Michigan § 4.1601 - House fiscal agency; creation; purpose; governing committee; availability of writings to public; confidentiality; definitions; financial statements; employees as nontenured, at-will employees; discipline, transfer, demotion, suspension, or summary discharge of employee.

There is created a nonpartisan agency to be known as the house fiscal agency to be of service to the appropriations committee of the house of representatives and other members of the house of representatives.

The house fiscal agency shall be governed by a governing committee. The members of the governing committee are as follows:

If the house of representatives is controlled by co-speakers pursuant to a joint leadership agreement between republican and democratic members of the house of representatives, the following 8 members of the house of representatives:

The co-speakers.

The co-chairpersons of the appropriations committee.

The co-vice-chairpersons of the appropriations committee.

The co-floor leaders.

If the house of representatives is controlled by a single speaker, the following 6 members of the house of representatives:

The speaker of the house.

The minority leader.

The chairperson of the appropriations committee.

The minority vice-chairperson of the appropriations committee.

The majority floor leader.

The minority floor leader.

If the house of representatives is controlled by co-speakers pursuant to a joint leadership agreement between republican and democratic members of the house of representatives, the co-chairpersons of the house appropriations committee are the co-chairpersons of the governing committee of the house fiscal agency. The co-chairpersons of the governing committee of the house fiscal agency shall alternate as chairperson of the governing committee. The democratic co-chairperson of the house appropriations committee shall preside as chairperson in months during which the presiding officers of the house of representatives are republican and the republican co-chairperson of the house appropriations committee shall preside as chairperson in months during which the presiding officers of the house of representatives are democratic. If the house of representatives is controlled by a single speaker, the chairperson of the house appropriations committee is the chairperson of the governing committee of the house fiscal agency.

The governing committee of the house fiscal agency shall meet quarterly. In addition to the quarterly meetings, the governing committee shall meet within 7 days upon request of 2 or more members of the governing committee made to the co-speakers or speaker of the house.

Except as otherwise provided in subsection (6), a writing prepared, owned, used, in the possession of, or retained by the house fiscal agency in the performance of an official function shall be made available to the public in compliance with the freedom of information act, 1976 PA 442, MCL 15.231 to 15.246.

An employee of the house fiscal agency shall not reveal to any person who is not an employee of the house fiscal agency the contents or nature of any bill, substitute, amendment, resolution, special report, or proposal not yet published unless the employee has the consent of the member who is sponsoring or requesting the bill, substitute, amendment, resolution, special report, or proposal. A bill shall not be considered published until it is introduced. A substitute, an amendment, or a conference report shall be considered published when received by the secretary of the senate or the clerk of the house of representatives, or both, as is appropriate. As used in this subsection:

"Special report" means a report that is requested by a member of the house of representatives to be prepared by the house fiscal agency. A special report shall not be considered published until it is authorized for release by the member of the house of representatives requesting the report.

"Proposal" means a plan or an activity that is under consideration by a member of the house of representatives. A proposal shall not be considered published until it is authorized for release by the member of the house of representatives requesting the preparation of the proposal.

The director of the house fiscal agency shall provide quarterly financial statements of the financial affairs of the house fiscal agency. The quarterly financial statements shall be submitted to the members of the governing committee and the house of representatives not later than 30 days after each calendar quarter.

Persons employed by the house fiscal agency shall be nontenured, at-will employees. The governing committee of the house fiscal agency may discipline, transfer, demote, suspend, or summarily discharge an employee.