GREAT LAKES PROTECTION DECAL - S.B. 535 (S-1) & 536 (S-2): FLOOR

ANALYSISSenate Bill 535 (Substitute S-1 as reported)

Senate Bill 536 (Substitute S-2 as reported by the Committee of the Whole)

Sponsor: Senator Patricia Birkholz (Senate Bill 535)

            60;   Senator Jason Allen (Senate Bill 536)

Committee: Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs


CONTENT


The bills would amend the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act to require the Secretary of State to design and sell a Great Lakes Protection speciality watercraft decal; and require that the proceeds be used for aquatic nuisance species research, public education, and eradication efforts.


The bills are tie-barred.


Senate Bill 536 (S-2) would require the Secretary of State to make the Great Lakes Protection speciality watercraft decal available for purchase when a person bought a certificate-of-number decal, and at other times as determined by the Secretary of State. The specialty decal would cost $35 and be valid for three years. It would have to depict some aspect of the Great Lakes or Great Lakes water quality. The Secretary of State would have to discontinue selling the decal if sales did not meet any of the following minimum targets: 1,000 in fiscal year (FY) 2003-04; 2,000 in FY 2004-05; and 3,000 in FY 2005-06. If sales exceeded these targets, the Secretary of State would have to continue decal sales in subsequent years. By October 1, 2004, and every October 1 thereafter, the Secretary of State would have to submit to the Legislature a report that detailed the amount of decals sold during the previous fiscal year.


Senate Bill 535 (S-1) would require the Secretary of State to forward $25 from each decal sold to the State Treasurer for deposit into the Michigan Great Lakes Protection Fund, and to retain $10 as reimbursement for the cost of creating and distributing the decals. The money forwarded to the Fund would have to be used for research on aquatic nuisance species, public education on the threat of aquatic nuisance species, and efforts to eradicate aquatic nuisance species from the Great Lakes and other waters of the State.

  

MCL 324.80155 et al. (S.B. 535) - Legislative Analyst: Claire Layman

Proposed MCL 324.80124a (S.B. 536) -


FISCAL IMPACT


Senate Bill 535 (S-1) would have an indeterminate fiscal impact depending on the number of Great Lakes Protection specialty watercraft decals issued. There are approximately 915,000 registered watercraft in Michigan.


Senate Bill 536 (S-2) would result in costs to the Department of State related to the design and production of Great Lakes Protection specialty watercraft decals. No cost estimate is available from the Department. The extent to which the Department’s costs would be offset by revenue would depend on the number of decals sold.


Date Completed: 6-24-03 - Fiscal Analyst: Bill Bowerman


floor\sb535 - 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.