[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6185476,"mediaKeyId","5081767-409475833996917254e72e80d52b5631","parentId",5081767,"title","Lawmakers Hear Testimony on Granting Police Powers to Great Lakes Water Authority","audioSeconds",361,"startMs",519000,"endMs",880000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5081767-409475833996917254e72e80d52b5631&start=519&end=880","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5081767-409475833996917254e72e80d52b5631/thumbnail_519000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6185476/Michigan/Lawmakers-Hear-Testimony-on-Granting-Police-Powers-to-Great-Lakes-Water-Authority","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6185476-0d2deae6f95568440c9e17489e432e37/orig.mp4?Expires=1771164566&Signature=RHEo8sgnQIePB1Ia~9obHcj9bAJivB3FxAVHmITeYZVJL0Th5UdS0pqllYd2BKsCXGoxpqYym5tXsh~NV~ePz5M79keNMjNwC3Bk9gCZX2ltTbidvmN5yxbbkCSHQBnm4abclh0hKCFxVKfdF3-nrlMz96tZSB-YAk7B9~iLNPD3vLYPSmorX4QG8vgmB4GbPBXdtDjFOBy7txnXBsli8Hu6xVTqT7yaf7UVMuPHcwpJHYjTOGzR9bd5AojIkCIvLsEGh84uchlYJq4PdTtJloWzZebksBTyyV5BLlzfozBn018WkDfPe3v0DvyrP5HH9xkRl7umd4p58lUunTIP3g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Michigan Legislature","date","2025-06-23T17:05:53Z","article","The House Rules Committee heard testimony on bills that would grant police powers to the Great Lakes Water Authority (GLWA), a public authority that officials said provides drinking water to about 3,900,000 people (roughly 40% of Michigan's population) and wastewater conveyance and treatment to about 2,800,000 people (about 30%). Representative Carter introduced GLWA witnesses to explain the scope and security rationale behind the bills.

The substitute bills (introduced as HB 4352 and HB 4354 alongside companion measures HB 4353 and HB 4355) would give GLWA law-enforcement authority similar to powers already afforded some other public authorities. William Wolfson, deputy chief executive officer of the Great Lakes Water Authority, told the committee, “we grew out of the city of Detroit bankruptcy. So our assets are owned by the city of Detroit and leased to us in perpetuity,” and said that previous police powers tied to the system effectively were not present under the current structure.

Why it matters: GLWA officials said the system spans a large geographic footprint — from Monroe County north to Flint and Genesee County and including Lapeer, Macomb, Oakland, Saint Clair, Washtenaw and Wayne counties — and operates facilities 24 hours a day. Chief Barnett Jones, who leads GLWA security operations, said the authority handles hazardous chemicals at several sites and faces both external and “insider threat” risks. “To do this job, police powers to handle those investigations, to do those background checks, to do the necessary, research … the insider threat needs to be handled with the police powers that you could afford us,” Jones said.

GLWA witnesses described operational details and staffing plans. Wolfson said the authority conducts about 10,000 security patrols each month and employs roughly 83 staff overall. Chief Jones told the committee he estimated needing 25 sworn officers to meet the proposed responsibilities, and that those officers would be trained at the state academy and meet Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards (MCOLES) requirements. Deputy Chief Walter Davis said GLWA needs the ability to conduct immediate background and vulnerability checks for personnel and contractors who are on GLWA property and noted the system borders Canadian jurisdictions at some sites.

Committee members asked how GLWA would promulgate rules and how oversight would work. Wolfson said any formal rules would follow a public process and noted GLWA’s six-member board, which includes members appointed by county executives and the governor; he said four board members would need to agree to promulgate formal rules. Committee members also questioned staffing and recruitment; Jones and GLWA witnesses said they expected to recruit internally and externally and would not seek tax dollars to pay for the proposed training.

The testimony focused on security and operational continuity; the committee took no final vote on the GLWA bills during the hearing portion recorded in the transcript.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Rules - 6/26/2025","oneSentenceSummary","The House Rules Committee heard testimony on bills that would grant police powers to the Great Lakes Water Authority (GLWA), which provides drinking water to about 3.9 million people and wastewater services to about 2.8 million across a multi-county footprint.","taxTitle","2025 House Legislature MI, Michigan","taxId",77683,"location","Michigan","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6185467,"Rules Committee Adopts Substitute Letting Department Forgive Fines Under Federal OSHA Adjustment Factors in HB 4017",164,317000,481000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5081767-409475833996917254e72e80d52b5631&start=317&end=481","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5081767-409475833996917254e72e80d52b5631/thumbnail_317000.jpg","/articles/6185467/Michigan/Rules-Committee-Adopts-Substitute-Letting-Department-Forgive-Fines-Under-Federal-OSHA-Adjustment-Factors-in-HB-4017","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6185467-97efae373ec802112bd77c1376ed28f9/orig.mp4?Expires=1771164566&Signature=iMxSxAY8ZwJvCyRGQXO9mBAMOc8V1YjlPKRV3DVq5PmMBYnQS83pVz-0JtIU47dRHnxuOufyNuqtPGIQY8ysJovxABKX5pzcU2XbOIpZzPk~vZb3Lv8QcY4-1eIGpUrLLLvnoLZeZu-irwfRc8oMp9INGPWQ7wgQG8oBQmTBAAn9WZwrQnlAOvT9742B7t6qhLv-UfHZ5iL0G6~xdeb7SGCVtpT7O34IR0vLCsbwQWILFRCOhNQBlmo-mI03OUXA5XXp0ihJujH2y56uiHAiGDmf7YLhrOuUzDVycGVJzgy8n27I0YjV3n2U-GSwEOpE5MsLLzt9Q3Z9F39uUbmDXA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The House Rules Committee adopted an H-2 substitute to House Bill 4017 that specifies the relevant department shall forgive fines to the maximum amount allowed under federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) penalty adjustment factors.

Representative Aragona moved to adopt the H-2 substitute and the committee adopted it on a recorded roll call. The substitute was adopted, and Representative Posthumus moved to report HB 4017 to the full House with a recommendation as substituted; that motion prevailed on a roll call of eight yeas, zero nays.

The committee clerk read a support card for HB 4017 from Joshua Scramlin of the Michigan Farm Bureau; the card stated Scramlin supported the bill but did not wish to speak. The transcript contains no other public comment on HB 4017 in the provided excerpt.

Why it matters: The substitute directs the department to apply federal OSHA penalty-adjustment guidance when forgiving fines, which could affect the practical enforcement and final penalty amounts businesses face for OSHA-related violations. The transcript does not specify which department (state department name) would implement the forgiveness provision.

The bill was reported to the House with recommendation as substituted; the transcript includes no further committee debate or testimony beyond the support card noted above.","The House Rules Committee adopted an H-2 substitute to HB 4017 that directs the department to forgive fines up to amounts allowed under federal OSHA penalty adjustment factors; the committee reported the bill with recommendation as substituted after an 8-0 roll call, and a Michigan Farm Bureau representative filed a support card.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6185471,"Rules Committee Adopts Substitute to Limit Application of Provisions to Lab-Based Chemical Tests in HB 4391",146,230000,376000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5081767-409475833996917254e72e80d52b5631&start=230&end=376","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5081767-409475833996917254e72e80d52b5631/thumbnail_230000.jpg","/articles/6185471/Michigan/Rules-Committee-Adopts-Substitute-to-Limit-Application-of-Provisions-to-Lab-Based-Chemical-Tests-in-HB-4391","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6185471-fb30597a6dc4eed0ce51374fc3eb1eaf/orig.mp4?Expires=1771164566&Signature=P~qaP5NpmjN4Brk1F4cUNUlcceVhDAobWX4cgmV~-h5qHSU3ziuiOYMF5T~XUu2IeGotuZN1oiuORt6UbPrhXCQsSaEz2sx0RgIx6A~ddzivv5-1cOwak617Z89MZyO-xHvDBq-Od6X~VKx29RwH6wtFTLj96kb23hJbA0kVO5IPPqFSSvK78CKNUYJnvDXBeMfjMEsH~7dnqKuN1cISrOqJx-ingaqPDg4Aw9J~F4PMCDlMdR4Lo0ET7-VF77Tgsg5GlgP09NQqKmYke1eiKpBs-A3teGEtty67kRKfny9Yoj2DxFn985ucBoFTIlj24cQdkWauibD0QbZLoQqv8g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The House Rules Committee adopted an H-2 substitute to House Bill 4391 that, according to the committee's chair, specifies that certain sections of the bill do not apply to preliminary oral-fluid tests because the subsections were intended to apply only to lab-based chemical tests.

Chair Schutte announced the substitute and Representative Aragona moved to adopt H-2; the roll call returned seven yeas, zero nays and zero passes, and the substitute was adopted. Representative DeBoer later moved to report HB 4391 to the House with a recommendation as substituted; that motion prevailed on a roll call of five yeas, zero nays and two passes.

Why it matters: The committee's substitute narrows the application of statutory subsections within HB 4391 so they would not apply to preliminary oral-fluid screenings, making a distinction between quick preliminary screening methods and laboratory-based chemical testing procedures.

The transcript provides only the committee's summary of the substitute and the recorded roll-call results; no additional testimony or public comment on the technical specifics of oral-fluid testing appears in the provided record. The committee reported the bill with recommendation as substituted to the full House for further consideration.","The House Rules Committee adopted an H-2 substitute for House Bill 4391 clarifying that specified subsections do not apply to preliminary oral-fluid tests because the subsections were intended for lab-based chemical tests; the committee then reported the bill with recommendation as substituted.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Lawmakers Hear Testimony on Granting Police Powers to Great Lakes Water Authority

Rules Committee Adopts Substitute Letting Department Forgive Fines Under Federal OSHA Adjustment Factors in HB 4017

Rules Committee Adopts Substitute to Limit Application of Provisions to Lab-Based Chemical Tests in HB 4391