IN SB0254

Caps township board member total compensation and benefits at $5,000 per year beginning January 1, 2015

Requires township trustees to maintain voicemail or answering service and respond to township assistance inquiries within 24 hours (excluding weekends and holidays); township offices must be listed in local telephone directories

Denies automatic approval of township budgets and levies by the Department of Local Government Finance if the township board fails to adopt assistance standards for two consecutive years, with salary withholding for non-compliant board members or trustees

Limits rental payments to township trustees using personal residences as office space to rates not exceeding comparable commercial office space rates in the township or county seat

Prohibits townships with populations of at least 25,000 from employing immediate family members of officers or employees in direct supervisory or subordinate relationships, effective January 1, 2015, for those earning $10,000 or more annually