HOUSE BILL NO. 5647

A bill to amend 1961 PA 236, entitled

"Revised judicature act of 1961,"

(MCL 600.101 to 600.9947) by adding section 1467.

the people of the state of michigan enact:

Sec. 1467. (1) If the attorney general receives notice of a proposed settlement in a class action pending in a court of this state or a federal court in which the state or any of its departments or officers is a defendant and residents of this state are class members, the attorney general shall review any provisions in the notice or in the proposed settlement about the payment of attorney fees.

(2) After reviewing a notice under subsection (1), the attorney general shall participate, or if participation is not automatically allowed, take all steps to participate, in any motion or hearing on the approval of the attorney fees. In doing so, the attorney general shall consider and advocate on behalf of the best interests of the residents of this state who are class members and shall state on the record whether the request for attorney fees should be approved, rejected, or modified by the court.

(3) If the attorney general represents the state or any of its departments or officers or another person in a class action to which this section applies, the attorney general shall take all necessary administrative steps within the office of the attorney general to avoid a conflict of interest in performing duties under subsection (2).

(4) As used in this section, "the state or any of its departments or officers" means that term as defined in section 6419.