MTG ACCOMODATIONS FOR ABSENT MEMBERS                                               S.B. 1261:

                                                                                             SUMMARY AS ENACTED

Senate Bill 1261 (as enacted)                                                PUBLIC ACT 485 of 2018

Sponsor:  Senator Adam Hollier

Senate Committee:  Elections and Government Reform

House Committee:  Committee of the Whole

Date Completed:  3-13-19

CONTENT

The bill amends 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 requires 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 may participate in, and vote on, business before the public body, including, if feasible, procedures that ensure two-way communication.

-- Procedures by which the public is 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 comes before the public body.

The bill will take effect on March 29, 2019.

MCL 15.263                                                             Legislative Analyst: Tyler VanHuyse

FISCAL IMPACT

The bill has no fiscal impact on State or local government.

                                                                                      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.