Inside 208

As a follow-up to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigation and report on the Florida International University pedestrian bridge collapse in Miami, Florida, the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) has issued a policy to address recommendations made in Accident Report NTSB/HAR-19/02. This policy applies to all trunkline bridges under [...]

The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) recently launched a new data collection initiative, known as the Mega Data Project. EGLE is seeking information from ALL municipalities that manage waste, recycling, and organics programs. The data will be used to help EGLE (and your county) make informed decisions...

The Michigan Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding (CESF) Program will provide funding to assist eligible state departments, local units of government, and tribes in preventing, preparing for, and responding to the coronavirus. These grants are available only to communities that did not receive direct allocations for the Department of Justice’s Coronavirus [...]

Late this afternoon the Michigan Department of Treasury released guidance and application materials for the two largest appropriations of federal CARES Act funding targeted at supporting local governments from the recent passage of Senate Bill 690. The League is providing three upcoming webinar events where the CARES Act funding will...

Earlier today, the Governor signed Senate Bill 690, as expected. This $880 million spending bill is the first appropriation of the roughly $3 billion that the State of Michigan had been allocated under the Coronavirus Relief Fund established within the federal CARES Act stimulus plan from earlier this spring. As...

In recognition of the importance local governments, Governor Whitmer and legislative leaders have reached a budget agreement to address the state’s current year budget situation. The plan calls for eliminating the August statutory revenue sharing payments, but then fully replacing it plus an additional 50 percent. The replacement funding will [...]

Given the limited calendar for legislative action last week, the Senate moved quickly to report House Bills 5761 and 5810 through committee and then overwhelmingly passed the bills, along with a potential trailer bill (SB 943) intended to address any continuing clean-up language that is expected to be needed.  The...

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, dozens of individuals were packing the Senate Transportation committee week after week to have their voices heard in opposition of  Senate Bill 431 (previous blog can be found here). SB 431 seeks to take away the already very limited ability local government has to regulate...

Three pieces of legislation tie-barred to one another saw action this week that are designed to assist restaurants and bars with alcohol service in response to the COVID-19 pandemic’s effect on their businesses being closed, and now operating at reduced occupancy limits. House Bill 5781 would allow a municipality to [...]

Last night Governor Whitmer signed Executive Order 2020-129, which extends a previous executive order allowing public bodies to conduct public meetings remotely during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Executive Order 2020-129 expires on July 31, 2020. Under Executive Order 2020-129, public bodies subject to the Open Meetings Act, including boards, commissions, [...]