Budget & Taxes

HB 4147 creates a dedicated "school consolidation and infrastructure fund" within Michigan's state school aid budget to support feasibility studies for consolidating administrative and service functions across school districts. It allocates $5 million for grants (up to $250,000 per district) to analyze opportunities in shared services like payroll, IT systems, facility management, food services, and transportation. Districts receiving grants must publicly share study results within 60 days and demonstrate plans for potential consolidation. The fund’s money remains available year-to-year without lapsing, but the bill does not fund actual consolidation - only the preliminary studies.

HB 4014 exempts certain family transfers of residential property from a rule that normally resets property taxes to current market value after a sale or transfer. It specifically applies when property is transferred to close family members (such as parents, children, or siblings) through trusts, wills, or inheritances, provided the property isn't used commercially afterward. To qualify, beneficiaries must provide proof of their relationship within 30 days, or face a $200 fine. The bill modifies Michigan’s property tax law to prevent "taxable value" adjustments that would otherwise increase annual property tax bills significantly for these transfers.