Early Thursday evening, the Senate passed legislation permitting the elimination of county road commissions. House Bills 5125 and 5126, sponsored by Rep. Jon Switalski (D-Warren) and Rep. Dale Zorn (R-Ida), respectively, gained the Senate’s approval 20-18.
A floor substitute proposed by Senator Mike Nofs (R-Battle Creek) marked a significant change in direction from earlier Senate action.
While the version of the package that moved this week from the Senate Transportation Committee provided for a vote of the people in the case of the elimination of any road commission, the substitute version that passed allows county boards of commissioners to eliminate their county road commissions and absorb their authority and responsibilities if the road commissioners are appointed and not elected. If road commissioners are elected, voters would have to approve.
It was another change made by the Senate; however, that resulted in the House’s failure to obtain the votes to concur in the Senate changes and ultimately resulted in the legislation not moving to the Governor this year. The Senate-adopted substitute contained a January 1, 2015 sunset provision – after which a county board would no-longer be authorized to absorb the road commission.
Many House Democrats, including Rep. Switalski, who had strongly supported the original measures, were unwilling to support the amended version. Sources indicate that the measure will be a top priority following the Legislature’s return to Lansing in January.