Senate Bill 14 removes provisions impeding the process by which state agencies can develop stronger environmental protections
LANSING, Mich. (July 27, 2023) — Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed Senate Bill 14 today, legislation sponsored by Sen. Sean McCann (D-Kalamazoo) that repeals Michigan’s “no stricter than federal” law established in 2018 that prevents Michigan officials from strengthening environmental and public health protections that exceed federal standards.
“Gov. Whitmer and I recognize the importance of ensuring that Michigan has the ability to go beyond minimum federal standards to defend our natural resources and public health,” Sen. McCann said. “We recognize that federal standards should be viewed as the floor, not the ceiling. Every state has unique needs, and the Great Lakes State is certainly no exception. Michigan has a history of going beyond federal standards, whether it’s to protect Lake Erie from algae blooms in the 1970s or address the Flint Water Crisis. This law will ensure our state can act swiftly with the best science available in the future.”
Senate Bill 14 repeals Public Act 602 of 2018, which passed primarily along party lines during the Lame Duck session at the time and prohibited the state from setting standards that exceed federal rules. Prior to this bill’s signage, the law required state officials to spend time and taxpayer dollars to build a case for better protections any time they exceeded national standards, which delayed the adoption of best practices and left residents vulnerable.
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