September 23, 2007, Introduced by Senators CLARKE, BASHAM, SANBORN, ALLEN and CROPSEY and referred to the Committee on Government Operations and Reform.
A joint resolution proposing an amendment to the state
constitution of 1963, by amending section 53 of article IV, to
expand the audit authority of the auditor general.
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
state of Michigan, That the following amendment to the state
constitution of 1963, to expand the audit authority of the auditor
general, is proposed, agreed to, and submitted to the people of the
state:
ARTICLE IV
Sec. 53. The legislature by a majority vote of the members
elected to and serving in each house, shall appoint an auditor
general, who shall be a certified public accountant licensed to
practice
in this state, to serve for a term of eight years. He The
auditor general shall be ineligible for appointment or election to
any other public office in this state from which compensation is
derived while serving as auditor general and for two years
following
the termination of his or her service. He The auditor
general may be removed for cause at any time by a two-thirds vote
of the members elected to and serving in each house. The auditor
general shall conduct post audits of financial transactions and
accounts
of the state, and of all branches, departments, offices,
boards, commissions, agencies, authorities, and institutions of the
state established by this constitution or by law, of local units of
government, of local school districts, and of intermediate school
districts, and performance post audits thereof.
The auditor general upon direction by the legislature may
employ independent accounting firms or legal counsel and may make
investigations
pertinent to the conduct of audits. He The auditor
general shall report annually to the legislature and to the
governor and at such other times as he or she deems necessary or as
required
by the legislature. He The
auditor general shall be
assigned no duties other than those specified in this section.
Nothing in this section shall be construed in any way to
infringe the responsibility and constitutional authority of the
governing boards of the institutions of higher education to be
solely responsible for the control and direction of all
expenditures from the institutions' funds.
The auditor general, his or her deputy and one other member of
his or her staff shall be exempt from classified civil service. All
other members of his or her staff shall have classified civil
service status.
Resolved further, That the foregoing amendment shall be
submitted to the people of the state at the next general election
in the manner provided by law.