Legislative Services

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed an $81.7 billion Fiscal Year 2024 budget with a focus on funding public safety and healthcare programs, rebuilding infrastructure and creating good-paying jobs through economic development programs.

The budget includes $26.7 million to provide a 5 percent increase (4 percent ongoing and another 1 percent ongoing to communities that obligate all available American Rescue Plan dollars) in statutory revenue sharing to help counties, cities, villages, and townships; and new dedicated statutory revenue sharing funds, 2 percent one-time for public safety initiatives; plus, an additional $64 million over current year funding in constitutional revenue sharing payments.

To ensure police officers and first responders have the funding and resources needed to keep Michigan residents safe, FY24 funding includes:

• $171.5 million in public safety grants.

• $34.2 million to enact recommendations from the Task Force on Juvenile Justice Reform, including creating a Juvenile Justice Services Division within the State Court Administrative Office and expanding the scope of the Office of the Children’s Advocate.

• $18.2 million for in-service training to licensed law enforcement officers.

• $14.4 million to improve safety and accountability in correctional facilities, including $7 million to outfit corrections officers with body cameras.

• $10.5 million in new statutory revenue sharing (2 percent one-time) dedicated specifically for public safety, including employee recruitment, retention, training, and equipment for first responders.

• Read more: FY24 state budget provides additional funding for public safety initiatives, including recruitment...

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed three bipartisan bills into law assisting first responders by enabling them to better protect the public. SB 125 and HB 4153 address rail grade separation by providing communities an opportunity to obtain grant funding to build overpasses and underpasses to go around railroad crossings and SB 59 expands the peace officer definition to include DNR conservation officers.

“Rail grade separation will keep drivers safe on local roads and alleviate backed up traffic at rail crossings, especially in the Downriver area,” Gov. Whitmer said. “… Offering conservation officers the same authority as other law enforcement will help them keep people facing mental health crises safe and protect our parks.” 

Senate Bill 125, sponsored by state Sen. Darrin Camilleri (D-Trenton), and House Bill 4153, sponsored by state Rep. Jaime Churches (D-Wyandotte), authorizes the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) to create a local grade separation grant program and fund. The fund can be used by local communities to build overpasses and underpasses, separating vehicle traffic from railroad traffic. Delays caused by trains can slow down the flow of traffic and represent a safety hazard for cars and pedestrians. This legislation offers communities with rail crossings resources to improve traffic flow, reduce delays, and save lives.

“Grade separations are critical to public safety,” said Woodhaven Mayor Patricia Odette. “The City of Woodhaven has experienced first-hand the impact blocked railroad crossings have to the safety of our residents. When fire and police are detoured, those lost minutes are critical to the outcome for the person waiting on the other side of the train. We appreciate Governor Whitmer, Senator Darrin Camilleri, Representative Jamie Thompson and all the legislators that made this grade separation grant fund possible.”

“I’ve been talking about Downriver’s train problem to anyone who would listen since I first took office, and it’s because I knew we could do more to solve it,” said Camilleri, who first introduced his statewide grade separation program legislation in 2017. “With this historic legislation, we will have a pathway to building more bridges at the most problematic rail crossings across our state and address some of our most critical transportation, public safety, and economic development issues.”

Read more: Gov. Whitmer signs traffic reduction, park safety legislation helping first responders improve...

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed legislation aimed at retaining police officers and keeping communities safe. The legislation allows law enforcement agencies to enter into agreements to collect reimbursement for all or part of the cost of an employee’s academy training, based on the length of service, if the employee voluntarily leaves the agency within four years of completing academy training.

“As a former prosecutor, public safety is a top priority for me and I will work with anyone to keep Michigan communities safe,” Whitmer said. “These bills will help police departments provide quality academy training and retain officers so they can build relationships with the communities they serve. Since I took office, we have delivered more than $1 billion to help local governments hire more first responders, and I will continue working with my partners in the legislature to expand opportunity and keep Michigan communities safe.”

“As a 50-year public servant with strong roots in law enforcement; I understand that retaining police officers is crucial to maintaining the stability and effectiveness of law enforcement agencies within our communities,” said Wayne County Executive Warren C. Evans. “High turnover rates disrupt the continuity of operations, while maintaining a stable workforce helps to preserve institutional knowledge and build trust within the communities.”

Whitmer signed House Bill 4176 and Senate Bill 32 aimed at retaining police officers by allowing, in certain situations, law enforcement agencies to enter into agreements to recuperate 100 percent of academy training costs if they leave the agency within one year, 75 percent if they leave between one and two years, 50 percent if they leave between two and three years, and 25 percent if they leave between three and four years. The bills will allow local communities to keep more of their taxpayer dollars and retain officers that have built relationships with residents, as well as allow local governments to hire more officers without cutting services.

"For too long, police recruits knew they could receive the best training available at DPD, and then take that training to a suburban department that paid them more,” said Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan. “We've addressed the pay issue, and thanks to the leadership of Gov. Whitmer, Rep. Tyrone Carter and Sen. Sylvia Santana, Chief White will be able to retain the officers he trains and maintain the staffing level he needs to help make neighborhoods safer."

Read more: Whitmer signs bills to retain police officers through reimbursement of academy training costs

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed gun violence prevention bills establishing extreme risk protection orders in Michigan, ensuring police officers, health care professionals, and family members concerned about someone who may harm themselves or others can seek a court order to temporarily confiscate their firearms.

Whitmer was joined by bill sponsors, legislators, public safety advocates, and law enforcement officials at the bill signing.

“No Michigander should fear going to school, work, the grocery store, or their own home because of gun violence,” Whitmer said. “Extreme risk protection orders have been proven to reduce suicides, save lives, and keep guns out of the hands of domestic abusers and violent criminals. I am proud to sign this legislation to keep Michiganders safe, and I want to thank my partners in the legislature for getting this done, the advocates who fought so hard to make this happen, and every Michigander who works hard to build safe communities where everyone can thrive. Only thoughts and prayers aren’t enough. Let’s keep taking commonsense action to reduce gun violence and keep families and communities safe.”

“Too many Michiganders have lost people they love to the senseless tragedy of gun violence,” said Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist II. “Today, we are taking action to save lives, prevent tragedies, and protect communities. Extreme risk protection orders, safe storage laws, and universal background checks will save lives and help keep families and kids safe at home, in the streets, at school, and at work. Governor Whitmer and I will continue investing in public safety and working with anyone to prevent gun violence.”

Whitmer signed Senate Bill 83 and House Bills 4146, 4147, and 4148.

“In the aftermath of gun violence tragedies, we often hear from families who said that they knew their loved one was in a dark place, but there was nothing they could do to get the guns out of the equation,” said Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks (D-Grand Rapids). “That will not be the case any longer. I am so proud and relieved that this lifesaving policy has made it across the finish line. Whether it’s domestic violence, homicide, mass shootings, or suicide, we want to address gun violence in all its ugly forms. This legislation helps law enforcement and the courts do that effectively and swiftly, and Michigan will be a safer place because of it.”

Read more: Governor Whitmer signs extreme risk protection orders in effort to prevent gun violence