Bill > SB1176

This bill creates the Michigan Defense and Readiness Commission, a new state-level advisory board housed within the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, along with a dedicated funding source called the Michigan Defense and Readiness Fund. The commission is designed to protect existing Department of Defense resources—such as military personnel, equipment, and installations like the Detroit Arsenal, Selfridge Air Force Base, Camp Grayling, Fort Custer, and the Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center—while actively working to bring new defense assets and jobs to the state. Composed of a diverse group of state officials, economic development leaders, military representatives, and local civic leaders from communities near major military facilities, the commission is tasked with evaluating military economic impacts, coordinating defense-related policies, and providing official recommendations to state and federal lawmakers. To support these operations, the legislation establishes the Michigan Defense and Readiness Fund in the state treasury, which is managed by the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, and includes an initial appropriation of $250,000 from the state general fund for the 2026 fiscal year.