Inside 208

The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) is pleased to announce the solicitation of new applications for the fiscal year (FY) 2016 Local Safety Program. Federal funds for the Local Safety Program are to be used for highway safety improvements on the local roadway system. All locally controlled roadways, regardless of [...]

This event provides an opportunity to discuss the geosynthetic reinforced soil integrated bridge system (GRS-IBS) and showcase a GRS-IBS project in Ionia County. GRS-IBS is an engineered fill of closely spaced, alternating layers of compacted granular fill material and geosynthetic reinforcement. It’s a fast, cost effective method of bridge support [...]

The Senate adjourned until July 16 after several failed attempts to provide additional road funding to fix Michigan’s infrastructure. Failing to act means our roads and bridges will continue to fall into greater disrepair. We will not only fail to maintain existing infrastructure but won’t be able to invest in [...]

This afternoon the Senate passed Senate Bill 850, a bill that would exempt police and fire from PA 54 so they can have retroactive pay increases after a contract expires. The bill passed by a vote of 27-10. In 2011 the legislature passed a number of reforms to help employers control costs and [...]

HB 4363 (Rep. Price, R – Holland) passed out of the Senate Government Operations committee today.  This bill would make it a requirement to be physically present to vote in order for a meeting to be considered open to the public.  There were different concerns from both sides of the aisle and [...]

HB 5131 and 5132 (Rep. Harvey Santana, D- Detroit) passed the full Senate today. These bills would amend the Brownfield Redevelopment Financing Act and the Economic Development Corporations Act to allow a local BRA or EDC to adopt a rule linking an appointment of a public official to that board to the expiration of [...]

This morning the House Regulatory Reform committee passed SB 846 (Sen. Dave Hildenbrand, R – Lowell), a bill that amends the Michigan liquor control code dealing with redevelopment liquor licenses and is identical to HB 4257 (Rep. Cindy Denby, R – Fowlerville) that passed the House late last year. According to a recent determination [...]

This evening the Michigan General Government Budget Conference Report was signed. The Michigan Municipal League was successful in its efforts to eliminate most of the Economic Vitality Incentive Program (EVIP) requirements that have been burdensome to communities for the last several years. The category 1 requirements still remain as far as [...]

SB 739 and 740 (Sen. Virgil Smith, D- Detroit) passed the Senate last week. These bills would amend the Local Development and Financing Act (LDFA) and the Corridor Improvement Authority(CIA) Act to allow an LDFA or CIA to adopt a rule linking an appointment of a public official to that board to [...]

The House of Representatives passed HB 4573 this week.  As introduced, it would prorate liquor license fees for first-year licensees that are granted a license for less than a full year (prorated quarterly).  During a committee hearing last week, there was a substitute adopted and passed out of committeechanging the bill to make [...]