HOUSE BILL NO. 5458

February 04, 2020, Introduced by Reps. Yancey, Hornberger, Rabhi, Miller, Reilly, Eisen, Paquette, Steven Johnson, Yaroch, Hammoud, Sowerby, Bollin, Schroeder, Meerman, Hoitenga, Kuppa, Afendoulis, Berman, Hall and Brann and referred to the Committee on Tax Policy.

A bill to amend 1984 PA 270, entitled

"Michigan strategic fund act,"

by amending section 5 (MCL 125.2005), as amended by 2014 PA 507.

the people of the state of michigan enact:

Sec. 5. (1) There is created by this act a public body corporate and politic to be known as the Michigan strategic fund. The fund shall be within the department of treasury labor and economic opportunity and shall exercise its prescribed statutory powers, duties, and functions independently of the state treasurer. director of the department of labor and economic opportunity. The statutory authority, powers, duties, functions, records, personnel, property, unexpended balances of appropriations, allocations, and other funds of the fund, including the functions of budgeting, procurement, personnel, and management-related functions, shall be retained by the fund, and the fund shall be an autonomous entity within the department of treasury labor and economic opportunity in the same manner as the Michigan employment security commission was designated an autonomous entity within the Michigan department of labor under section 379 of the executive organization act of 1965, 1965 PA 380, MCL 16.479.

(2) Except as otherwise provided in this act, the purposes, powers, and duties of the Michigan strategic fund are vested in and shall be exercised by a board of directors.

(3) Except as provided in subsection (4), the board shall consist of the director of the department of licensing and regulatory affairs labor and economic opportunity or his or her designee from within the department of licensing and regulatory affairs, labor and economic opportunity, the state treasurer or his or her designee from within the department of treasury, the chief executive officer of the MEDC or his or her designee, and 6 other members with knowledge, skill, and experience in the academic, business, or financial field, who shall be appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the senate. None of the 6 members appointed under this section shall be employees of this state. Not less than 5 members of the board appointed under this subsection shall be members of the private sector. Five of the 6 members appointed under this subsection shall serve for fixed terms. Upon completion of each fixed term expiring after December 30, 2005, a member shall be appointed for a term of 4 years. Of the private sector members appointed by the governor for a fixed term, 1 shall be appointed from a list of 3 or more nominees of the speaker of the house of representatives representing persons within the private sector with experience in private equity or venture capital investments, commercial lending, or commercialization of technology and 1 shall be appointed from a list of 3 or more nominees of the senate majority leader representing persons within the private sector with experience in private equity or venture capital investments, commercial lending, or commercialization of technology. A member appointed under this subsection or subsection (4) shall serve until a successor is appointed, and a vacancy shall be filled for the balance of the unexpired term in the same manner as the original appointment. The member appointed under this subsection and serving without a fixed term shall serve at the pleasure of the governor. Of the members appointed under this subsection and subsection (4), there shall be minority, female, and small business representation. After December 31, 2005, at least 2 of the members of the board shall have experience in private equity or venture capital investments, at least 1 of the members shall have experience in commercial lending, and at least 1 of the members of the board shall have experience in commercialization of technology.

(4) In addition to the 9 members of the board under subsection (3), not later than December 15, 2005, the governor shall appoint, with the advice and consent of the senate, 2 additional members to the board for terms expiring December 31, 2007. After the initial appointments under this subsection, members appointed under this subsection shall be appointed for a term of 4 years. The members appointed under this subsection shall be from the private sector and shall have experience in private equity or venture capital investments, commercial lending, or commercialization of technology. From the date of the appointment of the members under this subsection until December 31, 2015, the board shall have 11 members. After December 31, 2015, the board shall have 9 members and no members shall be appointed under this subsection.

(5) The governor shall designate 1 member of the board to serve as its chairperson. The governor shall designate 1 member of the board to serve as president of the fund and may designate 1 member to serve as vice-president of the fund. The chairperson, president, and vice-president, if a vice-president is designated, shall serve as those officers at the pleasure of the governor.

(6) Members of the board shall serve without compensation for their membership on the board, except that members of the board may receive reasonable reimbursement for necessary travel and expenses.

(7) The board may delegate to its president, vice-president, staff, or others, including the MEDC, those functions and authority that the board deems necessary or appropriate, which may include the oversight and supervision of employees of the fund. However, responsibilities specifically vested in the board under chapter 8A shall be performed by the board and shall not be transferred to the MEDC, except that Michigan business development program incentives under section 88r, and community revitalization incentives under chapter 8C, of $1,000,000.00 or less can be authorized by the president of the fund.

(8) A majority of the members of the board appointed and serving constitutes a quorum for the transaction of business at a meeting, or the exercise of a power or function of the fund, notwithstanding the existence of 1 or more vacancies. The board may act only by resolution approved by a majority of board members appointed and serving. Voting upon action taken by the board shall be conducted by majority vote of the members appointed and serving. Members of the board may be present in person at a meeting of the board or, if authorized by the bylaws of the board, by use of telecommunications or other electronic equipment. The fund shall meet at the call of the chair and as may be provided in the bylaws of the fund. Meetings of the fund may be held anywhere within the state of Michigan.

(9) The business of the board shall be conducted at a public meeting of the board held in compliance with the open meetings act, 1976 PA 267, MCL 15.261 to 15.275. Public notice of the time, date, and place of the meeting shall be given in the manner required by the open meetings act, 1976 PA 267, MCL 15.261 to 15.275, and shall also be provided on an internet website operated by the fund. A record or portion of a record, material, or other data received, prepared, used, or retained by the fund or any of its centers in connection with an application to or with a project or product assisted by the fund or any of its centers or with an award, grant, loan, or investment that relates to financial or proprietary information submitted by the applicant that is considered by the applicant and acknowledged by the board or a designee of the board as confidential shall not be subject to the disclosure requirements of the freedom of information act, 1976 PA 442, MCL 15.231 to 15.246. The disclosure of a record concerning investment information described in section 88c under the freedom of information act, 1976 PA 442, MCL 15.231 to 15.246, is subject to the limitations provided in section 88c. The board may also meet in closed session pursuant to the open meetings act, 1976 PA 267, MCL 15.261 to 15.275, to make a determination of whether it acknowledges as confidential any financial or proprietary information submitted by the applicant and considered by the applicant as confidential. Unless considered proprietary information, the board shall not acknowledge routine financial information as confidential. If the board determines that information submitted to the fund is financial or proprietary information and is confidential, the board shall release a written statement, subject to disclosure under the freedom of information act, 1976 PA 442, MCL 15.231 to 15.246, that states all of the following:

(a) The name and business location of the person requesting that the information submitted be confidential as financial or proprietary information.

(b) That the information submitted was determined by the board to be confidential as financial or proprietary information.

(c) A broad nonspecific overview of the financial or proprietary information determined to be confidential.

(10) The fund shall not disclose financial or proprietary information not subject to disclosure pursuant to subsection (9) without consent of the applicant submitting the information.

(11) Any document to which the fund is a party evidencing a loan, insurance, mortgage, lease, venture, or other type of agreement the fund is authorized to enter into shall not be considered financial or proprietary information that may be exempt from disclosure under subsection (9).

(12) For purposes of subsections (9), (10), and (11), "financial or proprietary information" means information that has not been publicly disseminated or which is unavailable from other sources, the release of which might cause the applicant significant competitive harm.

(13) The board or its delegate shall not approve a grant, loan, award, tax credit, or other economic assistance under this act without posting proposed draft contract approval agreements, and, if produced for the specific project, briefing memoranda and term sheets on its website not less than 10 business days prior to approval. If the board or its delegate fails to post the proposed draft contract approval agreement and briefing memoranda and term sheets, if any, as provided under this subsection, then the decision of the board or its delegate is invalid and is not effective.