SENATE BILL NO. 577

October 11, 2023, Introduced by Senators OUTMAN and DALEY and referred to the Committee on Veterans and Emergency Services.

A bill to amend 1973 PA 139, entitled

"An act to provide forms of county government; to provide for county managers and county executives and to prescribe their powers and duties; to abolish certain departments, boards, commissions, and authorities; to provide for transfer of certain powers and functions; to prescribe powers of a board of county commissioners and elected officials; to provide organization of administrative functions; to transfer property; to retain ordinances and laws not inconsistent with this act; to provide methods for abolition of a unified form of county government; and to prescribe penalties and provide remedies,"

by amending section 4 (MCL 45.554), as amended by 1980 PA 100.

the people of the state of michigan enact:

Sec. 4. (1) On the date the optional unified form of county government becomes effective, all appointed boards, commissions, and authorities except the apportionment commission, airport zoning board of appeals, board of county canvassers, board of determination for a drainage district, civil service commission, county drainage board, county department of veterans' affairs administrative committee or soldiers' relief commission, concealed weapons licensing board, election commission, jury commission, library commission, parks and recreation commission, social services board, tax allocation board, a board established to oversee retirement programs, a plat board, a mental health board, a hospital board, an intercounty drainage board, and a building authority established by the county individually or in conjunction with another unit of government and the boards of county road commissioners; and all elective county offices except those of county commissioner, prosecuting attorney, clerk, register of deeds, treasurer, sheriff, and drain commissioner are abolished and the tenure of persons individuals holding the office or appointment is terminated. Termination shall take takes effect whether or not it coincides with the end of a term of office or appointment. All county departments in conflict with the departmental organization established by this act are abolished. As used in this act, "department" or "county department" shall not include boards of county road commissioners.

(2) On the date the optional unified form of county government becomes effective, powers vested in an abolished office, board, commission, authority, or department shall become general county government powers, and functions performed by the abolished office, board, commission, authority, or department shall must be administered by the county executive or county manager in the manner determined by the county board of commissioners.

(3) A board or commission which that is excepted from this act pursuant to under subsection (1) shall exercise the its powers and duties as provided by law.

(4) The power vested in the office of county prosecuting attorney, county sheriff, county register of deeds, county clerk, county treasurer, county drain commissioner, or the board of county road commissioners, shall not be is not minimized or divested by this act.

(5) The method of appointing veterans to and the power vested in a county department of veterans' affairs administrative committee pursuant to Act No. 192 of the Public Acts of 1953, as amended, being sections 35.621 to 35.624 of the Michigan Compiled Laws, under 1953 PA 192, MCL 35.621 to 35.624, or a soldiers' relief commission pursuant to Act No. 214 of the Public Acts of 1899, as amended, being sections 35.21 to 35.27 of the Michigan Compiled Laws, shall not be under 1899 PA 214, MCL 35.21 to 35.30, is not affected, minimized, or divested, except as follows:

(a) Budgeting, procurement, office facilities and equipment, employment, and related management functions shall must be performed under the direction and supervision of the county manager or executive.

(b) The employment of a veterans' service officer shall be is subject to approval of the department of veterans' affairs administrative committee or soldiers' relief commission.

(6) As used in this act, "department" or "county department" does not include boards of county road commissioners.

Enacting section 1. This amendatory act does not take effect unless Senate Bill No. 576 of the 102nd Legislature is enacted into law.