SENATE BILL NO. 444 April 23, 1997, Introduced by Senators STILLE, BENNETT, ROGERS, HOFFMAN, MC MANUS, EMMONS, SCHUETTE and A. SMITH and referred to the Committee on Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs. A bill to amend 1994 PA 451, entitled "Natural resources and environmental protection act," (MCL 324.101 to 324.90106) by adding section 72105a. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT: 1 SEC. 74105A. (1) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL ESTABLISH AN 2 "ADOPT-A-TRAIL" PROGRAM THAT WILL ALLOW VOLUNTEER GROUPS TO 3 ASSIST IN MAINTAINING AND ENHANCING MICHIGAN TRAILWAYS. 4 (2) SUBJECT TO SUBSECTION (3), VOLUNTEER GROUPS IN THE 5 ADOPT-A-TRAIL PROGRAM MAY ADOPT ANY AVAILABLE MICHIGAN TRAILWAY 6 OR MICHIGAN TRAILWAY SEGMENT AND MAY CHOOSE ANY 1 OR MORE OF THE 7 FOLLOWING VOLUNTEER ACTIVITIES: 8 (A) SPRING CLEANUPS. 9 (B) ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVITIES. 10 (C) ACCESSIBILITY PROJECTS. 03014'97 JCB 2 1 (D) SPECIAL EVENTS. 2 (E) TRAILWAY MAINTENANCE AND DEVELOPMENT. 3 (F) PUBLIC INFORMATION AND ASSISTANCE. 4 (G) TRAINING. 5 (3) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL DESIGNATE THE ACTIVITIES TO BE PER- 6 FORMED BY A VOLUNTEER GROUP IN THE ADOPT-A-TRAIL PROGRAM. THE 7 DEPARTMENT MAY PROVIDE FOR MORE THAN 1 VOLUNTEER GROUP TO ADOPT A 8 MICHIGAN TRAILWAY OR MICHIGAN TRAILWAY SEGMENT. 9 (4) A VOLUNTEER GROUP THAT WISHES TO PARTICIPATE IN THE 10 ADOPT-A-TRAIL PROGRAM SHALL SUBMIT AN APPLICATION TO THE DEPART- 11 MENT ON A FORM PROVIDED BY THE DEPARTMENT. ADDITIONALLY, VOLUN- 12 TEER GROUPS SHALL AGREE TO THE FOLLOWING: 13 (A) VOLUNTEER GROUPS SHALL PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM FOR AT 14 LEAST A 2-YEAR PERIOD. 15 (B) VOLUNTEER GROUPS SHALL CONSIST OF AT LEAST 6 PEOPLE WHO 16 ARE 18 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER, UNLESS THE VOLUNTEER GROUP IS A 17 SCHOOL OR SCOUT ORGANIZATION, IN WHICH CASE THE VOLUNTEERS MAY BE 18 UNDER 18 YEARS OF AGE. 19 (C) VOLUNTEER GROUPS SHALL CONTRIBUTE A TOTAL OF AT LEAST 20 400 SERVICE HOURS OVER A 2-YEAR PERIOD. 21 (D) VOLUNTEER GROUPS SHALL COMPLY WITH OTHER REASONABLE 22 REQUIREMENTS OF THE DEPARTMENT. 23 (5) A STATE PARK MANAGER MAY ISSUE TO VOLUNTEERS WHO ARE 24 ACTIVELY WORKING ON ADOPT-A-TRAIL PROJECTS THAT LAST MORE THAN 1 25 DAY FREE CAMPING PERMITS IF CAMPSITES ARE AVAILABLE. A STATE 26 PARK MANAGER MAY WAIVE STATE PARK ENTRY FEES FOR VOLUNTEERS 27 ENTERING STATE PARKS TO WORK ON ADOPT-A-TRAIL PROJECTS. 03014'97 3 1 (6) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL DESIGN AND ERECT NEAR THE ENTRANCE 2 OF EACH MICHIGAN TRAILWAY IN THE ADOPT-A-TRAIL PROGRAM OR ALONG 3 THE TRAILWAY AN ADOPT-A-TRAIL PROGRAM SIGN WITH THE NAME OF THE 4 VOLUNTEER GROUP'S SPONSORING ORGANIZATION LISTED FOR EACH VOLUN- 5 TEER GROUP THAT HAS CONTRIBUTED AT LEAST 100 SERVICE HOURS BY 6 VOLUNTEERS. 03014'97 Final page. JCB