Expansion of binding arbitration clears Senate committee

Legislation to extend binding arbitration to county correctional officers has advanced this week, despite opposition from MAC and others.

House Bill 4438, by Rep. Kelly Breen (D-Oakland), was approved by the Senate Labor Committee unanimously on Thursday. A substitute was adopted during the committee process to include all Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards (MCOLES) certified law enforcement officers in binding arbitration, adding officers from universities and community colleges.

MAC has long opposed any expansion of binding arbitration to other bargaining units due to the cost of the process, the long-term liabilities associated with third-party decisions and the unequal treatment such a system provides to those bargaining units. The Michigan Public Employment Relations Act already provides for bargaining rights without tying the hands of the county in binding arbitration.

MAC submitted a letter to committee members expressing these concerns. However, the current Legislature has time and again demonstrated strong support for unions and collective bargaining units. HB 4438 has been referred to the Senate floor for a final vote before likely advancing to the governor’s desk for signature.

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

 

Governor’s speech carries concerns for county governments

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced her fall legislative priorities that included a push for clean energy, streamlined permitting and increased election security in a speech on Wednesday. While the governor traditionally delivers a State of the State Address annually in January, her presentation this week felt very much like a second act to her 2023 address.

As MAC reported last week, in a bid to enact a 100 percent clean energy standard, the governor plans to empower the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) to regulate solar and wind projects and pre-empt local control. As the industry begins to transition away from traditional carbon energy and toward renewable energy, it is vital that local governments play a central role in the planning process and buildout of infrastructure. MAC is opposed to statewide siting of wind and solar projects and will work with the legislature to ensure local voices are not lost in this process. (See the item below on how you can speak out against the governor’s plans against local control.)

While discussing election security, the governor advocated for improved safety measures for voters and poll workers. Without identifying specific legislation or next steps, she highlighted the expansion of voting rights as a top priority.

MAC is seeking clarity from the governor’s team on other items that could potentially impact counties:

She addressed paid family leave as something she hopes to expand for small businesses, and it remains unclear whether local units of government will be included in this proposal.

Additionally, she acknowledged weaknesses in our permitting processes and advocated for a more streamlined approach. MAC understands this to mean permitting at the state level, which would have little to no impact on locals.

MAC will watch these proposals closely to ensure counties are not impeded in anyway. 

For more information on MAC’s advocacy work, contact Deena Bosworth at bosworth@micounties.org.

 

Board approves 2023-24 platforms for final member review

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The MAC Board of Directors, at its summer meeting, reviewed the association’s policy platform drafts for 2023-24 and approved them for final review by the membership at the 2023 Annual Conference.

MAC’s advocacy work is guided by these policy platforms, which are developed through meetings of MAC’s six policy committees each year:

• Agriculture and Tourism
• Environmental and Natural Resources
• Finance and General Government
• Health and Human Services
• Judiciary and Public Safety
• Transportation and Infrastructure

The next step in this annual process will begin on Friday, Aug. 25 when the policy drafts post to the MAC website for member review. According to the by-laws, MAC members may offer amendments in two ways:

• Submit an amendment to the MAC offices at least five (5) days prior to the opening day of the MAC Annual Conference (or Sept. 26 this year); or
• Submit an amendment from the floor during the Annual Business Meeting on Oct. 3.

Please note that amendments submitted in advance require a majority vote on the floor for approval, while amendments submitted on the floor during the session require a 2/3 vote of members attending.

For any questions on the platforms, contact Deena Bosworth at bosworth@micounties.org.

To submit an amendment, email the finished text to despins@micounties.org.

 

State releases broadband plan to spend $1.55 billion

Michigan has released its draft plan to spend $1.55 in federal funds to expand broadband access across the state.

You can review the plan in its entirety here. The state is now taking public comment until Aug. 4. It will use this feedback to shape the final version of its “Five-Year Action Plan.”

Developed by the Michigan High Speed Internet (MIHI) Office, the plan follows the announcement that Michigan would receive the fourth-largest allocation in the nation from the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program.

The draft plan highlights MIHI’s key priorities: reduce barriers to broadband deployment; maximize the use and reach of federal funds; promote digital equity and inclusion; advocate for resiliency and sustainability for broadband infrastructure development; and empower communities through engagement and involvement.

The MIHI team has spent nearly a year traveling around Michigan to identify the needs of each region. They have determined that nearly 500,000 households are unserved or underserved by high-speed internet. The objectives outlined in the plan include expanding infrastructure, promoting affordable broadband services and increasing digital skills.

Stakeholders have been divided into three separate classes: core, enabling and external. Counties have been placed in the enabling class, meaning they will play a key role in “identifying barriers to infrastructure deployment and developing and implementing solutions to overcome these barriers.” Counties will also be involved in developing policies that contribute to successful program implementation.

Local permitting and county rights-of-way and drains have already been identified as significant barriers in the deployment of infrastructure, according to MIHI. The plan suggests a desire to standardize the permitting process, making it easier for broadband providers to expand into unserved and underserved areas.

MAC has not taken a position on the plan but encourages members to review it carefully as soon as possible.

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

 

County leaders asked to contact Congress on Medicaid jail issue

Earlier this year, bipartisan bills were introduced in both the U.S. House and Senate to address the Medicaid Inmate Exclusion Policy (MEIP). The Due Process Continuity of Care Act and the Reentry Act were introduced in March, which would amend the Medicaid Inmate Exclusion Policy.

Congress is currently negotiating the reauthorization of the Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment (SUPPORT) for Patients and Communities Act of 2018 (P.L. 115-271), which expires on Sept. 30, 2023. 

The Medicaid Inmate Exclusion Policy is a federal statute that terminates access to federal health benefits at the time of arrest. These bills would allow continuity of care via access to critical health services for incarcerated individuals. The Due Process Continuity of Care Act would “allow pretrial detainees to receive Medicaid benefits at the option of the state and provide $50 million in planning grant dollars to states and localities for implementing the MIEP repeal, improving the quality of care provided in jails and enhancing the number of available providers to treat this population.” The Reentry Act would “allow Medicaid payment for medical services furnished to an eligible incarcerated individual during the 30-day period preceding the individual’s release.” MAC, along with other stakeholders, has requested the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services apply for a Section 1115 waiver  relating to the MIEP, allowing for Medicaid eligibility for incarcerated individuals prior to release.

MAC supports these bills and access to better care for incarcerated individuals in county jails. Should these bills pass, counties will have a streamlined process to provide effective behavioral health care and services for transitions to community care, and recidivism rates and risk for post-release overdoses will reduce.

As Congress works to reauthorize key programs within the SUPPORT Act, NACo and MAC urge you to contact your U.S. Representatives and Senators and ask them to support the inclusion of the following bipartisan bills that would address the Medicaid Inmate Exclusion Policy (MIEP): 

• The Reentry Act (H.R. 2400/S.1165), which would allow Medicaid payment for medical services furnished to an incarcerated individual during the 30-day period preceding the individual’s release.
• The Due Process Continuity of Care Act(H.R. 3074/S.971), which would allow pretrial detainees to receive Medicaid benefits at the option of the state.

Send a letter to your U.S. Senators and Representatives using the NACo letter template.

• Senate contact list.

• House contact list.

Access the new Medicaid Inmate Exclusion Policy (MIEP) Advocacy Toolkit for talking points, sample social media posts and other advocacy resources.

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