"GREEN SCHOOL" DESIGNATION S.B. 904: FLOOR SUMMARY
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Senate Bill 904 (as reported without amendment)
Sponsor: Senator Valde Garcia
Committee: Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs

CONTENT
The bill would amend Part 25 (Environmental Education) of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act to delete the criteria a school must meet in order to receive a "green school" designation; and establish criteria for a school to receive a green school, emerald school, or evergreen school environmental stewardship designation based on four categories of activities.


Under Part 25, a public or private school in Michigan may apply to be designated as a "green school" by submitting an application to a department of a county or intermediate school district designated to accept, consider, and approve or reject the application. A school is eligible to receive a "green school" designation if it meets 10 of 20 specified criteria.


The bill would eliminate these criteria. Instead, a school could receive a green school, emerald school, or evergreen school environmental stewardship designation if the school or students performed 10, 15, or 20 required activities, respectively. The school or students would have to perform at least two of the specified activities from each of the following categories, which would qualify toward an environmental stewardship designation: recycling, energy, environmental protection, and miscellaneous.


In addition to the activities described in the bill, a school could design and propose another activity, which could qualify toward an environmental stewardship designation if the entity designated to review, consider, and approve or reject applications approved the activity by December 1 of the applicable school year.


MCL 324.2511 Legislative Analyst: Julie Cassidy

FISCAL IMPACT
The bill would have no fiscal impact on State or local government.


Date Completed: 12-3-09 Fiscal Analyst: Kathryn Summers

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. sb904/0910