WAIVER OF ICHAT FEE FOR ANIMAL SHELTER                                            S.B. 220 (S-1):

                                                                                                    SUMMARY OF BILL

                                                                                      REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE

Senate Bill 220 (Substitute S-1 as reported)

Sponsor:  Senator Steven Bieda

Committee:  Judiciary

CONTENT

The bill would amend Public Act 120 of 1935, which provides for the recording and filing of fingerprints by the Michigan Department of State Police (MSP), to specify that the fee for processing and completing a name-based criminal record check could not be charged if the check were requested by a nonprofit animal control shelter or animal protection shelter conducting a background check through the Internet Criminal History Access Tool (ICHAT) for purposes of animal adoption.

The MSP would have to perform the fee-waived background check solely for the person adopting an animal.

The bill also would extend by one year, until October 1, 2016, the MSP's authority to charge a fee of up to $30 for a fingerprint-based criminal record check and a fee of $10 for a name-based criminal record check.

The bill would take effect 90 days after its enactment.

MCL 28.273                                                            Legislative Analyst:  Patrick Affholter

FISCAL IMPACT

The bill would have a minimal fiscal impact on the Department of State Police by requiring an ICHAT fee waiver for animal shelters. Any additional administrative cost incurred due to the proposed fee waiver would be assumed through existing Department resources.

The bill also would have a significant impact on the FY 2015-16 budget for the MSP by delaying for one year the sunset on the collection of fees for criminal background checks. Built into the FY 2015-16 MSP budget as recommended by the Governor, Senate, and House is $13.6 million from the fees addressed in the bill ($6.4 million from fingerprint fees and $7.2 million in name check fees), which would provide the funding for these processing services within MSP's Criminal Justice Information Center.

Date Completed:  5-11-15                                                     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.