May 6, 2003, Introduced by Reps. Brown, Stahl, Adamini, Pastor, Pappageorge, Walker and Farhat and referred to the Committee on Transportation.
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).
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:
1 Sec. 12. No free
use of such bridge shall be permitted,
2 but Except as provided in this section, all
individuals or
3 vehicles using such the
bridge shall pay the tolls and
4 charges established for
such use by the authority. This
5 provision, however,
shall not apply to the operating personnel or
6 vehicles of the
authority. The authority shall
not charge tolls
7 or charges to its own personnel or vehicles. Beginning July 1,
8 2003, the authority shall not charge tolls or charges to
9 authorized emergency vehicles that are in the process of
10 responding to an emergency. As used in this section, "authorized
11 emergency vehicles" means that term as defined in section 2 of
12 the Michigan vehicle code, 1949 PA 300, MCL 257.2.