Capitol News

The Michigan Senate has approved legislation sponsored by Sen. Jonathan Lindsey that aims to support county-level efforts to survey and mark the Michigan-Indiana border. The bill, known as Senate Bill 595, allows counties to access grant funding for surveys and monument placement along the state line.

According to Lindsey, "The original border was last surveyed by Congress in the 1800s, prior to Michigan being recognized as a state. Both Michigan and Indiana have been working on their respective duties to complete the survey, but unexpected issues have caused a delay in completing the work. My bill simply extends the timeline to get this done and will prevent decades of work from being reset and sent back to square one."

Markers placed after the initial 19th-century survey have largely disappeared over time, which has led to confusion about the exact location of the border. This lack of clarity has contributed to legal disputes over property, challenges in enforcing traffic laws, and complications related to Great Lakes preservation responsibilities.

Although both states have attempted to revisit and clarify their shared boundary, a formal partnership has not been fully established. Legislation enacted in 2022 defined Michigan's responsibilities in this process and allocated funds for joint work with Indiana. However, difficulties in securing surveying companies delayed progress on the project.

Lindsey’s new measure would amend existing law by extending the deadline for completion of the survey and allowing individual counties—rather than relying solely on a statewide effort—to conduct surveys along their portions of the border.

"Counties are capable and ready to take this on, and we have the funding available that would allow them to do so," Lindsey said. "This is a minor amendment of the initial effort that will help get this project across the finish line."