LANSING, Mich. – Additional resources will help keep people safer on Michigan bridges under new safety inspection legislation signed today by Gov. Rick Snyder.
“Improving Michigan’s roads and bridges is an important step to keep both Michiganders and visitors safe,” Snyder said. “This legislation helps ensure Michigan’s deteriorating bridges will be properly monitored, maintained and updated to keep motorists safe.”
House Bill 4455, sponsored by state Rep. Ben Glardon, requires the Michigan Department of Transportation to create an updated risk-based inspection plan for all bridges in Michigan that is in line with federal requirements. This replaces the previous protocol requiring biennial inspections. The bill also allows for greater flexibility of available resources to increase inspections for local high-risk bridges.
The bill is now Public Act 16 of 2016.
Snyder signed an additional seven bills:
HBs 5070, 5071, 5072, and 5073, sponsored by state Reps. Eric Leutheuser, Pat Somerville, Nancy Jenkins, and Daniela Garcia, respectively, clarify the relationship between the franchisee and franchisor. The legislation states that the franchisee is the sole employer if they are providing benefits and wages to the employee. They are now PAs 17-20.
Senate Bill 513, sponsored by state Sen. Jim Stamas, will rename the bridge on Highway US-10 over Eastman Avenue in Midland as the “Seaman Aaron D. Ullom Memorial Bridge” in honor of United States Navy Corpsman Aaron Ullmon who was killed by enemy fire in Afghanistan in 2011. It is now PA 21.
HB 4853 and HB 4854, sponsored by state Rep. Jim Tedder, will increase the maximum enrollment fee for the basic motorcycle safety course from $25.00 to $50.00. This legislation also eliminates the written test for those applying for a motorcycle endorsement if they have successfully passed the Department of State basic motorcycle safety course. They are now PA 22 and 23.
For more information on this and other legislation, please visit www.legislature.mi.gov.
