-7-24

June 7, 2024Blog, Events, Legislative, MAC news, MACSC, Marketing, NACo

MAC extends support to huge economic development package

MAC gave its support this week at the State Capitol to legislation to revamp state economic development spending.

Senate Bills 559, by Sen. Mallory McMorrow (D-Oakland) and 562, by Mary Cavanaugh (D-Wayne) would amend the Michigan Strategic Fund Act and the Michigan Trust Fund Act to alter how the Strategic Outreach and Attraction Reserve (SOAR) Fund works.

The Make it in Michigan Fund would have a new program, “Michigan 360,” which would dedicate funds for local housing, infrastructure, regional transit, job training, business assistance and child care development. The state’s current development programs, which traditionally have focused on winning large corporate investments, have been criticized in recent years because the return on investment was unclear and because they failed to recognize the needs of the communities the companies were going in to.

In a House committee hearing this week, the bill sponsors and advocates stressed the need to attract talent and provide attractive and functional places for this talent the businesses need to thrive. SB 559 allows for investment directly into the communities where businesses would be located. Advocates argue that business attraction requires more than just financial incentive, they need available talent, transit, housing, education and child care to attract such talent.

SB 562 requires that 50 percent of the money deposited into the Make it in Michigan Fund be allocated for “Michigan 360.”

For the $750 million anticipated to be in “Michigan 360,” eligible applicants would include counties, cities and townships, education institutions, nonprofits, local economic development corporations and the land bank fast track authority.

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

MAC leaders to study $2B transport trust fund proposal

A $6 billion economic development package with a focus on public transit was unveiled before a House panel this week.

House Bill 5770, by Rep. Mike McFall (D-Oakland), creates the Michigan Mobility Trust Fund, dedicating $2 billion ($200 million per year for 10 years) toward public transportation and “transformational mobility projects.” The funding comes from a reconfiguration of the governor’s Strategic Outreach and Attraction Reserve, or SOAR fund, with revenue being generated by corporate income tax. The other $4 billion in the package will go toward housing, placemaking, and traditional economic development incentives for attracting businesses.

Local governments and transit authorities will be eligible to receive funding for a variety of projects. The intent is to promote economic development by attracting talent and businesses to areas with robust public transportation networks.

In the past, 100 percent of SOAR funding went directly toward big businesses. This new distribution and the creation of the Mobility Trust Fund will benefit local governments more directly and could shape communities in a more tangible way, advocates argue.

MAC has not taken a position on the package, but it will be reviewed at the next meeting of MAC’s Transportation Policy Committee.

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

Judicial protection legislation concerns county registers of deeds

County departments may need to conceal judge’s personal information under proposed legislation. House Bill 5724, by Rep. Kelly Breen (D-Oakland), would allow a judge to request their personal information, including street address, phone number, and tax id number, be shielded from the public.

This bill would codify federal legislation at the state level. The initial legislation was crafted in response to the 2020 murder of federal Judge Esther Salas’ son at their family home. Judge Salas testified virtually at the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday. Judges often determine the fate of a person’s life or family, making them targets for disgruntled defendants or attorneys.

Under HB 5724, a judge would need to submit a written request to a public body to prevent disclosure of or remove a public posting or display of certain personal identifying information. Should a public body fail to comply, the judge could commence a civil action to compel compliance. The Michigan Association of Registers of Deeds testified to the technical complications of implementing such legislation. Breen, serving as both bill sponsor and chair of the committee, expressed a willingness to work on amendments so it is more practical for public bodies to adhere to.

MAC has not taken a position on the legislation but will continue to track its movement.

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

Podcast 83: Back from island, Legislature still has budget to finish

With legislative activity largely squelched last week due to the Mackinac Policy Conference on Mackinac Island, lawmakers return to Lansing this week with lots of budget and policy matters still on their plate.

Podcast 83 host Stephan Currie discussed with guests Deena Bosworth, Madeline Fata and Samantha Gibson what the next “20 to 30 days” will look like at the State Capitol in the latest episode of Podcast 83.

Budgets/revenue sharing

“We are waiting for them to finalize each and every one of their budgets,” Bosworth said, including those that affect MAC’s proposal for a Revenue Sharing Trust Fund.

Negotiations continue over the differing approaches taken by the House and Senate, with MAC strongly favoring the Senate approach, which would mean a $52 million boost in the first year for counties, Bosworth explained.

County hiring rules

“At a Senate Local Government Committee meeting tomorrow, they’re going to take up House Bill 5203,” Bosworth said. MAC is backing an amendment to expand the bill’s provisions to allow any county department, not just sheriffs, to rehire retirees without the retiree’s benefits being jeopardized. “We know how hard it is for county government right now to hire. And sometimes you need that expertise in different departments to come back and help teach new generations of employees. So we’re hopeful that that gets moved to the process this week.”

Medicaid coverage for jail inmates

“Something we’ve talked about at length at the policy summit last December and on this podcast is the Medicaid Inmate Exclusion Policy,” said Gibson. “The (Michigan Department of Health and Human Services) is in the process of applying for what’s called the Section 1115 Re-entry Waiver, which would allow county jail inmates, juvenile detention, detainees and then also MDOC inmates to have their uninsured health care costs covered; they would have otherwise been eligible for Medicaid upon incarceration, but you’re no longer eligible, which as we know, is incredibly costly to counties. MDHHS is in the third step of their six-step process towards applying and implementing the waiver approval. … So they’re chugging along, And there’s that $30.5 million proposal in the governor’s and House’s budget plans to cover the uninsured costs of jail inmates.”

Voting regulations

“Something kind of bigger that I do anticipate movement before they break for the summer is Michigan Voting Rights Act package. We’ve had some stakeholder meetings with the Senate policy team, and we received new drafts just this morning (June 3). So I do believe that they’ll leave the Senate Elections Committee before they break, which is good news,” Fata said.

Those bills are meant to codify the federal Voting Rights Act, but the way they were initially written puts a massive burden on our local clerks. And it could potentially expose local governments to some legal challenges and lawsuits. But in stakeholder meetings, I think we’ve made some great progress to mirror the federal act more closely. So, we’ve made some progress, and we have to review those drafts more closely. We’ll keep you posted on some movement.”

Energy siting law

With the pivot of the ballot group Citizens for Local Choice from the 2024 ballot to the 2026 one, counties need to start working on complying with the state law passed in 2023 that encroaches deeply on local control on renewable energy locations:

“For those counties who do handle zoning, if you were holding out hope that this would be successful, unfortunately, come November of this year, that law takes effect,” said Fata. “So, you will need to get your plans in order. Sarah Mills and Madeleine Krol from the University of Michigan have put together an excellent article that will be in our June magazine later this month that details the three paths that a local government may take moving forward. So, stay tuned for that. But you’re going have to get your ducks in a row in the coming months: either adopt an ordinance, don’t adopt an ordinance, it’ll be up to each individual municipality.”

View the full episode, recorded on June 3, 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.

Macomb, Kent, Washtenaw honored in NACo awards

Three Michigan counties earned recognition for five separate programs in the 2024 Achievement Awards announced by the National Association of Counties on June 7.

The program is a non-competitive awards program recognizing innovative county government programs in 18 categories covering a wide spectrum of county responsibilities. Since 1970, the NACo Achievement Awards have recognized outstanding county government programs and services. Through a non-competitive application process, noteworthy programs receive awards in 18 categories that cover a vast range of county responsibilities.

Macomb County garnered three different citations in the field of “Criminal Justice and Public Safety” for efforts around a Hate Crimes Unit, the streamlining of witness fee requests and a text-based access system to aid the victims of crime.
Kent County was honored for its “Getting Ahead of Lead” project to boost delivery of certified lead-reducing water filters to eligible households in the county.
Washtenaw County Treasurer Catherine McClary and Chief Judge Carol Kuhnke were honored for work on a Tax Foreclosure Prevention Specialty Docket that has “created a higher level of access to justice and to legal resources for vulnerable and disenfranchised homeowners.”

To see a full list of honorees, click here.

Check out NACo tool on opioid harm reduction

Five Questions for Counties Considering Harm Reduction as an Opioid Abatement Strategy was released by the National Association of Counties this past spring. The tool provides answers to the following questions and examples of counties associated with each question.

What is harm reduction and what would it mean for our community?
What if our county isn’t involved in the delivery of substance use services?
What if community-based organizations already offer harm reduction services?
What if harm reduction is restricted at the state level?
How can opioid settlement funds support harm reduction?

Based on data from MAC’s recent Annual Opioid Settlement County Reporting Survey, which 64 counties responded to, harm reduction is one of the lowest funded activities with local settlement funds (5%). The National Harm Reduction Coalition identifies harm reduction as, “Harm reduction is a set of practical strategies and ideas aimed at reducing negative consequences associated with drug use” (National Harm Reduction Coalition).

Harm reduction extends well beyond access to naloxone, the overdose reversal medication, and can include peer support, referrals to treatment, wound care, safe use supplies, communicable disease testing, and other services focused on meeting people where they are at. To learn more about how to meaningfully engage with individuals with lived and living experience with substance use, see MAC’s Lived Experience Key Takeaways Document from our previous webinar.

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

Sign up now for free cybersecurity training pod

County leaders have free access to an upcoming cybersecurity training unit sponsored by the National Association of Counties:

Simulation Topic: Supplier Management Access
Virtual: June 17-21
Register Here– No Cost

Effective supplier management is integral to the operational efficiency of any organization, yet it poses inherent cybersecurity risks, especially concerning supplier access to sensitive systems and data. This cyber attack simulation focuses on evaluating the vulnerabilities and potential threats associated with supplier access including third-party vendor breaches, unauthorized use of supplier credentials, and supplier-initiated cyber threats. The simulation aims to foster a deeper comprehension of the complexities surrounding supplier access risks and to facilitate the development and testing of robust strategies for mitigating these risks effectively.

Designed with a daily commitment of 45 to 90 minutes for the duration of one week, activities can be accessed anywhere online and can be completed at the convenience of the participant’s schedule. The cyberattack simulation is designed for any cybersecurity manager as well as teams responsible for risk defense, protection, and recovery (including managers in HR, policy, finance, public safety and emergency services).

For questions, email moderator@pdaleadership.com.

Webinar to feature San Francisco’s naloxone access work

“Partnership for Healthy Cities is hosting Overdose Prevention Webinar: Partnering with Community to Enhance Overdose Prevention Strategies” will be held on Monday, June 17 at 1 p.m. Eastern.

Individuals can register here.

The webinar will highlight San Francisco’s approach to increasing access to naloxone, the overdose reversal medication. They will share, “the process and benefits of partnering with community-based organizations and people with lived and living experience.”

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