Senate District 20 News & Legislative Updates

Dear Friend,

It has been a busy week in the Michigan Senate. My Senate Bill 813, prompted by the ongoing sediment disaster in our Kalamazoo River, received a hearing in the Senate Committee on Natural Resources on Wednesday morning. Later that same day, Governor Gretchen Whitmer unveiled her executive budget recommendation for the year ahead. And on Tuesday, I voted in favor of budgeting $1.2 billion toward public health response and supporting school testing and safety regarding COVID-19.

Please read on for more important information about these developments and my February coffee hour. As always, please contact my office to let me know your thoughts or if we can be of any service to you.

Sincerely, 

Sean McCann
State Senator
20th District

BILL TO CLEAN UP KALAMAZOO RIVER GETS A HEARING

On Wednesday, I testified before the Senate Committee on Natural Resources about my bill, Senate Bill 813 that would amend the Michigan Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act to give the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) the authority to issue written emergency orders when inland lakes and streams are threatened with harm to “public health, safety, welfare, property, or the natural resources or the public trust in those natural resources.”

My bill (along with an identical version introduced by Rep. Julie Rogers in the House, HB 5661) would allow for state environmental regulators to order responsible parties to conduct the immediate cleanup of spilled sediment in the Kalamazoo River and similar situations, without the need for long periods of negotiation or litigation while mud chokes the river’s ecology. 

Kalamazoo River Alliance President Ryan Baker testifies in support of SB 813.

Sen. Sean McCann and Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy personnel testify before the Senate Natural Resources Committee on Feb. 9, 2022.

Cheryl Vosburg from Kalamazoo River Watershed Council and Ryan Baker from Kalamazoo River Alliance joined me and shared their testimony on just how necessary this legislation is in situations like this. While no vote has taken place yet, committee chair Sen. Ed McBroom expressed interest in continuing our discussion as early as next week’s committee meeting.

I thank my fellow committee members for being receptive during this initial hearing and look forward to working with them, Rep. Rogers, and administration officials to solve this problem.

GOV. WHITMER PROPOSES FISCAL YEAR 2023 BUDGET 

On Wednesday, Feb. 9, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer released her fourth executive budget recommendation, one that’s committed to making strong investments in education and putting Michigan citizens first by putting money back in their pockets and delivering on the issues that matter most to Michigan families.  

The governor’s budget recommendation invests in the success of students and teachers, enhances Michigan’s economic momentum and supports our workforce, rebuilds the state’s roads, bridges, and pipes, improves the health of residents, and bolsters public safety.    

At $74.1 billion ($14.3 billion General Fund), the governor’s recommendation represents a 6% increase from the current fiscal year, with departmental funding also seeing average proposed increases of 20% or more.  

For K-12 schools, she has also proposed a 5% increase in per-pupil funding, or $435 more per student, which equates out to funding of $9,135 per pupil. The K-12 School Aid Budget would increase by 8.1%, with $1.5 billion set aside as financial incentives for teachers who agree to work for their school district for the next three years, in addition to $600 million proposed to be used for teacher recruitment. The state’s 15 public universities, such as Western Michigan University, would see a 10% increase (5% ongoing and 5% a one-time adjustment), along with an almost 9% increase for community colleges such as Kalamazoo Valley community College.

Other noteworthy highlights of the budget proposal include: 

• $279.9 million in General Fund money for roads ($150 million for critical roads, $66 million for climate resiliency and $60 million for rail grade separation)
• $488.6 million more for roads from federal and state revenues
• $69.3 million for cleanup of contaminated sites and to improve the ability to identify, assess, and cleanup sites of legacy contamination plus additional funds for rapid response
• $251.7 million for Water Infrastructure Projects ($36.4 million general fund) to provide loans, grants, and direct funding to local communities for water infrastructure, and 4 positions to administer these loans.
• $9.2 million to graduate 50 additional Department of State Police troopers on top of 120 to be hired to deal with attrition plus $1 million to help diversify the ranks
• $500 million for hero pay coming out of the pandemic, including $50 million for first responder retention payments
• $50 million for electric vehicle rebates
• A new $1 billion investment in K-12 school infrastructure with $170 million available annually until the 2028-29 fiscal year
• $361 million for student mental health to ensure students with mental health needs can be identified and provided with the right support

COFFEE HOUR IN TEXAS TOWNSHIP AT KVCC’S GROVES CAMPUS ON FEB. 25 

I hope you can join me later this month for a coffee hour at Kalamazoo Valley Community College so we can talk about issues of state and local concern. I would love to hear your thoughts and value your opinions! 

WHAT: Meet with McCann Coffee Hour  
WHEN: Friday, Feb. 25 from 9:00-10:00 a.m. 
WHERE: Kalamazoo Valley Community College – Groves Campus, 7107 Elm Valley Dr., Kalamazoo, MI 49003  

Attendees are kindly asked to adhere to the COVID-19 guidelines and guest expectations of KVCC by wearing a face covering at all times and maintaining appropriate social distancing. If you have any questions about the guidelines before the coffee hour, please call KVCC’s Event Services Office at (269) 488-4204. 

KVCC provides free parking to visitors at its Groves Campus.