REVISE MEMBERSHIP OF MICHIGAN BEAN

COMMISSION

House Bill 4940 as introduced

Sponsor:  Rep. Edward J. Canfield, D.O.

Committee:  Agriculture

Complete to 9-26-17

SUMMARY:

House Bill 4940 would amend the Dry Bean Act (the Act) to revise the county representation and create a member at large for the Michigan Bean Commission.

The Act created the Michigan Bean Commission, which administers the act, investigates violations of the act, and promotes research on bean varieties and the health, therapeutic, nutritional, and dietetic value of beans and bean products, among other duties listed in MCL 290.560. The commission currently consists of nine voting members, comprising one member from each of eight districts defined in the Act and one processor shipper and handler.

The bill would eliminate District 8, which is currently Saginaw County, and combine it instead with Gratiot County in District 2.

The bill would revise the voting members accordingly, reducing it to one member from each of seven districts and adding instead one member at large. The total number of voting members would remain the same at nine and would still include one processor shipper and handler.  The bill would require the commission's other members to select and appoint the member at large during the commission's annual meeting.

Finally, the bill would make numerous linguistic and stylistic changes throughout the act to reflect updated departmental names and references.

MCL 290.551 et al.

FISCAL IMPACT:

The bill would have no fiscal impact on state or local units of government.

                                                                                        Legislative Analyst:   Emily S. Smith

                                                                                                Fiscal Analyst:   William Hamilton

■ 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.