sj03131t.020

No. 20

JOURNAL OF THE SENATE

Senate Chamber, Lansing, Tuesday, March 13, 2001.

10:00 a.m.

The Senate was called to order by the President, Lieutenant Governor Dick Posthumus.

The roll was called by the Secretary of the Senate, who announced that a quorum was present.

Bennett--present Gougeon--present North--present

Bullard--present Hammerstrom--present Peters--present

Byrum--present Hart--present Schuette--present

Cherry--present Hoffman--present Schwarz--present

DeBeaussaert--present Jaye--present Shugars--present

DeGrow--present Johnson--present Sikkema--present

Dingell--present Koivisto--present Smith--present

Dunaskiss--present Leland--present Steil--present

Emerson--present McCotter--present Stille--present

Emmons--present McManus--excused Van Regenmorter--present

Gast--present Miller--present Vaughn--excused

Goschka--present Murphy--present Young--present

Senator Bill Schuette of the 35th District offered the following invocation:

Lord, we'd ask on this day that You would help us do good works in this chamber, and when we return home tonight and other days, we would do good works in our families. We pray that in our churches, our synagogues, and our mosques we would be open to Your Word and have You direct us personally in all we do.

We ask this in Your name. Amen.

Senator Cherry entered the Senate Chamber.

Motions and Communications

Senator Emmons moved that rule 3.902 be suspended to allow the guests of the Secretary of the Senate admittance to the Senate floor.

The motion prevailed, a majority of the members serving voting therefor.

Senator Hoffman asked and was granted unanimous consent to make a statement and moved that the statement be printed in the Journal.

The motion prevailed.

Senator Hoffman's statement is as follows:

Members may recall that back late last session before we finished up, we passed Senate Resolution No. 224, and that was a resolution to recognize Colonel Mike Robinson for his achievements as president of the International Association of Chiefs of Police.

What I wanted to do today is to just take a moment and present him with this resolution; it was co-sponsored by all the members here in the Michigan Senate. This is very important because he was the president of the International Association of Chiefs of Police, which represents over 96 countries across the globe. It represents over 18,000 members--police executives, chiefs of police, and the like--and he is the first law enforcement official from the state of Michigan to have ever been elected chief internationally. That is truly an honor not only for the Colonel, but for the Department of State of Police and for the state of Michigan.

I just wanted to take a moment this morning to present this resolution on behalf of all the members of the Michigan Senate to Colonel Robinson for a job well done. Thank you, Colonel.

Senator Emerson moved that Senator Vaughn be excused from today's session.

The motion prevailed.

Senator Shugars asked and was granted unanimous consent to make a statement and moved that the statement be printed in the Journal.

The motion prevailed.

Senator Shugars' statement is as follows:

I see the Colonel has left the floor, but I'd like to just share with my colleagues an experience I had with Colonel Mike Robinson. I was invited to run with one of the trooper schools at four-thirty in the morning, so I went and ran with them. What an experience! Colonel Robinson ran also, and it was quite an experience to have these State Police cars with their lights on at five in the morning, running ten miles, and even the deer were sleeping when we ran by them.

But I want to tell you that he is such a great leader and such a professional. In trooper school, the cadets respect him so much--just the way he conducts himself; the way he runs the State Police. I think all of us have had good experiences when we have dealt with him. I wish him the best in his future endeavors.

The Secretary announced that the following House bill was received in the Senate and filed on Thursday, March 8:

House Bill No. 4079

The Secretary announced the printing and placement in the members' files on Thursday, March 8, of:

Senate Bill Nos. 279 280 281 282 283 284 285 286 287 288 289 290 291 292 293 294 295 296 297 298

House Bill Nos. 4423 4424 4425 4426 4427 4428 4429

The Secretary announced the printing and placement in the members' files on Monday, March 12, of:

Senate Bill Nos. 299 300 301 302 303 304 305 306 307 308 309 310 311 312

313 314

House Bill Nos. 4430 4431 4432 4433 4434 4435 4436 4437 4438 4439 4440 4441 4442 4443

4444 4445 4446 4447 4448 4449

Messages from the Governor

The following messages from the Governor were received and read:

March 8, 2001

There are herewith presented for consideration and confirmation by the Senate, the following reappointments to office:

Michigan Beef Industry Commission

Mr. C. Velmar Green, 8839 Mead Road, Elsie, Michigan 48831, county of Clinton, as a member representing dairy producers, succeeding himself, for a term expiring on May 31, 2003.

Mr. Clarence R. Wilbur, 4551 Highway M-38, Ontonagon, Michigan 49953, county of Ontonagon, as a member representing cattle growers, succeeding himself, for a term expiring on May 31, 2003.

Mr. Walter J. Stafford, 9597 East CD Avenue, Richland, Michigan 49083, county of Kalamazoo, as a member representing cattle feeders, succeeding himself, for a term expiring on May 31, 2003.

March 8, 2001

There are herewith presented for consideration and confirmation by the Senate, the following appointments to office:

Central Michigan University Board of Trustees

Ms. Nancy McKeague, 952 Roxburgh Avenue, East Lansing, Michigan 48823-3131, county of Ingham, as a member representing the general public, succeeding Ms. Harriet B. Rotter of Bingham Farms, whose term has expired, for a term expiring on December 31, 2008.

Mr. Jerry D. Campbell, Republic Bancorp, Inc., 122 South Main Street, Suite 110, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48104, county of Washtenaw, as a member representing the general public, succeeding Ms. Marnette Perry of Northville, who has resigned, for a term expiring on December 31, 2006.

Mr. Raj B. Vattikuti, 4692 West Wickford, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan 48302, county of Oakland, as a member representing the general public, succeeding Mr. Jerry D. Campbell of Jackson, whose term has expired, for a term expiring on December 31, 2002.

Ms. Heather Palmer, 1411 Westboro, Birmingham, Michigan 48009, county of Oakland, as a member representing the general public, succeeding Mr. W. Sidney Smith of Mt. Pleasant, whose term has expired, for a term expiring on December 31, 2008.

March 8, 2001

There are herewith presented for consideration and confirmation by the Senate, the following appointments to office:

Ferris State University Board of Trustees

Mr. Bruce N. Parsons, 7645 Greenbrier, Rockford, Michigan 49341, county of Kent, as a member representing the general public, succeeding Mr. Timothy O. Schad of Grand Rapids, who has resigned, for a term expiring on December 31, 2004.

Mr. Arthur L. Tebo, P.O. Box 519, 1580 North Shore, Walloon Lake, Michigan 49796, county of Charlevoix, as a member representing the general public, succeeding Mr. Bruce N. Parsons of Rockford, whose term has expired, for a term expiring on December 31, 2008.

Mr. Gary L. Granger, 1325 North Waverly Road, Dimondale, Michigan 48821, county of Eaton, as a member representing the general public, succeeding Mr. Larry A. Roman of Big Rapids, whose term has expired, for a term expiring on December 31, 2008.

March 8, 2001

There are herewith presented for consideration and confirmation by the Senate, the following reappointments to office:

Michigan Veterans' Facilities Board of Managers

Mr. Willard (Bill) F. Coffey, 18 Woods Avenue, L'Anse, Michigan 49946, county of Baraga, as a member representing the American Legion, succeeding himself, for a term expiring on February 28, 2007.

Mr. F. Gerrit Veldman, 2575 Friendship Lane, Muskegon, Michigan 49442, county of Muskegon, as a member representing the American Legion, succeeding himself, for a term expiring on February 28, 2007.

March 12, 2001

There is herewith presented for consideration and confirmation by the Senate, the following reappointment to office:

State Employees' Retirement Board

Mrs. Janine M. Winters, 4724 Mohican Lane, Okemos, Michigan 48864, county of Ingham, as a member representing state employees, succeeding herself, for a term expiring on July 31, 2003.

March 12, 2001

There are herewith presented for consideration and confirmation by the Senate, the following appointments and reappointments to office:

Michigan Municipal Bond Authority Board of Trustees

Ms. Harriet B. Rotter, 24265 Bingham Court, Bingham Farms, Michigan 48025, county of Oakland, as a member representing the general public, succeeding Ms. Lynn A. Porritt-McConnell of Grayling, whose term has expired, for a term expiring on March 31, 2003.

Mr. Mark J. Burzych, 4396 Alderwood Drive, Okemos, Michigan 48933, county of Ingham, as a member representing the general public, succeeding himself, for a term expiring on March 31, 2004.

Mr. Donald B. Weatherspoon, 8942 East Saginaw, Haslett, Michigan 48840, county of Clinton, as a member representing state officials, succeeding Mr. Robert L. Filka of Mason, who has resigned, for a term expiring at the pleasure of the Governor.

Mr. Malcolm D. Campbell II, 900 North Harrison Road, East Lansing, Michigan 48823, county of Ingham, as a member representing the general public, succeeding himself, for a term expiring on March 31, 2003.

March 12, 2001

There are herewith presented for consideration and confirmation by the Senate, the following appointments to office:

Michigan Strategic Fund Board of Directors

Mr. Jeffrey A. Kaczmarek, 1975 Thistlewood Road, Okemos, Michigan 48864, county of Ingham, as a member representing the private sector, succeeding Ms. Marilyn I. Barnett of Bloomfield Hills, whose term has expired, for a term expiring on December 31, 2002.

Mr. Richard D. Wilcox, President & CEO, Wilcox Associates, Inc., One Madison Avenue, P.O. Box 580, Cadillac, Michigan 49601, county of Wexford, as a member representing the Speaker of the House of Representatives, succeeding Mr. Paul C. Hillegonds of Plymouth, whose term has expired, for a term expiring on December 31, 2002.

March 12, 2001

There are herewith presented for consideration and confirmation by the Senate, the following appointment and reappointment to office:

Michigan Tax Tribunal

Mr. Kimbal R. Smith III, 2300 Montego Drive, Lansing, Michigan 48912, county of Ingham, as a member representing attorneys with 5 years tax experience, succeeding Ms. Marie E. Martell of East Lansing, whose term has expired, for a term expiring on June 30, 2001.

Ms. Victoria L. Enyart, 2411 Twilight Street, Jackson, Michigan 49203, county of Jackson, as a member representing certified level IV assessors, succeeding herself, for a term expiring on June 30, 2004.

March 12, 2001

There is herewith presented for consideration and confirmation by the Senate, the following reappointment to office:

State Transportation Commission

Mr. Lowell Jackson, 12205 East Kinnikinic Road, Northport, Michigan 49670, county of Leelanau, as a member representing the general public, succeeding himself, for a term expiring on December 21, 2003.

Sincerely,

John Engler

Governor

The appointments were referred to the Committee on Government Operations.

Messages from the House

Senate Bill No. 70, entitled

A bill to amend 1927 PA 175, entitled "The code of criminal procedure," by amending section 16d of chapter XVII (MCL 777.16d), as amended by 2000 PA 279.

The House of Representatives has passed the bill, ordered that it be given immediate effect and pursuant to Joint Rule 20, inserted the full title.

The question being on concurring in the committee recommendation to give the bill immediate effect,

The recommendation was concurred in, 2/3 of the members serving voting therefor.

The Senate agreed to the full title.

The bill was referred to the Secretary for enrollment printing and presentation to the Governor.

Senate Bill No. 71, entitled

A bill to amend 1931 PA 328, entitled "The Michigan penal code," by amending sections 90a, 90b, 90c, 90d, and 90e (MCL 750.90a, 750.90b, 750.90c, 750.90d, and 750.90e), as added by 1998 PA 238.

The House of Representatives has passed the bill, ordered that it be given immediate effect and pursuant to Joint Rule 20, inserted the full title.

The question being on concurring in the committee recommendation to give the bill immediate effect,

The recommendation was concurred in, 2/3 of the members serving voting therefor.

The Senate agreed to the full title.

The bill was referred to the Secretary for enrollment printing and presentation to the Governor.

Third Reading of Bills

The following bill was read a third time:

Senate Bill No. 106, entitled

A bill to amend 1994 PA 451, entitled "Natural resources and environmental protection act," by amending section 5303 (MCL 324.5303).

The question being on the passage of the bill,

Senator Peters offered the following amendment:

1. Amend page 4, following line 20, by inserting:

"Enacting section 1. This amendatory act does not take effect unless Senate Bill No. 105 of the 91st Legislature is enacted into law.".

The question being on the adoption of the amendment,

Senator Emerson requested the yeas and nays.

The yeas and nays were ordered, 1/5 of the members present voting therefor.

The President pro tempore, Senator Schwarz, assumed the Chair.

The amendment was not adopted, a majority of the members serving not voting therefor, as follows:

Roll Call No. 20 Yeas--13

Byrum Emerson Leland Peters

Cherry Hart Miller Smith

DeBeaussaert Koivisto Murphy Young

Dingell

Nays--21

Bennett Goschka Johnson Shugars

Bullard Gougeon McCotter Sikkema

DeGrow Hammerstrom North Steil

Dunaskiss Hoffman Schuette Stille

Emmons Jaye Schwarz Van Regenmorter

Gast

Excused--2

McManus Vaughn

Not Voting--0

In The Chair: Schwarz

The question being on the passage of the bill,

The bill was passed, a majority of the members serving voting therefor, as follows:

Roll Call No. 21 Yeas--34

Bennett Emmons Koivisto Schwarz

Bullard Gast Leland Shugars

Byrum Goschka McCotter Sikkema

Cherry Gougeon Miller Smith

DeBeaussaert Hammerstrom Murphy Steil

DeGrow Hart North Stille

Dingell Hoffman Peters Van Regenmorter

Dunaskiss Jaye Schuette Young

Emerson Johnson

Nays--0

Excused--2

McManus Vaughn

Not Voting--0

In The Chair: Schwarz

The Senate agreed to the title of the bill.

Senator DeBeaussaert asked and was granted unanimous consent to make a statement and moved that the statement be printed in the Journal.

The motion prevailed.

Senator DeBeaussaert's statement is as follows:

I rise in support of the amendment. First, on the substance of the bill, I do plan to support the bill. I am not certain that it does anything greatly significant according to the information we have received from the municipal facilities subsection of the Environmental Assistance Division of the DEQ which administers the program.

The question really is not whether or not someone has been found not to be in compliance through an adversarial process, but simply whether or not they are not in compliance. If they are not in compliance, they have the eligibility. The language in the bill says if they are not found to be out of compliance through a nonadversarial process, they are allowed to go to the top of the list or to have the additional eligibility. I think that may already be the case. But it doesn't hurt to restate it if that is, in fact, what this does. If it is a broader explanation of that, then so be it.

I think that the amendment that is offered to tie-bar is critical because the overall question is one in funding in this bill and eligibility. The obvious problem that we have is that we have a far greater need today than we have funding available today. Simply saying that we have more people who will get higher scores doesn't necessary solve the problem if we don't have greater resources available to the communities. That's why I have worked to try to find resources to add to the revolving fund in the past through the bottle bill, unclaimed deposits through the CMI proposal, a couple of years ago.

So I was encouraged by this package that came forward because I thought it might do something to add additional dollars. The Majority Leader suggested that the administration says that we will, in fact, match additional federal dollars if they are available, and that has always been the case. I think we need to tie-bar this bill to the bill that is in the Appropriations Committee so it can come before us; so we can improve that bill, frankly. I think we should make dollars available in addition to the dollars currently available and make them available regardless of the federal action. I think we have to take some leadership here and not just be followers, not just say that the feds provide $4 and we will provide $1, which has always been our practice. I think we need to be more aggressive in preserving our resources in helping our local communities. In order to do that, we need to tie-bar the measures so that we have an opportunity for that debate at a later point. With that, I will ask for your support in tie-barring it, and when that bill does come before us, I will ask for your support to improve it.

The following bill was read a third time:

Senate Bill No. 108, entitled

A bill to amend 1994 PA 451, entitled "Natural resources and environmental protection act," by amending section 8807 (MCL 324.8807), as added by 1998 PA 287, and by adding section 3112d.

The question being on the passage of the bill,

Senator DeBeaussaert offered the following amendment:

1. Amend page 3, following line 10, by inserting:

"(A) FOR STATE FISCAL YEAR 2001-2002, FOR GRANTS TO A LOCAL UNIT OF GOVERNMENT TO FUND THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A PILOT WATER QUALITY MONITORING PROGRAM THAT IS DESIGNED TO MONITOR CONNECTING WATERS OF THE GREAT LAKES WHICH ARE THE SOURCE OF DRINKING WATER FOR A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF THE STATE'S POPULATION FOR THE PRESENCE OF TOXIC CHEMICALS, BACTERIA, VIRUSES, AND TOXIC ALGAE." and relettering the remaining subdivisions.

The amendment was not adopted, a majority of the members serving not voting therefor.

Senator DeBeaussaert requested the yeas and nays.

The yeas and nays were ordered, 1/5 of the members present voting therefor.

The amendment was not adopted, a majority of the members serving not voting therefor, as follows:

Roll Call No. 22 Yeas--16

Byrum Dunaskiss Hart Murphy

Cherry Emerson Koivisto Peters

DeBeaussaert Goschka Leland Smith

Dingell Hammerstrom Miller Young

Nays--18

Bennett Gougeon North Sikkema

Bullard Hoffman Schuette Steil

DeGrow Jaye Schwarz Stille

Emmons Johnson Shugars Van Regenmorter

Gast McCotter

Excused--2

McManus Vaughn

Not Voting--0

In The Chair: Schwarz

Senator Peters offered the following amendment:

1. Amend page 4, following line 3, by inserting:

"(7) NO MORE THAN $15,000,000.00 MILLION SHALL BE EXPENDED FROM THE FUND FOR THE PURPOSE OF OPERATIONAL WATER QUALITY MONITORING ACTIVITIES.".

The question being on the adoption of the amendment,

Senator Emerson requested the yeas and nays.

The yeas and nays were ordered, 1/5 of the members present voting therefor.

The amendment was not adopted, a majority of the members serving not voting therefor, as follows:

Roll Call No. 23 Yeas--12

Byrum Dingell Leland Peters

Cherry Emerson Miller Smith

DeBeaussaert Hart Murphy Young

Nays--22

Bennett Goschka Koivisto Shugars

Bullard Gougeon McCotter Sikkema

DeGrow Hammerstrom North Steil

Dunaskiss Hoffman Schuette Stille

Emmons Jaye Schwarz Van Regenmorter

Gast Johnson

Excused--2

McManus Vaughn

Not Voting--0

In The Chair: Schwarz

Protests

Senators Gast and McCotter, under their constitutional right of protest (Art. 4, Sec. 18), protested against the adoption of the amendment offered by Senator Peters to Senate Bill No. 108.

Senator Gast moved that the statement he made during the discussion of the amendment be printed as his reasons for voting "no."

The motion prevailed.

Senator Gast's statement, in which Senator McCotter concurred, is as follows:

I oppose the Peters amendment for this dual reason: I think the chairman of the Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs Committee spoke well when he made the point that conceivably we could have an emergency that would take more than the cap would allow. But I think also a history of bureaucracy would tell us that if you artificially put a cap out there of $15 million, and they only spent $5 million this past year, the history of bureaucracy will say they're going to spend the $15 million next year if that's the cap. I don't think we want to mandate that. So I think that the Peters amendment is not necessary, and let the Legislature in future years determine what is the proper amount to be spent on this monitoring.

The question being on the passage of the bill,

The bill was passed, a majority of the members serving voting therefor, as follows:

Roll Call No. 24 Yeas--34

Emerson Johnson

Nays--0

Excused--2

McManus Vaughn

Not Voting--0

In The Chair: Schwarz

The Senate agreed to the title of the bill.

Senators DeBeaussaert and Smith asked and were granted unanimous consent to make statements and moved that the statements be printed in the Journal.

The motion prevailed.

Senator DeBeaussaert's first statement is as follows:

When the bill was on General Orders last week, I expressed some concerns about the bill as it relates to some of the comments that I had received from my local health department. It was suggested that this bill was, in a large part, an outgrowth of discussions with some of those groups. In fact, in testimony before the committee--in written testimony--it was suggested by the Macomb Water Quality Board and the Macomb County Health Department that there has been growing concern or dissatisfaction because the county, in cooperation with other local units of government and other counties, has been trying to develop a comprehension water monitoring program for the Lake
St. Clair area--the St. Clair River, Lake St. Clair, the Clinton River, and those connecting waters--which is the source of drinking for a very large portion of Michigan residents.

The Department of Environmental Quality has been reluctant at best to encourage or entertain those kinds of discussions as it relates to funding from the Clean Michigan Initiative which was adopted by the voters in 1998. A large part, $90 million, was added to address the problems of pollution affecting Lake St. Clair in that period of time. In fact, those who remember the campaign to sell that proposal to the voters in 1998 can remember pictures of elected officials walking on beaches promising that this proposal was going to take care of some of those problems. Now, years later, we have seen very little action.

One of the key things that the Macomb County leaders who are in the forefront of this issue have been asking for is this kind of effort to provide funding from CMI for a comprehensive water monitoring proposal. That's what this amendment does. It's simply to authorize it. It doesn't appropriate dollars. They have a specific proposal with specific dollars attached. This amendment would simply suggest that it is an eligible fund; that the money shall be appended if appropriated by the Legislature, so it would allow for the proposal to come back before us before anything specific would happen. But it gives some very good credence, I think, to the argument and to the proposal put forward locally, and it gives some direction to the department to entertain more seriously, I think, the discussions that have been suggested by those officials at the local level.

I would ask for your support of the proposal to improve, I think, the bill that is before us and to address the real problems that some of those who are on the forefront of the issue have identified.

Senator DeBeaussaert's second statement is as follows:

I rise again, obviously, in support of the amendment. And just in response to some of the comments made by the chair of the committee--and I have had discussions with him--I do think that in a long-term sense, as the statewide plan is developed, the issues that have been identified by the leaders in Macomb County do make sense to include in the statewide portion of the monitoring proposal. But the problem is that's not going to occur for several more years, and the fact is we're already several years past the time that promises were made that we were going to address these issues locally when we included $90 million in a proposal approved by the voters.

It seems to an awful lot of people that the area that was identified as the poster child for passage of the ballot proposal in 1998 has since become an orphan in this process. We have not seen the dollars coming back to our communities. The $90 million that was adopted has not been terribly efficiently utilized, in my opinion. To use just a small portion of that to identify the specific problems in that area, I think, is keeping faith with the promises that were made to the voters in that campaign proposal.

It becomes even more important as the work continues. Just in the last two weeks there have been hearings and meetings in that area to identify that, in fact, we have additional problems from areas across the border in Canada. Firms have identified toxic spills that have the potential, at least, of creating dangers for the drinking water supply. The county and health departments, in cooperation with St. Clair County and Wayne County and Oakland County, are having these discussions. I think that in a comprehensive sense to try to address them, it's an appropriate thing to do. This is the way that we can begin that process by authoring it as an appropriate use of Clean Michigan Fund dollars. Again, I ask for your support.

Senator Smith's statement is as follows:

To the Senator from the 31st, talking about emergencies and how we're tying the hands of future legislators by capping. If we have an emergency that needs a legislative response and that response calls for the public policymakers at that time to lift a cap that is restricting its ability to address the emergency, I would give credit to the future legislators that they would have the sense and responsiveness to the public to lift a cap and to find the funds that are necessary. This talks about present time and about present opportunity and what should be happening in the current public policy arena. We aren't tying anybody's hands as long as an emergency reaches a level of understanding in the public policy body that they make the shift and response to the public concern.

By unanimous consent the Senate proceeded to the order of

Resolutions

Senators Peters, Koivisto, Miller, Schwarz, Johnson, Emerson, Byrum, DeBeaussaert, Murphy, Smith, Hoffman and North offered the following concurrent resolution:

Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 10.

A concurrent resolution to urge the Department of Natural Resources and the Department of Environmental Quality to issue no new oil and gas leases or drilling permits that would allow directional drilling under the Great Lakes.

Whereas, With the sensitive ecology of shorelands along the Great Lakes and the need to preserve the quality of these freshwater treasures, steps have been taken to put safeguards in place in the requirements for oil and gas leases and drilling permits. As new technologies emerge and because of the pressures from a marketplace that demands ever more energy, there continues to be interest in oil and gas deposits that may be under the lakes in sufficient quantities. With the ongoing interest in these resources, state officials have been reexamining this entire issue; and

Whereas, Recently, the Department of Natural Resources has completed a two-year review of the procedures to be followed to secure a lease for possible drilling under the Great Lakes. During this time, new leases have not been issued. Now, DNR-established work groups will be receiving and considering comments on the proposed revised procedures; and

Whereas, While there are a few directionally drilled Great Lakes oil and gas wells in Michigan, there are many groups and individuals who worry that, without the strongest possible safeguards, the benefits of these operations do not justify the potential risks involved. The complexities of the entire process and the damage that could result make it prudent for the state to enter into no new lease agreements or to issue no new permits for directional drilling under the Great Lakes without the most secure procedures and requirements possible; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring), That we urge the Department of Natural Resources and the Department of Environmental Quality to issue no new oil and gas leases or drilling permits that would allow directional drilling under the Great Lakes; and be it further

Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the Department of Natural Resources and the Department of Environmental Quality.

Pending the order that, under rule 3.204, the concurrent resolution be referred to the Committee on Government Operations,

Senator Emmons moved that the rule be suspended.

The motion prevailed, a majority of the members serving voting therefor.

The question being on the adoption of the concurrent resolution,

Senator Emmons moved that the concurrent resolution be referred to the Committee on Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs.

The motion prevailed.

Introduction and Referral of Bills

Senators McCotter and Leland introduced

Senate Bill No. 315, entitled

A bill to establish Holocaust remembrance week in the state of Michigan.

The bill was read a first and second time by title and referred to the Committee on Government Operations.

Senators Smith, DeBeaussaert and Peters introduced

Senate Bill No. 316, entitled

A bill to amend 1994 PA 451, entitled "Natural resources and environmental protection act," by amending section 5522 (MCL 324.5522), as amended by 1998 PA 245.

The bill was read a first and second time by title and referred to the Committee on Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs.

Senators Hammerstrom and Johnson introduced

Senate Bill No. 317, entitled

A bill to amend 1982 PA 295, entitled "Support and parenting time enforcement act," by amending the title and sections 3 and 27 (MCL 552.603 and 552.627), the title as amended by 1996 PA 25, section 3 as amended by 1998
PA 334, and section 27 as amended by 1985 PA 210, and by adding sections 5, 5a, and 5b.