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HB 4427

Counties: employees and officers; brown alert for dangerous levels of sewage or E. coli; require. Amends 1976 PA 390 (MCL 30.401 - 30.421) by adding sec. 10a.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Greg Alexander and 22 co-sponsors

Creates a mandatory brown alert via Wireless Emergency Alerts when county waters exceed 300 E. coli per 100 mL due to sewer overflows, triggering rapid public warnings.

REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT
#counties:employeesandofficers #watersupply:other
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Bill Summary · HB 4427

HB 4427 — Brown Alert System for Sewage / E. coli Water Contamination (MCL 30.401–30.421 amendment)

Summary / Purpose

HB 4427 would add section 10a to Michigan’s Emergency Management Act to create a mandatory “brown alert” notification whenever county waters are found to contain dangerous levels of Escherichia coli (E. coli) resulting from a combined sewer overflow (CSO) or sanitary sewer overflow (SSO). The intent is to provide a uniform, rapid public warning to reduce exposure and adverse health effects.

Key provisions

  • Adds a new section (proposed MCL 30.410a) to the Emergency Management Act.
  • Trigger condition:
    • Dangerous level of E. coli is defined (in the adopted substitute H‑3) as >300 E. coli per 100 milliliters in any county waters due to a CSO or SSO.
  • Responsible official:
    • The county health officer (or the health officer’s designee) must determine whether dangerous levels exist.
  • Notification timeline:
    • The health officer/designee must notify the county emergency management coordinator as soon as practicable, and no later than 12 hours after making the determination.
    • The county emergency management coordinator must issue a “brown alert” to county residents as soon as possible, and no later than 12 hours after receiving notice.
  • Alert content:
    • A brown alert—defined as an emergency alert issued through the Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) system—must include at minimum:
    • Location of the contamination
    • Health risks of exposure
    • The alert may include additional information.

Who would be affected

  • County health officers and their designees — required to assess contamination and notify coordinators.
  • County emergency management coordinators — required to issue WEA brown alerts within specified timeframes.
  • Residents and recreational users of county waters — recipients of mandatory WEA alerts about contamination.
  • Local public health and emergency response systems — will coordinate detection and public messaging.

Procedural / timeline notes

  • The operative deadlines are two 12‑hour windows: health officer → coordinator (≤12 hours); coordinator → public alert (≤12 hours).
  • The authority and metric in the final substitute (H‑3) focus on E. coli from CSO/SSO events; earlier versions referenced commissioners (drain/public works) and federal maximum contaminant levels.
  • HB 4427 (H‑3) passed the Michigan House (Oct. 30, 2025; Roll Call 94–10) with immediate effect and was transmitted to the Senate; referred to the Senate Committee on Local Government. Companion bill: SB 1977.

Fiscal impact

  • Nonpartisan House Fiscal Agency analyses indicate no significant fiscal impact on state agencies (DHHS/EGLE) or local units. Some local jurisdictions may incur minor costs if notification infrastructure or procedures need enhancement; these costs are expected to be absorbable within existing resources.

Context / Rationale

Committee testimony describes the bill as establishing a clear, uniform public notification protocol following sewage overflows that contaminate recreational or other waters, helping residents know whether water bodies are safe to use.

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

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