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HB 5779

AN ACT RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- 2021 ACT ON CLIMATE

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Lauren Carson and 9 co-sponsors

Allows a specific township to acquire/operate a bridge, charge tolls, and meet federal inspection standards to keep state/federal funding eligibility.

05/13/2025 Committee recommended measure be held for further study
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Bill Summary · HB 5779

Summary — HB 5779 (Public Act 126 of 2024)

Status: Enacted (Public Act 126 of 2024) — Governor approved Oct 3, 2024.
Statute amended: 1846 RS 16 (MCL 41.1a–41.110c) — section 2b added.

Main purpose

Allow a narrowly defined township to acquire, own, or operate a transportation-related public service facility (principally a bridge), and to charge user fees (e.g., tolls), while ensuring federal bridge inspection standards are met to remain eligible for state and federal funding.

Key provisions

  • Eligibility: Permits a township with a population between 10,000 and 15,000 located in a county with population greater than 1,500,000 to acquire, own, or operate, inside or outside its corporate limits, a “public service facility” that provides transportation to the township and its inhabitants.
  • User fees: Authorizes a township that owns or operates such a facility to charge a “user fee.” Defined broadly to include tolls, consumption charges, rent, license fees, and related charges (including billing/collection/administration fees).
  • Inspection requirement: To be eligible for state and federal funds related to owning/operating a bridge, the township must implement an inspection program that complies with federal bridge inspection standards under 23 U.S.C. §144 for all bridges it owns or operates.
  • Definitions:
    • “Public service facility” = a bridge plus supporting roadway/ramp and any necessary equipment, buildings, structures, parking areas, appurtenances, real or personal property, and future replacement construction.
    • “User fee” = tolls and similar charges; explicitly includes account administration/collection fees.

Who is affected

  • Primarily Grosse Ile Township (limited by the population and county thresholds). According to the 2020 census data cited in analyses, Wayne County (population >1.5M) and Grosse Ile Township (population ~10,788) are the only localities meeting these thresholds.
  • Users of any bridge the township acquires (residents, commuters, visitors) could face new or changed fees.
  • Current bridge owners/operators (e.g., Grosse Ile Bridge Company) and nearby units of government (Wayne County) could be affected if ownership/operation transfers occur.
  • State and federal agencies are implicated only insofar as funds would require compliance with federal inspection rules.

Fiscal impact and intent

  • The law is permissive (township “may” act); no direct statewide fiscal impact was identified.
  • Local fiscal impacts depend on whether the township chooses to acquire and operate a facility and whether user fees cover purchase, operation, maintenance, inspection, and replacement costs. Committee testimony indicated the township’s intent to finance costs via tolls; estimated costs/revenues were not specified.

Procedural timeline (selected)

  • Introduced in House: June 5, 2024 (Rep. Jaime Churches).
  • House passed (H‑1 substitute): June 20, 2024.
  • Senate passed: Sept 25, 2024.
  • Enacted: Approved by Governor Oct 3, 2024; filed with Secretary of State Oct 3, 2024 as Public Act 126 of 2024.
  • Effective date: As enacted — effective 91st day after final adjournment of the 2024 Regular Session (listed as “Sine Die” in the act).

Additional notes

  • The bill was developed with Grosse Ile’s situation in mind: the township is an island with two swing-bridge crossings — one county-owned (no toll) and one privately owned toll bridge (Grosse Ile Toll Bridge). Committee materials identified acquisition of the toll bridge as the township’s apparent objective.
  • Companion legislation: SB 897 (no further action noted in documents provided).

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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