HOUSE BILL No. 6478

 

September 18, 2008, Introduced by Reps. Hune and Ward and referred to the Committee on Education.

 

     A bill to amend 1954 PA 116, entitled

 

"Michigan election law,"

 

by amending sections 302 and 310 (MCL 168.302 and 168.310), section

 

302 as amended by 2005 PA 71 and section 310 as added by 2003 PA

 

302.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

     Sec. 302. (1) An individual is eligible for election as a

 

school board member if the individual is a citizen of the United

 

States and is a qualified and registered elector of the school

 

district the individual seeks to represent by the filing deadline.

 

However, if an individual's spouse, child, parent, or sibling is an

 

employee of the school district, the individual is not eligible for

 


election or appointment as a school board member.

 

     (2) At least 1 school board member for a school district shall

 

be elected at each of the school district's regular elections held

 

as provided in section 642 or 642a. Except as otherwise provided in

 

this section or section 310 or 644g, a school board member's term

 

of office is prescribed by the applicable provision of section 11a,

 

617, 701, or 703 of the revised school code, 1976 PA 451, MCL

 

380.11a, 380.617, 380.701, and 380.703, or section 34, 34a, 41, 54,

 

or 83 of the community college act of 1966, 1966 PA 331, MCL

 

389.34, 389.34a, 389.41, 389.54, and 389.83. Except as provided in

 

section 302a, if a ballot question changing the number of school

 

board members or changing the terms of office for school board

 

members pursuant to section 11a of the revised school code, 1976 PA

 

451, MCL 380.11a, is proposed and a school district needs a

 

temporary variance from the terms of office provisions in this act

 

and the revised school code, 1976 PA 451, MCL 380.1 to 380.1852, to

 

phase in or out school board members' terms of office, the school

 

board shall submit the proposed ballot question language and a

 

proposed transition plan to the secretary of state at least 30 days

 

before the school board submits the ballot question language to the

 

school district election coordinator pursuant to section 312. The

 

secretary of state shall approve or reject the proposed transition

 

plan within 10 business days of receipt of the proposed transition

 

plan. The secretary of state shall approve the proposed transition

 

plan if the plan provides only temporary relief to the school

 

district from the terms of office provisions in this act and the

 

revised school code, 1976 PA 451, MCL 380.1 to 380.1852, until such

 


time that the terms of office for school board members can be made

 

to comply with this act and the revised school code, 1976 PA 451,

 

MCL 380.1 to 380.1852. The school board shall not submit the

 

proposed ballot question language to the school district election

 

coordinator pursuant to section 312 until the proposed transition

 

plan is approved by the secretary of state.

 

     (3) A school board member's term begins on 1 of the following

 

dates:

 

     (a) If elected at an election held on a November regular

 

election date, January 1 immediately following the election.

 

     (b) If elected at an election held on a May regular election

 

date, July 1 immediately following the election.

 

     Sec. 310. (1) Before entering upon the duties of his or her

 

office, an individual elected to the office of school board member

 

shall take and subscribe to the oath provided in section 1 of

 

article XI of the state constitution of 1963.

 

     (2) The office of a school board member becomes vacant

 

immediately, regardless of declaration by an officer or acceptance

 

by the school board or 1 or more of its members, upon any of the

 

following events:

 

     (a) The death of the school board member.

 

     (b) The school board member's being adjudicated insane or

 

being found to be a legally incapacitated individual by a court of

 

competent jurisdiction.

 

     (c) The school board member's resignation.

 

     (d) The school board member's removal from office.

 

     (e) The school board member's conviction for a felony.

 


     (f) The school board member's election or appointment being

 

declared void by a competent tribunal.

 

     (g) The school board member's neglect or failure to file the

 

acceptance of office, to take the oath of office, or to give or

 

renew an official bond required by law.

 

     (h) The school board member ceasing to possess the legal

 

qualifications for holding office.

 

     (i) The school board member moving his or her residence from

 

the school district.

 

     (j) The school board member's spouse, child, parent, or

 

sibling becoming an employee of the school district.