REVISE COMMISSION ON STATUTORY MANDATES
House Bill 6741
Sponsor: Rep. Richard Hammel
Committee: Government Operations
Complete to 12-1-08
A SUMMARY OF HOUSE BILL 6741 AS INTRODUCED 11-19-08
Public Acts 97 and 99 of 2007 created the Commission on Statutory Mandates, which began meeting in October of 2007 to review the cost to local units of government from both state mandates and state reporting requirements. (These public acts were created by passage of Senate Bills 397 and 395.) The commission was created by an amendment to the Legislative Council Act (MCL 4.1101, et al.).
House Bill 6741 would amend the provisions spelling out the commission's responsibilities. Two current deadlines would be revised, one for an interim report on its findings by June 1, 2009, and one for a final set of determinations by October 1, 2009. The description of the commission's activities would be rewritten (although the basic functions would remain the same).
Commission Duties. Under the bill, the commission would be required to compile all of the following in an interim report by June 30, 2009: (1) the most significant funded and unfunded mandates imposed on local units of government in state law as identified by the local units of government; (2) the most significant reporting requirements imposed on local units in state law as identified by those local units of government; (3) the range of costs to local units of government of complying with each funded and unfunded mandate; and (4) the range of costs to local units of government complying with each reporting requirement. (The italics represent new language in the bill, altering somewhat the information to be sought by the commission.)
Not later than December 31, 2009, the commission would have to make specific determinations of the items described in the previous paragraph and report them to each house of the Legislature and to the Governor. The commission would also be required to include in its report recommendations on how to consolidate, streamline, or eliminate funded and unfunded mandates and reporting requirements imposed on local units of government in state law.
The bill would add a definition of "local unit of government" to include cities, townships, villages, counties, school districts, intermediate school districts, community colleges, and county road commissions.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Narrowing the scope of the commission's work and extending the reporting deadlines will have no fiscal impact on the state.
Fiscal Analyst: Robin Risko
■ 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.