HB-5027, As Passed House, October 21, 2003                                  

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                              SUBSTITUTE FOR                                    

                                                                                

                           HOUSE BILL NO. 5027                                  

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                 A bill to amend 1994 PA 451, entitled                                             

                                                                                

    "Natural resources and environmental protection act,"                       

                                                                                

    by amending sections 82101, 82106, 82107, and 82109                         

                                                                                

    (MCL 324.82101, 324.82106, 324.82107, and 324.82109), section               

                                                                                

    82101 as amended by 2003 PA 43, section 82106 as amended by 1998            

                                                                                

    PA 297, and sections 82107 and 82109 as added by 1995 PA 58.                

                                                                                

                THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:                      

                                                                                

1       Sec. 82101.  As used in this part:                                          

                                                                                

2       (a) "Conviction" means a final conviction, the payment of a                 

                                                                                

3   fine, a plea of guilty or nolo contendere if accepted by the                

                                                                                

4   court, or a finding of guilt or probate court disposition on a              

                                                                                

5   violation of this part, regardless of whether the penalty is                

                                                                                

6   rebated or suspended.                                                       

                                                                                

7       (b) "Dealer" means any person engaged in the sale, lease, or                

                                                                                

8   rental of snowmobiles as a regular business.                                

                                                                                


                                                                                

1       (c) "Former section 15a" means section 15a of former 1968 PA                

                                                                                

2   74, as constituted prior to May 1, 1994.                                    

                                                                                

3       (d) "Highly restricted personal information" means an                       

                                                                                

4   individual's photograph or image, social security number,                   

                                                                                

5   digitized signature, and medical and disability information.                

                                                                                

6       (e) "Highway or street" means the entire width between the                  

                                                                                

7   boundary lines of every way publicly maintained if any part                 

                                                                                

8   thereof is open to the use of the public for purposes of                    

                                                                                

9   vehicular travel.                                                           

                                                                                

10      (f) "In-kind contributions" means services and goods as                     

                                                                                

11  approved by the department that are provided by a grant recipient           

                                                                                

12  toward completion of a department-approved local snowmobile                 

                                                                                

13  program under section 82107.                                                

                                                                                

14      (g)  (f)  "Law of another state" means a law or ordinance                   

                                                                                

15  enacted by another state or by a local unit of government in                

                                                                                

16  another state.                                                              

                                                                                

17      (h)  (g)  "Long-term incapacitating injury" means an injury                 

                                                                                

18  that causes a person to be in a comatose, quadriplegic,                     

                                                                                

19  hemiplegic, or paraplegic state, which state is likely to                   

                                                                                

20  continue for 1 year or more.                                                

                                                                                

21      (i)  (h)  "Operate" means to ride in or on and be in actual                 

                                                                                

22  physical control of the operation of a snowmobile.                          

                                                                                

23      (j)  (i)  "Operator" means any person who operates  or is in                

                                                                                

24  actual physical control of  a snowmobile.                                   

                                                                                

25      (k)  (j)  "Owner" means any of the following:                               

                                                                                

26                                                                               (i) A person who holds the legal title to a snowmobile.                             

                                                                                

27      (ii) A vendee or lessee of a snowmobile that is the subject                  


                                                                                

1   of an agreement for conditional sale or lease with the right of             

                                                                                

2   purchase upon performance of the conditions stated in the                   

                                                                                

3   agreement and with an immediate right of possession vested in the           

                                                                                

4   conditional vendee or lessee.                                               

                                                                                

5       (iii) A person renting a snowmobile or having the exclusive                  

                                                                                

6   use of a snowmobile for more than 30 days.                                  

                                                                                

7                                                                                (l)  (k)  "Peace officer" means any of the following:                                

                                                                                

8                                                                                (i) A sheriff.                                                                      

                                                                                

9       (ii) A sheriff's deputy.                                                     

                                                                                

10      (iii) A deputy who is authorized by a sheriff to enforce this                

                                                                                

11  part and who has satisfactorily completed at least 40 hours of              

                                                                                

12  law enforcement training, including training specific to this               

                                                                                

13  part.                                                                       

                                                                                

14      (iv) A village or township marshal.                                          

                                                                                

15      (v) An officer of the police department of any municipality.                

                                                                                

16      (vi) An officer of the Michigan state police.                                

                                                                                

17      (vii) The director and conservation officers employed by the                 

                                                                                

18  department.                                                                 

                                                                                

19      (viii) A law enforcement officer who is certified pursuant to                 

                                                                                

20  the commission on law enforcement standards act, 1965 PA 203, MCL           

                                                                                

21  28.601 to 28.616, as long as that officer is policing within his            

                                                                                

22  or her jurisdiction.                                                        

                                                                                

23      (m)  (l)  "Personal information" means information that                     

                                                                                

24  identifies an individual, including an individual's driver                  

                                                                                

25  identification number, name, address not including zip code, and            

                                                                                

26  telephone number, but does not include information on snowmobile            

                                                                                

27  operation or equipment-related violations or civil infractions,             


                                                                                

1   operator or snowmobile registration status, accidents, or other             

                                                                                

2   behaviorally-related information.                                           

                                                                                

3       (n)  (m)  "Probate court or family division disposition"                    

                                                                                

4   means the entry of a probate court order of disposition or family           

                                                                                

5   division order of disposition for a child found to be within the            

                                                                                

6   provisions of chapter XIIA of the probate code of 1939, 1939 PA             

                                                                                

7   288, MCL 712A.1 to 712A.32.                                                 

                                                                                

8       (o)  (n)  "Prosecuting attorney", except as the context                     

                                                                                

9   requires otherwise, means the attorney general, the prosecuting             

                                                                                

10  attorney of a county, or the attorney representing a local unit             

                                                                                

11  of government.                                                              

                                                                                

12      (p)  (o)  "Right-of-way" means that portion of a highway or                 

                                                                                

13  street less the roadway and any shoulder.                                   

                                                                                

14      (q)  (p)  "Roadway" means that portion of a highway or street               

                                                                                

15  improved, designated, or ordinarily used for vehicular travel.              

                                                                                

16  If a highway or street includes 2 or more separate roadways, the            

                                                                                

17  term roadway refers to any such roadway separately, but not to              

                                                                                

18  all such roadways collectively.                                             

                                                                                

19      (r)  (q)  "Shoulder" means that portion of a highway or                     

                                                                                

20  street on either side of the roadway that is normally snowplowed            

                                                                                

21  for the safety and convenience of vehicular traffic.                        

                                                                                

22      (s)  (r)  "Snowmobile" means any motor-driven vehicle                       

                                                                                

23  designed for travel primarily on snow or ice of a type that                 

                                                                                

24  utilizes sled-type runners or skis, an endless belt tread, or any           

                                                                                

25  combination of these or other similar means of contact with the             

                                                                                

26  surface upon which it is operated, but is not a vehicle that must           

                                                                                

27  be registered under the Michigan vehicle code, 1949 PA 300, MCL             


                                                                                

1   257.1 to 257.923.                                                           

                                                                                

2       (t)  (s)  "Zone 1" means all of the Upper Peninsula.                        

                                                                                

3       (u)  (t)  "Zone 2" means all of that part of the Lower                      

                                                                                

4   Peninsula north of a line beginning at and drawn from a point on            

                                                                                

5   the Michigan-Wisconsin boundary line due west of the westerly               

                                                                                

6   terminus of river road in Muskegon county; thence due east to the           

                                                                                

7   westerly terminus of river road; thence north and east along the            

                                                                                

8   center line of the river road to its intersection with highway              

                                                                                

9   M-120; thence northeasterly and easterly along the center line of           

                                                                                

10  highway M-120 to the junction of highway M-20; thence easterly              

                                                                                

11  along the center line of M-20 to its junction with US-10 at the             

                                                                                

12  Midland-Bay county line; thence easterly along the center line of           

                                                                                

13  the "business route" of highway US-10 to the intersection of                

                                                                                

14  Garfield road in Bay county; thence north along the center line             

                                                                                

15  of Garfield road to the intersection of the Pinconning road;                

                                                                                

16  thence east along the center line of Pinconning road to the                 

                                                                                

17  intersection of the Seven Mile road; thence north along the                 

                                                                                

18  center of the Seven Mile road to the Bay-Arenac county line;                

                                                                                

19  thence north along the center line of the Lincoln School road               

                                                                                

20  (county road 25) in Arenac county to the intersection of highway            

                                                                                

21  M-61; thence east along the center line of highway M-61 to the              

                                                                                

22  junction of highway US-23; thence northerly and easterly along              

                                                                                

23  the center line of highway US-23 to the center line of the Au               

                                                                                

24  Gres river; thence southerly along the center line of the river             

                                                                                

25  to its junction with Saginaw Bay of Lake Huron; thence north 78º            

                                                                                

26  east to the international boundary line between the United States           

                                                                                

27  and the Dominion of Canada.                                                 


                                                                                

1       (v)  (u)  "Zone 3" means all of that part of the Lower                      

                                                                                

2   Peninsula south of the line described in subdivision  (t)  (u).             

                                                                                

3       Sec. 82106.  (1) Except as otherwise provided in this part,                 

                                                                                

4   $17.00 of the  revenue received from the registration  fee  fees           

                                                                                

5   under this part shall be deposited  in  as follows:                         

                                                                                

6       (a) Seventeen dollars of each registration fee shall be                     

                                                                                

7   deposited into the snowmobile registration fee fund.  However, if           

                                                                                

8   the balance of the snowmobile registration fee fund exceeds                 

                                                                                

9   $1,600,000.00 at any time, the state treasurer shall transfer all           

                                                                                

10  amounts in excess of $1,600,000.00 to the recreational snowmobile           

                                                                                

11  trail improvement fund. From the  revenues  revenue deposited in            

                                                                                

12  the snowmobile registration fee fund under this part, the                   

                                                                                

13  legislature shall make an annual appropriation  of not  as                  

                                                                                

14  follows:                                                                    

                                                                                

15                                                                               (i) Not more than $3.00 from each registration fee collected                        

                                                                                

16  during each fiscal year shall be appropriated to the department             

                                                                                

17  of state for administration of the registration provisions of               

                                                                                

18  this part.  and an annual appropriation to the department of not            

                                                                                

19  less than $14.00.  At the close of each state fiscal year, any              

                                                                                

20  funds appropriated under this subparagraph but not expended shall           

                                                                                

21  be credited to the recreational snowmobile trail improvement                

                                                                                

22  fund.  Additionally, if less than $3.00 from each registration              

                                                                                

23  fee is appropriated to the department of state, the state                   

                                                                                

24  treasurer shall transfer the difference between $3.00 and the               

                                                                                

25  amount appropriated from each registration fee to the                       

                                                                                

26  recreational snowmobile trail improvement fund.                             

                                                                                

27      (ii) Fourteen dollars from each registration fee collected                   


                                                                                

1   during each fiscal year shall be appropriated to the department             

                                                                                

2   for purposes set forth in section 82107,  $2.00 of which shall be           

                                                                                

3   used for the state financial assistance program for counties                

                                                                                

4   described in section 82107 and $7.00 of which shall be used to              

                                                                                

5   provide trail enforcement grants to counties or other local                 

                                                                                

6   groups for enforcement of this part  including financial                    

                                                                                

7   assistance to county sheriff departments and local law                      

                                                                                

8   enforcement agencies for local snowmobile programs Any money             

                                                                                

9   not required for administration of the registration provisions of           

                                                                                

10  this part shall be credited each year to the recreational                   

                                                                                

11  snowmobile trail improvement fund.  Any money appropriated but              

                                                                                

12  not expended under this subparagraph shall be credited each year            

                                                                                

13  to the snowmobile registration fee fund.                                    

                                                                                

14      (b) Five dollars from each registration fee  collected during               

                                                                                

15  each fiscal year  shall be deposited in the recreational                    

                                                                                

16  snowmobile trail improvement fund and shall be administered by              

                                                                                

17  the department for the purposes of planning, construction,                  

                                                                                

18  maintenance, and acquisition of trails and areas for the use of             

                                                                                

19  snowmobiles, or access to those trails and areas, and basic                 

                                                                                

20  snowmobile facilities.  Consideration shall be given in planning            

                                                                                

21  the expenditures of the funds to providing recreational                     

                                                                                

22  opportunities for bicyclists, hikers, equestrians, and other                

                                                                                

23  nonconflicting recreational trail users as ancillary benefits of            

                                                                                

24  the program.                                                                

                                                                                

25      (2) The department shall designate a state recreational trail               

                                                                                

26  coordinator and shall maintain a comprehensive plan for                     

                                                                                

27  implementing a statewide recreational and snowmobile trails                 


                                                                                

1   system.  The comprehensive plan shall be reviewed and updated               

                                                                                

2   each year by the department.                                                

                                                                                

3       (3) The money appropriated under this section to the                        

                                                                                

4   department for snowmobile trails and areas, for access to those             

                                                                                

5   trails or areas, and for basic snowmobile facilities may be                 

                                                                                

6   expended for the acquisition, development, and maintenance on any           

                                                                                

7   land in the state.   The  This money may be used to purchase                

                                                                                

8   lands or secure easements, leases, permits, or other appropriate            

                                                                                

9   agreements permitting use of private property for snowmobile                

                                                                                

10  trails, basic facilities, and areas which may be used by                    

                                                                                

11  bicyclists, hikers, equestrians, and other nonconflicting                   

                                                                                

12  off-season recreational trail users, if the easements, leases,              

                                                                                

13  permits, or other agreements provide public access to the trail,            

                                                                                

14  use areas, and support facilities.                                          

                                                                                

15      (4) Recreational trail facilities or major improvements shall               

                                                                                

16  not be constructed on private land unless a written agreement in            

                                                                                

17  the form of an easement, lease, or permit for a public trail                

                                                                                

18  right-of-way having a term of not less than 5 years is made                 

                                                                                

19  between the owner of the land and the department.                           

                                                                                

20      (5) The money appropriated under this section shall be                      

                                                                                

21  expended in a manner and as part of the overall plan of the                 

                                                                                

22  department for an interconnecting network of statewide snowmobile           

                                                                                

23  trails and use areas giving consideration to expected snowfall              

                                                                                

24  and availability for use with adequate snow cover.  Consideration           

                                                                                

25  shall be given in the plan for alternative nonconflicting                   

                                                                                

26  off-season recreational trail uses.                                         

                                                                                

27      Sec. 82107.  (1) The annual budget request of the department                


                                                                                

1   shall include an amount for department enforcement of this part,            

                                                                                

2   for department administration of the programs provided for in               

                                                                                

3   this part, and for local snowmobile  safety education and                   

                                                                                

4   training  programs  , and for a state financial assistance                  

                                                                                

5   program  provided for under this section.  In preparing its                 

                                                                                

6   annual budget for snowmobile registration fee funds, the                    

                                                                                

7   department shall do both of the following:                                  

                                                                                

8       (a) Seek input from the snowmobile advisory committee                       

                                                                                

9   created under section 82102a.                                               

                                                                                

10      (b) To the degree feasible, give priority to use of the                     

                                                                                

11  funds for enforcement efforts under local snowmobile programs.              

                                                                                

12      (2)  Each county of the state shall be entitled to receive                  

                                                                                

13  financial assistance from the state as provided in this section.            

                                                                                

14  Each county in this state shall be encouraged to develop  The               

                                                                                

15  department shall provide for an annual program of financial                 

                                                                                

16  assistance to county sheriff departments and local law                      

                                                                                

17  enforcement agencies for local snowmobile programs that shall               

                                                                                

18  include enforcement of this part and may also include, at the               

                                                                                

19  discretion of the department, a snowmobile safety education and             

                                                                                

20  training program based on the criteria set forth in section                 

                                                                                

21  82108.  A county  board of commissioners  sheriff department or             

                                                                                

22  local law enforcement agency desiring to conduct a local                    

                                                                                

23  snowmobile program shall submit to the department by                        

                                                                                

24  November  30  1 of each year an estimate of authorized                      

                                                                                

25  expenditures for the following calendar year, in a form and                 

                                                                                

26  containing the information which the department requires.  The              

                                                                                

27  department shall review the entire request and may approve  the             


                                                                                

1   county  a request for financial assistance in part or in whole.             

                                                                                

2   The department shall annually survey the state financial                   

                                                                                

3   assistance program to assist in determining the amount of                   

                                                                                

4   financial assistance to be allocated to a county for its                    

                                                                                

5   snowmobile program.                                                         

                                                                                

6       (3) The amount of financial assistance  from the state  to be               

                                                                                

7   allocated to a county sheriff department or local law enforcement           

                                                                                

8   agency pursuant to this section shall be determined by the                  

                                                                                

9   department.   The department shall evaluate each request from a             

                                                                                

10  county for financial assistance and may give priority to counties           

                                                                                

11  where, in the determination of the department, a greater need for           

                                                                                

12  financial assistance exists.  The department shall review the               

                                                                                

13  county's statement of authorized expenditures actually incurred             

                                                                                

14  and if satisfied shall provide financial assistance in an amount            

                                                                                

15  not to exceed 75% of the county's estimated authorized                      

                                                                                

16  expenditures for the past calendar year.  If the county's                   

                                                                                

17  authorized expenditures actually incurred for the past calendar             

                                                                                

18  year exceeded the county's estimated authorized expenditures, the           

                                                                                

19  department may provide financial assistance in excess of 75% of             

                                                                                

20  the county's estimated authorized expenditures but not in excess            

                                                                                

21  of 75% of the county's authorized expenditures actually                     

                                                                                

22  incurred.  In determining the amount of financial assistance                

                                                                                

23  provided to each county sheriff or local law enforcement agency,            

                                                                                

24  the department shall give priority to law enforcement activities            

                                                                                

25  and may give priority to locations where, in the determination of           

                                                                                

26  the department, a greater need for a local snowmobile program               

                                                                                

27  exists.                                                                     


                                                                                

1       (4) Upon approval by the department, a county sheriff                       

                                                                                

2   department or local law enforcement agency may use in-kind                  

                                                                                

3   contributions in calculating its authorized expenditures not to             

                                                                                

4   exceed 15% of the total authorized expenditures.                            

                                                                                

5       (5) The department shall not provide financial assistance to                

                                                                                

6   a county sheriff department or local law enforcement agency in              

                                                                                

7   excess of 85% of the authorized expenditure documented by the               

                                                                                

8   county or local agency and approved by the department.                      

                                                                                

9       (6) Financial assistance allocated to a county sheriff                      

                                                                                

10  department or local law enforcement agency under this section               

                                                                                

11  shall be used exclusively for the conduct of  the county  a local           

                                                                                

12  snowmobile program as provided by this part and the rules                   

                                                                                

13  promulgated under this part.   Within 90 days after the close of            

                                                                                

14  each calendar year, a county board of commissioners shall submit            

                                                                                

15  to the department a statement of authorized expenditures actually           

                                                                                

16  incurred, on a form and containing the information the department           

                                                                                

17  requires.  A county submitting a statement or supplement to the             

                                                                                

18  statement that is received subsequent to the 90-day period shall            

                                                                                

19  not be eligible for financial assistance.                                   

                                                                                

20      (4) The department of treasury shall periodically audit the                 

                                                                                

21  county records pertaining to this program to assure the proper              

                                                                                

22  disposition of the money in accordance with this section and                

                                                                                

23  rules promulgated under this section.  If the audit discloses a             

                                                                                

24  refund of state aid money is due the state, the county treasurer,           

                                                                                

25  within 30 days of the completion of the audit, shall send to the            

                                                                                

26  department the amount of the refund due the state, which the                

                                                                                

27  department shall return to the state treasury.                              


                                                                                

1       (7) County sheriff departments and local law enforcement                    

                                                                                

2   agencies that receive financial assistance under this section               

                                                                                

3   shall maintain records of activities, expenditures, and in-kind             

                                                                                

4   contributions and shall submit documentation and reports to the             

                                                                                

5   department by deadlines, in form, and containing information as             

                                                                                

6   the department requires.                                                    

                                                                                

7       (8)  (5)  The department  and the county sheriffs shall                     

                                                                                

8   cooperate in the conduct of the program.  The county sheriffs               

                                                                                

9   shall maintain records and submit reports in form and containing            

                                                                                

10  information as the department may require  shall cooperate with             

                                                                                

11  county sheriff departments and local law enforcement departments            

                                                                                

12  that are operating local snowmobile programs that are funded                

                                                                                

13  under this section.                                                         

                                                                                

14      (9)  (6)  The department may promulgate rules to implement                  

                                                                                

15  this section.                                                               

                                                                                

16      Sec. 82109.  (1)  From the money  Money appropriated to the                 

                                                                                

17  department from the recreational snowmobile trail improvement               

                                                                                

18  fund  for the purpose of planning  shall be used for 1 or more of           

                                                                                

19  the following:                                                              

                                                                                

20      (a) Planning, constructing, maintaining, and acquiring                      

                                                                                

21  trails and areas for the use of snowmobiles, or access to those             

                                                                                

22  trails and areas, and basic snowmobile facilities.  , an amount             

                                                                                

23  of not less than 40% but not more than 80% shall be allocated               

                                                                                

24  upon application                                                            

                                                                                

25      (b) Financial assistance to local units of government and                   

                                                                                

26  nonprofit incorporated snowmobile clubs  and  or organizations              

                                                                                

27  considered eligible by the department.  because of the interest             


                                                                                

1   of the nonprofit incorporated club or association in snowmobile             

                                                                                

2   activities, under rules promulgated by the department.                      

                                                                                

3       (c) The department's administration of subdivisions (a) and                 

                                                                                

4   (b).                                                                        

                                                                                

5       (2) Allocations for snowmobile trail maintenance costs shall                

                                                                                

6   be according to a formula promulgated by the state recreational             

                                                                                

7   trail coordinator which shall provide an amount up to 100% of the           

                                                                                

8   actual cost of maintaining the trail per year.  An allocation               

                                                                                

9   shall not be made for a trail unless the trail is available for             

                                                                                

10  snowmobile use and is approved by the department.  An allocation            

                                                                                

11  for the cost of leasing of land and the acquisition of easements,           

                                                                                

12  permits, or other agreements, and for trail liability insurance             

                                                                                

13  may equal 100% of incurred expense.  Money available for                    

                                                                                

14  development shall be distributed on a 100% grant basis, 75% at              

                                                                                

15  the time of approval but not later than April 1 of the year of              

                                                                                

16  development and 25% upon completion of the development.  A                  

                                                                                

17  development shall be commenced the same year the funds are                  

                                                                                

18  distributed.  An application may include a request for leasing              

                                                                                

19  land or acquiring easements, permits, or other agreements for the           

                                                                                

20  use of land, and for funds for development or maintenance of                

                                                                                

21  trails.  Trail specifications shall be prescribed by the                    

                                                                                

22  department.                                                                 

                                                                                

23      (3) Signs shall not be provided under this section unless the               

                                                                                

24  snowmobile trails meet minimum state snowmobile trail                       

                                                                                

25  construction standards and are funded for snowmobile season                 

                                                                                

26  maintenance.  A snowmobile organization or association may apply            

                                                                                

27  to the department on forms prescribed by the department for signs           


                                                                                

1   or funds for signs on or before a date determined by the                    

                                                                                

2   department.                                                                 

                                                                                

3       (4) Upon application by a local unit of government or                       

                                                                                

4   nonprofit incorporated snowmobile clubs and organizations, the              

                                                                                

5   department may allocate up to 100% of the cost of initial signs             

                                                                                

6   of snowmobile routes that connect authorized trails or that offer           

                                                                                

7   entrance to or exit from trails leading to the local unit of                

                                                                                

8   government.  An application shall be submitted to the department            

                                                                                

9   on a form prescribed by the department.                                     

                                                                                

10      (5) Allocations under this section shall remain available                   

                                                                                

11  until expended if a contract or commitment has been entered into            

                                                                                

12  under this section.                                                         

                                                                                

13      (2) In preparing its annual budget for recreational                         

                                                                                

14  snowmobile trail improvement funds and determining the allocation           

                                                                                

15  of funds as provided for in subsection (1), the department shall            

                                                                                

16  do both of the following:                                                   

                                                                                

17      (a) Seek input from the snowmobile advisory committee created               

                                                                                

18  under section 82102a.                                                       

                                                                                

19      (b) To the degree feasible, give priority to use of the funds               

                                                                                

20  for financial assistance to local units of government and                   

                                                                                

21  nonprofit incorporated snowmobile clubs or organizations.                   

                                                                                

22      (3) A portion of the funds appropriated to the department                   

                                                                                

23  each year shall be used to provide financial assistance to local            

                                                                                

24  units of government and nonprofit incorporated snowmobile clubs             

                                                                                

25  or organizations in the form of grants or contract payments for             

                                                                                

26  annual snowmobile trail maintenance costs, including signage and            

                                                                                

27  liability insurance.  The department may also issue grants or               


                                                                                

1   enter into contracts for 1 or more of the following additional              

                                                                                

2   activities:                                                                 

                                                                                

3       (a) Maintenance equipment.                                                  

                                                                                

4       (b) Repair or new development of snowmobile trails or related               

                                                                                

5   facilities, including the costs of designing and engineering for            

                                                                                

6   grant-funded improvements.                                                  

                                                                                

7       (c) Acquisition of land or rights in lands for snowmobile                   

                                                                                

8   trails or related facilities, costs of leases, permits,                     

                                                                                

9   easements, or other agreements that allow for use of private                

                                                                                

10  lands for public access to snowmobile trails and related                    

                                                                                

11  facilities, or development of new snowmobile trails and related             

                                                                                

12  facilities.                                                                 

                                                                                

13      (4) Financial assistance shall not be made under this section               

                                                                                

14  unless the costs are for a trail that is available for public               

                                                                                

15  snowmobile use and is approved by the department.                           

                                                                                

16      (5) Financial assistance shall be allocated as follows:                     

                                                                                

17      (a) Assistance for snowmobile trail maintenance costs,                      

                                                                                

18  excluding signage and liability insurance, shall be according to            

                                                                                

19  a formula promulgated by the state recreational trail                       

                                                                                

20  coordinator, which shall provide an amount up to 100% of the                

                                                                                

21  actual, eligible expense of maintaining the trail per year                  

                                                                                

22  incurred and documented by the grant recipient or contractor and            

                                                                                

23  approved by the department.                                                 

                                                                                

24      (b) Assistance for the cost of land acquisition, leasing,                   

                                                                                

25  permits, or other agreements may equal 100% of the actual,                  

                                                                                

26  eligible expenses incurred and documented by the grant recipient            

                                                                                

27  or contractor and approved by the department.                               


                                                                                

1       (c) Assistance for signage may equal 100% of the actual,                    

                                                                                

2   eligible costs incurred and documented by the grant recipient or            

                                                                                

3   contractor and approved by the department.  In lieu of financial            

                                                                                

4   assistance for signage, the department may choose to use                    

                                                                                

5   recreational snowmobile trail improvement funds to purchase signs           

                                                                                

6   and provide them to grant recipients or contractors.  Financial             

                                                                                

7   assistance for signs shall not be provided under this section               

                                                                                

8   unless the snowmobile trails meet minimum state snowmobile trail            

                                                                                

9   construction standards and are funded for snowmobile season                 

                                                                                

10  maintenance.                                                                

                                                                                

11      (d) Assistance for trail insurance may equal 100% of the                    

                                                                                

12  actual, eligible costs incurred and documented by the grant                 

                                                                                

13  recipient or contractor and approved by the department.                     

                                                                                

14      (e) Assistance for repair or the development of new trails or               

                                                                                

15  trail facilities shall equal 100% of the actual, eligible costs             

                                                                                

16  incurred and documented by the grant recipient or contractor and            

                                                                                

17  approved by the department.                                                 

                                                                                

18      (f) The department may also assist in a portion of the costs                

                                                                                

19  of acquiring grooming equipment.  The department shall determine            

                                                                                

20  the available grant or contract percentage for eligible grooming            

                                                                                

21  equipment costs on an annual basis and publish the percentage               

                                                                                

22  prior to the application deadline.  Assistance for acquiring                

                                                                                

23  grooming equipment shall be based on actual, eligible costs                 

                                                                                

24  incurred and documented by the grant recipient or contractor and            

                                                                                

25  approved by the department.                                                 

                                                                                

26      (6) To be considered for financial assistance, a local unit                 

                                                                                

27  of government or nonprofit incorporated snowmobile club or                  


                                                                                

1   organization must submit an application on a form provided by the           

                                                                                

2   department and by a deadline established by the department.  An             

                                                                                

3   application shall include a proposed budget and the amount of               

                                                                                

4   financial assistance requested for each of the activities for               

                                                                                

5   which assistance is requested.                                              

                                                                                

6       (7) To receive financial assistance under this section, a                   

                                                                                

7   local unit of government or nonprofit incorporated snowmobile               

                                                                                

8   club or organization must enter into a grant agreement or                   

                                                                                

9   contract with the department that specifies the obligations of              

                                                                                

10  the grant recipient or contractor.  The grant agreement or                  

                                                                                

11  contract shall include provisions as determined by the                      

                                                                                

12  department, including, but not limited to, requirements that the            

                                                                                

13  grant recipient or contractor maintain records and submit                   

                                                                                

14  documentation and reports to the department to verify expenditure           

                                                                                

15  of money received.  The grant agreement or contract shall also              

                                                                                

16  require a grant recipient or contractor to adhere to trail                  

                                                                                

17  specifications prescribed by the department.                                

                                                                                

18      (8) Upon execution of a grant agreement or contract, the                    

                                                                                

19  department may, at its discretion, provide an advanced payment              

                                                                                

20  for a portion of the projected cost for 1 or more of the approved           

                                                                                

21  activities.  The department shall make final payment upon                   

                                                                                

22  completion of the project as determined by the department and               

                                                                                

23  department approval of cost documentation submitted by the grant            

                                                                                

24  recipient or contractor.                                                    

                                                                                

25      (9) A grant agreement or contract shall include a specified                 

                                                                                

26  term for which the grant agreement or contract is valid.  Grant             

                                                                                

27  or contract funds shall be encumbered upon execution of the grant           


                                                                                

1   agreement or contract and remain available for the specified                

                                                                                

2   term.  Grant or contract funds not expended by a grant recipient            

                                                                                

3   or contractor within the specified term may, at the department's            

                                                                                

4   discretion, be reallocated to the grant recipient or contractor             

                                                                                

5   as part of a new grant agreement or contract.                               

                                                                                

6       (10)  (6)  The department of state and the department shall                 

                                                                                

7   include in their annual budget requests information detailing               

                                                                                

8   their snowmobile programs.                                                  

                                                                                

9       (11) Beginning March 31, 2004, the department shall provide a               

                                                                                

10  biannual report to the commission of its expenditures under this            

                                                                                

11  section for the prior 2 fiscal years.