Inside 208

Postcard that went to Michigan House candidates. Download it. The Replace Don’t Erase coalition, which includes the Michigan Municipal League and other organizations, has launched a campaign to give all candidates for the state House and Senate the facts about legislation that would give the Governor and Legislature new power to take [...]

There will be at least one measure on the November ballot, with six more waiting in the wings. The Michigan Supreme Court, on a split 4-3 decision, has ordered the State Board of Canvassers to place on the ballot the referendum calling for the repeal of Public Act 4. Since the [...]

A new bill introduced last month would amend PA 54 of 2012, the law prohibiting retroactive wage increases, to exempt police officers and firefighters. HB 5780 seeks to undo one of last year’s important reforms by exempting those employees who are subject to PA 312. Our members have hailed PA [...]

The Michigan Green Fleets Program is hosting a training for first responders next week on responding to incidents involving alternative fuel vehicles. There are a few spots left, but those interested need to register before the end of this week. There are now hundreds of vehicles running on fuel other [...]

  DETROIT, Michigan – A recent federal court decision regarding cable television regulation is a major victory for Detroit and possibly for many other Michigan communities down the road. U.S. District Judge David M. Lawson ruled on July 10 that the law regulating uniform franchising of cable television can be [...]

This afternoon the Senate passed House Bills 5566-5570, a package that amends the Emergency Municipal Loan Act to include school districts and amend the criteria for qualifying. The current statute does not allow school districts to qualify for emergency loans. The legislation allows school districts to qualify. In addition it [...]

This morning the Senate Energy and Technology Committee passed Senate Bills 1083 and 1084, bills that would create an exception to governmental immunity under the MISS-DIG Act. The committee-passed substitute for Senate Bill 1083 rewrites the MISS-DIG Act and creates a structure to incent municipalities to comply with the Act.  [...]

This morning the Senate Judiciary Committee heard testimony on HB 5466, a bill that prohibits a pubilc entity from requiring a contractor to defend the public entity or any other party from liability claims. The bill would prohibit an indemnification agreement between a public entity and a contractor for an [...]

This morning the Senate Appropriations Committee passed House Bills 5566-5570, a package that amends the Emergency Municipal Loan Act to include school districts and amend the criteria for qualifying. The current statute does not allow school districts to qualify for emergency loans. The legislation allows school districts to qualify. In [...]

With the presidential election heating up, the debate over how to deal with federal deficit is coming into sharper focus. Recall that as part of the deficit deal of last year, automatic spending cuts and tax hikes will take effect if no deal is reached by the end of this year. [...]