LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced the first bill that she signed into law for the new session, and boasted about breaking a record for the earliest a bill has been signed since 1947. 

What many called the “Supplemental Bill” and was described as closing out the books from the last session went much further. 

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“This supplemental bill will help us lower costs and make a real difference for Michigan families, communities, and small businesses. It will help build or refurbish thousands of affordable housing units across our state, revitalize our communities with projects to create more vibrant spaces, empower entrepreneurs just starting out in the tech world, and help workers get good-paying jobs,” Gov. Whitmer said in a statement, “I’m proud of my partners in the Michigan Legislature for their work to get this done and I look forward to seeing all that we will accomplish in the coming year.

The more than $500 million spending package earmarked the highest amount for Revitalization and Placemaking Grants which could turn underutilized office, commercial, and community space into places for people to enjoy according to the governor with $100 million more in funding.  

Another recipient of a portion of the funding contributes $75 million in SmartZones across 20 regions in the state in which tech companies, entrepreneurs, and researchers exist near one another.  

On Tuesday, Senator Sarah Anthony (D-Lansing) tweeted her thoughts about the bill and what it entailed. 

“This morning, @GovWhitmer signed my bill, SB 9, into law to cap off our first month in the state legislature. 

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The law includes funding to reduce housing costs, support our small businesses, fund apprenticeships, and more,” Anthony said in a tweet encouraging readers to follow her thread. 

Anthony listed in several tweets what would be the beneficiaries of the spending package: 

$150 million to reduce the housing cost burden of residents and to preserve affordable housing, $50 million to increase the supply of housing stock, $100 million for investment in Community Revitalization and Placemaking to develop infrastructure, $75 million for blight elimination to demolish/rehabilitate properties, $25 million to prevent water shutoffs, $75 million to help small businesses hurt by the pandemic (20% to minority-owned businesses, $25 million to support apprenticeship programs and credentialing programs, and $15 million to remove barriers to employment for at-risk individuals.  

One reason why the bill was signed in record time stemmed from the Legislature. It opted to suspend directing the bill to a committee for review, and remove the step in the process in which a House Committee could scrutinize what was in the bill. 

Speaker of the House Joseph Tate (D-Detroit) also offered his thoughts on the bill. 

“This bipartisan bill will have a positive impact on the lives of hard-working Michigan families by making homes more affordable, removing employment barriers, investing in our small businesses and so much more. I was proud to stand alongside @GovWhitmer as this bill became law,” Tate said in a tweet. 

Some of the legislators from across the aisle were not as enthusiastic about the SB 7 bill becoming Public Action 1 in the new session. 

“I voted NO on SB 7, part 1 (Sen. Anthony) which is an appropriations bill for various state departments and agencies for the fiscal years ending September 30, 2022, and September 30, 2023. EXPLANATION: A blank check to the government is fiscally irresponsible, not to mention the fact that this spending bill never went through the appropriate committee process,” Representative Steve Carra (R) Three Rivers said in a statement.