DEADLINES FOR AGRICULTURAL LICENSES

House Bill 5884

Sponsor:  Rep. Joe Hune

House Bill 5885

Sponsor: Rep. Joanne Voorhees

House Bill 5897

Sponsor Rep. Tom Casperson

House Bill 5898

Sponsor: Rep. Tom Meyer

House Bill 5899

Sponsor: Rep. David Farhat

House Bill 5901

Sponsor: Rep. Rick Shaffer

Committee:  Agriculture and Resource Management

Complete to 5-17-04

A SUMMARY OF HOUSE BILLS 5884, 5885, 5897-5899, AND 5901 AS INTRODUCED 5-12-04

Generally speaking, the bills would each amend a different act to require that an application for a license, registration, or permit submitted after the bill’s effective date be issued within six months, or in some cases 180 days, after the applicant submits a completed application.  (In a few cases, a different existing statutory deadline would apply.)  If the responsible state official determined that an application is incomplete, he or she would have to notify the applicant in writing within 10 days, describing the deficiency and requesting the additional information. 

If the appropriate official fails to grant or deny an application within the required time, he or she would have to return the applicant’s application fee and would discount the next renewal fee by 15 percent.  The appropriate official would be prohibited from reviewing an application with a returned fee in a manner that differs from the review process employed for other applications. 

On each January 31, beginning in 2005, the appropriate department would have to submit a report to the legislative standing committees and appropriations subcommittees of the House of Representatives and Senate with jurisdiction over the given subject matter for the preceding calendar year.  The report would include (1) the number of applications processed and not processed within the required time; (2) the average time to process applications after the time required; (3) the number of applications denied, and reasons for the denial; (4) the number of applications for which additional information was requested, and the average time to fulfill a request; and (5) the amount of application fees returned.

House Bill 5884 would amend the Manufacturing Milk Law of 2001 (MCL 288.670a) concerning a license to wash milk tank trucks; to produce, transport, process, manufacture, label, or sell milk and dairy products; or to manufacture single service containers and closures.

 

House Bill 5885 would amend the Grade A Milk Law of 2001 (MCL 208.503a) concerning licenses for milk plants, receiving stations, transfer stations, tank truck cleaning facilities, milk transportation companies, milk tank trucks, distributors primarily engaged in distributing finished Grade A milk, single service container and closure manufacturers, and haulers/samplers to pick up Grade A milk in a farm pickup milk tank. 

House Bill 5897 would amend the Insect Pest and Plant Disease Act (MCL 286.209) concerning licenses for growing or selling nursery stock, plant dealers, plant growers, and nursery dealers.

House Bill 5898 would amend the Public Act 287 of 1969 (MCL 287.334) concerning licenses to operate a pet shop.

House Bill 5899 would amend the Grain Dealers Act (MCL 285.67) concerning licenses to operate as a grain dealer (that is, generally, a person engaged in the business of receiving, buying, exchanging, selling, or storing farm produce in this state, including a farm produce trucker, grain merchandiser, or processor.)  The act currently has a review deadline of 30 days, and the bill would retain that deadline. 

House Bill 5901 would amend Public Act 284 of 1937 concerning license applications to act as a livestock dealer or broker, or the agent of a dealer or broker.

                                                                                           Legislative Analyst:   Mark Wolf   

■ 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.