SB-0532, As Passed Senate, August 4, 2004                                   

SUBSTITUTE FOR

SENATE BILL NO. 532

                                                                             A bill to amend 1994 PA 451, entitled                                             

"Natural resources and environmental protection act,"                       

by amending section 8901 (MCL 324.8901) and by adding sections              

8905d and 8905e.                                                            

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

1       Sec. 8901.  As used in this part:                                           

2   (a) "Department" means the department of environmental                      

3   quality.                                                                    

4       (b) "Fund" means the illegal dumping reward fund created in                 

5   section 8905e.

6   (c)  (a)  "Litter" means all rubbish, refuse, waste material,               

7   garbage, offal, paper, glass, cans, bottles, trash, debris, or              

8   other foreign substances.                                                   

9   (d)  (b)  "Public or private property or water" includes, but               

10  is not limited to, any of the following:                                    

1                                                                                (i) The right-of-way of a road or highway, a body of water or                       

2   watercourse, or the shore or beach of the body of water or                  

3   watercourse, including the ice above the water.                             

4       (ii) A park, playground, building, refuge, or conservation or                

5   recreation area.                                                            

6       (iii) Residential or farm properties or timberlands.                         

7   (e)  (c)  "Vehicle" means  every a motor vehicle registered                

8   under the Michigan vehicle code,  Act No. 300 of the Public Acts            

9   of 1949, being sections 257.1 to 257.923 of the Michigan Compiled           

10  Laws 1949 PA 300, MCL 257.1 to 257.923.                                    

11  (f)  (d)  "Vessel" means a vessel registered under  the                     

12  marine safety act, Act No. 303 of the Public Acts of 1967, being            

13  sections 281.1001 to 281.1199 of the Michigan Compiled Laws part           

14  801.                                                                        

15  Sec. 8905d.  (1) A person who provides information that                     

16  materially contributes to the imposition of a civil fine against            

17  any person under section 8905a may be paid a reward pursuant to             

18  rules adopted by the department under subsection (6).  The reward           

19  shall be 50% of the amount of the civil fine under section 8905a            

20  that is collected.                                                          

21      (2) A person is not eligible for a reward under this section                

22  for a violation previously known to the investigating agency                

23  unless the information materially contributes to the civil                  

24  infraction judgment.                                                        

25      (3) If there is more than 1 person who provides information                 

26  pursuant to subsection (1) for a single violation, the first                

27  person to notify the investigating agency is eligible for the               

1   reward.  If more than 1 notification is received on the same day,           

2   the reward shall be divided equally among those persons providing           

3   the information.                                                            

4       (4) Public officers and employees of the United States or any               

5   state or political subdivision thereof are not eligible for the             

6   reward under this section unless reporting those violations does            

7   not relate in any manner to their responsibilities as public                

8   officers or employees.                                                      

9       (5) An employee of a business who provides information that                 

10  the business violated this part is not eligible for a reward if             

11  the employee intentionally caused the violation or if the                   

12  employee had an opportunity to take reasonable action to stop the           

13  violation but failed to take that action.                                   

14      (6) The department shall promulgate rules that establish                    

15  procedures for the receipt and review of claims for payment of              

16  rewards.  All decisions concerning the eligibility for an award             

17  and the materiality of the provided information shall be made               

18  pursuant to these rules.  In each case brought under section                

19  8905a, whichever office prosecuted the action shall determine               

20  whether the information materially contributed to the imposition            

21  of a civil fine.                                                            

22      (7) A reward shall not be paid under subsection (1) until                   

23  rules are promulgated by the department under subsection (6).               

24      (8) The department shall periodically publicize the                         

25  availability of the rewards provided for in this section to the             

26  public.                                                                     

27  (9) A claim for a reward under this section may be submitted                

1   only for information provided on or after the effective date of             

2   this section.                                                               

3       (10) In addition to any other sanction provided for by law, a               

4   person who knowingly provides false information to obtain a                 

5   reward under subsection (1) is liable to both of the following:             

6       (a) To the department, for some or all of the expenses                      

7   incurred by the department as a direct result of the false                  

8   information.                                                                

9       (b) To the person against whom the false information was                    

10  provided, for the expenses, including, but not limited to,                  

11  reasonable attorney fees, incurred by that person in proceedings            

12  under this part as a direct result of the false information.

13  Sec. 8905e.  (1) The illegal dumping reward fund is created                 

14  within the state treasury.                                                  

15      (2) Fifty percent of all civil fines collected under section                

16  8905a shall be deposited into the fund.  The state treasurer may            

17  also receive money or other assets from any other source for                

18  deposit into the fund.  The state treasurer shall direct the                

19  investment of the fund.  The state treasurer shall credit to the            

20  fund interest and earnings from fund investments.                           

21      (3) Money in the fund at the close of the fiscal year shall                 

22  remain in the fund and shall not lapse to the general fund.                 

23      (4) The department shall expend money from the fund, upon                   

24  appropriation, only for the following purposes in the following             

25  order of priority:                                                          

26      (a) Payment of rewards under section 8905d.                                 

27  (b) Publicizing the availability of rewards as required under               

1   section 8905d.