SENATE BILL No. 771

 

 

October 9, 2003, Introduced by Senator EMERSON and referred to the Committee on Local, Urban and State Affairs.

 

 

        

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                 A bill to amend 1990 PA 72, entitled                                              

                                                                                

    "Local government fiscal responsibility act,"                               

                                                                                

    by amending section 21 (MCL 141.1221), as amended by 2002 PA                

                                                                                

    408.                                                                        

                                                                                

                THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:                      

                                                                                

1       Sec. 21.  An emergency financial manager may take 1 or more                 

                                                                                

2   of the following additional actions with respect to  the  a unit            

                                                                                

3   of local government in which a financial emergency has been                 

                                                                                

4   determined to exist:                                                        

                                                                                

5       (a) Analyze factors and circumstances contributing to the                   

                                                                                

6   financial condition of the unit of local government and recommend           

                                                                                

7   steps to be taken to correct the condition.                                 

                                                                                

8       (b) Amend, revise, approve, or disapprove the budget of the                 

                                                                                

9   unit of local government, and limit the total amount appropriated           

                                                                                

10  or expended during the balance of the financial emergency.                  

                                                                                


                                                                                

1       (c) Require and approve or disapprove, or amend or revise a                 

                                                                                

2   plan for  liquidating  paying all outstanding  debt  obligations            

                                                                                

3   of the unit of local government.                                            

                                                                                

4       (d) Require and prescribe the form of special reports to be                 

                                                                                

5   made by the finance officer of the unit of local government to              

                                                                                

6   its governing body, the creditors of the unit of local                      

                                                                                

7   government, the emergency financial manager, or the public.                 

                                                                                

8       (e) Examine all records and books of account, and require                   

                                                                                

9   under the procedures of the uniform budgeting and accounting act,           

                                                                                

10  1968 PA 2, MCL 141.421 to 141.440a, or 1919 PA 71, MCL 21.41 to             

                                                                                

11  21.55, or both, the attendance of witnesses and the production of           

                                                                                

12  books, papers, contracts, and other documents relevant to an                

                                                                                

13  analysis of the financial condition of the unit of local                    

                                                                                

14  government.                                                                 

                                                                                

15      (f) Make, approve, or disapprove any appropriation, contract,               

                                                                                

16  expenditure, or loan, the creation of any new position, or the              

                                                                                

17  filling of any vacancy in a permanent position by any appointing            

                                                                                

18  authority.                                                                  

                                                                                

19      (g) Review payrolls or other claims against the unit of local               

                                                                                

20  government before payment.                                                  

                                                                                

21      (h) Exercise all of the authority of the unit of local                      

                                                                                

22  government to renegotiate existing labor contracts and act as an            

                                                                                

23  agent of the unit of local government in collective bargaining              

                                                                                

24  with employees or representatives and approve any contract or               

                                                                                

25  agreement.                                                                  

                                                                                

26      (i)  Unless prohibited by law or charter, to  Notwithstanding               

                                                                                

27  any provision of a charter, consolidate departments of the unit             


                                                                                

1   of local government or transfer functions from 1 department to              

                                                                                

2   another and to appoint, supervise, and, at his or her discretion,           

                                                                                

3   remove heads of departments other than elected officials.                   

                                                                                

4       (j) Employ or contract for, at the expense of the unit of                   

                                                                                

5   local government and with the approval of the local emergency               

                                                                                

6   financial assistance loan board, auditors and other technical               

                                                                                

7   personnel considered necessary to implement this article.                   

                                                                                

8       (k) Require compliance with the orders of the emergency                     

                                                                                

9   financial manager by court action if necessary.                             

                                                                                

10                                                                               (l) Except as restricted by  charter or otherwise  law, sell                        

                                                                                

11  or otherwise use the assets of the unit of local government to              

                                                                                

12  meet past or current obligations, provided the use of assets for            

                                                                                

13  this purpose does not endanger the public health, safety, or                

                                                                                

14  welfare of residents of the unit of local government.                       

                                                                                

15      (m) Apply for a loan from the state on behalf of the unit of                

                                                                                

16  local government, subject to the conditions of the emergency                

                                                                                

17  municipal loan act, 1980 PA 243, MCL 141.931 to 141.942, in a               

                                                                                

18  sufficient amount to pay the expenses of the emergency financial            

                                                                                

19  manager and for other lawful purposes.                                      

                                                                                

20      (n) Approve or disapprove of the issuance of obligations of                 

                                                                                

21  the unit of local government on behalf of the municipality,                 

                                                                                

22  subject to the conditions of the revised municipal finance act,             

                                                                                

23  2001 PA 34, MCL 141.2101 to 141.2821, and the revenue bond act of           

                                                                                

24  1933, 1933 PA 94, MCL 141.101 to 141.140.                                   

                                                                                

25      (o) Enter into agreements with other units of local                         

                                                                                

26  governments  government or the state for the provision of                  

                                                                                

27  services.                                                                   


                                                                                

1       (p) Exercise the authority and responsibilities of the chief                

                                                                                

2   administrative officer and governing body concerning the                    

                                                                                

3   adoption, amendment, and enforcement of ordinances or resolutions           

                                                                                

4   affecting the financial condition of the unit of local government           

                                                                                

5   as provided in the following acts:                                          

                                                                                

6                                                                                (i) The home rule city act, 1909 PA 279, MCL 117.1 to                               

                                                                                

7   117.38.                                                                     

                                                                                

8       (ii) The fourth class city act, 1895 PA 215, MCL 81.1 to                     

                                                                                

9   113.20.                                                                     

                                                                                

10      (iii) The charter township act, 1947 PA 359, MCL 42.1 to                     

                                                                                

11  42.34.                                                                      

                                                                                

12      (iv) 1851 PA 156, MCL 46.1 to 46.32.                                         

                                                                                

13      (v) 1966 PA 293, MCL 45.501 to 45.521.                                      

                                                                                

14      (vi) The general law village act, 1895 PA 3, MCL 61.1 to                     

                                                                                

15  74.25.                                                                      

                                                                                

16      (vii) The home rule village act, 1909 PA 278, MCL 78.1 to                    

                                                                                

17  78.28.                                                                      

                                                                                

18      (q) Reduce, suspend, or eliminate the salary, or other                      

                                                                                

19  compensation of the chief administrative officer and members of             

                                                                                

20  the governing body of the unit of local government during the               

                                                                                

21  financial emergency.  This subdivision does not authorize an                

                                                                                

22  emergency financial manager to impair vested retirement                     

                                                                                

23  benefits.  If an emergency financial manager has reduced,                   

                                                                                

24  suspended, or eliminated the salary or other compensation of the            

                                                                                

25  chief administrative officer and members of the governing body of           

                                                                                

26  a unit of local government before the effective date of the                 

                                                                                

27  amendatory act that added this subdivision, the reduction,                  


                                                                                

1   suspension, or elimination is valid to the same extent had it               

                                                                                

2   occurred after the effective date of the amendatory act that                

                                                                                

3   added this subdivision.