This week, Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed three executive directives to ensure Michigan takes advantage of tax credits and other opportunities in the recently passed federal Inflation Reduction Act. The first directive ensures businesses are positioned to take full advantage of the act to lower the cost of doing business. Provisions include directing departments to identify and notify affected stakeholder communities and to review and act upon permits, licenses, approvals, or applications quicky and efficiently.

The second executive directive aims to create jobs and strengthen the state’s economic competitiveness. It outlines a number of steps, including:

• • The Michigan Economic Development Corporation should continue engaging with the private sector to attract opportunities for companies in electric vehicle, clean energy, and advanced manufacturing to invest in Michigan.
  • The Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity should identify opportunities to support workforce development in the state geared toward the needs of the electric vehicle; clean energy; clean fuels, like hydrogen; and advanced manufacturing sectors.
  • Departments and agencies should work with the state legislature, congressional delegation, local governments, research and education institutions, and the private sector to leverage all available federal dollars and position Michigan as the national leader in electric vehicles, domestic energy, advanced manufacturing, and climate action.

The last of the three directives is focused on ensuring families will benefit from the federal act. This includes directing departments and agencies to use every tool they have to pass savings onto residents. Under the directive, departments and agencies must develop material to ensure residents are aware of all opportunities to lower costs on home improvements, energy upgrades, electric vehicles and transportation, and prescription drugs. It also calls on departments to undertake other tasks such as working to decrease the costs of prescription drugs for Medicaid recipients and helping residents apply for tax credits and federal rebates under the act.

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