APPOINTED DRAIN COMMISSIONER

Senate Bill 945

Sponsor:  Sen. Laura M. Toy

House Committee:  Local Government and Urban Policy

Senate Committee:  Local, Urban and State Affairs

Complete to 4-17-06

A SUMMARY OF SENATE BILL 945 AS PASSED BY THE SENATE 3-16-06

The bill would amend the Michigan Election Law to allow the drain commissioner to be an elected official (as now) or an appointed official in a county with a population between 500,000 and 750,000.  (This applies only to Kent County.)

The county board of commissioners could convert the position of drain commissioner by resolution.  However, the conversion could not be made until there was a vacancy in the position.  If the position is an appointed one, the appointment would have to be made by a two-thirds vote of the board of commissioners and made for a term of four years.

Before adopting a position creating an appointed drain commissioner, the board of commissioners would have to study the question and submit it to at least one public hearing.  The vote on the resolution would have to be held no later than the sixth Tuesday before the deadline for filing nominating petitions for the office.

If the next general election for drain commissioner in a county is the 2006 general November election to fill a vacancy, the vote to convert the position to an appointed one would have to be held before the deadline for filing nominating positions for the office.

MCL 168.200 and 209

FISCAL IMPACT:

The bill would have no apparent fiscal impact.

                                                                                           Legislative Analyst:   Chris Couch

                                                                                                  Fiscal Analyst:   Jim Stansell

■ This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan House staff for use by House members in their deliberations, and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.