SENATE BILL NO. 983
June 24, 2020, Introduced by Senators
MACGREGOR, STAMAS, SHIRKEY, VANDERWALL and SCHMIDT and referred to the
Committee on Families, Seniors, and Veterans.
A bill to amend 1994 PA 204, entitled
"The children's ombudsman act,"
by amending section 3 (MCL 722.923), as amended by 2004 PA 560.
the people of the state of michigan enact:
Sec. 3. (1) As a means of effecting changes in policy,
procedure, and legislation, educating the public, investigating and reviewing
actions of the department, child placing agencies, or child caring
institutions, monitoring and ensuring compliance with relevant statutes, rules,
and policies pertaining to children's protective services and the placement,
supervision, treatment, and improving delivery of care of children in foster
care and adoptive homes, the children's ombudsman is established as an
autonomous entity in the department
of management and budget.within the legislative council.
(2) The governor legislative council shall appoint an
individual as the ombudsman, with the advice and consent of the senate. The
individual shall must be qualified by training and
experience to perform the duties and exercise the powers of the children's
ombudsman and the children's ombudsman office as provided in this act.
(3) The governor legislative council may remove the
children's ombudsman from office for cause that includes, but is not limited
to, incompetency to properly exercise duties, official misconduct, habitual or
willful neglect of duty, or other misfeasance or malfeasance in connection with
the operation of the office of the children's ombudsman. The governor legislative council shall report the
reason for the removal to the legislature.
(4) The children's ombudsman serving in office on the effective date of the amendatory act that added amended this subsection shall serve at the pleasure of the governor.legislative council.