HOUSE BILL No. 5669

 

December 9, 2009, Introduced by Rep. Switalski and referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

 

     A bill to amend 1994 PA 451, entitled

 

"Natural resources and environmental protection act,"

 

by amending section 20101b (MCL 324.20101b), as amended by 2000 PA

 

368.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

     Sec. 20101b. (1) A lender or other person who has not

 

participated in the management of a property as described in

 

section 20101a before assuming ownership or control of the property

 

as a fiduciary, as defined by section 1104 of the estates and

 

protected individuals code, 1998 PA 386, MCL 700.1104, or in a

 

representative capacity for a disabled person under section 5501 of

 

the estates and protected individuals code, 1998 PA 386, MCL

 

700.5501, a durable power of attorney as described in section 102

 

of the uniform power of attorney act and that who is acting or has

 


acted in a capacity permitted by the estates and protected

 

individuals code, 1998 PA 386, MCL 700.1101 to 700.8102 700.8206,

 

is not personally liable as an owner or operator of the property

 

under this part. This subsection does not do either of the

 

following:

 

     (a) Relieve the fiduciary from personal liability as the

 

result of the fiduciary's assumption of personal liability, or

 

negligence, gross negligence, or reckless, willful, or intentional

 

misconduct.

 

     (b) Prevent a claim against the assets that are part of or all

 

of the estate or trust that contains the facility; another estate

 

or trust of the decedent, grantor, ward, or other person whose

 

estate or trust contains the facility that is administered by the

 

lender or other person; or another estate or trust of the decedent,

 

grantor, ward, or other person whose estate or trust contains the

 

facility. Such a claim may be asserted against the fiduciary in its

 

representative capacity, whether or not the fiduciary is personally

 

liable.

 

     (2) A lender that has not participated in the management of a

 

property as described in section 20101a before assuming ownership

 

or control of the property in a fiduciary capacity , and that,

 

under a fiduciary agreement entered into on or before August 1,

 

1990, owns or controls the property in a fiduciary capacity that is

 

authorized by the banking code of 1999, 1999 PA 276, MCL 487.11101

 

to 487.15105, or the national bank act, chapter 106, 13 Stat. 99,

 

is not personally liable as an owner or operator of the property

 

under this part. This subsection does not do either of the

 


following:

 

     (a) Relieve the fiduciary from personal liability as the

 

result of the fiduciary's assumption of personal liability,

 

negligence, gross negligence, or reckless, willful, or intentional

 

misconduct.

 

     (b) Prevent a claim against the assets that are part of or all

 

of the estate or trust that contains the facility; another estate

 

or trust of the decedent, grantor, ward, or other person whose

 

estate or trust contains the facility that is administered by the

 

lender; or another estate or trust of the decedent, grantor, ward,

 

or other person whose estate or trust contains the facility. Such a

 

claim may be asserted against the fiduciary in its representative

 

capacity, whether or not the fiduciary is personally liable.

 

     (3) A lender that has not participated in the management of a

 

property as described in section 20101a before assuming ownership

 

or control of the property in a fiduciary capacity, and that, under

 

a fiduciary agreement entered into after August 1, 1990, owns or

 

controls the property in a fiduciary capacity that is authorized by

 

the banking code of 1999, 1999 PA 276, MCL 487.11101 to 487.15105,

 

or the national bank act, chapter 106, 13 Stat. 99, that has served

 

only in an administrative, custodial, or financial capacity with

 

respect to the property, and that has not exercised sufficient

 

involvement to control the owner's or operator's handling of a

 

hazardous substance , is not personally liable as an owner or

 

operator of the property under this part. This subsection does not

 

do either of the following:

 

     (a) Relieve the fiduciary from personal liability as the

 


result of the fiduciary's assumption of personal liability,

 

negligence, gross negligence, or reckless, willful, or intentional

 

misconduct.

 

     (b) Prevent a claim against the assets that are part of or all

 

of the estate or trust that contains the facility; another estate

 

or trust of the decedent, grantor, ward, or other person whose

 

estate or trust contains the facility that is administered by the

 

lender; or another estate or trust of the decedent, grantor, ward,

 

or other person whose estate or trust contains the facility. Such a

 

claim may be asserted against the fiduciary in its representative

 

capacity, whether or not the fiduciary is personally liable.

 

     Enacting section 1. This amendatory act does not take effect

 

unless Senate Bill No.____ (request no. 01651'09) or House Bill No.

 

5196 of the 95th Legislature is enacted into law.