June 11, 2014, Introduced by Reps. MacMaster and Franz and referred to the Committee on Military and Veterans Affairs.
A bill to amend 1953 PA 192, entitled
"An act to create a county department of veterans' affairs in
certain counties, and to prescribe its powers and duties; and to
transfer the powers and duties of the soldiers' relief commission
in such counties,"
by amending section 1 (MCL 35.621), as amended by 2012 PA 235.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:
Sec. 1. (1) The county board of commissioners may create a
county department of veterans' affairs. The department shall be
under the administration of a committee of 3 to 5 veterans,
appointed by the county board of commissioners, who, except as
otherwise provided in subsection (2), shall be residents of the
county, and who have served honorably on active duty in the United
States armed forces or who served actively in the United States
armed forces in a war or received an armed forces campaign or
service medal, to be appointed upon the recommendation of the posts
of each chartered veterans' organization within the county. Each
member appointed shall have demonstrated knowledge, skills, and
experience
in public service, business, or finance. If Subject to
subsection (3), if an opening on a committee of veterans occurs,
the county board of commissioners shall provide notice of that
opening to 1 or more newspapers within the county and to veteran
service organizations within the county. Notwithstanding the
provisions of any law of this state to the contrary, a member of
the board of commissioners of a county shall be eligible for
appointment. Members appointed by the board of commissioners shall
be appointed for a term of 4 years each. However, the terms for
members first appointed shall be staggered so that not more than 2
vacancies are scheduled to occur in a single year. Vacancies shall
be filled in the same manner as original appointments for the
unexpired terms.
(2) If a county enters into a contract with another county to
provide certain veterans services to veterans in that county, a
voting member may be appointed to the committee of veterans who is
not a resident of the county that is providing the veterans
services if both of the following conditions are met:
(a) The member is a resident of the county that is provided
veterans services under the contract.
(b) The member meets all of the other requirements of
subsection (1).
(3) If a nonresident voting member is appointed to the
committee of veterans as provided under subsection (2) and an
opening occurs involving that nonresident position on the
committee, the county board of commissioners of the county that is
providing the veterans services under the contract shall provide
notice of that opening to 1 or more newspapers in the county that
is provided veterans services under the contract and to veterans
service organizations in the county that is provided veterans
services under the contract.