It’s a new year and Michigan has a new governor. Last Tuesday Governor Gretchen Whitmer was sworn in to office and has announced key appointments to her cabinet.

Whitmer signed her first directive as governor last week, which states that department employees who become aware of an imminent threat to the public health, safety, or welfare must immediately report it to their department director and action must be taken.

As Whitmer begins her tenure, Bridge Magazine asked the new governor and leaders from both parties in the Michigan Legislature to share their priorities for 2019.

Bridge reports that Whitmer and Democratic leaders hope to focus on improving our roads and water quality as well as education outcomes.

Bridge reports that Republican leaders hope to focus on improving our roads and reforming our state’s no-fault auto insurance.

This year we will see a few bills go into effect that were signed by former Governor Rick Snyder during the lame duck session.

In March, both minimum wage and paid sick leave changes will go into effect. As CMF reported, our state’s minimum wage will gradually increase from $9.25 to $12.05 an hour by 2030 instead of the original proposed increase of $12 an hour by 2022. As for paid sick leave, the amount of mandatory annual leave will be limited to 40 hours, instead of 72 hours. Businesses with fewer than 50 employees will also now be exempt from having to offer paid sick time.

Michigan also has a new $1.3 billion supplemental budget that was approved for the 2018-2019 fiscal year for various state budget items encompassing infrastructure, natural resources, talent and economic development, education, health and more.

Here are a few highlights of issues of importance to Michigan philanthropy:

• Census 2020: The budget directs $500,000 for census-related services be allocated on a 4 to 1 private to state match. The budget states that the funding will be used “to prepare for citizen participation in Census 2020 to ensure the most accurate count of citizens.”

• Homelessness: The budget requires the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) increase emergency shelter rates by $2 per bed per night to support efforts to move people into permanent housing as quickly as possible.

• Opioid Epidemic: There’s funding allocated for several departments targeted at addressing the opioid epidemic. This includes a new team to focus on an opioid action strategy, a new pilot program in Livonia and a treatment and community resource locator.

• Talent and Economic Development: There are several subsections in the budget which outline requirements and funding for the Going Pro program and Going Pro Talent Fund. The budget requires that $1.5 million of the Going Pro funds be used to assist adults over the age of 23 in obtaining high school diplomas and placement in career training.

The Detroit News reported, “The supplemental budget stirred some controversy among legislators and public education groups last week since it diverts new online sales tax revenue for road repairs instead of K-12 schools.”

Snyder also signed bill SB 149, which includes an additional $18 million in funding for school districts to ensure their payments for at-risk students is at least as much as it was last year. It would provide funding for literacy programs, increase funding for FIRST Robotics and allocate $30 million for school mental health support and programs.