Gov. Gretchen Whitmer discusses the Fiscal Year 2025 Education Budget at Educare in Flint. (Michigan Advance photo by Kyle Davidson)

On Friday, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer put her pen to three bipartisan bills, aimed at supporting distillers and mixed spirit manufacturers and remembering a member of the national guard and a member of state police.

“Michigan’s small businesses should be able to work together to keep costs low and grow their businesses,” Whitmer said in a statement. “These bipartisan bills will help our distiller and mixed spirit manufacturers do just that by cutting unnecessary red tape. This will lower costs for these businesses and boost our economy by making it easier for more people to make it in Michigan.”

House Bill 4403, sponsored by state Rep. Pauline Wendzel, R-Watervliet, permits these manufacturers to use the same space and equipment to make their products, allowing them to share costs on that equipment, as well as rent and utilities.

“This bill is a testament to what we can accomplish when we work together,” Wendzel said in a statement. “The unanimous support it received in the House and Senate shows that helping our small businesses and local job creators is a shared priority. By clarifying the law around alternating proprietorships, we’re not just supporting distillers; we’re fostering innovation and ensuring Michigan’s craft beverage industry can continue to grow and thrive.”

House Bill 4003, sponsored by state Rep. Tom Kunse, R-Clare, designates a portion of U.S. Highway 131 “Sergeant Matthew Webber Memorial Highway” in honor of a member of the Michigan National Guard who was killed in the line of duty while deployed in Iraq.

House Bill 4046, sponsored by state Rep. John Roth, R-Interlochen, designates a portion of U.S. Highway 131 “Trooper James E. Boland Memorial Highway,” honoring a member of the State Police who was struck by a drunk driver and killed in the line of duty.