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SB 1024

Villages: annexation; procedures to approve annexation petition; revise. Amends secs. 6 & 6a, ch XIV of 1895 PA 3 (MCL 74.6 & 74.6a) & adds sec. 6b to ch. XIV. TIE BAR WITH: SB 1025'26

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Rosemary Bayer and 3 co-sponsors

SB 1024 standardizes village boundary changes by routing annexations through the State Boundary Commission framework, with enhanced notice, hearings, and referendum options.

REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT
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Bill Summary · SB 1024

Summary of SB 1024 (2025-2026) – Michigan

Main purpose and intent

SB 1024 seeks to modify the process by which villages in Michigan may alter their boundaries through annexation or detachment of territory. It revises sections of the 1895 General Law Village Act (PA 3) and adds a new section (6b) to guide annexation proceedings, aligning or clarifying procedures with state law and the functions of the State Boundary Commission (the commission).

Key provisions and changes

  • Boundary changes by village resolution (Sec. 6):

    • If a village council resolves to alter village boundaries (add adjacent land, remove land, or both), the council must petition the county board of commissioners.
    • The petition must include a metes-and-bounds description, reasons for the change, a copy of the council resolution, and must be signed by the village president and clerk.
    • Notice requirements: publication in a village newspaper for at least 3 weeks prior to presentation, or, if no newspaper exists, posting in at least 3 public places within the village and in the affected territory.
    • A hearing is held before the county board of supervisors commissioners; interested parties may appear and be heard.
    • The county board issues an order determining the change; the order is entered into county records, and a certified copy is sent to the village clerk and the secretary of state. The order is prima facie evidence of the boundary change and the validity of proceedings.

  • Pendency rule (Sec. 6a):

    • The county board shall not consider an annexation or detachment petition if a disincorporation petition under Sec. 18a is pending.

  • New framework for annexation (Sec. 6b):

    • Establishes that, if conflict exists, the state’s 1968 PA 191 (the Boundary Commission framework) governs annexation.
    • Initiates annexation through one of three means (petition by landowners, petition by 20% of qualified local electors, or a village governing body resolution), with specific forms prescribed by the commission.
    • Exceptions: certain transfers or interlocal agreements, and annexations by operation of law are exempt from the standard petition/resolution filing with the commission.
    • Processing requirements mirror those for incorporations under 1968 PA 191: public hearing near the area, notice to property owners at least 60 days before the hearing, and notice by certified mail to nearby property owners 30 days before the hearing.
    • Timing and notice: the local unit must provide the commission with a list of notice recipients at least 45 days before the hearing.
    • Outcomes:
    • If annexation is denied, the commission notifies all affected local governments.
    • If annexation is approved and the area had 100 or fewer residents at the time of filing, the order becomes effective on the date specified and is not subject to referendum.
    • If more than 100 residents resided in the area, the order becomes final after 30 days unless a referendum petition (signatures equal to 25% of registered electors within 5 miles) is filed within 30 days.
    • Referendum process: if a valid referendum petition is filed, a separate referendum is held in each area with a valid petition; annexation proceeds only if voters in all affected areas approve.
    • Prohibition on repetitive petitions: the commission must reject petitions that duplicate previously denied or defeated annexations within the prior two years.
    • Effective coordination: starting on the amendatory act’s effective date, annexation by a city or township to a village follows this section’s procedures; alternative means are not effective.
    • The commission must mail final orders to property owners who required notice.

Who is affected

  • Villages seeking boundary changes or annexations (and the landowners within or adjacent to proposed areas).
  • County boards of commissioners and the state Boundary Commission (as the central processing and notice authority for annexations).
  • Other local jurisdictions (cities, townships, counties) affected by proposed boundary changes.
  • Voters and electors within the proposed annexation areas (potential referendum rights).

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Notice periods: local notices at least 60 days before hearings; near-property notice by certified mail at least 30 days before hearings; 45-day scheduling/logistics requirement for compiling recipient lists.
  • Hearing and determination: public hearings near the proposed area; decisions issued by the commission with standard appeal/referral to affected jurisdictions.
  • Referendum: triggered if more than 100 residents resided in the annexed area on filing; 25% of local electors within 5 miles must sign for a referendum within 30 days after the order.
  • Sunset/coordination: bill includes enacting language tied to SB 1025; becomes law only if SB 1025 is enacted.

Notes

  • The bill includes tie-bar language with SB 1025 and does not take effect unless SB 1025 is enacted.
  • The provisions largely formalize annexation processes, aligning village actions with the state Boundary Commission framework and ensuring enhanced public notice and local input.

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

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