HOUSE BILL No. 5097

 

September 30, 2003, Introduced by Rep. Tobocman and referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

        

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                 A bill to amend 1961 PA 236, entitled                                             

                                                                                

    "Revised judicature act of 1961,"                                           

                                                                                

    by amending sections 8701 and 8801 (MCL 600.8701 and 600.8801),             

                                                                                

    section 8701 as added by 1994 PA 12 and section 8801 as amended             

                                                                                

    by 2000 PA 80.                                                              

                                                                                

                THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:                      

                                                                                

1       Sec. 8701.  As used in this chapter:                                        

                                                                                

2       (a) "Authorized local official" means  a  either of the                     

                                                                                

3   following:                                                                  

                                                                                

4                                                                                (i) A police officer or other personnel of a county, city,                          

                                                                                

5   village, township, or regional parks and recreation commission              

                                                                                

6   created under section 2 of  Act No. 265 of the Public Acts of               

                                                                                

7   1961, being section 46.352 of the Michigan Compiled Laws  1961              

                                                                                

8   PA 265, MCL 46.352, legally authorized to issue municipal civil             

                                                                                

9   infraction citations.                                                       

                                                                                


                                                                                

1       (ii) Any other individual legally authorized to issue                        

                                                                                

2   municipal civil infraction citations.  A county, city, village,             

                                                                                

3   or township may adopt an ordinance authorizing individuals other            

                                                                                

4   than those described in subparagraph (i) to issue a municipal               

                                                                                

5   civil infraction citation for the violation of any other                    

                                                                                

6   ordinance of the county, city, village, or township.  A regional            

                                                                                

7   parks and recreation commission may adopt a rule authorizing                

                                                                                

8   individuals other than those described in subparagraph (i) to               

                                                                                

9   issue a municipal civil infraction citation for the violation of            

                                                                                

10  any other rule of the regional parks and recreation commission.             

                                                                                

11      (b) "Citation" means a written complaint or notice to appear                

                                                                                

12  in court upon which an authorized local official records the                

                                                                                

13  occurrence or existence of 1 or more municipal civil infractions            

                                                                                

14  by the person cited.                                                        

                                                                                

15      (c) "Municipal civil infraction determination" means a                      

                                                                                

16  determination that a defendant is responsible for a municipal               

                                                                                

17  civil infraction by 1 of the following:                                     

                                                                                

18                                                                               (i) An admission of responsibility for the municipal civil                          

                                                                                

19  infraction.                                                                 

                                                                                

20      (ii) An admission of responsibility for the municipal civil                  

                                                                                

21  infraction, "with explanation".                                             

                                                                                

22      (iii) A preponderance of the evidence at an informal hearing                 

                                                                                

23  or formal hearing on the question under section 8719 or 8721,               

                                                                                

24  respectively.                                                               

                                                                                

25      (iv) A default judgment for failing to appear as directed by                 

                                                                                

26  a citation or other notice, at a scheduled appearance under                 

                                                                                

27  section 8715(3)(b) or (4), at an informal hearing under                     


                                                                                

1   section 8719, or at a formal hearing under section 8721.                    

                                                                                

2       Sec. 8801.  (1) This chapter applies only to a state civil                  

                                                                                

3   infraction action involving a violation of state law that is                

                                                                                

4   designated as a state civil infraction.                                     

                                                                                

5       (2) This chapter does not apply to a civil infraction action                

                                                                                

6   involving a traffic or parking violation.                                   

                                                                                

7       (3) As used in this chapter:                                                

                                                                                

8       (a) "Citation" means a written complaint or notice to appear                

                                                                                

9   in court upon which a law enforcement officer records the                   

                                                                                

10  occurrence or existence of 1 or more state civil infractions by             

                                                                                

11  the person cited.                                                           

                                                                                

12      (b) "Civil infraction determination" means a determination                  

                                                                                

13  that a defendant is responsible for a state civil infraction by 1           

                                                                                

14  of the following:                                                           

                                                                                

15                                                                               (i) An admission of responsibility for the state civil                              

                                                                                

16  infraction.                                                                 

                                                                                

17      (ii) An admission of responsibility for the state civil                      

                                                                                

18  infraction, "with explanation".                                             

                                                                                

19      (iii) A preponderance of the evidence at an informal hearing                 

                                                                                

20  or formal hearing on the question under section 8819 or 8821,               

                                                                                

21  respectively.                                                               

                                                                                

22      (iv) A default judgment, for failing to appear as directed by                

                                                                                

23  a citation or other notice, at a scheduled appearance under                 

                                                                                

24  section 8815(3)(b) or (4), at an informal hearing under                     

                                                                                

25  section 8819, or at a formal hearing under section 8821.                    

                                                                                

26      (c) "Law enforcement officer" means any of the following:                   

                                                                                

27                                                                               (i) A sheriff or deputy sheriff.                                                    


                                                                                

1       (ii) An officer of the police department of a city, village,                 

                                                                                

2   or township, or the marshal of a city, village, or township.                

                                                                                

3       (iii) An officer of the Michigan state police.                               

                                                                                

4       (iv) A conservation officer.                                                 

                                                                                

5       (v) A security employee employed by the state pursuant to                   

                                                                                

6   section 6c of  Act No. 59 of the Public Acts of 1935, being                 

                                                                                

7   section 28.6c of the Michigan Compiled Laws  1935 PA 59,                    

                                                                                

8   MCL 28.6c.                                                                  

                                                                                

9       (vi) A motor carrier officer appointed pursuant to section 6d                

                                                                                

10  of 1935 PA 59, MCL 28.6d.                                                   

                                                                                

11      (vii) A public safety officer employed by a university as                    

                                                                                

12  authorized by either of the following:                                      

                                                                                

13      (A)  1965 PA 278, MCL 390.711 to 390.717  Section 5a of 1965                

                                                                                

14  PA 278, MCL 390.715a.                                                       

                                                                                

15      (B) 1990 PA 120, MCL 390.1511 to 390.1514.                                  

                                                                                

16      (viii) If authorized by the governing body of a political                     

                                                                                

17  subdivision, a constable of the political subdivision.                      

                                                                                

18      (ix) A park and recreation officer commissioned pursuant to                  

                                                                                

19  section 1606 of the natural resources and environmental                     

                                                                                

20  protection act, 1994 PA 451, MCL 324.1606.                                  

                                                                                

21      (x) A state forest officer commissioned pursuant to section                 

                                                                                

22  83107 of the natural resources and environmental protection act,            

                                                                                

23  1994 PA 451, MCL 324.83107.                                                 

                                                                                

24      (xi) Any other individual legally authorized to issue state                 

                                                                                

25  civil infraction citations.  A department of this state may adopt           

                                                                                

26  a rule pursuant to the administrative procedures act of 1969,               

                                                                                

27  1969 PA 306, MCL 24.201 to 24.328, authorizing individuals other            


                                                                                

1   than those described in subparagraphs (i) to (x) to issue a state           

                                                                                

2   civil infraction citation for the violation of a law or order               

                                                                                

3   that the department is charged with enforcing.