Sec. 3.
(1) As a means of effecting changes in policy, procedure, and legislation, educating the public, investigating and reviewing actions of the department, child placing agencies, or child caring institutions, monitoring and ensuring compliance with relevant statutes, rules, and policies pertaining to children's protective services and the placement, supervision, treatment, and improving delivery of care of children in foster care and adoptive homes, the children's ombudsman is established as an autonomous entity in the department of management and budget.
(2) The governor shall appoint an individual as the ombudsman, with the advice and consent of the senate. The individual shall be qualified by training and experience to perform the duties and exercise the powers of the children's ombudsman and the children's ombudsman office as provided in this act.
(3) The governor may remove the children's ombudsman from office for cause that includes, but is not limited to, incompetency to properly exercise duties, official misconduct, habitual or willful neglect of duty, or other misfeasance or malfeasance in connection with the operation of the office of the children's ombudsman. The governor shall report the reason for the removal to the legislature.
(4) The children's ombudsman serving in office on the effective date of the amendatory act that added this subsection shall serve at the pleasure of the governor.
History: 1994, Act 204, Eff. Jan. 1, 1995 ;-- Am. 2004, Act 560, Imd. Eff. Jan. 3, 2005