SENATE BILL No. 537

 

 

June 4, 2003, Introduced by Senators BRATER and McMANUS and referred to the Committee on Appropriations.

 

 

        

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                 A bill to amend 1994 PA 451, entitled                                             

                                                                                

    "Natural resources and environmental protection act,"                       

                                                                                

    by amending section 74117 (MCL 324.74117), as added by 1995 PA              

                                                                                

    58, and by adding section 501b; and to repeal acts and parts of             

                                                                                

    acts.                                                                       

                                                                                

                THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:                      

                                                                                

1       Sec. 501b.  (1) If a provision of this act provides for the                 

                                                                                

2   issuance of an order by the commission pursuant to this section,            

                                                                                

3   the commission shall issue the order following a public meeting             

                                                                                

4   and an opportunity for public input.  Not less than 30                      

                                                                                

5   legislative session days before issuing the order, the commission           

                                                                                

6   shall provide a copy of the order to each of the following:                 

                                                                                

7       (a) Each member of each standing committee of the senate and                

                                                                                

8   the house of representatives that considers legislation                     

                                                                                

9   pertaining to conservation, the environment, natural resources,             

                                                                                


                                                                                

1   recreation, tourism, or agriculture.                                        

                                                                                

2       (b) The chairperson of the senate appropriations committee                  

                                                                                

3   and the chairperson of the house of representatives                         

                                                                                

4   appropriations committee.                                                   

                                                                                

5       (c) The members of the subcommittee of the senate                           

                                                                                

6   appropriations committee and the subcommittee of the house of               

                                                                                

7   representatives appropriations committee that consider the budget           

                                                                                

8   of the department of natural resources.                                     

                                                                                

9       (2) As used in this section, "legislative session day" means                

                                                                                

10  a day in which a quorum of either the house of representatives or           

                                                                                

11  senate, following a call to order, officially convenes in Lansing           

                                                                                

12  to conduct legislative business.                                            

                                                                                

13      Sec. 74117.  (1) The department may require park permits and                

                                                                                

14  collect park permit fees for entry into a state park or portion             

                                                                                

15  of a state park posted in the manner prescribed by this part.               

                                                                                

16  The department shall prepare and distribute park permits to                 

                                                                                

17  implement this part.                                                        

                                                                                

18      (2) Except as otherwise provided in this section, an annual                 

                                                                                

19  park permit shall be issued and shall authorize the entry of the            

                                                                                

20  motor vehicle to which it is originally attached within the                 

                                                                                

21  confines of any state park or recreation area during the calendar           

                                                                                

22  year  in  for which it is issued.  The fee for the annual park              

                                                                                

23  permit  is $18.00 in 1994, and $20.00 in 1995 and thereafter                

                                                                                

24  shall be established by the commission, except that an owner of a           

                                                                                

25  resident motor vehicle who is 65 years of age or older shall be             

                                                                                

26  issued a special annual park permit for 1/4 the amount of the               

                                                                                

27  annual park permit.                                                         


                                                                                

1       (3) A daily park permit, valid for 1 day only, shall be                     

                                                                                

2   issued for a fee  to be fixed by the department, but in an amount           

                                                                                

3   not to exceed $4.00 for resident motor vehicles and $6.00                   

                                                                                

4   established by the commission.  In establishing fees under this             

                                                                                

5   subsection, the commission may establish higher fees for                    

                                                                                

6   nonresident motor vehicles.   The fee for nonresident motor                 

                                                                                

7   vehicles may be $4.00 in all parks except where nonresident day             

                                                                                

8   use is extremely high.  The department shall identify parks where           

                                                                                

9   nonresident day use is extremely high and set the nonresident fee           

                                                                                

10  at $6.00.  The daily permit shall authorize the entry of the                

                                                                                

11  motor vehicle to which it is originally attached within the                 

                                                                                

12  confines of a state park during the day  in  for which it is                

                                                                                

13  issued.                                                                     

                                                                                

14      (4) A resident motor vehicle is a vehicle that is registered                

                                                                                

15  as a motor vehicle in this state.                                           

                                                                                

16      (5) This part applies only to the entry of motor vehicles                   

                                                                                

17  into the state parks and to the park permits authorized in this             

                                                                                

18  part and does not obviate the necessity of obtaining additional             

                                                                                

19  permits for special services or park privileges as previously or            

                                                                                

20  subsequently may be required by law or by rules promulgated by              

                                                                                

21  the department.  The department shall designate each person in              

                                                                                

22  the state authorized to sell park permits and shall require as a            

                                                                                

23  condition of the designation that a surety bond be furnished in             

                                                                                

24  an amount and in a form and with the surety as is acceptable to             

                                                                                

25  the department.  A person designated by the department after                

                                                                                

26  being designated may issue park permits in accordance with this             

                                                                                

27  part.                                                                       


                                                                                

1       (6) Commercial motor coaches or vans are not eligible to                    

                                                                                

2   enter a state park with an annual park permit.  The  department             

                                                                                

3   commission may establish a daily fee  not to exceed $15.00  to              

                                                                                

4   allow commercial motor coaches or vans with a capacity of over 12           

                                                                                

5   passengers daily entry into a state park.                                   

                                                                                

6       (7) The department may add to the cost of a reservation or                  

                                                                                

7   for payment for a motor vehicle entrance or camping fee the                 

                                                                                

8   charges that the state incurs because of the use of a credit                

                                                                                

9   card.                                                                       

                                                                                

10      (8) The commission shall establish a fee under this section                 

                                                                                

11  by an order issued pursuant to section 501b.  The fees under this           

                                                                                

12  section shall be set at an amount, considering other available              

                                                                                

13  funding, that is necessary and sufficient for the improvement,              

                                                                                

14  operation, and maintenance of state parks as provided in this               

                                                                                

15  part and as otherwise provided by law.  A fee in effect under               

                                                                                

16  this section immediately prior to the effective date of the                 

                                                                                

17  amendatory act that added this subsection shall remain in effect            

                                                                                

18  until the commission establishes the fee under this section.                

                                                                                

19      Enacting section 1.  Section 74109 of the natural resources                 

                                                                                

20  and environmental protection act, 1994 PA 451, MCL 324.74109, is            

                                                                                

21  repealed.