(Source: MIRS.news, Published 08/03/2023) Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed an executive directive Thursday ordering all state departments to hit deadlines when issuing business permits or they would have to refund any fees paid by the company.
Executive Directive 2023-04 requires all state departments that issue permits to submit a report to the Governor's office within 90 days that explains all the permits the agency issues, the fees charged and information needed to determine the time to review the application.
“Those applying for a state permit must know how long the process will take and that when the state commits to a deadline, we will meet it,” Whitmer said.
The Governor’s office would then review the permit time and recommend times for the permit process under the same criteria that was used in an infrastructure permit executive directive signed June 1, 2022.
Departments were also asked to review permits and get rid of any that are “unnecessary or obsolete.”
After that information was returned it would be used to set the deadline, which if not met by the department would mean the application fee would be waived or refunded “to the extent permitted by law.”
Whitmer said the budget she signed included resources to reduce the permit review times.
Detroit Regional Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Sandy Baruah and Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Rick Baker both supported the signing of the executive directive.
“Speed to market is a critical business element. A barrier to business expansion and attraction in Michigan is cumbersome and overlapping regulatory processes,” Baruah said.
