SB 689 Michigan Senate · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Land use: farmland and open space; relinquishment of farmland from development rights agreements; expand legal arrangements triggering. Amends sec. 36111 of 1994 PA 451 (MCL 324.36111). TIE BAR WITH: SB 0688'25, SB 0690'25, SB 0686'25, SB 0687'25, SB 0685'25

SB 689 amends Michigan's farmland preservation law to expand when landowners can give up (relinquish) farmland from development rights agreements. It adds two new scenarios: 1) land with pre-existing structures (up to 5 acres), and 2) land for a farm operator's residence (up to 2 acres), both requiring approval from local government and the state land use agency. If relinquishment occurs, landowners must repay tax credits received under the agreement, plus interest, via a lien recorded against the property. This directly affects farmers with existing farmland preservation agreements who wish to develop or use portions of their land for specific purposes.
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Oct 2025
Committee Review
Dec 2025
Senate Passage
Dec 2025
House Passage
Dec 2025
Signed into Law
Dec 2025
Introduced Oct 30, 2025 Signed Dec 23, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

Senate Introduced Bill As Passed by the Senate · 6 edits · Dec 2, 2025
MODERATE
This bill amends Michigan's farmland preservation law to clarify how development rights agreements expire and can be renewed, establish specific rules for relinquishing land from these agreements, and create a lien system to recover tax credits when land is relinquished. The changes also add conditions requiring this bill to pass alongside five other related bills before taking effect.
Scope change
The bill maintains the same scope of farmland preservation but adds new procedures for land relinquishment and lien enforcement that apply to all existing and future development rights agreements.
REQUIREMENT

Added automatic renewal provisions for development rights agreements when owners comply with requirements and submit written requests, with minimum renewal terms of 7 years.

ELIGIBILITY

Created two new circumstances under which farmland can be relinquished: (a) for structures present before the agreement was recorded, and (b) for residences built by individuals essential to farm operations.

ENFORCEMENT

Established a lien system requiring the state to record liens against property when development rights agreements are relinquished, with specific calculations for lien amounts and interest rates.

DEFINITION

Added new definitions for 'allocated tax credit' and 'property's share of taxable value' to standardize how lien amounts are calculated when only portions of land are relinquished.

TIMELINE

Added conditional effectiveness clause requiring five other Senate bills (SB 688, 690, 686, 687, and 685) to be enacted before this bill takes effect.

FISCAL

Added provision directing unappropriated proceeds from lien payments to the agricultural preservation fund.

Floor votes · Senate Dec 2, 2025 · House Dec 16, 2025

How they voted

380
Passed
Total votes 38
Dec 2, 2025
D Democratic19
19 Yea
100% Yea
R Republican19
19 Yea
100% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
28
Key actions
6
Committee
7
Dec 23, 2025
Introduced
FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE 12/23/2025 12:36 PM
upper
Dec 23, 2025
Signed into law
APPROVED BY GOVERNOR 12/23/2025 11:06 AM
upper
Dec 16, 2025
Lower · Passed
passed; given immediate effect Roll Call #332 Yeas 103 Nays 3 Excused 0 Not Voting 4
lower
Dec 11, 2025
Committee
referred to second reading
lower
Dec 11, 2025
Lower · Passed
reported with recommendation without amendment
lower
Dec 2, 2025
Committee
referred to Committee on Agriculture
lower
Dec 2, 2025
Introduced
received on 12/02/2025
lower
Dec 2, 2025
Upper · Passed
PASSED ROLL CALL # 310 YEAS 37 NAYS 0 EXCUSED 0 NOT VOTING 0
upper
Dec 2, 2025
Upper · Passed
REPORTED BY COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE FAVORABLY WITHOUT AMENDMENT(S)
upper
Nov 12, 2025
Committee
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
upper
Nov 12, 2025
Upper · Passed
REPORTED FAVORABLY WITHOUT AMENDMENT 11/6/2025
upper
Oct 30, 2025
Committee
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES AND AGRICULTURE
upper
Oct 30, 2025
Introduced
INTRODUCED BY SENATOR DAN LAUWERS
upper
1 primary · 4 co-sponsors

Sponsors