SOCC DETERMINATION APPROVAL
House Bill 4526
Sponsor: Rep. Jerry O. Kooiman
Committee: House Oversight and Operations
Complete to 5-16-01
A SUMMARY OF HOUSE BILL 4526 AS INTRODUCED 3-27-01
Currently, under Article IV, Section 12 of the state constitution, the State Officers Compensation Commission (SOCC) determines the salaries and expense allowances of the members of the legislature, the governor, the lieutenant governor, and the justices of the supreme court. Unless the legislature adopts, by a 2/3 vote of the members elected to and serving in each house, a concurrent resolution rejecting the salaries and expense allowances proposed by the SOCC, the salaries and expense allowances are implemented.
Public Act 357 of 1968 implements the SOCC provisions of the state constitution. The act provides, among other things, that the commission is to meet for not more than 15 session days beginning after July 1 of every even numbered year. Further, it requires the commission submit its determinations to the Clerk of the House of Representatives, the Secretary of the Senate, and the director of the Department of Management and Budget during the month of December of each even numbered year. The SOCC determinations are effective on the January 1 following their filing unless the legislature, by a 2/3 vote, rejects either the entire determinations or specific determinations for specific positions, by February 1 of the year following the filing of the determinations.
House Bill 4526 would amend Public Act 357 of 1968 to:
· Add the attorney general and the secretary of state to the list of state officers for whom the SOCC determined salaries and expense allowances.
· Require the SOCC to meet and submit its determinations each odd numbered year, rather than each even numbered year.
· Require that the determinations of the SOCC be made in three separate determinations, one each for the legislative branch, the executive branch, and the judicial branch.
· Provide that, if a determination did not exceed the existing salary and expense allowances by more than the total percentage increase in compensation for state classified civil service employees in the immediately preceding two calendar years, it would take effect immediately.
· Provide that, if a determination exceeded the increase in civil service compensation, the amount up to that level would take effect immediately, and the excess amount would take effect only upon a majority vote by each house of the legislature by February 1 of the year following the filing of the determinations. The bill would require both houses to take such a vote, and
would require that the Senate and the House of Representatives alternate which house originated the concurrent resolution to adopt the determination.
· Provide that, if a resolution to adopt a salary and expense determination in excess of the civil service compensation increase level were adopted, that portion of the determination over the level of the civil service increases would take effect for the next legislative session immediately following the next general election.
MCL 15.213 et al.
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This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan House staff for use by House members in their deliberations, and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.