UNIVERSITY ORDINANCES: FINES S.B. 1196: FLOOR SUMMARY
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Senate Bill 1196 (as reported without amendment)
Sponsor: Senator Alan L. Cropsey
Committee: Education

CONTENT
The bill would amend Public Act 291 of 1967 (which deals with traffic ordinances at State universities and colleges) to specify that if the governing board of a State university or college enacted an ordinance substantially corresponding to a provision of the Michigan Vehicle Code, a civil fine for that infraction could not exceed the maximum civil fine for the corresponding provision described in Section 907 of the Code.


Public Act 291 authorizes the governing board of a State university or college to enact parking, traffic, and pedestrian ordinances for the control of its campus. The governing board must specify whether a particular violation is a misdemeanor or a civil infraction.


If a violation is designated a civil infraction, the governing board may establish civil sanctions for the infraction, although a civil fine generally may not exceed $25. If the governing board establishes civil sanctions for a violation of an ordinance that prohibits parking in a space reserved for use by persons with disabilities substantially corresponding to a section of the Michigan Vehicle Code, the board must establish a civil fine of at least $50 and not more than $100. The bill would delete these provisions.


MCL 390.892a Legislative Analyst: Curtis Walker

FISCAL IMPACT
The bill would have no fiscal impact on State government but could affect revenue collected by State universities, community colleges, and local units of government. The bill would allow universities and colleges to increase civil fines, limited to the maximum civil fine for the substantially corresponding provision of the Michigan Vehicle Code. For example, currently the civil fine for violations of university and college ordinances related to parking in spaces reserved for use by persons with disabilities is not less than $50 or more than $100. The corresponding provision of the Michigan Vehicle Code provides for a civil fine from $100 to a maximum of $250.


To the extent that university and community college governing boards changed the civil fines they are currently charging for infractions, different levels of revenue could be collected. The bill also could affect revenue of local units of government, if it resulted in more citations being issued under ordinances instead of the Michigan Vehicle Code.


Date Completed: 6-24-10 Fiscal Analyst: Bill Bowerman Ellen Jeffries

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. sb1196/0910