LOCAL RECREATION GRANTS - H.B. 5719 (H-2): FLOOR ANALYSIS

House Bill 5719 (Substitute H-2 as passed by the House)

Sponsor: Representative Gloria Schermesser

House Committee: Conservation, Environment and Recreation

CONTENT

The bill would amend the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act to require the Department of Natural Resources to establish a local recreation grant program, which would provide grants to local units for projects involving public recreation infrastructure improvements, community public recreation facility construction, and/or public recreation improvements that would increase tourism. A grant would require a 25% match by the local unit; up to half of the local unit's contribution could be in the form of goods and services and/or Federal funds. A grant request could be for $15,000 to $750,000.

A grant could not be provided for land acquisition or a commercial theme park, or for a project located on land that was the site of, or owned or operated by, a gaming facility or a stadium or arena for use by a professional sports team.

The bill is tie-barred to House Bill 5620, which would establish a waterfront redevelopment grant program; House Bill 5622, which would create "Michigan's Economic, Environment, and Recreational Initiative Act" to provide for the issuance of $786 million in bonds for environmental and natural resources protection programs; Senate Bill 902, which (as passed by the House) would provide for a nonpoint source pollution prevention and control grant program and a wellhead protection grant program; and Senate Bill 904, which would provide for the implementation of the proposed Act. The bill would take effect December 1, 1998, if the ballot question provided for in the proposed Act were approved by the voters.

Proposed MCL 324.71601-324.71607 - Legislative Analyst: N. Nagata

FISCAL IMPACT

The bill would have no fiscal impact in that it would direct the use of $50 million in bond revenues authorized in House Bill 5622 and Senate Bill 904, as passed the House.

Date Completed: 6-26-98 - Fiscal Analyst: G. Cutlerfloor\hb5719 - Analysis available @ http://www.michiganlegislature.org

This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.