WRONGFUL IMPRISONMENT COMPENSATION FUND                                 H.B. 4286 (H-1):

                                                                                                    SUMMARY OF BILL

                                                                                     REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE

House Bill 4286 (Substitute H-1 as reported without amendment)

Sponsor:  Representative Steven Johnson

House Committee:  Appropriations

Senate Committee:  Appropriations

CONTENT

The bill would amend the Wrongful Imprisonment Compensation Act to do the following:

-- Require the Attorney General to report quarterly certain information pertaining to the Wrongful Imprisonment Compensation Fund to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees, House and Senate Fiscal Agencies, and the State Budget Office.

-- Appropriate $10.0 million General Fund/General Purpose (GF/GP) to the Wrongful Imprisonment Compensation Fund for fiscal year (FY) 2018-19.

Under the Act, the State Treasurer is required to notify the Legislature when the Treasurer reasonably believes that within 60 days the money in the Fund will be insufficient to pay claims.

The bill also would require the Attorney General to report quarterly to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees, the House and Senate Fiscal Agencies, and the State Budget Office all of the following as of the end of the quarter:

-- All payments made from the Fund in the quarter, indicating for each payment whether it was for a new settlement or award or continued payments for a previous settlement or award.

-- Any settlements that had been reached or awards that had been made for which payments were made.

-- The number of actions in which an order or judgment was entered denying the claim and the reasons for each denial.

-- The number of known claims for compensation, for which there were no final settlements or awards, indicating for each claim, if known, the amount claimed and the potential payment.

-- The balance in the Fund.

In addition, the bill would appropriate $10.0 million GF/GP into the Wrongful Imprisonment Compensation Fund for FY 2018-19.

MCL 691.1756                                                                                                        

FISCAL IMPACT

The bill would cost the State $10.0 million GF/GP for the appropriation into the Wrongful Imprisonment Compensation Fund for FY 2018-19. The money in the Fund would remain until claims were paid out. The bill's reporting requirement would have no fiscal impact on the Department of Attorney General.

The bill would have no impact on local units of government.

Date Completed:  4-11-19                                                    Fiscal Analyst:  Cory Savino

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.