CHARTER COUNTY ROAD COMMISSION

House Bill 6462 as introduced

Sponsor:  Rep. Fred Miller

Committee:  Transportation

Complete to 9-28-10

A SUMMARY OF HOUSE BILL 6462 AS REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE

The bill would amend Public Act 51 of 1951, the act which governs the distribution of funding for most transportation programs in the state, to acknowledge that the functions of the board of county road commissioners can be carried out by a county executive and a county board of commissioners in a charter county with a population of more than 750,000.  (This applies to Macomb County, which will elect its first county executive in the upcoming November election, as well as the first county commissioners in its newly adopted charter county form of government.) 

Public Act 39 of 2009 (House Bill 4830) amended the County Road Law to allow the powers and duties of a county board of road commissioners to be reorganized under a county charter in a county with a population of 750,000 or more where a charter commission was proposing a new charter.  That act required voter approval of both the charter and a separate ballot question to reorganize the road commission.  Voters approved both questions on November 3, 2009, in Macomb County.

Specifically, House Bill 6462 would amend the definition of "county road commission" in PA 51 of 1951 to say that in a charter county with a population 750,000 or more where there is no board of county road commissioners, the road commission duties are to be carried out by the county executive (for ministerial functions) and the county commission (for legislative functions).

Previously, this provision applied only to Wayne County, which has been the only county without a separate county road commission.  The bill reduces the population figure in the definition from "two million or more" to "750,000 or more."

MCL 247.659a et al.

FISCAL IMPACT:

The bill merely recognizes the new form of organization; there is no fiscal impact.

                                                                                           Legislative Analyst:   Chris Couch

                                                                                                  Fiscal Analyst:   William E. Hamilton

■ 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.