CREATE 'RED TAPE REMOVAL' TASK FORCE

House Bill 4402

Sponsor:  Rep. Andy Schor

Committee:  Education

Complete to 5-12-15

SUMMARY:

House Bill 4402 would create the Red Tape Removal Task Force to review all state reporting requirements for school districts, intermediate school districts, public school academies (charter schools), and non-public schools.  The bill would amend the Revised School Code (380.1281b).  A more detailed description of the bill follows.

Under the bill, the state school superintendent would appoint, and the Michigan Department of Education would staff, a 12-member temporary commission (as described in Section 4 of Article V of the State Constitution), comprising 7 voting members and 5 non-voting members.

Review

The task force would compile a list of all state reporting requirements for schools, and then review all of those reporting requirements to identify the following:

o   the source of the legal requirements for each report;

o   the time, staff, and other resources required to compile, submit, track, and quantify each report;

o   privacy concerns that may be present for each report; and,

o   those reports that may be obsolete, duplicative, unnecessary, or unduly burdensome.

Six-month Report & Recommendations  

Following that review, and within six months after being appointed, the task force would report to the governor, the State Board of Education, and the standing committees of the House and Senate, all of the following:

o   those reports that could be combined to improve efficiency;

o   those that could be submitted electronically;

o   those that should be eliminated (with an explanation as to why); and

o   any measures that could be taken to ensure privacy of data.

Task Force Members

One member from each of the following seven organizations would be appointed by the superintendent of public instruction, to serve as voting members on the task force: 1) the Michigan Association of School Boards; 2) the Michigan Association of School Administrators; as well as one member, each, nominated by 3) the Michigan Education Association, 4) the Michigan Federation of Teachers, 5) the Michigan Association of Public School Academies, 6) the Michigan Association of Secondary School Principals, and 7) the Education Trust-Midwest.

In addition, five non-voting members would serve, including:  1) the superintendent of public instruction (or a designee); and one member, each, appointed by 2) the Senate Majority Leader, 3) the Senate Minority Leader, 4) the Speaker of the House, and 5) the House Minority Leader.

Task Force protocols

Any vacancy on the task force would be filled by the same official who made the original appointment.  At its first meeting, the task force would elect a chairperson and other officers considered necessary.  The group would meet at least monthly, or more frequently at the call of the chair (or if requested by three or more members).  A majority of the members would constitute a quorum, and a majority of the members present and serving would be required for official action.  Task force members would serve without compensation.

All task force meetings would be subject to the Open Meetings Act, and all of its documents would be subject to the Freedom of Information Act. 

Effective date; appointment and first meeting deadlines

The bill would go into effect 90 days after being enacted into law.  The members of the task force would be appointed within 30 days after the effective date.  The first meeting of the task force would occur within 60 days after the effective date.

FISCAL IMPACT:

The bill would have an indeterminate, though likely minimal, fiscal cost in the short term but could create long-term savings for both the state and local units of government.  In the short term, the Michigan Department of Education could see increased administrative costs and redirection of staff time in order to assist the task force in compiling reports on the reporting requirements.  Additionally, school districts and intermediate districts may see increased administrative costs and redirection of staff time in order to assist the task force and MDE in compiling reports on reporting requirements.  In the long term, if the number and scope of reporting requirements are reduced, the state as well as school districts and intermediate districts could realize administrative efficiencies and cost reductions. 

                                                                                        Legislative Analyst:   J. Hunault

                                                                                               Fiscal Analysts:   Bethany Wicksall

                                                                                                                           Samuel Christensen

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