MAC Applauds Bishop and Dillon's Support of Mandates Commission Report

LANSING, Mich., Feb. 24 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Citing an astonishing figure of $2.6 billion in 2009 for unfunded state mandated services conducted by local units of government, Senator Majority Leader Bishop (R-Oakland County) and House Speaker Dillon (D-Wayne County) held a press conference today with members of the Legislative Commission on Statutory Mandates announcing their support of the commission's final report. Speaker Dillon announced that the House would quickly take action on adopting legislation to implement the report's recommendations. That legislation is embodied in House Bills 5766 and 5799-5802. The bills have been referred to the House Judiciary Committee and are aimed at getting Michigan in compliance with the Headlee provision of the state's constitution. Likewise, Majority Leader Bishop indicated that similar bills would be introduced and have hearings held in the Senate in the near future.

Commission members Amanda Van Dusen and Dennis Pollard outlined the specific recommendations in the report which are embodied in the House bills and are as follows:

1. House Bills 5766 and 5801 would require a fiscal note to be attached to each piece of legislation prior to passage indicating the cost to local units of government as well as requiring the House and Senate Fiscal agencies to compile a report of the state's compliance with the Headlee amendment (requires the state to provide funding for local mandates).  
2. House Bill 5799 would amend the Administrative Procedures Act to forbid state administrative rules from taking effect that would create new or expanded unfunded mandates.
3. House Bill 5800 would amend the Revised Judicature Act to streamline legal remedies local units of government have against unfunded state mandates as previous lawsuits against the state, such as the Durant case, which took 17 years.
4. House Bill 5802 removes penalties for local units who do not comply with mandates if the mandate is unfunded, and if new laws are passed and adequate appropriations for the mandate are not made within 6 months, the mandate would become optional.

MAC is grateful to the members of the commission for their hard work and applauds the House and Senate leaders for endorsing the report. "Michigan's counties believe this will go a long way toward changing the culture in Lansing to a more cooperative approach, and ultimately compliance with the state constitution," said MAC President Larry Emig (Osceola County).  "This report affirms what we have already known for years. We applaud the commission's efforts and encourage the legislature to swiftly implement their recommendations."

SOURCE Michigan Association of Counties