Updates About Legislation

The Michigan Senate recently approved SB 723 with bipartisan support. If successful, this bill would increase the total tax capture cap from $1.6 billion to $3.5 billion, set new limits on individual projects, and update eligibility criteria under the Brownfield Redevelopment Financing Act. It also adds new transparency requirements, including enhanced reporting and a searchable database of approved projects, and directs a portion of additional tax capture toward housing, child care, small business, and placemaking programs. The legislation passed 20–13 and has been transmitted to the House for consideration.

The Senate also passed two related bills aimed at strengthening long-term economic planning in the state. SB 213 and SB 214 would create a Strategic Advisory Board within the Michigan Strategic Fund. The board will take on the task of developing a 10-year statewide economic development plan. Once completed, the plan would be updated annually by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC). Both bills similarly passed the Senate 20–13 vote before being received by the House.

Separate legislation to revive a modified version of the Good Jobs for Michigan program has also been proposed by Sen. Sam Singh (D-East Lansing). SB 472 and SB 473 were reported unanimously by the Senate Regulatory Affairs Committee and would restart the incentive program, which expired in 2019, with updated requirements related to job creation and wage standards. The bills include additional eligibility and compliance provisions and are intended to help the state’s economic development strategy. Discussion between the House and the Senate on the bills are expected to continue into the new year.

The Michigan Senate voted unanimously, 35-0, to pass earmark transparency bills SB 596 and HB 4420. The House and Senate equivalent bills would require all legislative earmarks to be submitted at least 45 days prior to being voted on. Earmarks are requested by legislators and are directed to an organization through grant funding in the state budget for a specific project.

House Speaker Matt Hall (R-Richland Township) previously led the charge to set the period at 60 days after the Senate had passed the bill with a 10-day period prior to voting. In addition to the 45-day compromise, SB 596 also specifies that any earmark proposal done in the first year of a two year legislative session can be funded in both fiscal years. Earmarks proposed in the second year would still only apply to the final fiscal year of the budget cycle.

Both bills passed the House with a 101-0 vote before being presented to the governor. On November 18th, both bills were signed by Governor Whitmer with immediate effect.

Three bills, SB 449, SB 450, and SB 451, that aim to ease the burden of medical debt were recently brought before the Senate Health Policy Committee. The bipartisan package spearheaded by Sen. Sarah Anthony (D-Lansing) and Sen. Jonathan Lindsey (R-Coldwater) with assistance from the Michigan Health and Hospital Association, would require that hospitals implement a financial assistance program for medical bills that align with the patient’s income and insurance. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services would create the collection process and determine patient eligibility. The bills would also ban reporting agencies from creating consumer reports with patients’ medical debt information, which could hurt their credit score as well as loan eligibility.

The package is expected to be voted on at the next committee hearing.