HOUSE BILL No. 6185

 

June 8, 2006, Introduced by Reps. Espinoza, Clemente, McDowell, Bieda, Anderson, Byrnes, Sak, Gleason and Leland and referred to the Committee on Government Operations.

 

     A bill to amend 1967 PA 150, entitled

 

"Michigan military act,"

 

by amending section 251 (MCL 32.651), as amended by 1988 PA 246.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

     Sec. 251. (1)  When the president calls or orders all or part

 

of the national guard into federal service in time of a national

 

emergency or when it appears that the national guard may be called

 

to federal service, the  The governor, as commander-in-chief, may

 

activate within the military establishment such number of units to

 

be known as the Michigan  emergency volunteers  volunteer defense

 

force, as the governor considers necessary for adequate emergency

 

assistance to the state. When activated by proper authority, the

 

Michigan  emergency volunteers  volunteer defense force shall

 


perform  only aid to civil authority  missions  formerly reserved

 

for the national guard  as determined by the department of military

 

and veterans affairs in cooperation with the department of state

 

police and the state emergency preparedness plan. During times

 

other than a national emergency, organization of the Michigan  

 

emergency volunteers  volunteer defense force shall not exceed 15%

 

of the Michigan national guard authorized strength.

 

     (2) Not later than 1 year after the effective date of the

 

amendatory act that added this subsection, and each year

 

thereafter,the department of military affairs shall report to the

 

standing committees of the senate and house of representatives that

 

are responsible for legislation concerning military affairs, and

 

the senate and house appropriations committees as to the proposed

 

and actual status of development of the Michigan emergency

 

volunteers. The reports shall include all of the following:

 

     (a) Regulations or proposed regulations to define and limit

 

the type and duration of missions that may be undertaken by the

 

Michigan emergency volunteers.

 

     (b) Proposals for meeting the training and equipment needs of

 

the Michigan emergency volunteers in fulfilling the missions that

 

may be undertaken, and a 3-year projection of the costs of that

 

training and equipment.

 

     (c) A description of the requirements or proposed

 

requirements, including physical ability, for membership in the

 

Michigan emergency volunteers.

 

     (d) Procedures that are used or are proposed to be used to

 

screen membership in the Michigan emergency volunteers as to

 


character and fitness, including standards that will ensure that no

 

person with a serious criminal record is a member.

 

     (e) The plan detailing methods and procedures for the

 

coordination of the operations of the Michigan emergency volunteers

 

with the state police, local law enforcement agencies, and state

 

and federal disaster relief authorities.

 

     (2)  (3)  A list of former officers, warrant officers, and

 

enlisted personnel of the Michigan national guard shall be

 

maintained with their consent in the office of the adjutant general

 

to aid in forming the Michigan  emergency volunteers  volunteer

 

defense force.

 

     (3)  (4)  The adjutant general may accept funding for the

 

Michigan  emergency volunteers  volunteer defense force from

 

sources other than the state or federal government but shall expend

 

those funds only pursuant to an appropriations act. The adjutant

 

general shall deposit  such  the funds in a special account within

 

the department of military and veterans affairs.

 

     (4)  (5)  As used in this act, a reference to the Michigan

 

defense force means the Michigan  emergency volunteers  volunteer

 

defense force.

 

     (5)  (6)  The department shall establish affirmative action

 

guidelines for membership goals in the Michigan  emergency

 

volunteers  volunteer defense force. The department shall take all

 

steps necessary to carry out and implement those guidelines.

 

     (6)  (7)  Members of the Michigan  emergency volunteers  

 

volunteer defense force shall not be equipped with any type of

 

weapon except under the following conditions:

 


     (a) The president has called or ordered all or part of the

 

national guard into federal service in time of a national emergency

 

and the mission of the Michigan  emergency volunteers  volunteer

 

defense force to whom weapons are issued consists primarily of the

 

protection of public property.

 

     (b) During training to be conducted by the national guard or

 

state police in the proper use of such weapons.

 

     (7) Not later than 1 year after the effective date of the

 

amendatory act that added this subsection and each year thereafter,

 

the department of military and veterans affairs shall report to the

 

standing committees of the senate and house of representatives that

 

are responsible for legislation concerning military affairs, and

 

the senate and house appropriations committees as to the proposed

 

and actual status of development of the Michigan volunteer defense

 

force. The reports shall include all of the following:

 

     (a) Regulations or proposed regulations to define and limit

 

the type and duration of missions that may be undertaken by the

 

Michigan volunteer defense force.

 

     (b) Proposals for meeting the training and equipment needs of

 

the Michigan volunteer defense force in fulfilling the missions

 

that may be undertaken, and a 3-year projection of the costs of

 

that training and equipment.

 

     (c) A description of the requirements or proposed

 

requirements, including physical ability, for membership in the

 

Michigan volunteer defense force.

 

     (d) Procedures that are used or are proposed to be used to

 

screen membership in the Michigan volunteer defense force as to

 


character and fitness, including standards that will ensure that no

 

person with a serious criminal record is a member.

 

     (e) The plan detailing methods and procedures for the

 

coordination of the operations of the Michigan volunteer defense

 

force with the state police, local law enforcement agencies, and

 

state and federal disaster relief authorities.