SOIL CONSERVATION DISTRICT                                                             H.B. 4132 (S-2):

                                                                                                      FLOOR SUMMARY

House Bill 4132 (Substitute S-2 as reported by the Committee of the Whole)

Sponsor:  Representative Peter Pettalia

House Committee:  Natural Resources

Senate Committee:  Natural Resources, Environment and Great Lakes

CONTENT

The bill would amend Part 93 (Soil Conservation Districts) of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act to do the following with regard to the certification of conservation district board elections and the filling of board vacancies:

-- Require the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural MDARD to notify a district of its determination on election certification within 90 days after the election.

-- Require the board to call a special election rather than appoint directors to fill vacancies if MDARD did not certify the election.

-- Require vacancies to be filled at the district's next annual meeting if MDARD could not certify the elections from a special election at least 120 days before the meeting.

-- Require MDARD to appoint directors to fill vacancies if a board had insufficient directors to fill a quorum, and provide that the appointees would serve until new members were elected at the next annual meeting and the Department certified the election.

-- Provide that new members who were elected to fill vacancies would serve for the remainder of the vacated terms.

In addition, the bill would do the following:

-- Eliminate a provision limiting the per diem that a district director may be paid to the per diem paid to a member of the Commission of Agriculture and Rural Development.

-- Specify that providing legal services requested by a district board would be at the Attorney General's discretion.

MCL 324.9307                                                              Legislative Analyst:  Julie Cassidy

FISCAL IMPACT

The bill would have no fiscal impact on State or local government.

Date Completed:  6-19-13                                                     Fiscal Analyst:  Bruce Baker

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.