Senate committee adopts S-2 substitute for Senate Bill 23, sends bill to Senate floor

The Michigan Senate Committee on Local Government adopted the S-2 substitute for Senate Bill 23 and voted to report the measure to the full Senate after approving a one-year implementation delay and a technical drafting change.

Senator Hertel, sponsor of the bill, told the committee the S-2 version incorporates feedback from local officials. "The S-2 before you today, is a result of some of the conversations we've had with locals given the, increases of the splits," he said. "We will add a year of implementation. This will give local units of government the time to develop ordinances and zoning with this policy change." He also described a technical amendment to the bill that changes language in the referenced division to ensure the change applies to a single division only.

No outside witnesses testified at the hearing. Clerk read a submitted card from Sean Cecil of the Michigan Realtors Association; Cecil did not speak during the committee meeting. The Michigan Association of Planning also submitted a letter for the record.

The committee first adopted its prior meeting minutes (Feb. 4, 2025). Senator Moss moved to adopt the S-2 substitute of Senate Bill 23; the clerk recorded the substitute as adopted on a 7-0 voice vote. The committee then moved to report Senate Bill 23 S-2 to the Senate floor with a recommendation that it pass; the clerk announced the motion to report carried with a recorded tally of six yeas and one pass/abstention.

The committee adjourned with no further business.