$75M For Northern Michigan OK'd By House Appropriations Committee

(Source: MIRS.news, Published 04/17/2025) The House Appropriations Committee passed a $75 million appropriations supplemental Wednesay afternoon for disaster relief funds for Northern Michigan following devastating winter and ice storms that affected the region in recent weeks.

HB 4328 distributes $75 million from the General Fund for the Michigan State Police (MSP) as the required 25 percent match from the state to access future federal disaster relief dollars.

House Fiscal Analyst Robin Risko explained to the committee that the funds can be spent on emergency supplies, labor assistance, shelter, cleanup, recovery and more. Remaining funds would be allocated on a first come, first served basis for addressing damaged land owned by the state and reimbursing third-party entities for responding to the aftermath of the storm.

The bill was not taken up on the House floor Wednesday.

Rep. Parker Fairbairn (R-Harbor Springs) told the committee that this storm was truly once-in-a-lifetime.

Fairbairn said MSP estimates there is $200 million in damages and that number could rise. He conceded that movement on the legislation was rapid today, but that he said he's been involved in discussions regarding assistance since the ice storms and that his local officials are grateful to see any movement of state money.

Fairbairn said his local counties and townships have had their budgets effectively “wiped out” as they're hurriedly clearing downed trees and providing assistance to impacted residents.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and House Speaker Matt Hall (R-Richland Township) mentioned Northern Michigan during their meeting with President Donald Trump last week. While the President made no commitments, the word coming back to Michigan was that he was receptive to the request.

House Appropriations Committee Chair Ann Bollin (R-Brighton) told reporters that although the bill wasn’t on the agenda for today, the bill came to be because members whose districts were impacted got together late last week to address a solution.

Bollin said she hasn’t spoken with Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Sarah Anthony (D-Lansing) about the bill’s future in the Senate yet, but said it will be taken up on the floor next week.

With a $3 billion road funding plan and an income tax rollback on the to-do list for this year, Bollin said she’s confident they’ll be able to make the numbers work with the $75 million supplemental.

Sen. John Damoose (R-Harbor Springs) said he just learned about the bill 20 minutes prior to testifying on it, so he couldn’t comment on the specifics.

Before the committee approved the bill with 26 yeas and one pass, Minority Vice Chair Alabas Farhat (D-Dearborn) moved his amendment that would tie bar the supplemental to SB 55, the “book closing” bill addressing last year’s finances. It failed with 10 yeas, 16 nays and one pass.