Senate Bill 731 Summary

• Creates the Michigan Quality Community Care Council as a public body to arrange and oversee personal assistance services under the Medicaid home help program starting fiscal year ending September 30, 2010.

• Establishes an 11-member board of directors consisting of the directors of the Department of Community Health and Department of Human Services plus 9 members representing consumers, consumer advocates, and consortiums (with at least 6 members representing consumers or advocates).

• Transfers powers, duties, programs, employees, and assets from existing public bodies corporate created under inter-county consortiums to the new council, preserving employee benefits, seniority, pension rights, and collective bargaining agreements.

• Authorizes the council to maintain provider registries, set qualification standards, provide referrals, offer training and support services, process timesheets and tax withholdings, and perform administrative functions while preserving consumer choice and self-direction in selecting providers.

• Prohibits the council from imposing taxes and requires compliance with open meetings, freedom of information, discrimination, and applicable state and federal laws.