COUNTY VETERANS COMMITTEES H.B. 4771 (S-1): FLOOR ANALYSIS
House Bill 4771 (Substitute S-1 as reported) Sponsor: Representative Clyde LeTarte
House Committee: Senior Citizens and Veterans Affairs
Senate Committee: Human Resources, Labor and Veterans Affairs
The bill would amend Public Act 192 of 1953, which allows a county board of commissioners to create a county department of veterans’ affairs under the administration of a committee of veterans, to change the size of a veterans’ committee from four to “3 to 5" veterans and to remove references to each war represented by veterans on the committee. Members are appointed by the county board of commissioners, upon the recommendation of the posts for each chartered veterans’ organization within the county. The Act requires that members be appointed for a term of four years and that, of the members first appointed, one be appointed for a term of one year, one for a term of two years, one for a term of three years, and one for a term of four years. The bill specifies, instead, that the terms for members first appointed would have to be staggered so that not more than two vacancies were scheduled in a single year.
Currently, a county veterans’ committee must be composed of one veteran each of World War I, World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam Conflict, but if a World War I veteran who is willing to serve cannot be located, a veteran of any war may be appointed to serve on the committee. Under the bill, references to specific wars would be deleted, but not more than one member could be representative of a single war or conflict.
If an opening on a veterans’ committee occurred, the bill would require that the county board of commissioners provide notice of that opening to one or more newspapers within the county and to veteran service organizations within the county.
MCL 35.621 Legislative Analyst: P. Affholter
Counties that provided notice of an opening on a committee of veterans would incur the cost of the notice.
This bill would have no fiscal impact on the State.
Date Completed: 2-12-96 Fiscal Analyst: R. Ross
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This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.