Bills to regulate how cities and townships deal with rooftop solar panels have landed on Governor Whitmer's desk.
The bills would resolve an ambiguity in state law that has resulted in municipalities treating rooftopsolar installations differently.
A homeowner in Ypsilanti, for example, can install solar panels without seeing an increase in their property taxes; while down the road in Ann Arbor, the assessor will increase their taxes for doing the same thing.
The bills would exempt homeowners' solar panels from being taxed, statewide.
Laura Sherman is with the Michigan Energy Innovation Business Council. She says it's common sense.
Sherman says solar panels lower your energy bills - just like other things people install in their homes.
"Like a water heater, new windows, blowing in extra insulation, all of those things, you don't see the tax assessor coming by when you do them, and they also presumably increase your property value when you sell your home," she says.
The Governor has 14 days to consider the bills.
The publication MiBiz reports the governor's office released a brief statement on Thursday indicating support for the bills.
