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Michigan Legislature
Michigan Compiled Laws Complete Through PA 19 of 2024
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NOTE: Dates reflect any modification to item, not necessarily a change in law.

Chapter 117 - HOME RULE CITIES
Act 279 of 1909 ‑ THE HOME RULE CITY ACT (117.1 - 117.38)
***** 117.3b SUBSECTION (1) DOES NOT APPLY AFTER DECEMBER 31, 2006: See subsection (2) *****
     Section 117.1 ‑ Body corporate.
     Section 117.1a ‑ Short title.
     Section 117.1b ‑ Emergency financial manager; authority and responsibilities.
     Section 117.2 ‑ Saving clause.
     Section 117.3 ‑ Mandatory charter provisions.
     Section 117.3a ‑ Abolishment of at-large city council; election of members from single-member election districts; ballot question; approval; determination of city council president; adoption of apportionment plan by commission; qualifications of candidates; rules and procedures; amendment of charter.
     Section 117.3b ‑ Terms of office; staggered terms; resolution; initial terms; applicability of subsection (1).
     Section 117.4 ‑ Conduct of racing event under MCL 257.1701 et seq.; powers and duties.
     Section 117.4a ‑ Borrowing money and issuing bonds; net indebtedness; limitation; computation; borrowing in case of fire, flood, or other calamity; incurring obligation for construction, renovation, or modernization of hospital; bonds as obligation of special assessment district and city; validation of bonds issued and obligations incurred before July 31, 1973.
     Section 117.4b ‑ Refunds; bonds; sewers; waterworks; lighting; permissible charter provisions.
     Section 117.4c ‑ Permissible charter provisions.
     Section 117.4d ‑ Permissible charter provisions; assessing costs of public improvement and boulevard lighting system; definitions.
     Section 117.4e ‑ Public property; condemnation of private property; permissible charter provisions.
     Section 117.4f ‑ Permissible city charter provisions.
     Section 117.4g ‑ Rapid transit system; permissible charter provisions.
     Section 117.4h ‑ Public ways; permissible charter provisions.
     Section 117.4i ‑ Permissible charter provisions.
     Section 117.4j ‑ City departments; special acts; municipal powers; permissible charter provisions.
     Section 117.4k ‑ Civic, artistic, and cultural activities; public funds.
     Section 117.4l ‑ Ordinance; designation as civil infraction or blight violation; civil fine; act or omission constituting crime.
     Section 117.4m ‑ Ordinance regulating recreational trailway; posting; violation as municipal civil infraction; penalty.
     Section 117.4n ‑ Medical facility for public purpose; establishment, operation, or maintenance by private nonprofit corporation.
     Section 117.4o ‑ Formation of nonprofit corporation by city.
     Section 117.4p ‑ City with population more than 600,000 or discharge of $1,000,000,000.00 in pension liabilities; defined benefit plan; retirement benefits for employees hired after July 1, 2023; health care insurance benefits; certification of compliance; definitions.
     Section 117.4q ‑ Administrative hearings bureau; establishment; administrative hearings; procedures; appeal; effect of nonpayment of civil fine or costs; "person" defined.
     Section 117.4r ‑ Nonpayment of civil fine or costs or installment payment by defendant; lien; recording; enforcement; priority; collection of judgment; duration of lien; default; limitation on commencement of enforcement action.
     Section 117.4s ‑ Population more than 600,000; chief financial officer.
     Section 117.4t ‑ Population more than 600,000; requirements; appropriations.
     Section 117.4u ‑ Retirement benefits subject to protecting local government retirement and benefits act; "retirement benefit" defined.
     Section 117.5 ‑ Prohibited powers.
     Section 117.5a ‑ Membership in certain societies not to affect employment.
     Section 117.5b ‑ Code of municipal ordinances; publication.
     Section 117.5c ‑ Local officers compensation commission; creation; purpose; appointment, qualifications, and terms of members; vacancies; determination of salaries; expenses; meetings; quorum; concurrence of majority required; election of chairperson; compensation of members; conducting business at public meeting; notice of meeting; availability of certain writings to public; resolution; changing procedure; petition for referendum.
     Section 117.5d ‑ Locomotives; enforceability of ordinance prescribing maximum speed limit.
     Section 117.5e ‑ Municipal water or sewage system; annual audit; public hearing before proposed rate increase.
     Section 117.5f ‑ Energy conservation improvements; acquisition or financing; resolution; payment; scope of improvements; acquisition of improvements by contract, lease-purchase agreement, or notes; reports; forms; terms of lease-purchase agreement.
     Section 117.5g ‑ Flood control project.
     Section 117.5h ‑ Regulation or prohibition of public nudity; “public nudity” defined.
     Section 117.5i ‑ Snow removal from streets, mosquito abatement, and security services provided by private contractors; special assessment.
     Section 117.5j ‑ Sewer separation; authorization; ordinance; special assessment.
     Section 117.5k ‑ Public-private agreement for public bridge facility; requirements; user fee; scope of section; hearing; definitions.
     Section 117.6 ‑ Incorporation, consolidation, or alteration of boundaries; petition; signatures; deposit; enumeration.
     Section 117.7 ‑ Incorporation, consolidation or alteration of boundaries; fifth class cities; population requisites; representation on board of supervisors.
     Section 117.8 ‑ Incorporation, consolidation, or alteration of boundaries; petition; filing; resolution; adoption.
     Section 117.8a ‑ Incorporation, consolidation or alteration of boundaries; filing substitute petition; action by supervisors.
     Section 117.9 ‑ Incorporation, consolidation, or change of boundaries; governing law; affected district; petition or resolution for annexation; voting; duties of commission.
     Section 117.9a ‑ Annexation of township remnant territory to home rule city; procedure.
     Section 117.9b ‑ Detachment of territory from city; conditions; intergovernmental agreement imposing conditions on detachment; reannexation to detaching city; detached territory not subject to annexation.
     Section 117.9c ‑ Repealed. 1986, Act 64, Eff. July 1, 1986.
     Section 117.10 ‑ Certified copies of petition and resolution; transmittal; election notices.
     Section 117.11 ‑ Petition for incorporation, consolidation, or change of boundaries; affidavit; filing with secretary of state; certification; notice; election.
     Section 117.12 ‑ Election returns; canvass; village clerk, duties.
     Section 117.13 ‑ Effective date of incorporation, consolidation, attachment or detachment; certificate of board of county canvassers; representation, transfer of property, governmental function.
     Section 117.14 ‑ Incorporation or annexation.
     Section 117.14a ‑ Petition for vacating incorporation; initiation; election; certification; assets, disbursement; debts and obligations.
     Section 117.14b ‑ Relocation of common boundaries.
     Section 117.15 ‑ Election on question of intent to incorporate or consolidate; electors as members of charter commission; notice; preparation, form, and contents of ballot; expenses; procedure; canvass; certification of election; oath; vacancies; quorum; convening of charter commission; framing charter; conducting business at public meeting; notice of meeting; officers; rules; journal; roll call; nomination of candidates; holding election; publication of proposed charter; publishing and posting notice of election; polling places; canvassing results.
     Section 117.15a ‑ Incorporation; expenses of charter commission; payment.
     Section 117.16 ‑ Incorporation; rejection of charter; de facto mayor; duties; resubmission of charter, procedure; effect of nonadoption within 3 years of election to incorporate.
     Section 117.17 ‑ Incorporation; new charter commission, petition, procedure, eligibility, duties, expenses; control of territory pending adoption; date of incorporation; voting franchise.
     Section 117.18 ‑ Incorporation; revision of charter, procedure, commission, advisory vote; incorporation of provision in original charter granted by legislature.
     Section 117.19 ‑ Charter; duty of legislative body.
     Section 117.20 ‑ Charter commission; first meeting; duties of city clerk; powers and duties of commission; roll call; vacancy; compensation; quorum; public sessions.
     Section 117.21 ‑ Charter amendment; procedure.
     Section 117.22 ‑ Charter amendment; submission to governor, approval; re-consideration.
     Section 117.23 ‑ Publication of proposed charter and amendments; submission of charter and separate propositions to electors; adoption; ballot.
     Section 117.24 ‑ Charters or amendments; filing; effective date.
     Section 117.25 ‑ Initiatory petition; filing with city clerk; contents; verification; signatures and inscriptions; perjury and other felonies; punishment; canvass; certifying sufficiency or insufficiency of petition; causing proposed amendment to be submitted to electors; calling special election; submitting proposal at primary, regular, or special election called for other purposes; initiative proposal receiving majority of votes; proposal contemplating increased expenditure of funds; proposal increasing ad valorem property tax limitation; effective date; tax levy; action against city clerk.
     Section 117.25a ‑ Violation of MCL 168.1 to 168.992 applicable to petitions; penalties.
     Section 117.26 ‑ Elections; general provisions; applicability of MCL 168.641.
     Section 117.27 ‑ Repealed. 1966, Act 261, Eff. Mar. 10, 1967.
     Section 117.27a ‑ Apportionment of wards; definitions.
     Section 117.27b ‑ Board of review; appointment of members, functions.
     Section 117.28 ‑ Charter change; laws in force; justice and police courts, justices, charter provisions, ordinances.
     Section 117.28a ‑ Municipal courts in cities in certain counties; civil jurisdiction.
     Section 117.28b ‑ Municipal courts in cities in certain counties; attorney fees based on amount of judgment.
     Section 117.29 ‑ Recovery and enforcement of fines, penalties, and forfeitures; violations; administrative hearings.
     Section 117.30 ‑ Appeal to circuit court; recognizance or bond.
     Section 117.31 ‑ Disposition of fines.
     Section 117.32 ‑ Constables; election or appointment; powers and duties; salary; fees; provisions inapplicable to certain cities; compliance with minimum employment standards.
     Section 117.33 ‑ Constables; election, qualification, and compensation.
     Section 117.34 ‑ Police officers; powers.
     Section 117.34a ‑ Police officer or constable; authority to execute bench warrant.
     Section 117.35 ‑ Acquisition of property; condemnation or purchase proceedings.
     Section 117.35a ‑ General obligation bonds; issuance; conditions.
     Section 117.36 ‑ Charter provisions; conflict.
     Section 117.36a ‑ Financial recovery bonds; amounts; terms and conditions; net indebtedness of city; limitations; city with population less than 10,000; "third-party tax collector" defined; refund; deposit of revenues into separate account for paying principal and interest; creation of lien and trust; ability of state treasurer to withhold distributable aid from city; city with population more than 600,000; bonds not subject to MCL 141.2101 to 141.2821.
     Section 117.37 ‑ Saving clause.
     Section 117.38 ‑ Construction of act.

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