HOUSE BILL No. 5793

 

April 21, 2004, Introduced by Reps. Drolet, Robertson, Brandenburg, Garfield, Nofs, Casperson, Woronchak, Richardville, LaJoy, Stahl and Acciavatti and referred to the Committee on Veterans Affairs and Homeland Security.

        

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                 A bill to amend 1994 PA 451, entitled                                             

                                                                                

    "Natural resources and environmental protection act,"                       

                                                                                

    by amending sections 74101 and 74117 (MCL 324.74101 and                     

                                                                                

    324.74117), section 74101 as added by 1995 PA 58 and section                

                                                                                

    74117 as amended by 2003 PA 170.                                            

                                                                                

                THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:                      

                                                                                

1       Sec. 74101.  As used in this part:                                          

                                                                                

2       (a) "Fund" means the state park improvement fund created in                 

                                                                                

3   section 74108.                                                              

                                                                                

4       (b) "Improvement program" means the construction,                           

                                                                                

5   reconstruction, development, improvement, bettering, operating,             

                                                                                

6   maintaining,  and  or extending of a facility at a state park,              

                                                                                

7   including a site improvement, impoundment, road,  and  parking              

                                                                                

8   lot, toilet building, concession building, shelter building,                

                                                                                

9   bathhouse, utility, outdoor center, visitor service facility, ski           

                                                                                


                                                                                

1   area, ski tow, ski shelter,  and  or administration unit.                   

                                                                                

2       (c) "Motor vehicle" means a vehicle that is self-propelled.                 

                                                                                

3       (d) "State park" means a state park or state recreation area                

                                                                                

4   designated by the director.                                                 

                                                                                

5       (e) "State park revenues" means all revenues collected for                  

                                                                                

6   state parks, including, but not limited to, motor vehicle                   

                                                                                

7   permits, concession fees, nonmotorized trail permits, fees,                 

                                                                                

8   leases, camping fees, sale of farm animals from Maybury state               

                                                                                

9   park, donations, and gifts.                                                 

                                                                                

10      (f) "Veteran" means that term as defined in section 2 of the                

                                                                                

11  veteran right to employment services act, 1994 PA 39, MCL                   

                                                                                

12  35.1092.                                                                    

                                                                                

13      Sec. 74117.  (1) The department may require park permits and                

                                                                                

14  collect park permit fees for entry into a state park or portion             

                                                                                

15  of a state park posted in the manner prescribed by this part.               

                                                                                

16  The department shall prepare and distribute park permits to                 

                                                                                

17  implement this part.                                                        

                                                                                

18      (2) Except as otherwise provided in this section, an annual                 

                                                                                

19  park permit shall be issued and shall authorize the entry of the            

                                                                                

20  motor vehicle to which it is originally attached within the                 

                                                                                

21  confines of any state park or recreation area during the calendar           

                                                                                

22  year for which it is issued.  The fee for the annual park permit            

                                                                                

23  is as follows:                                                              

                                                                                

24      (a) Until January 1, 2007, for the owner of a resident motor                

                                                                                

25  vehicle, $24.00, except as follows:                                         

                                                                                

26                                                                               (i) The fee for the owner of a resident motor vehicle who is                        

                                                                                

27  65 years of age or older is $6.00.                                          


                                                                                

1       (ii) The fee for the owner of a resident motor vehicle who,                  

                                                                                

2   at the time of purchase, is in possession of a food stamp card              

                                                                                

3   and personal identification is $18.00.                                      

                                                                                

4       (b) Until January 1, 2007, for the owner of a nonresident                   

                                                                                

5   motor vehicle, $29.00.                                                      

                                                                                

6       (3) A daily permit, valid for 1 day only, shall authorize the               

                                                                                

7   entry of the motor vehicle to which it is originally attached               

                                                                                

8   within the confines of a state park during the day for which it             

                                                                                

9   is issued.  The fee for a daily permit is as follows:                       

                                                                                

10      (a) Until January 1, 2007, for the owner of a resident motor                

                                                                                

11  vehicle, $6.00.                                                             

                                                                                

12      (b) Until January 1, 2007, for the owner of a nonresident                   

                                                                                

13  motor vehicle, $8.00.                                                       

                                                                                

14      (c) For a veteran, no charge.                                               

                                                                                

15      (4) A person who has obtained an annual motor vehicle permit                

                                                                                

16  under this section for a recreational vehicle to be used as a               

                                                                                

17  stationary primary camping shelter camped legally in and not                

                                                                                

18  moved from a state park campground during the period of the                 

                                                                                

19  camping stay may obtain a duplicate motor vehicle permit for a              

                                                                                

20  towed second motor vehicle present at the time of entry for a fee           

                                                                                

21  of $6.00 effective for the duration of the camping stay.                    

                                                                                

22      (5) The department shall provide  an annual report  to the                  

                                                                                

23  standing committees in the senate and house of representatives              

                                                                                

24  along with  and the appropriate budget subcommittees that                  

                                                                                

25  primarily consider natural resources issues an annual report that           

                                                                                

26  details the revenue stream generated by the fee structure under             

                                                                                

27  this section.  This report shall be presented not later than                


                                                                                

1   December 31 each year and shall include information on the impact           

                                                                                

2   of the revenue stream on the Michigan state parks endowment fund            

                                                                                

3   created in section 35a of article IX of the state constitution of           

                                                                                

4   1963 and provided for in section 74119, the use of the general              

                                                                                

5   fund for funding the state park system, and other relevant issues           

                                                                                

6   that impact funding needs for the state park system.                        

                                                                                

7       (6) A resident motor vehicle is a vehicle that is registered                

                                                                                

8   as a motor vehicle in this state.                                           

                                                                                

9       (7) This part applies only to the entry of motor vehicles                   

                                                                                

10  into the state parks and to the park permits authorized in this             

                                                                                

11  part and does not obviate the necessity of obtaining additional             

                                                                                

12  permits for special services or park privileges as previously or            

                                                                                

13  subsequently may be required by law or by rules promulgated by              

                                                                                

14  the department.  The department shall designate each person in              

                                                                                

15  the state authorized to sell park permits and shall require as a            

                                                                                

16  condition of the designation that a surety bond be furnished in             

                                                                                

17  an amount and in a form and with the surety as is acceptable to             

                                                                                

18  the department.  After being designated by the  Department                  

                                                                                

19  department, a person may issue park permits in accordance with              

                                                                                

20  this part.                                                                  

                                                                                

21      (8) Commercial motor coaches or vans with a capacity of more                

                                                                                

22  than 12 passengers are not eligible to enter a state park with an           

                                                                                

23  annual park permit.  Until January 1, 2007, the daily fee to                

                                                                                

24  allow commercial motor coaches or vans with a capacity of over 12           

                                                                                

25  passengers daily entry into a state park is $15.00.                         

                                                                                

26      (9) The department may add to the cost of a reservation or a                

                                                                                

27  motor vehicle entrance or camping fee the charges that the state            


                                                                                

1   incurs because of the use of a credit card.                                 

                                                                                

2       (10) It is the intent of the legislature that if, on                        

                                                                                

3   September 30 of any state fiscal year, the amount of money in the           

                                                                                

4   countercyclical budget and economic stabilization fund created in           

                                                                                

5   section 351 of the management and budget act, 1984 PA 431, MCL              

                                                                                

6   18.1351, exceeds $250,000,000.00, then general fund/general                 

                                                                                

7   purpose support for state parks operations for the following                

                                                                                

8   state fiscal year shall be equal to or exceed 50% of the revenues           

                                                                                

9   generated by motor vehicle entrance fees under this section                 

                                                                                

10  during the previous state fiscal year.