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HB 5264

AN ACT RELATING TO PROPERTY -- RESIDENTIAL LANDLORD AND TENANT ACT

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Edith Ajello and 8 co-sponsors

Creates a permanent Michigan military and veteran services endowment to raise private gifts and fund grants and programs for service members, veterans, and their communities.

03/18/2025 Committee recommended measure be held for further study
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Bill Summary · HB 5264

Summary — HB 5264 (Michigan Military and Veteran Services Support Fund)

Status & Procedural History
- Introduced March 14, 2025 (Rep. Mai Xiong). Read first time April 7, 2025; referred to committee. Bill electronically reproduced November 12, 2025 and again referred to Committee on Government Operations. Companion: SB 586.

Purpose / Intent
- Establish a permanent charitable and educational endowment — the “Michigan military and veteran services support fund” — to collect private donations and other gifts to support Michigan’s military members, veterans, their families, and related community and economic programs. Provide governance and investment authority, and a mechanism to award grants and supplemental funding.

Key Provisions
- Fund creation
- Creates the Michigan military and veteran services support fund as an endowment held in the Department of Treasury.
- Contributions are designated tax‑deductible donations.
- Year‑end fund balances do not lapse to the State General Fund.
- Funds are available for disbursement only upon legislative appropriation.

  • Separate accounts

    • The fund must maintain separate accounts for:
    • Supporting/enhancing military service members, their families, and the economy.
    • Supporting/enhancing veterans, their families, and the communities where they live.

  • Investment and reporting

    • State Treasurer directs investments and has the same investment authority as an investment fiduciary under the Public Employee Retirement System Investment Act (MCL 38.1132–38.1141).
    • Treasurer must comply with the Divestment from Terror Act when investing fund assets.
    • Annual accounting of revenues/expenditures must be provided to the House and Senate appropriations committees and must: (a) identify interest/earnings, (b) describe how expanded investment options affected earnings, and (c) identify how any increased earnings were spent.

  • Governance — Michigan military and veteran services support fund board

    • A seven‑member board: two ex officio members (Director of Department of Military and Veterans Affairs and Director of Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency or their designees), plus five gubernatorial appointees with fundraising/charitable giving experience.
    • Appointees must represent specified constituencies (service members/families; veterans/families/communities; a congressionally‑chartered veteran service organization — appointments must rotate among different congressionally chartered VSO; a military trade association/support entity; and the general public).
    • Appointed members serve 4‑year terms; initial appointments are staggered (two 1‑year, two 2‑year, one 3‑year).
    • Board subject to Michigan ethics and open meetings laws; DMVA provides administrative/staff support.

  • Board powers and duties

    • Oversee the fund, request appropriations, and allocate revenue to:
    • Direct grants to individuals or entities for the statutorily described purposes; and
    • Supplemental funding to the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs for programs/services.
    • Accept and manage gifts/bequests, enter contracts, solicit contributions, and adopt policies/procedures to operate the fund.

Who is affected
- Primary beneficiaries: active duty and reserve military members in Michigan, veterans, their families, and communities providing veteran services.
- State entities: Department of Treasury (holds fund/invests), Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (oversight support and potential supplemental funding), Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency (board representation).
- Governor (appointing authority) and appropriations committees (receive annual accounting and control disbursement via appropriation).

Potential fiscal and operational impacts
- Enables private fundraising targeted at military/veteran programs and creates a vehicle for long‑term endowment growth; actual program funding depends on donations, investment performance, and legislative appropriations.
- Expands Treasury’s investment authority for these assets (subject to specified laws), with required transparency reporting to appropriations committees.
- Establishes public governance and oversight mechanisms (board, open meetings, ethics compliance).

Limitations / Notes
- Money in the fund is disbursable only upon appropriation, so the Legislature controls actual expenditures regardless of donations received.
- The bill does not set mandatory spending formulas or minimum appropriation levels; grant/award criteria and selection processes will be determined by the board’s policies and procedures.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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