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Podcast 83 Legislative Update March 3, 2026
Host: Stephan Currie
Guests: Deena Bosworth, Samantha Gibson and Jimmy Johnson of MAC
Topics: In a wide-ranging episode this week, MAC’s Podcast 83 team reviewed a variety of policy proposals in Lansing that could harm ― and help ― county governments.
Keying off Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s proposals for housing affordability, in her State of the State address, MAC’s Deena Bosworth said:
“There's a package of bills again this year, and it's all about how you build more housing in urban areas especially, at an affordable rate. And we applaud that effort. I mean, we have problems from Southeast Michigan to the Upper Peninsula in affordability and accessibility of housing … But the approach that the Legislature is taking in a series of bills, so it's House Bills 5529 through 5531, and 5581 through 5585, it's all about local preemption. …
“What they're doing is usurping local control. What they're doing is taking away local planning. And trying to make it the same pretty much everywhere. And in ways that really don't make a ton of sense.”
Another topic regaining Capitol attention, and MAC concern, is a bid to create a statewide septic code.
“Conceptually, we are not opposed to any kind of septic code,” said MAC’s Jimmy Johnson. “However, the way that this legislation is currently written, we will be opposing it.
“It's going to be adding significantly new responsibilities for local health departments without guaranteeing funding. … There are some timeline issues that are quite unclear, stating when these evaluations should be taking place. … There are questions that need clarity on this right now.”
In more positive news, MAC’s Samantha Gibson spoke about a new bill on trial court funding:
“(State Rep. Sarah) Lightner (R-Jackson) has introduced a bill to not just extend the sunset for court funding authority, but to do away with it.
“(This is) better than we were even hoping for,” Gibson added. “Those who have reviewed our MAC priorities for this year, and even in previous years, know we have worked diligently to get that sunset extended as recommendations from various work groups were being considered by the Legislature. But Rep. Lightner, again, took it a step further and said, let's just do away with this sunset, and have this be the status quo, (with the) authority to collect fees within the local courts.
“It's a great relief to have a bill like this … There’s still a long way to go; it has yet to get a committee hearing, and it's got to make it through the House and through the Senate as well, but it's a really great first step.”
See video versions of all Podcast 83 episodes on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@michiganassociationofcount2606
Visit the Podcast 83 page at www.micounties.org
View all episodes
By DerekHost: Stephan Currie
Guests: Deena Bosworth, Samantha Gibson and Jimmy Johnson of MAC
Topics: In a wide-ranging episode this week, MAC’s Podcast 83 team reviewed a variety of policy proposals in Lansing that could harm ― and help ― county governments.
Keying off Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s proposals for housing affordability, in her State of the State address, MAC’s Deena Bosworth said:
“There's a package of bills again this year, and it's all about how you build more housing in urban areas especially, at an affordable rate. And we applaud that effort. I mean, we have problems from Southeast Michigan to the Upper Peninsula in affordability and accessibility of housing … But the approach that the Legislature is taking in a series of bills, so it's House Bills 5529 through 5531, and 5581 through 5585, it's all about local preemption. …
“What they're doing is usurping local control. What they're doing is taking away local planning. And trying to make it the same pretty much everywhere. And in ways that really don't make a ton of sense.”
Another topic regaining Capitol attention, and MAC concern, is a bid to create a statewide septic code.
“Conceptually, we are not opposed to any kind of septic code,” said MAC’s Jimmy Johnson. “However, the way that this legislation is currently written, we will be opposing it.
“It's going to be adding significantly new responsibilities for local health departments without guaranteeing funding. … There are some timeline issues that are quite unclear, stating when these evaluations should be taking place. … There are questions that need clarity on this right now.”
In more positive news, MAC’s Samantha Gibson spoke about a new bill on trial court funding:
“(State Rep. Sarah) Lightner (R-Jackson) has introduced a bill to not just extend the sunset for court funding authority, but to do away with it.
“(This is) better than we were even hoping for,” Gibson added. “Those who have reviewed our MAC priorities for this year, and even in previous years, know we have worked diligently to get that sunset extended as recommendations from various work groups were being considered by the Legislature. But Rep. Lightner, again, took it a step further and said, let's just do away with this sunset, and have this be the status quo, (with the) authority to collect fees within the local courts.
“It's a great relief to have a bill like this … There’s still a long way to go; it has yet to get a committee hearing, and it's got to make it through the House and through the Senate as well, but it's a really great first step.”
See video versions of all Podcast 83 episodes on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@michiganassociationofcount2606
Visit the Podcast 83 page at www.micounties.org