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Operating Cash-Flow Borrowing Options for Michigan Public School

As Michigan public schools prepare their 2024-2025 budgets, schools should be aware of the short-term borrowing options available to cover their projected operating cash-flow shortfalls....more

Michigan Adopts New Prevailing Wage Requirements for Public School Construction Projects

Michigan’s new Prevailing Wage for State Projects Act (the “Act”) became effective on February 13, 2024, and is substantially similar to a prior statutory prevailing wage requirement which was repealed in 2018. The Act...more

Expanded Permitted Uses for School District Sinking Funds

Under the Michigan Revised School Code, a school district with voter approval may levy a sinking fund tax to pay for certain allowable capital improvement projects and purchases, which include the construction and renovation...more

Operating Cash-Flow Borrowing Options for Michigan Public Schools - May 2023

As Michigan public schools navigate the preparation of their 2023-2024 budgets, we wanted to again provide you with a reminder of the short-term borrowing options available to cover projected operating cash-flow shortfalls....more

Sales Tax Obligations of Michigan Public Schools

This practice guide discusses generally the Michigan sales tax obligations of Michigan public schools under the Michigan General Sales Tax Act, Act 167, Public Acts of Michigan, 1933, as amended (MCL §205.51 et.seq.) The Act...more

Public Sector Application of CMS' COVID-19 Health Care Vaccination Rule

Key Takeaways: ..The Rule only applies to Medicare- or Medicaid-certified facilities and their contractors having contact with patients or staff ..The Rule does not apply to school districts receiving Medicare or...more

Operating Cash-Flow Borrowing Options for Michigan Public Schools

As Michigan public schools navigate the preparation of their 2021-2022 budgets, we wanted to again provide you with a reminder of the short-term borrowing options available to cover projected operating cash-flow shortfalls....more

Michigan Governor Signs Open Meetings Act Amendment Extending Sunset for Electronic Public Meetings

On December 23, 2020, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed into law Senate Bill 1246, extending the authority for public bodies to conduct electronic "virtual" meetings for any reason through March 31, 2021. The law, now...more

Michigan Governor Signs Open Meetings Act Amendment Allowing Electronic Public Meetings

This has been updated from its original version published on October 15th to reflect that the Governor signed Senate Bill 1108 and it took immediate effect on Friday, October 16th. Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed...more

Michigan Legislature Passes Open Meetings Act Amendment Allowing Electronic Public Meetings

On Tuesday, October 13, 2020, the Michigan Legislature adopted amendments to the Open Meetings Act (the "OMA"), which would have immediate effect upon signature by Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer.  Senate Bill 1108...more

Michigan Campaign Finance Act: Do's and Don'ts for School Districts

School district board members, administrators and employees are required to abide by the Michigan Campaign Finance Act. The Act prohibits the contribution of public funds or resources to a campaign for a candidate or ballot...more

Operating Cash-Flow Borrowing Options for Michigan School Districts

As Michigan school districts navigate their 2020-2021 budgets, with looming cuts to school aid and other consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, we want to remind you of the available operating cash-flow borrowing options....more

COVID-19: Continuity of Learning for K-12 Students under Executive Order 2020-35

As anticipated, on April 2, 2020, Governor Whitmer issued Executive Order 2020-35 (the “Order”) regarding the provision of K-12 education in Michigan for the remainder of the 2019-20 school year. The 17-page order, in short,...more

COVID-19: Contributing School District Equipment and Supplies to Local Health Care Providers

In a recent press release, the Governor has encouraged businesses to donate essential medical supplies and personal protection equipment to local health care providers to be used in their COVID-19 efforts. The release listed...more

Designation of Public Education Employees as Critical Infrastructure and Essential Employees Pursuant To Governor Whitmer’s...

On Monday, March 23, 2020, Governor Whitmer issued Executive Order No. 2020-21 (COVID-19) (the “Order”) ordering residents to remain at home to the maximum extent feasible. The Order is to “be construed broadly to prohibit...more

Operating Cash Flow Options for Michigan Public Schools

Many Michigan school districts experience periodic operating cash-flow shortfalls during a school year, which often make it necessary for these schools to borrow on a short-term basis to cover the shortfalls. These shortfalls...more

GASB 84: Legal Considerations for Public Schools in Michigan

With the July 1, 2019 implementation date fast approaching for the new GASB 84 accounting guidance for fiduciary activities, school districts in Michigan have been working through various issues which have arisen in the...more

2019 School Election Update

As we head into another election season, we thought it would be helpful to provide you with an update of the current election and campaign finance laws applicable to school district ballot proposals. The May 2019 election...more

What Do the SEC's New Continuing Disclosure Requirements Mean for Governmental Borrowers?

As reported in our October 10, 2018 alert, the Securities and Exchange Commission has amended Rule 15c2-12 (the "Rule"), which governs continuing disclosure by state and local governmental borrowers to add two new material...more

Standard & Poor’s Increases Credit Rating for the State of Michigan from AA- to AA

On July 24, 2018, Standard & Poor's raised its credit rating for the State of Michigan's general obligation bonds from AA- to AA. This upgrade will affect bonds issued by local governments that benefit from State credit...more

7/31/2018  /  Bonds , Credit Ratings , Government Bonds , S&P

Recent Legislation Further Limits School District Options in Connection with the Sale of Excess Property

Legislation enacted in 2017 and amended last month significantly expands the range of prohibitions on a school district’s ability to influence the future use of real property that it sells or transfers. When disposing of real...more

Sinking Fund Legislation Approved by Senate

The Michigan Senate passed HB 4388, which amends Section 1212 of the School Code to allow additional uses of sinking fund proceeds for sinking fund millage proposals authorized by the voters after the bill becomes effective....more

Miller Canfield Secures Court Order Stopping Enforcement of Law Barring Objectively Neutral Speech by Public Officials

On February 5, 2016, United States District Court Judge John Corbett O’Meara issued an Opinion and Order granting a preliminary injunction and blocking enforcement of §57(3) of the Michigan Campaign Finance Act, which barred...more

New Law Limits Ability of Local Governments and School Districts to Communicate Regarding Ballot Questions

On January 6, 2016, Governor Rick Snyder signed into law Public Act 269 of 2015 (“Act 269”), which amends the Michigan Campaign Finance Act, Act 388, Public Acts of Michigan, 1976, as amended (“Act 388”). Among other...more

Michigan Governor Signs Early Warning Legislation for Financially Distressed School Districts with Immediate Effect

On July 7, Michigan Governor Snyder signed into law a package of bills, all with immediate effect and most with a tie bar to at least one of the other bills in the package, creating an early warning system to identify the...more

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