S.B. 53: COMMITTEE SUMMARY - SCHOOL YEAR/LABOR DAY

SCHOOL YEAR/LABOR DAY - S.B. 53: COMMITTEE SUMMARY

Senate Bill 53 (as introduced 1-26-99)

Date Completed: 4-12-99

CONTENT

The bill would amend the Revised School Code to provide that, for the 1999-2000, 2000-01, and 2001-02 school years, the board of school district, local act school district, public school academy, or intermediate school district would have to ensure that the district's or public school academy's schools were not in session on the Friday before Labor Day, meaning the first Monday in September. The bill also would create a school calendar task force to study issues concerning the public school calendar, and would require the task force to report its findings to the Legislature and the Governor by December 31, 2000.

Task Force Issues

The task force would have to study and report its findings on the economic and educational impact of the following requirements: that the public schools not be in session on the Friday before Labor Day and that all public schools begin the school year after Labor Day.

Task Force Creation and Membership

The task force would be created as a temporary commission described in Article V, Section 4 of the 1963 State Constitution. (Article V, Section 4 permits temporary commissions or agencies for special purposes to be established by law for no more than two years, and provides that they do not have to be allocated within a principal department.)

The task force would consist of seven members who would have to be appointed by the Governor no later than July 1, 1999. Members would have to serve until the task force findings were reported. The task force would have to consist of a Michigan K-12 teacher and one member representing each of the following groups: school boards, appointed from nominations submitted by the Michigan Association of School Boards; public school administrators, appointed from nominations submitted by the Michigan Association of School Administrators; the Travel Michigan Unit of the Michigan Jobs Commission, appointed from nominations submitted by the Michigan Jobs Commission; the Michigan Travel Commission, appointed from nominations submitted by the Michigan Travel Commission; the general public; and, the Michigan Chamber of Commerce. If a vacancy occurred on the task force, the Governor would have to appoint a replacement in the same manner as the original appointment. Members would have to serve without compensation, but they could be reimbursed in accordance with Department of Management and Budget travel reimbursement guidelines for mileage expenses incurred in the performance of their official duties as members of the task force.

The Governor would have to call the first meeting of the task force, at which the task force would have to elect from among its members a chairperson and other officers as it considered necessary or appropriate. After the first meeting, the task force would have to meet at least monthly, or more frequently at the call of the chairperson or if requested by three or more members. A majority of the task force members would constitute a quorum for transacting business at a task force meeting, and a majority of the members present and serving would be required for official action. The task force would be subject to the Open Meetings Act and the Freedom of Information Act. The Department of Education and the Michigan Jobs Commission would have to provide staffing and other resources for the task force as reasonably requested by it.

Proposed MCL 380.1284b - Legislative Analyst: L. Arasim

FISCAL IMPACT

There would be no fiscal impact on local units of government. A school district with an established school calendar could incur additional costs in changing its schedule to conform to the bill. The bill would have a minimal fiscal impact on the Department of Education budget. The Department of Education would have to hire additional personnel to staff the task force outlined in the bill. The additional cost to the Department of Education could range from $40,000 to $100,000 depending on the number and type of staff required.

- Fiscal Analyst: J. CarrascoS9900\s53sa

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.