The Senate today passed HB 5302, which is intended to be part of the “best practices” requirements for local units of government. The most recent copy of the bill passed committee offers much more flexibility for local road agencies. The bill in now headed to the House Floor. The version passed by the committee begins on September 30, 2014 and requires each local road agency to annually certify to the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) that it is in compliance with PA 152 OR pursue pension parameters that mirror those needed to receive EVIP/Revenue Sharing. Additionally the local road agency must maintain a searchable website to provide information that includes year to date expenditures, payments to a vendor and expenditures by appropriation unit. If a local road agency does not certify, MDOT may withhold all or part of the distributions to the local road agency from the Michigan Transportation Fund.

Nikki Brown is Legislative Associate for the League handling economic development issues.  She can be reached at [email protected] or 517-908-0305.