Michigan’s Big Win on Clean Energy, Jobs and Action on Climate Change

The Michigan Clean Energy and Jobs Act is a historic package of clean energy bills that establish Michigan as a national leader on clean energy. These new laws will boost energy efficiency, reduce pollution in our air and water, protect our health, create good paying jobs, and lower energy costs with affordable energy.

• Senate Bills 271, 273 and 502 create a 100% clean electricity standard, expand access to energy efficiency programs, and empower the Michigan Public Service Commission to regulate big energy utility companies on a broader array of issues impacting residents.
• Senate Bill 519 creates a first-ever Office of Energy & Worker Transition for both workers and communities where coal and gas operations will transition in order to attract and place new industries that require comparable skills.

Sponsors and Co-Sponsors:

Senate Bill 271:

Erika Geiss (Lead Sponsor)

Sam Singh, Mallory McMorrow, Mary Cavanagh, Sue Shink, Stephanie Chang, Darrin Camilleri, Kevin Hertel, Jeremy Moss, Rosemary Bayer, Winnie Brinks, Sarah Anthony, Dayna Polehanki

Senate Bill 502:

Sue Shink (Lead Sponsor)

Dayna Polehanki, Rosemary Bayer, Stephanie Chang

Senate Bill 273:

Sam Singh (Lead Sponsor)

Mallory McMorrow, Mary Cavanagh, Jeff Irwin, Sue Shink, Erika Geiss, Stephanie Chang, Darrin Camilleri, Kevin Hertel, Jeremy Moss, Rosemary Bayer, Winnie Brinks, Sarah Anthony, Dayna Polehanki

Senate Bill 519:

Sam Singh (Lead Sponsor)

Sean McCann, Kevin Hertel, Kristen McDonald Rivet, Erika Geiss, Mallory McMorrow, Sue Shink, Stephanie Chang

Senator Sam Singh and Representative Laurie Pohutsky brought stakeholders and lawmakers together to work on a strong climate package — and then led the fight to get it across the finish line in their respective chambers.

Protecting kids from lead contamination in schools

Lead has been a longstanding issue in Michigan, and even after the Flint water crisis rocked the nation nearly a decade ago, it remains a problem. Thankfully, this legislature did something about it and protected children’s drinking water in schools and daycare centers.

House bills 4341, 4342, and Senate bill 88 require all schools and childcare facilities to develop a drinking water management plan that is revisited every five years.

Sponsors and Co-sponsors: 

House Bill 4341:

Ranjeev Puri (Lead Sponsor)

Abraham Aiyash, Julie Rogers, Laurie Pohutsky, Carrie Rheingans, Amos O’Neal, Jenn Hill, Carol Glanville, Dylan Wegela, Cynthia Neeley, Stephanie A. Young, Julie Brixie, Helena Scott, Rachel Hood, John Roth, Jim Haadsma, Kristian Grant, Kara Hope, Veronica Paiz, John Fitzgerald, Jimmie Wilson Jr., Joey Andrews, Lori Stone, Tullio Liberati, Emily Dievendorf, Erin Byrnes, Samantha Steckloff, Kimberly Edwards, Matt Koleszar, Kevin Coleman, Christine Morse, Reggie Miller, Curtis VanderWall, Nancy DeBoer, Robert Bezotte, Jerry Neyer, Gregory Markkanen, Jaime Churches, Phil Skaggs, Alabas Farhat

House Bill 4342:

Cynthia Neeley (Lead Sponsor)

Abraham Aiyash, Julie Rogers, Laurie Pohutsky, Carrie Rheingans, Amos O’Neal, Jenn Hill, Carol Glanville, Dylan Wegela, Stephanie A. Young, Julie Brixie, Helena Scott, Jim Haadsma, John Roth, Rachel Hood, Kristian Grant, Kara Hope, Veronica Paiz, John Fitzgerald, Joey Andrews, Jimmie Wilson Jr., Tullio Liberati, Lori Stone, Emily Dievendorf, Erin Byrnes, Curtis VanderWall, Samantha Steckloff, Kimberly Edwards, Matt Koleszar, Kevin Coleman, Christine Morse, Reggie Miller, Nancy DeBoer, Robert Bezotte, Jerry Neyer, Gregory Markkanen, Jaime Churches, Alabas Farhat, Phil Skaggs, Ranjeev Puri

Representatives Ranjeev Puri and Cynthia Neeley, along with Senator Sylvia Santana wrote the bills that became law establishing Filter First policies.

Allowing Michigan to set clean air and water protections that work for us

Michigan had a law restricting the state from setting environmental protections that were stricter than federal limits. This law hamstrung state government in cases where federal protections were not strong enough and didn’t fit our state’s unique needs. Michiganders deserve the ability to create strong environmental protections to set safe drinking water standards, clean air protections, and more.

Senate bill 14 repealed PA 602 of 2018 which stifled Michigan’s ability to set unique, best-fit standards to protect our environment and the health of Michiganders by barring state agencies from adopting environmental protections that are stronger than parallel federal standards. In passing this bill, Governor Whitmer has restored Michigan’s ability to make its own decisions on how to best set rules that will protect our natural resources.

Sponsors and Co-Sponsors: 

Senate Bill 14:

Sean McCann (Lead Sponsor)

Sarah Anthony, Jeff Irwin, Stephanie Chang, Erika Geiss, Paul Wojno, Mary Cavanagh, John Cherry, Darrin Camilleri, Veronica Klinefelt, Sue Shink, Dayna Polehanki, Rosemary Bayer, Mallory McMorrow

Sen. Sean McCann

Sean McCann has been passionate about repealing No Stricter Than Federal for years, which is why he wrote the bill to do just that and used his role as Senate Energy and Environment Chair to make it a priority with his colleagues.