UNIFORM BAR EXAMINATION SCORE                                       H.B. 5541 (H-1):

                                                                                         SUMMARY OF BILL

                                                                         REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE

House Bill 5541 (Substitute H-1 as reported without amendment)

Sponsor:  Representative Andrew Fink

House Committee:  Judiciary

Senate Committee:  Judiciary and Public Safety

CONTENT

The bill would amend the Revised Judicature Act to do the following:

-- Allow an individual to use a Uniform Bar Examination (UBE) score that the individual achieved on a UBE administered in another state or territory when applying for admission to the State Bar of Michigan, if certain requirements were met.

-- Allow the Board of Law Examiners to administer in conjunction with the UBE a Michigan-law-specific component as part of the requirements for admission to the State Bar.

-- Specify that an individual who elected to use a Multistate Bar Examination scaled score could not receive a portable UBE score.

-- Prescribe a $400 fee for admission to the State Bar by UBE score transfer.

MCL 600.931 et al.                                    Legislative Analyst:  Stephen Jackson

FISCAL IMPACT

The bill would have an indeterminate fiscal impact on the Supreme Court Administration line item, which receives law examination fees collected by the Board of Law Examiners and uses them to compensate Board members and to administer the Michigan Bar Examination. It is not clear if the fee proposed for the UBE would generate equivalent revenue. For the current year, law examination fee revenue generates just under $760,000.

Date Completed:  3-14-22                                 Fiscal Analyst:  Michael Siracuse

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.