Sec. 8.

(1) The department shall certify disbursements to each local unit of government for the necessary costs of state requirements from funds appropriated for that purpose.

(2) The department shall certify disbursements to a local unit of government as follows:

(a) Before a state requirement initially takes effect, the department shall notify each local unit to which the state requirement applies not less than 180 days before the effective date of the state requirement. The notice shall include a preliminary claim form for estimating the necessary cost of the state requirement for the initial state fiscal year in which the state requirement takes effect. The notice shall clearly indicate a date by which a claim must be postmarked to qualify for full advance disbursement as provided in subdivision (2)(b) of this section.

(b) To qualify for a full advance disbursement for a state requirement during the initial fiscal year in which a state requirement takes effect, each local unit of government desiring an advance disbursement shall submit the preliminary claim form provided by the department postmarked no later than 90 days before the effective date of the state requirement. If the claim is postmarked between 1 and 89 days before the effective date of the state requirement, the advance disbursement shall be equal to 90% of the estimated amount the unit would otherwise be entitled to.

(c) Each local unit of government shall submit a final claim for full reimbursement or final adjustment on a form provided by the department and postmarked not later than 90 days after the close of the local unit of government's fiscal year. If the final claim is postmarked between 91 days and 24 months after the close of the local unit of government's fiscal year, the director shall make a reimbursement or final adjustment payment equal to 90% of the amount the unit is otherwise entitled to.

(d) In any case, a preliminary or final claim for a de minimus cost shall not be allowed. A final claim postmarked more than 24 months after the close of the fiscal year shall not be allowed.

(e) The department may review the records or request an audit to be performed by the auditor general to verify the actual amount of the necessary cost of a state requirement. The director shall cause to be paid a disbursement for only the necessary cost and shall adjust the payment to correct for any underpayment or overpayment which occurred in the previous state fiscal year.

(f) The provisions of subdivisions (a) and (b) of this section may be waived by a 2/3 majority vote of the members elected and serving in both houses of the legislature, if the legislature determines that an emergency exists necessitating that a state requirement become effective before the provisions of subdivisions (a) and (b) allow. The declaration of an emergency shall be established in each state requirement.

(g) The department shall pay all claims within 45 days after receiving the claim from a local unit of government. The department shall pay all claims pursuant to section 10(4) within 30 days.

(3) If the director prorates claims pursuant to section 5(4), the director immediately shall report this action in writing to the governor and the legislature.

(4) The director shall adjust prorated claims if supplementary funds are appropriated for that purpose.

(5) The state treasurer, upon certification by the director, immediately shall pay all required disbursements directly to the treasurer of the appropriate local unit of government.

History: 1979, Act 101, Imd. Eff. Aug. 3, 1979 Compiler's Notes: In subsection (2)(d), “de minimus” evidently should read “de minimis.”