SALVAGE VEHICLE INSPECTORS; APPEAL                                                H.B. 4185 (S-1):

                                                                                                    SUMMARY OF BILL

                                                                                      REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE

House Bill 4185 (Substitute S-1 as reported)

Sponsor:  Representative Julie Plawecki

House Committee:  Regulatory Reform

Senate Committee:  Regulatory Reform

CONTENT

The bill would amend the Michigan Vehicle Code to do the following:

-- Require the Secretary of State (SOS) to notify an officer and the law enforcement agency for which the officer was performing inspections if the officer's certificate for salvage vehicle inspection were revoked, suspended, or denied under certain circumstances, and allow the law enforcement agency to appeal that decision.

-- Allow an officer whose appeal was denied to reapply for a new certificate not earlier than five years after the revocation.

-- Prohibit a local police agency from appointing a previously certified police officer to conduct salvage vehicle inspections if the officer's certificate for salvage vehicle inspection had been suspended, revoked, or denied.

-- Allow an employee of the Department of State to be considered an officer specially trained as provided, and authorized, by the SOS to conduct a salvage vehicle inspection.

-- Allow the SOS to suspend, revoke, or deny a certificate for salvage vehicle inspection if it determined that an officer charged a fee in excess of the fee described under the Code.

-- Require a specially trained salvage inspection officer to certify that any repairs performed on a vehicle were done in a workmanlike manner by a properly licensed mechanic in the appropriate specialty, before the SOS issued a certificate of title or registration plates for a vehicle for which a salvage certificate of title was issued.

-- Require a fee charged by a police agency for a vehicle inspection to be deposited with the Department of State if the inspection were conducted by a Department employee, and require the fee to be used for administration of the Salvage Vehicle Inspection Program.

-- Allow, instead of require, a local police agency to compensate an off-duty and limited enforcement police officer for a salvage vehicle inspection.

MCL 257.217c                                                         Legislative Analyst:  Drew Krogulecki

FISCAL IMPACT

The bill could have an indeterminate fiscal impact on the Department of State.  According to the Department, an appeal under the bill could cost as much as $5,000.  Currently, there is way estimate how many appeals the Department would have to hear on an annual basis; therefore, the cost is indeterminate and dependent on the number of appeals ultimately heard. Depending on the number of appeals, the costs could be absorbed within the Department's annual appropriations. If those funds were not sufficient, additional funding would need to be appropriated. The bill would have no fiscal impact on local government.

Date Completed:  12-5-16                                                    Fiscal Analyst:  Joe Carrasco

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.