HB-5801, As Passed Senate, August 4, 2004                                   

SENATE SUBSTITUTE FOR

HOUSE BILL NO. 5801

                                                                             A bill to amend 1952 PA 214, entitled                                             

"An act authorizing the Mackinac bridge authority to acquire a              

bridge connecting the upper and lower peninsulas of Michigan,               

including causeways, tunnels, roads and all useful related                  

equipment and facilities, including park, parking, recreation,              

lighting and terminal facilities; extending the corporate                   

existence of the authority; authorizing such authority to enjoy             

and carry out all powers incident to its corporate objects;                 

authorizing the appropriation and use of state funds for the                

preliminary purposes of the authority; providing for the payment            

of the cost of such bridge and in that connection authorizing the           

authority to issue revenue bonds payable solely from the revenues           

of the bridge; granting the right of condemnation to the                    

authority; granting the use of state land and property to the               

authority; making provisions for the payment and security of such           

bonds and granting certain rights and remedies to the holders               

thereof; authorizing banks and trust companies to perform certain           

acts in connection therewith; authorizing the imposition of tolls           

and charges; authorizing the authority to secure the consent of             

the United States government to the construction of the bridge              

and to secure approval of plans, specifications and location of             

same; authorizing employment of engineers irrespective of whether           

such engineers have been previously employed to make preliminary            

inspections or reports with respect to the bridge; authorizing              

the state highway department to operate and maintain such bridge            

or to contribute thereto and enter into leases and agreements in            

connection therewith; exempting such bonds and the property of              

the authority from taxation; prohibiting competing traffic                  

facilities; authorizing the operation of ferries by the                     

authority; providing for the construction and use of certain                

buildings; and making an appropriation,"                                    

by amending section 12 (MCL 254.322), as amended by 2003 PA 176.            

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

1       Sec. 12.  Except as provided in this section, all                           

2   individuals or vehicles using the bridge shall pay tolls and                

3   charges established by the authority.  The authority shall not              

4   charge tolls or charges to its own personnel or vehicles while              

5   the personnel are on duty or while the vehicles are being used              

6   for authority business.  Beginning October 1, 2003, the authority           

7   shall not charge tolls or charges to authorized emergency                   

8   vehicles that are in the process of responding to an emergency.             

9   As used in this section, "authorized emergency vehicles" means              

10  that term as defined in section 2 of the Michigan vehicle code,             

11  1949 PA 300, MCL 257.2.  Beginning September 1, 2004, a violation           

12  of this section by failure to pay toll is a misdemeanor                     

13  punishable by imprisonment for not more than 30 days or a fine of           

14  not more than $500.00, or both.