Snyder signs bill creating Michigan Blue Alert Act

A federal program designed to track at-large-suspects who have injured or killed a police officer will be created in Michigan, under bipartisan legislation signed recently by Gov. Rick Snyder.
“Public safety is of utmost importance in Michigan, and law enforcement is on the front lines every day protecting us,” Snyder said. “The Michigan Blue Alert Act ensures there will be a plan in place to broadcast essential information to the public if an officer is harmed, when every moment is critical in apprehending a suspect.”

Senate Bill 336, authored by state Sen. Tonya Schuitmaker, creates the Michigan Blue Alert Act requiring the Michigan State Police to establish and maintain a notification system to rapidly disseminate information regarding the name, physical description and vehicle type of a suspect believed to have harmed or killed a law enforcement officer and is a threat to public safety. The new law is modeled after the National Blue Alert Act, which was signed into law by President Obama in May of 2015. Schuitmaker’s bill is now Public Act 167 of 2015.
The governor Tuesday also signed five additional measures:

SB 22, sponsored by state Sen. Tom Casperson, creates a supplemental retirement payment for MSP retirees who retired prior to Oct. 1, 1986. In some cases, allowances for this group have fallen near or below the federal poverty level. The bill is now PA 168.

SB 195, sponsored by state Sen. Joe Hune, clarifies a law enacted in 2014 requiring fingerprinting of pharmacy applicants, to specify that board members and shareholders of the business are exempt. It is now PA 169.

SB 309, sponsored by state Sen. Jim Stamas, clarifies regulations on condominium project design plans. It is now PA 170.

House Bills 4464 and 4465, sponsored by state Rep. Lisa Posthumus Lyons, clarify a law enacted in 2014 exempting over-the-counter drugs from sales and use tax if they are purchased pursuant to a prescription. The bills are now PAs 171 and 172, respectively.

For additional information on this and other legislation, visit www.legislature.michigan.gov.