SPECIAL WATERCRAFT DECALS TO FUND AQUATIC SPECIES EFFORTS
House Bill 4914
Sponsor: Rep. David Palsrok
Committee: Great Lakes and Tourism
Complete to 10-3-03
A SUMMARY OF HOUSE BILL 4914 AS INTRODUCED 7-1-03
The bill would amend the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act (NREPA) to create a Great Lakes Protection Specialty Watercraft Decal program, with a portion of the revenue to be deposited in the Michigan Great Lakes Protection Fund to be used for public education about the threat of aquatic nuisance species and for efforts to eradicate those aquatic species from the Great Lakes and other waters of the state.
Under the bill, the secretary of state would be required to design and make available for purchase specialty watercraft decals depicting some aspect of the Great Lakes or Great Lakes’ water quality. The decals would be available for purchase when a person purchased a required watercraft decal (or a temporary permit) and at other times as determined by the secretary of state. The decal would be valid for three years and would be sold for $35 for the three-year decal. Of that, $10 would remain with the secretary of state for use in creating and distributing decals and $25 would be forwarded to the state treasurer for deposit in the Great Lakes Protection Fund. The secretary of state could decide to issue decals for less than a three-year term, in which case the fee would be lowered proportionately, as would the amount forwarded to the protection fund. The secretary of state could specify where the specialty decal was to be placed on watercraft so that law enforcement officers would not confuse them with the required decals.
MCL 324.80124a
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This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan House staff for use by House members in their deliberations, and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.