Capitol Connection: May 21, 2024
In This Issue
- Lansing Mayor Announces Revised Plans for New City Hall
- Michigan’s Health Core Launched!
- Data Center Tax Bill Clears State Senate
- Restore R&D Expenses for Businesses
- Urging Congress to Ease Regulatory Burden on Small Business
- First Friday Public Affairs Call Updates
- Chamber Townhalls
Local Updates
Lansing Mayor Andy Schor announced revised plans for a new city hall to be located on a city parking lot on the Grand Avenue across from the CATA downtown transportation center. The proposal also may include housing CATA’s headquarters.
State Updates
Michigan’s Health Core Launched!
In Michigan’s Health Core, companies, institutions, industry leaders, new thinkers and skilled makers are all finding opportunities to be successful – by thinking big and creating solutions for better lives.
Here, we know how to accelerate ideas into action. Our diverse industry community includes leading expertise from research partners to product innovators to distribution experts.
Backed by the support of Lansing Economic Area Partnership (LEAP), this is a place for do-ers – people with innovative ideas and meaningful products who care about getting what’s needed to help others out into the world. This is where Michigan’s life sciences + technology industry network converges to create safer, healthier and better lives around the world.
Data Center Tax Bill Clears State Senate
The State Senate moved forward with bipartisan support on a bill to establish a sales and use tax exemption for enterprise data centers. This bill extends an existing tax credit for data center equipment until 2050, which was originally set to expire in 2035. SB 237, amended before the vote, includes a sunset provision by December 31, 2029, for issuing new tax exemptions. The bill mandates energy efficiency certification and, where applicable, connection to municipal water systems to curb excessive water use for data centers.
Enterprise data centers, defined as facilities with over $250 million in capital investment and at least 30 new jobs in Michigan, would qualify. The bill also offers tax exemptions for eligible facilities until 2050 and extends to 2065 for those on brownfield sites. Previous attempts to enact such exemptions have failed..
Federal Updates
Restore R&D Expenses for Businesses
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is urging the U.S. Senate to act quickly on the Tax Relief for American Families & Workers Act of 2024 (H.R. 7024), which would provide critical, long-awaited support and certainty to American small and midsize businesses. Read more below about the impact to small businesses and why the U.S. Senate should support.
Urging Congress to Ease Regulatory Burden on Small Business
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce isencouraging Congress to ease the regulatory burden on small businesses by passing H.R. 7198, the Prove It Act of 2024. Loopholes in current law allow federal regulators to misrepresent costs of new mandates on small business. The Prove It Act is a bipartisan bill that will close these loopholes and require federal agencies to consider the costs of regulations on small businesses.
Be in the Room Where It Happens
First Friday Public Affairs Call Updates
Join us for our upcoming First Friday Public Affairs Call Update on Friday, June 7, from 11 to 11:30 a.m. From national down to regional updates, these monthly calls are designed to keep our members informed and engaged. We would like to thank ITC Holdings for making these monthly updates possible.
Chamber Townhalls
This unique series aims to facilitate meaningful interactions between our business community and elected officials, creating a platform for discussions and insights. With elected officials and political candidates crossing the state, converging at the capital city, we recognize the need for a space where our business community can meet, discuss, and engage with these individuals.
Please find below our first scheduled Chamber Townhalls roundtables – several more roundtables are being scheduled currently as well. Please refer to the invitation for further details and consider this your personal invitation to participate. Given the intimate nature of our venue, we urge you to RSVP promptly to secure your spot, as space is limited.
LRCC Chamber Townhall with Michigan Budget Director Jen Flood and Michigan Treasurer Rachael Eubanks
Date: Wednesday, June 26
Time: 10 to 11 a.m. Location: Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce