Senate Labor Committee Discussion on Reintroduced Minimum Staffing Legislation
By: Dave Hodgkins,
June 12, 2025
The Senate Labor Committee discussed SB 319 this morning, which is a reintroduction of the minimum staffing legislation from last session. The bill would make minimum staffing levels for PA 312 employees (police and fire) a mandatory topic of collective bargaining.
The League and its members were very active in the last session opposing this legislation, and we again provided testimony in opposition today. Proponents of the bill testified and stated the current law has no teeth, and the teeth they need is to not just mandate the conversation, but subject minimum staffing levels binding arbitration. This could prove disastrous for municipal budgets. The Michigan Association of Counties, Michigan Townships Association, SEMCOG, and several others also opposed the bill.
It’s likely the committee will vote on SB 319 in the near future. We encourage you to consider the impact this could have on your community and reach out to your senator with any concerns you have about it.
Dave Hodgkins is a legislative associate with the League. He may be reached at [email protected]