Act No. 176

Public Acts of 2003

Approved by the Governor

August 25, 2003

Filed with the Secretary of State

August 25, 2003

EFFECTIVE DATE: August 25, 2003

STATE OF MICHIGAN

92ND LEGISLATURE

REGULAR SESSION OF 2003

Introduced by Reps. Brown, Stahl, Adamini, Pastor, Pappageorge, Walker and Farhat

ENROLLED HOUSE BILL No. 4630

AN ACT 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:

Sec. 12. Except as provided in this section, all individuals or vehicles using the bridge shall pay tolls and charges established by the authority. The authority shall not charge tolls or charges to its own personnel or vehicles while the personnel are on duty or while the vehicles are being used for authority business. Beginning October 1, 2003, the authority shall not charge tolls or charges to authorized emergency vehicles that are in the process of responding to an emergency. As used in this section, "authorized emergency vehicles" means that term as defined in section 2 of the Michigan vehicle code, 1949 PA 300, MCL 257.2.

This act is ordered to take immediate effect.

Clerk of the House of Representatives

Secretary of the Senate

Approved

Governor