JULY 15, 1997 - CIS Director Kathleen Wilbur was joined today by Management & Budget Director Mark Murray to showcase new services at the re-engineered Department of Consumer & Industry Services. Marking the department's first anniversary, Wilbur unveiled new service options and highlighted the first year accomplishments.

Created by Executive Order 1996-2 on May 15,1996, Consumer & Industry Services combined licensing and regulatory functions previously housed in four other departments.

"Much has happened since I established the new department a year ago," said Governor John Engler. "The changes and improvements underscore my ongoing commitment to putting customer service back into state government. By building a department on a foundation of service, we are creating a new kind of licensing and regulatory agency."

New Services

Corporation, Securities & Land Development's forms (by downloading), basic information,services and procedures can now be accessed through the Internet at http://www.cis.state.mi.us/corp/.

Requests for record information, certified documents and certificates can be faxed to the bureau.  Fax number for record information is 1-517-334-8329; for document copies and certification, it's1-517-334-7145. The expedited fax fee is 25% of the total copy costs.

Corporation, limited partnership and limited liability company documents, other than annual reports, can be filed by fax at 1-517-334-8048. A cost of 25% of the filing fee is charged for fax filing service.

Fax filing services and information requested by customers in person can be paid by VISA or MasterCard.

Annual Report forms have been simplified. A bar code allows data base to be automatically updated. If information is the same, customer merely checks a box, signs the form and returns it with fee.

Turnaround time for review of electronic document filings is within 24 hours.

Corporation Division converted records to optical disk and installed equipment that films and scans documents which allows requests for copies of records to be processed next day. Previously, it took seven days.

Computer-based systems such as Lexis-Nexis, Information America, Dun & Bradstreet, CBDInfotek and Experian include corporation, limited partnership and limited liability company information on their data base(s). This same information will be available on the new Web Site next year.

"Our employees are taking the Governor's charge of putting service back into state government very seriously," said Wilbur. "We must because our services touch every Michigan resident virtually every day."

"I'm extremely pleased with the progress the department has made in one year," Murray said. "I applaud the department for making government more user-friendly and for using technology to effectively deliver quality services."

First Year Accomplishments

• Merged successfully programs from the former Departments of Commerce, Labor, Mental Health, Public Health and Social Services while providing seamless services.
  
• Consolidated programs once housed in the former Commerce, Labor, Public Health, Mental Health and Social Services departments without hiring additional administrative staff.
  
• Laid foundation for centralized hearings.
  
• Merged Health & Safety sides of MIOSHA into CIS.
  
• Eliminated more than 500 surveys with health unit merger. By consolidating licensing functions from Mental Health and Public Health, the department cross-trained employees to create a single survey process.

Reduced backlogs within CIS

- Michigan Employment Security Board of Review's caseload dropped to 2,500 versus 5,713 oneyear ago.

-- The number of contested Worker's Disability Compensation cases pending is down from an all time high of 32,569 in 1991 to 21,627 in 1996. In 1991, the process was fully automated. The applications for hearings were previously processed manually.

-- Michigan Tax Tribunal has completed its process of eliminating a three-year backlog to no backlog.

-- About 92% health professional cases are getting through the administrative hearing process in one year versus a previous time frame of three to four years. And 78% of health professional cases are investigated in 120 days. Previously, there were 1,100 cases that needed to be investigated. Now there is no backlog.

-- Michigan Liquor Control Commission reduced its backlog of violation hearing cases from 1,327 cases to 284 cases, an all time low. Violation appeal hearings were at an all time high of 61 in August 1996. As of May 1997, violation appeal hearings were down to 18. In May 1994, licensees were waiting up to 18 months for a hearing, now they can expect a hearing within 90 days.

-- The Wage Hour Division reduced its backlog of citizen complaints who alleged their employer violated state law with regard to payment of wages and fringe benefits. In 1991, 1,723 wage hour complaints were more than 90 days old. The backlog in late 1996 was down to 659.

• Worked successfully with Department of Management & Budget in awarding one time $10million for capital outlay grants to arts and cultural organizations throughout the state.
• Implemented new customer service options through innovation and technology. In addition to the new service options at Corporation, Securities and Land Development, other bureaus now have information available on line. Some of these bureaus include: Michigan Public Service Commission, Insurance Bureau, Financial Institutions Bureau, Office of Policy and Legislative Services, and Bureau of Regulatory Services.
• Completed plans to transition the Fire Marshal program from Michigan State Police to CIS.The Executive Order is effective September 30, 1997.
• Revised the Arts and Cultural Partnership Program to make it more competitive and to make arts and cultural services more accessible to Michigan citizens and visitors.
• Worked to ensure that Michigan's workplaces are safe. The Bureau of Safety and Regulation launched Michigan Voluntary Protection Program which encourages and recognizes excellence in achieving occupational safety and health in the workplace. The bureau also conducted safety and education seminars to educate customers on workplace safety.
• Privatized the distribution system of the Michigan Liquor Control Commission.
• Resolved disputes in Commercial Services more quickly through the mediation process. The average time now is three months versus 18 months. About 56% of complaints that comes into Commercial Services are referred to mediation. Of the cases mediated about 70% end in an agreement. Of the cases where agreements have been reached, 81% honored the agreements. The remainder are referred to enforcement for investigation.
• Initiated a four-month Summit with interested parties and organizations on improving the nursing home enforcement process. Implementing changes during the summer, 1997.
• Moved forward on electric restructuring. Hearings were expanded.
• Completed Michigan Employment Relations Hearings within three to four months compared to six months.
• Expedited Michigan Tax Tribunal's Homestead Review Process. In 1996, there were 2,300 Homestead appeals, of these about 75% were resolved without a formal hearing.
• Developed a computerized housing inspection system to facilitate site inspections of MSHDA-financed rental properties. It enables Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) inspectors to complete their inspections using a hand-held, pen-based computer, eliminating the need to reproduce and store hard copies. The system earned MSHDA an award as the outstanding state housing finance agency in the country formanagement innovation.

Also, MSHDA celebrated its 30th anniversary. Cumulatively, over $4 billion in MSHDA loans and grants have helped to finance over 175,000 housing units, covering every county inMichigan. This investment has created the equivalent of more than 84,000 full-time, year-long jobs in construction and related trades

Read more Michigan Department of Consumer & Industry Services press releases.