COUNTY DEPT. OF VETERANS' AFFAIRS H.B. 4970 (H-1):
SUMMARY OF HOUSE-PASSED BILL
IN COMMITTEE
House Bill 4970 (Substitute H-1 as passed by the House)
Sponsor: Representative Sam Singh
House Committee: Military and Veteran Affairs
Senate Committee: Veterans, Military Affairs and Homeland Security
CONTENT
The bill would amend Public Act 192 of 1953, which provides for the creation of a county department of veterans' affairs, to do the following:
-- Increase from five to seven the maximum membership of a committee administering a county department.
-- Revise the service requirement for committee members.
-- Require at least one committee member, rather than all members, to be appointed upon the recommendation of the posts of each chartered veterans' organization in the county.
-- Require a committee to have at least one independent member who "may or may not" be a member of a congressionally chartered veterans' organization.
The Act allows a county board of commissioners to create a county department of veterans' affairs, which must be under the administration of a committee of three to five veterans appointed by the board. Under the bill, the committee would have to consist of three to seven appointed veterans.
Currently, committee members must be residents of the county who have served honorably on active duty in the U.S. armed forces or have served actively in the U.S. armed forces in a war or received an armed forces campaign or service medal. Under the bill, committee members would have to be county residents who had served honorably on active duty in the U.S. armed forces.
The Act requires that each member appointed to a committee be appointed upon the recommendation of the posts of each chartered veterans' organization within the county. Under the bill, the committee would have to include at least one member representing a congressionally chartered veterans' organization within the county, to be appointed upon the recommendation of the posts of each chartered veterans' organization within the county. The committee also would have to include at least one independent member who could be, but would not have to be, a member of a congressionally chartered veterans' organization.
The bill would take effect 90 days after its enactment.
MCL 35.621 Legislative Analyst: Patrick Affholter
FISCAL IMPACT
The bill would have no fiscal impact on State government. A county that expanded the size of its veterans' affairs committee pursuant to the authority in the bill would have increased costs of a minimal amount because the additional committee members would be eligible for per diem and mileage for attending meetings.
Fiscal Analyst: Elizabeth Pratt
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.