POSTING OF TWP. NOTICES S.B. 928: COMMITTEE SUMMARY
Senate Bill 928 (as introduced 1-22-04)
Sponsor: Senator Tom George
Committee: Local, Urban and State Affairs
Date Completed: 5-27-04
CONTENT
The bill would amend the Charter Township Act to allow a township board to publish its notices, ordinances, and proceedings in a newspaper, on a website, or by a posting in the office of the township clerk. The publication would have to include a description of the purpose or nature of the notice, ordinance or proceeding.
Under the Act, the proceedings of the township board must be published at least once each month. The publication of a synopsis of the proceedings, prepared by the township clerk and approved by the supervisor, showing the substance of each separate proceeding of the board is in compliance with this requirement.
Currently, the publication of all notices, ordinances, and proceedings for which a mode of publication is not prescribed by the Act or by ordinance, must be made in a newspaper published and circulated in the township. If a newspaper is not published or circulated in the township, then the publication must be in a newspaper published in the county in which the township is located, or must be made by a posting in the office of the township clerk and at least five other public places in the township. If publication is made by posting, a notice of the posting, setting forth the purpose or nature of the notice, ordinance, or proceeding posted, and the location of the places where posted, must be published at least once in a newspaper, as required above, within seven days after the posting. The bill would delete these provisions.
MCL 42.8 Legislative Analyst: J.P. Finet
FISCAL IMPACT
The bill would have no effect on local government revenue but could reduce local government expenditures by an unknown amount. The bill would have no fiscal impact on State government. It is not known how many, or which, townships would choose to change their publication methods under the bill, but to the extent that changes were made, the bill would provide for lower-cost options for the publication of notices, ordinances, and proceedings.
This analysis is preliminary and will be revised as new information becomes available.
Fiscal Analyst: David Zin
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. sb928/0304