Dear Neighbor,
In Lansing, we’ve been busy advancing legislation and passing the best budget possible for Michigan residents for 2024-25. This E-newsletter will inform you of all the exciting things happening in the legislature and throughout District 19.
As always, if you or someone you know would like to provide feedback about what’s happening in Lansing or needs assistance, feel free to contact my office. You can email me at sensmccann@senate.michigan.gov or call 517-373-5100.
Sincerely,
Sean McCann
State Senator
19th District
Budget Wins for Senate District 19
On Thursday, June 27th, 2024, the Michigan Legislature passed the budget agreement for Fiscal Year 2025, which is set to begin on October 1, 2024. The proposal will now go to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s desk for approval.
The overall budget prioritizes continued investments in education, infrastructure, protecting water and natural resources, public safety, fiscal responsibility, investments in local communities and much more.
Priorities included in the budget that I was proud advocate for are:
Tornado Relief:
- $3 million for tornado relief designated for Kalamazoo County
- $10 million replenishment of the Disaster Emergency Contingency Fund (DECF)
City of Portage: $5 million for a mixed income housing development
Ecumenical Senior Center: $1 million towards new facilities
El Concilio/Hispanic American Council: $750,000 towards new facilities
Western Michigan University:
- $750,000 Project Clean MI grant match
- $200,000 for the Cold Case Program
Kalamazoo Valley Community College: $350,000 to enhance broadband/internet capacity on campus
City of Kalamazoo: $70,000 for campus safety equipment
Kalamazoo County: Funding for expansion of the “Rx Kids” program to the community in support of new families
As Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee and the Chair of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Universities and Community Colleges, I was proud to advocate for continued investments in my district. Securing funding to provide relief to the communities impacted by the May tornado was a top priority of mine. I am also pleased to help achieve new investments in higher education, affordable housing, community centers, public safety and support for new families.
I was happy to discuss our local budget wins with Ken Lanphear on WKZO on Monday, July 1. You can listen to my monthly update here.
Legislative Updates
River Sediment Disaster-Inspired Legislation Heads to Gov. Whitmer
On June 26, 2024, the Michigan House voted to pass Senate Bill 398, important legislation I sponsored to authorize the Director of the Michigan Dept. of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) 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.” The bill was previously passed by the Senate and is another step closer to becoming law. It now awaits consideration by Gov. Whitmer.
I’m grateful for the support of my legislative colleagues on this important legislation. The most recent disaster with the Kalamazoo River made it abundantly clear that EGLE needed a mechanism to better protect our natural resources and their ecosystems. I am hopeful this may help prevent future disastrous situations like the sediment release from Morrow Dam on the Kalamazoo River.
I originally introduced this legislation in 2021, and again in 2023, followed by the release of river-choking sediment in the Kalamazoo River in 2019. STS Hydropower, operators of the Morrow Dam located on the Kalamazoo River in Comstock Township, lowered water levels around their dam, and released approximately 400,000 cubic yards of mud downstream into the river, where it remains today, causing ongoing damage to the river’s ecosystem of fish, wildlife, and vegetation. In March 2022, Attorney General Dana Nessel filed a lawsuit that is still pending against STS Hydropower following the mismanagement of dam repairs on the Kalamazoo River.
Penalties for Natural Gas Safety Violations Passes Michigan House
On June 27, 2024, my bill, Senate Bill 366, passed in the Michigan House and will now head to the governor’s desk to be signed into law.
The bill would amend Public Act 165 of 1969, which authorizes the Michigan Public Service
Commission (MPSC) to establish and enforce gas safety standards and to increase the fines for
violations of gas safety standards prescribed by the Act. Currently, a person who violates the Act or a rule promulgated by the MPSC is subject to a fine of up to $10,000 for each day that the violation persists, for a maximum of $500,000. Under the bill, a person who violated the Act would be subject to an administrative fine of up to $200,000 for each day that the violation persisted, for a maximum of $2.5 million.
This bill serves as an update to the fining authority under the MPSC, which was last updated over three decades ago. Since then, the established federal standards have been updated and have surpassed the state’s fine levels, which are now well below the federal standards. Currently, only two other states have lower penalties than Michigan, and low fine levels affect grant funding from the federal government. To ensure that Michigan captures all available federal funding, the penalties for violations should be increased.
I am thankful to my colleagues for their bipartisan support of this legislation and look forward to Gov. Whitmer signing this bill into law.
Happy 4th of July!
On this symbolic day, may we celebrate our freedom, salute those who made this possible and keep it safe, and stand in unity as a nation.