POLICE AND FIRE PROTECTION; "QUALIFIED CITY"                                     H.B. 4281 (H-2):

                                                                                                                                        SUMMARY OF DISCHARGED BILL

House Bill 4281 (Substitute H-2 as discharged)

Sponsor:   Representative Alex Garza

House Committee:   Local Government and Municipal Finance

Senate Committee:   Local Government (discharged)

CONTENT

The bill would amend Public Act 33 of 1951, which provides for police and fire protection services by townships, villages, and qualified cities, to modify the definition of "qualified city".

The Act allows township boards and the boards of adjoining townships to establish and maintain police and fire departments; purchase police and fire equipment, vehicles, and housing; defray the cost by special assessment, with voter approval; and take other authorized actions. The Act specifies that any reference to townships applies to townships, incorporated villages, and qualified cities; and that any reference to township boards applies to township boards and the legislative bodies of incorporated villages and qualified cities.

Currently, "qualified city" means either of the following:

 --     A city with a population of less than 15,000.

 --     A city with a population of 15,000 or more and less than 70,000 located in a county with a population of more than 180,000 and less than 215,000, if the question of raising money by special assessment and the amount of the special assessment to be levied annually under this act is approved by a majority of the electors in the special assessment district.

Under the bill, where the Act refers to 15,000, the bill instead would refer to 15,500. Also, "qualified city" would include a city that is located in a county with a population of 1.5 million and that city contains a qualified airport as defined by the Aeronautics Code (i.e., an airport, other than a military airport, that has 10 million or more enplanements in any 12-month period), if the question of raising money by special assessment and the amount of special assessment to be levied annually under the Act is approved by a majority of the electors in the special assessment district. The amount of the special assessment to be levied annually could not be increased unless that increase was first approved by a majority of electors in the special assessment district.

MCL 41.810                                                                                       Legislative Analyst:   Christian Schmidt

FISCAL IMPACT

The bill would have no fiscal impact on the State, and no direct fiscal impact on local units of government. The bill would expand the number of possible qualified cites under the Act, but since the Act is permissive, the fiscal impact would depend on the actions of those local units.

Date Completed:   11-2-21                                                                           Fiscal Analyst:   Ryan Bergan

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.