VET FACILITY AUTHORITY; MODIFY                                    S.B. 1109 (S-1) & 1110 (S-1):

                                                                                                    SUMMARY OF BILL

                                                                                     REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE

Senate Bill 1109 (Substitute S-1 as reported)

Senate Bill 1110 (Substitute S-1 as reported)

Sponsor:  Senator Winnie Brinks (S.B. 1109)

               Senator Tom Barrett (S.B. 1110)

Committee:  Families, Seniors, and Veterans

CONTENT

Senate Bill 1110 (S-1) would amend the Michigan's Veteran's Facility Authority Act to do the following:

-- Require the Michigan Veterans' Facility Authority to provide general oversight and governance of Michigan Veteran Homes and veterans' facilities in the State.

-- Provide the Authority the power to review and revise a system of oversight and governance for Michigan Veteran Homes.

-- Prescribe the eligibility requirements for admission to a veterans' facility in the State to include a veteran eligible for United States Department of Veterans Affairs' health care or financial assistance for long-term nursing or day care and a dependent of a veteran who met certain requirements.

-- Require each veteran and dependent to agree to pay Michigan Veteran Homes a sum based on his or her income and assets as a condition of admission to a facility and specify that a failure to do so would be cause for dismissal.

-- Require the Michigan Veteran Homes to determine annually the per diem maintenance rate and present the rate to the Board for approval.

-- Require the Authority to provide fiduciary oversight, in coordination with the State Treasury, for all funds held by Michigan Veteran Homes on behalf of members residing at each veterans' facility.

-- Require the Authority and Michigan Veteran Homes to create and maintain a Charitable Support Fund into which certain funds created by public acts that the bill would repeal would have to be deposited.

-- No later than January 1, April 1, July 1, and October 1 of each year, require Michigan Veteran Homes on behalf of the Authority, or a successor entity, to submit a quarterly report in writing to the Governor and certain Senate and House committees that contained certain information for each State veterans' facility, including the staffing levels and extent that staffing levels do or do not meet industry standards, among other things.

Senate Bill 1109 (S-1) would amend the Michigan's Veteran's Facility Authority Act to do the following:

-- Create an appeals board within the Michigan Veterans' Facility Authority that would be responsible for hearing all appeals regarding admissions decisions, involuntary dismissals, requests for internment at a cemetery maintained and managed by the Michigan Veteran Homes, and any other responsibilities delegated to the appeals board by the Authority board.

-- Prescribe the membership and appointment process for the appeals board.

-- Specify that a decision of the appeals board would be considered the decision of the Authority and could be appealed to the circuit court as provided by law.

-- Allow the Authority board to review and alter any decision of the appeals board.

The bills are tie-barred. Senate Bill 1110 also would repeal several public acts: Public Act 152 of 1885, which establishes and prescribes the duties of the State Veterans' Facility of Michigan and specifies the eligibility for admission into a veterans' facility in Michigan; Public Act 15 of 1921, which specifies the qualifications for admission into a veterans' facility in Michigan for widows, widowers, former spouses, and spouses of any member of the United States Armed Forces; Public Act 54 of 1901, which provides the appointment of a guardian for members of the Michigan Soldiers' Home in certain cases; and Public Act 313 of 1905, which provides for the disposition of money accumulated in the Post Fund and Posthumous Fund of the Michigan Soldiers' Home.

Proposed MCL 36.106b (S.B. 1109)                             Legislative Analyst:  Tyler VanHuyse

              MCL 36.102 et al. (S.B. 1110)

FISCAL IMPACT

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

Date Completed:  12-8-20                                                    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.