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*FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE* 

June 2, 2025  

Contact: [email protected]   

  

*Gov. Whitmer Signs Bill Supporting Northern Michigan Students and School Districts, Forgiving School Makeup Days in Wake of Devastating Ice Storms* 

 

*LANSING, Mich. * – Today, Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed a bill supporting thousands of students in the northern Michigan who were impacted by power outages during severe ice storms this past spring, causing numerous school cancellations in districts across the region. Including today’s legislation, Governor Whitmer has signed a record 1,505 bipartisan bills into law since taking office. 

 

"Many Michigan families are still reeling from the effects of the ice storms that devastated northern Michigan earlier this year,” said *Governor Whitmer*. “I’ve been committed to supporting recovery efforts, protecting Michigan families from additional disruptions to their daily routines. That’s why I’m proud to sign this bill that will remove unnecessary penalties and obstacles for students and schools who are just trying to get by. Together, let’s keep making a real difference in people’s lives.” 

 

*House Bill 4345* [ [link removed] ], sponsored by state Representative Cam Cavitt (R-Cheboygan), responds to the needs of Michigan families as they work to recover from devastating ice storms that left tens of thousands without power earlier this spring. Currently, Michigan law requires school districts to meet a minimum of 1,098 hours and 180 days of student instruction each school year. Due to the widespread and lengthy power outages caused by the ice storms at the end of March, many school districts in northern Michigan were unable to meet this requirement.  

 

As such, this bill gives schools that were under the state of emergency for the 2024-2025 school year more flexibility in meeting the minimum instructional requirement. This change will support Lower and Upper Peninsula families and students as they rebuild from this disaster by removing inflexible penalties such as losing essential funding. Specifically, the bill will ensure schools do not need to stay open throughout the summer to meet the requirement, saving them costly expenses such as teacher and staff salaries, utilities, and other operating expenses.  

 

“I’m thankful for the governor signing HB 4345 into law. Schools shouldn’t be penalized for keeping kids safe during an ice storm,” said *state Representative Cam Cavitt (R-Cheboygan)*. “This is a smart, bipartisan win for students, teachers, and local communities.” 

 

“It was no small feat moving this bill through the Legislature but in the end, we came together for the good of our schools and students,” said *state Senator John Damoose (R-Harbor Springs)*. “Had we not passed this legislation, the financial burden to our schools would have been yet another blow to our communities that have already been struggling following the disastrous ice storm.” 

 

“Our educational community is thankful for the support of our Governor and legislators, all working together, to do what is best for students so our communities can focus on recovery and cleanup,” said *Katy Xenakis-Makowski, Superintendent of Johannesburg-Lewiston Area Schools*. “We appreciate the boots on the ground efforts of Representative Cavitt, Senator Damoose, and the Governor to listen with empathy and take necessary action to support our schools, staff, and families.” 

 

*Supporting Recovery Efforts in Northern Michigan* 

In the wake of the devastating ice storms that left thousands of Michiganders without power, Governor Whitmer took swift action to deliver relief.  


* Worked with utility line workers and first responders to restore power, set up warming shelters, and deliver other essential resources.  

* Deployed Michigan National Guard and lifted trucking restrictions [ [link removed] ] to deliver fuel and other necessary supplies to affected counties.  

* Visited affected areas [ [link removed] ], coordinating on-the-ground recovery efforts and thanking volunteers and first responders for their tireless work. 

* Offered a tax extension [ [link removed] ] to individuals and businesses across affected counties in northern Michigan. 

* Declared a state of emergency [ [link removed] ] in ten Michigan counties, including Otsego, Oscoda, Montmorency, Presque Isle, Emmet, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Crawford, Mackinac, and Alpena. 

* Signed an executive order [ [link removed] ] declaring an energy emergency in the upper peninsula and suspected restrictions to increase the flow of fuel and other supplies. 

* Requested Presidential Emergency Declaration [ [link removed] ] for northern Michigan ice storm 

* Requested Major Disaster Declaration [ [link removed] ] from FEMA to help northern Michigan recover and rebuild from devastating ice storm 

 

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