Last week: In recapping the 2018 Legislative Session, protection of municipal home rule authority fared well. Several bills introduced preempted cities from making local decisions. Through the hard work and advocacy of municipal officials, many of those bills did not pass, including legislation requiring a special act of the Legislature to create new Community Redevelopment Agencies, prohibition of municipalities to select dates for their elections, regulation of reimbursement for travel expenses for municipal officials and preemption of local government tree ordinances applying to private property. These types of issues are best decided locally by electeds who understand the needs of their residents. Read