January 14, 2010, Introduced by Rep. Hammel and referred to the Committee on Intergovernmental and Regional Affairs.
A bill to amend 1961 PA 236, entitled
"Revised judicature act of 1961,"
by amending section 2568 (MCL 600.2568), as added by 2002 PA 698.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:
Sec. 2568. (1) Each county in this state shall establish an
automation fund, and that fund shall receive money deposited by the
register of deeds of the county in accordance with section 2567.
The county treasurer shall direct investment of the fund and shall
credit to the fund interest and earnings from fund investments.
(2)
The Except as otherwise
provided in subsection (4), the
county register of deeds of each county shall expend the fees
credited to the fund under section 2567 subject to an appropriation
under the uniform budgeting and accounting act, 1968 PA 2, MCL
141.421 to 141.440a, for upgrading technology in the register of
deeds office, with priority given to upgrading search capabilities.
Upgrading includes the design and purchase of equipment and
supplies, and implementation of systems and procedures that allow
the register of deeds to receive, enter, record, certify, index,
store, search, retrieve, copy, and otherwise process by automated
procedures and advanced technology documents, instruments,
abstracts, maps, plats, and other items recorded and maintained by
the register of deeds.
(3) Not later than 90 days after the effective date of the
amendatory act that added this subsection, each register of deeds
shall begin to implement procedures to process and make available
all items recorded, compiled, or maintained by that register of
deeds, using the automated procedures and advanced technology
described in subsection (2) to the maximum extent feasible
utilizing the fund created under subsection (1).
(4)
Four years after the effective date of the amendatory act
that
added this section, the register of deeds of each county shall
prepare
a report to the legislature that addresses, but is not
limited
to, each of the following issues:
(a)
The progress that has been made by the register of deeds
since
the effective date of the amendatory act that added this
section
in achieving a goal of timely processing of recordable
instruments.
(b)
The extent to which the register of deeds has made records
in
the register's possession computer accessible by way of internet
websites
or other on-line media.
(5)
The reports required under subsection (4) may be compiled
into
a single report by an agent of the county registers of deeds
before
it is submitted to the legislature.
(4) The county board of commissioners may, by appropriate
action, transfer any amount in the automation fund to the county
general fund.