LANSING, Mich. — Sens. Ed McBroom, R-Waucedah Township, and Jeremy Moss, D-Southfield, issued the following statement Wednesday after receiving the 2022 County Advocate Award from the Michigan Association of Counties for their work on Public Acts 121 and 122 of 2021, which extended the terms of county commissioners from two to four years:
“We are honored to receive the 2022 County Advocate Award for our legislation to extend county commissioner terms to four years. The scope of a county commission has grown since two-year terms were first implemented decades ago. Our legislative work to adjust the length of terms accordingly will allow our county commissioners to develop the complex policies that will benefit our constituents. We look forward to continuing our bipartisan efforts in the state Senate in partnership with the Michigan Association of Counties.”
Senate Bill 242, sponsored by McBroom, and SB 245, sponsored by Moss, were signed into law by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in December 2021 and resulted in the most significant change affecting county commissioners since 1968. Previously, Michigan was one of only five states that required two-year terms for all commissioners, even though all other elected county and township officials in the state have four-year terms.
The new four-year terms for county commissioners will begin with the 2024 election cycle.
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