SUPPORT AND RELIEF BY THE PUBLIC
MCL ch. 402, subtit. Act 146 of 1925, ch. II
in effectMCL 402.5 Superintendents of poor; powers and duties.
402.5. Superintendents of poor; powers and duties.
Sec. 5.
They shall have the general superintendence of all the poor who may be in their respective counties, and shall have power, and it shall be their duty:
First, To have charge of the county infirmary that has been or shall be erected, and to provide suitable places for the keeping of such poor, when so directed by the board of supervisors, when houses for that purpose shall not have been erected by the county; and for that purpose to rent a tenement or tenements, and land not exceeding 80 acres, and to cause the poor of the county to be maintained at such places;
Second, To ordain and establish prudential rules, regulations, and by-laws, and for the government and good order of such places so provided, and of the county infirmaries and for the employment, relief, management, and government of the persons therein placed;
Third, To employ 1 or more suitable persons to be keepers of such houses or places, and all necessary officers and servants; and to vest in them such powers for the government of such houses as shall be necessary, reserving to the poor persons, who may be placed under the care of such keepers, the right to appeal to the superintendents;
Fourth, To purchase the furniture, implements, provisions, and materials, that shall be necessary for the maintenance of the poor and their employment and labor, and to sell and dispose of the proceeds of such labor as they shall deem expedient: Provided, That no furniture, implements, provisions, or materials, shall be purchased of a superintendent of the poor; and any superintendent being the owner of any such furniture, implements, provisions, or materials, sold to or purchased by such superintendents, or interested directly or indirectly in the profits on any such furniture, implements, provisions, or materials, by commission or otherwise, shall forfeit his interest in the same; and in addition to such forfeiture, a penalty of 50 dollars for each and every violation of the prohibitions and terms of this proviso is hereby imposed, to be collected by and in the name of the county treasurer, in the same manner as the forfeiture provided for by section 21 of this chapter.
Fifth, To prescribe the rate of allowance to be made to any person for bringing poor persons to the county infirmary, or place provided for the poor, which amount shall be paid by the county treasurer, on the production of a certificate signed by the chairman and countersigned by the secretary of the board of superintendents;
Sixth, To commence any suit wherein they may be entitled to prosecute upon any recognizance bond, or security taken for the indemnity of any township or of the county, and prosecute the same to effect;
Seventh, To draw, from time to time, on the county treasurer for all necessary expenses incurred in the discharge of their duties, which draft shall be paid by him out of the moneys placed in his hands for the support of the poor;
Eighth, To render to the board of supervisors of their county at their annual meeting, a detailed account of all moneys received and expended by them, or under their directions, and of all their proceedings;
Ninth, To pay over all moneys belonging to the county, remaining in their hands, to the county treasurer, within 15 days after receiving the same.
Tenth, To associate with the superintendents and directors of the poor of other counties and cities within this state, in the organization of a state association of superintendents of the poor, keepers and matrons of the county infirmaries and city poor directors, and provide for annual meetings and the attendance thereat of such superintendents, matrons and keepers of county infirmaries, as the said superintendents shall determine.
1925, Act 146, Eff. Aug. 27, 1925; CL 1929, 8233; CL 1948, 402.5
[FormerLaw] See section 5 of Act 148 of 1869, being CL 1871, § 1820; Act 77 of 1875; How., § 1759; CL 1897, § 4506; and CL 1915, § 5210.
MCL 402.6 Repealed. 1957, Act 170, Eff. Sept. 27, 1957;—1957, Act 292, Eff. Sept. 27, 1957;—1961, Act 184, Eff. Sept. 8, 1961.
MCL 402.18 Bringing poor or indigent person from outside state into county; intent; penalties.
402.18. Bringing poor or indigent person from outside state into county; intent; penalties.
Sec. 18.
Any person who shall bring or remove, or cause to be brought or removed, any poor or indigent person, from outside this state, into any county within it, with intent to make such county chargeable with the support of the poor person, shall forfeit and pay $50.00, to be recovered before the district or municipal court of the judicial district or municipality into which the poor person was brought, or in which the offender is located; and shall also be required to transport the poor person out of the state, or support him or her at his or her own expense.
1925, Act 146, Eff. Aug. 27, 1925; CL 1929, 8246; CL 1948, 402.18; Am. 1990, Act 222, Imd. Eff. Oct. 8, 1990
[FormerLaw] See section 22 of Act 148 of 1869, being CL 1871, § 1837; How., § 1776; CL 1897, § 4523; and CL 1915, § 5227.
MCL 402.19 Conviction for violation of MCL 402.18; security; penalty.
402.19. Conviction for violation of MCL 402.18; security; penalty.
Sec. 19.
It shall be lawful for the court before whom the person shall be convicted for a violation of the provisions of the section 18, to require of the person satisfactory security that he or she will, within a reasonable time, to be named by the court, transport the person out of the state, or indemnify the county for all charges and expenses which may have been, or may be incurred in the support of the poor person. If the person shall neglect or refuse to give the security when required, it shall be the duty of the court to commit him or her to the county jail for a term not exceeding 3 months.
1925, Act 146, Eff. Aug. 27, 1925; Am. 1929, Act 128, Eff. Aug. 28, 1929; CL 1929, 8247; CL 1948, 402.19; Am. 1990, Act 222, Imd. Eff. Oct. 8, 1990
[FormerLaw] See section 23 of Act 148 of 1869, being CL 1871, § 1838; How., § 1777; CL 1897, § 4524; and CL 1915, § 5228.
MCL 402.20 Repealed. 1957, Act 292, Eff. Sept. 27, 1957.
MCL 402.39 Semi-annual report of township and city supervisors on expense of support; neglect to file, falsification, penalty.
402.39. Semi-annual report of township and city supervisors on expense of support; neglect to file, falsification, penalty.
Sec. 39.
It shall be the duty of the supervisors of townships and cities in those counties where the townships and cities are made liable for their respective poor, on or before the first day of April and October in each year, to report to the county superintendents of the poor, and the township board, or the legislative body of the city, in such form as they shall direct, the number of poor persons who have been relieved or supported in such township or city the preceding year, and the whole expense of such support. Any supervisor or director who shall neglect or refuse to make such report, or who shall willfully make any false report, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and on conviction thereof be subject to a fine of not exceeding 1,000 dollars, to be recovered by the prosecuting attorney of the county, in the name of the people of this state, and to be paid into the township or city treasury, as the case may be.
1925, Act 146, Eff. Aug. 27, 1925; CL 1929, 8267; CL 1948, 402.39
[FormerLaw] See sections 52 and 53 of Act 148 of 1869; Act 155 of 1871, being CL 1871, §§ 1867 and 1868; How., §§ 1806 and 1807; CL 1897, §§ 4533 and 4554; and CL 1915, §§ 5257 and 5258.
MCL 402.40 Repealed. 1957, Act 292, Eff. Sept. 27, 1957.
MCL 402.41 Reports of local poor officer; contents, form; failure to make, penalty.
402.41. Reports of local poor officer; contents, form; failure to make, penalty.
Sec. 41.
It shall be the duty of any director or overseer of the poor authorized by law to furnish relief to poor persons and of the supervisor of each township, district, or ward in this state on the last day of September and on the last day before his term of office shall expire, to make and transmit to the county superintendents of the poor of the county in which such township, district, or ward is situated, a full statement or report of the number of poor persons relieved or maintained by him since the date of his last report, with the names of the heads of families and the number of persons in each family, also the names of persons not members of any family who have received assistance and the causes of their indigence, if he can ascertain the same, the amount paid for transportation, for medical attendance and for funeral expenses, also his charges for services, and any and all other facts and expenditures necessary to a complete showing of his transactions and of the condition of such persons. Said report shall be made in such form as the secretary of state shall prescribe, and the secretary of state shall prepare and annually transmit blanks for that purpose to the county superintendents of the poor, who shall distribute them to the several directors and overseers of the poor and supervisors in their respective counties; and such reports shall be made by the directors, overseers, and supervisors in the counties where the poor are made a township or city charge, as well as in counties where they are all made a county charge, and any supervisor, director, or overseer who shall neglect or refuse to make such report shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and on conviction thereof may be punished as prescribed by law for the commission of such offenses.
1925, Act 146, Eff. Aug. 27, 1925; CL 1929, 8269; CL 1948, 402.41
[FormerLaw] See section 1 of Act 107 of 1875; Act 229 of 1879, being How., § 1810; Act 76 of 1885; CL 1897, § 4573; CL 1915, § 5298; sections 1 and 2 of Act 121 of 1885, being How., §§ 1809a and 1809b; CL 1897, §§ 4576 and 4577; and CL 1915, §§ 5301 and 5302.
MCL 402.42 Reports of local poor officer; compensation.
402.42. Reports of local poor officer; compensation.
Sec. 42.
Every supervisor, director, or overseer of the poor who shall make the reports herein provided for shall receive as full compensation therefor the sum of 5 cents each for the first 25 families and persons not members of any family so relieved, and the sum of 3 cents for each of such families and persons above that number, to be paid by the county treasurer out of the general fund on the certificate of the superintendents of the poor that said reports have been made in all respects as required by law, but no supervisor, director, or overseer shall receive less than 25 cents for each report so made out and forwarded to the superintendents of the poor.
1925, Act 146, Eff. Aug. 27, 1925; CL 1929, 8270; CL 1948, 402.42
[FormerLaw] See section 2 of Act 107 of 1875; Act 229 of 1879, being How., § 1811; Act 76 of 1885; CL 1897, § 4574; and CL 1915, § 5299.
MCL 402.43 Annual report of county superintendent of poor; contents.
402.43. Annual report of county superintendent of poor; contents.
Sec. 43.
That it shall be the duty of the county superintendents of the poor, annually, between the first and tenth days of November, to consolidate on blanks to be furnished by the secretary of state for that purpose, all said reports received by them during the year ending the thirtieth day of September next preceding, and the said superintendents shall incorporate into their annual reports to the secretary of state, the several facts, statements, and expenditures reported to them by the supervisors, directors, and overseers, so that their reports shall make a complete showing of the number of poor persons who have been relieved and maintained in the county during the year, with the names of heads of families, and the causes of their indigency; the amount paid for transportation; for medical attendance; and for funeral expenses; the charges and fees of the several officers authorized by law to furnish relief to poor persons, and all other expenditures incurred in the relief and maintenance of such indigent persons.
1925, Act 146, Eff. Aug. 27, 1925; CL 1929, 8271; CL 1948, 402.43
[FormerLaw] See section 3 of Act 107 of 1875; Act 229 of 1879, being How., § 1812; CL 1897, § 4575; and CL 1915, § 5300.
MCL 402.44 Repealed. 1957, Act 292, Eff. Sept. 27, 1957.
Source: Michigan Legislature (legislature.mi.gov)URL: https://legislature.mi.gov/documents/mcl/Chapter%20401.xmlFetched: 10/20/2026