MTG ACCOMMODATIONS FOR ABSENT MEMBERS                                              S.B. 1261:

                                                                                                    SUMMARY OF BILL

                                                                                                  ON THIRD READING

Senate Bill 1261 (as reported by the Committee of the Whole)

Sponsor:  Senator Adam Hollier

Committee:  Elections and Government Reform

CONTENT

The bill would amend the Open Meetings Act to require a public body to establish procedures to accommodate the absence of any member of the public body due to military duty.

The Act requires all decisions of a public body to be made at a meeting open to the public. The bill would require a public body, except for a meeting of any State legislative body, to establish the following procedures to accommodate the absence of any member of the public body due to military duty:

-- Procedures by which the absent member could participate in, and vote on, business before the public body, including, if feasible, procedures that ensured two-way communication.

-- Procedures by which the public was provided notice of the absence of the member and information about how to contact that member sufficiently in advance of a meeting of the public body to provide input on any business that would come before the public body.

MCL 15.263                                                             Legislative Analyst:  Nathan Leaman

FISCAL IMPACT

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

Date Completed:  12-17-18                                                  Fiscal Analyst:  Joe Carrasco

                                                                                                                   Ryan Bergan

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.