HOUSE BILL No. 5075

 

August 1, 2007, Introduced by Rep. Elsenheimer and referred to the Committee on Tourism, Outdoor Recreation and Natural Resources.

 

     A bill to amend 1994 PA 451, entitled

 

"Natural resources and environmental protection act,"

 

by amending section 83106 (MCL 324.83106), as amended by 2004 PA

 

587.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

     Sec. 83106. (1) The department may require a person to obtain

 

a permit for camping in designated state forest campgrounds. and

 

may establish and collect a fee for the camping permit. However, at

 

least 6 months before increasing a camping permit fee, the

 

department shall provide written notice of its intent to do so to

 

the standing committees of the senate and the house of

 

representatives that have primary jurisdiction over legislation

 


pertaining to natural resources and the environment. Subject to

 

subsection (2), the department shall charge the following fees for

 

camping permits issued under this section:

 

     (a) For individual campsites, $10.00.

 

     (b) For equestrian or off-road campsites, $10.00.

 

     (c) For group campsites designated as such, $3.00 per person.

 

     (d) For cabins at Presque Isle, $35.00.

 

     (e) For cabins at Lime Island, $45.00.

 

     (2) The camping permit fees charged for the following

 

individuals shall be 50% of the regular rate specified in

 

subsection (1):

 

     (a) An individual 65 years of age or older.

 

     (b) A veteran.

 

     (c) An individual who is in active duty in the United States

 

armed forces.

 

     (d) A person with a disability as defined in section 103 of

 

the persons with disabilities civil rights act, 1976 PA 220, MCL

 

37.1103.

 

     (3) If the department ceases to operate a state forest

 

campground, the department shall allow the local unit of government

 

in which the state forest campground is located to operate the

 

state forest campground. In operating the state forest campground,

 

the local unit of government may charge fees in the amounts

 

provided for in subsections (1) and (2) for camping permits and may

 

perform necessary maintenance of the campground. If a local unit of

 

government assumes the management of a state forest campground

 

under this subsection, the local unit of government shall use the

 


revenues received from camping fees only for the operations and

 

maintenance of the state forest campground.

 

     (4) (2) The In addition to camping permits, the department may

 

require a person to obtain a permit, except as otherwise provided

 

by law, for the use of lands and facilities within the state forest

 

as designated by the department for recreation use.

 

     (5) (3) Money collected by the department under this section

 

shall be deposited into the forest recreation account.