PETITION SIGNATURE; PRESUMPTION                                                              S.B. 776:

                                                                                  SUMMARY OF INTRODUCED BILL

                                                                                                         IN COMMITTEE

Senate Bill 776 (as introduced 2-10-16)

Sponsor:  Senator Dave Robertson

Committee:  Elections and Government Reform

Date Completed:  3-2-16

CONTENT

The bill would amend the Michigan Election Law to provide that a signature on a petition to amend the Constitution or initiate legislation could not be counted if the signature were made more than 180 days before the petition was filed with the Secretary of State. Currently, a signature made more than 180 days before a petition is filed is rebuttably presumed to be stale and void. The bill would delete that language.

The bill would take effect on January 1, 2017.

MCL 168.472a                                                            Legislative Analyst:  Suzanne Lowe

FISCAL IMPACT

The bill would have no fiscal impact on State or local government.

                                                                                       Fiscal Analyst:  Joe Carrasco

This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.