ED McBROOM

LANSING, Mich. — State Sens. Ed McBroom, R-Waucedah Township, and Jeremy Moss, D-Southfield, have been given the 2022 County Advocate Award from the Michigan Association of Counties for their work on Public Acts 121 and 122 of 2021, which extended the terms of county commissioners from two to four years.

“We are honored to receive the 2022 County Advocate Award for our legislation to extend county commissioner terms to four years,” the two state senators said in a news release Wednesday. “The scope of a county commission has grown since two-year terms were first implemented decades ago. Our legislative work to adjust the length of terms accordingly will allow our county commissioners to develop the complex policies that will benefit our constituents.

“We look forward to continuing our bipartisan efforts in the state Senate in partnership with the Michigan Association of Counties.”

Senate Bill 242, sponsored by McBroom, and SB 245, sponsored by Moss, were signed into law by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in December and resulted in the most significant change affecting county commissioners since 1968. It takes effect in the 2024 election cycle.

Previously, Michigan was among only five states that required two-year terms for all commissioners, even though all other elected county and township officials in the state have four-year terms.