LANSING, Mich., March 5, 2026 – State Reps. Mike McFall, D-Hazel Park, and Mike Harris, R-Waterford, today introduced bipartisan legislation [House Bills 5705 & 5706], the MSP PAYS Act – Michigan State Police (MSP) Patrolling Accountability: You Shoulder the Cost Act. The plan creates a pathway for communities to bill the state when local law enforcement responds to incidents that clearly fall within state jurisdiction.

“Our local police departments are always willing to step up to keep residents safe,” McFall said. “But they should not be forced to absorb the cost of responsibilities that clearly fall under state jurisdiction. The MSP PAYS Act makes it clear, if the state shifts the burden, the state pays the bill.”

Recent MSP decisions regarding patrol and response responsibilities along state freeway corridors have created confusion and operational strain for local law enforcement agencies, particularly in Oakland and Macomb counties. On January 9, 2026, MSP leadership told communities that, due to “ongoing staffing limitations,” the state would no longer respond to certain freeway incidents, effectively shifting those responsibilities to municipal departments without additional funding or resources.

“Local governments shouldn’t have to cut services or raise taxes to cover responsibilities that clearly belong to the state,” said Harris, who worked in law enforcement for 26 years. “MSP can’t just pull the rug out from underneath local communities and use ‘staffing shortages’ as a scapegoat. This isn’t a staffing problem; this is a leadership problem. These problems must be addressed before even more critical emergency services are put at risk.

“I’m proud to join Rep. McFall in championing this bipartisan legislation that – at bare minimum – ensures the state will foot the bill if our local first responders are stuck doing MSP’s job.”

“MSP’s decisions have created an unfunded mandate on local law enforcement,” said Edward Klobucher, City Manager of Hazel Park. “Shifting these responsibilities without resources puts public safety at risk by limiting our ability to respond to equally dangerous situations.”

The plan would allow communities to bill MSP for costs incurred when responding to incidents that fall within state jurisdiction, ensuring municipalities and local taxpayers are not subsidizing state-level law enforcement duties.

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