Senator Ed McBroom
By journal staff
LANSING – The senses. Ed McBroom, R-Waucedah Township, and Jeremy Moss, D-Southfield, released a statement Wednesday after receiving the 2022 County Advocate Award from the Michigan Association of Counties for their work on Public Laws 121 and 122 of 2021, which extended the tenure of county commissioners from two to four years.
“We are honored to receive the 2022 County Lawyer’s Award for our legislation to extend the terms of county commissioners to four years,” they said. “The scope of a county commission has expanded since two-year terms were first introduced decades ago. Our legislative work to adjust term limits accordingly will allow our county commissioners to develop complex policies that will benefit our constituents.
“We look forward to continuing our bipartisan efforts in the State Senate in partnership with the Michigan Counties Association.”
Senate Bill 242, sponsored by McBroom, and SB 245, sponsored by Moss, were signed into law by Governor Gretchen Whitmer in December and resulted in the most significant change affecting county commissioners since 1968. Previously, the Michigan was one of only five states that required two-year terms for all commissioners, even though all other county and township elected officials in the state have four-year terms.
The new four-year terms for county commissioners will begin with the 2024 election cycle.