Act No. 395

Public Acts of 2004

Approved by the Governor

October 15, 2004

Filed with the Secretary of State

October 15, 2004

EFFECTIVE DATE: October 15, 2004

STATE OF MICHIGAN

92ND LEGISLATURE

REGULAR SESSION OF 2004

Introduced by Senators Stamas, Allen, Hardiman, Birkholz, Kuipers, McManus, Barcia, George, Brown and Goschka

ENROLLED SENATE BILL No. 1281

AN ACT to amend 1994 PA 451, entitled "An act to protect the environment and natural resources of the state; to codify, revise, consolidate, and classify laws relating to the environment and natural resources of the state; to regulate the discharge of certain substances into the environment; to regulate the use of certain lands, waters, and other natural resources of the state; to prescribe the powers and duties of certain state and local agencies and officials; to provide for certain charges, fees, and assessments; to provide certain appropriations; to prescribe penalties and provide remedies; to repeal certain parts of this act on a specific date; and to repeal certain acts and parts of acts," (MCL 324.101 to 324.90106) by adding section 74124.

The People of the State of Michigan enact:

Sec. 74124. (1) The department shall create a "gem of the parks" award to recognize key state parks for their contribution to the state parks system, a "volunteer of the year" award to recognize outstanding individuals who donate time or monetary contributions to the state park system, and an "employee of the year" award to recognize individuals who are outstanding employees of the state park system. The department shall develop a program to facilitate the determination and presentation of these awards. The awards shall be made on a yearly basis.

(2) The department shall develop a set of standards to use in determining the recipients of the awards under subsection (1) with consideration given to the following:

(a) The contribution of the state park, the volunteer, or the employee to the preservation of the state's natural resources.

(b) The amount of any monetary donation.

(c) The length of time donated or the years of employment.

(d) The length of a long-term commitment to the preservation of the environment.

(3) The department annually shall submit the names of the award recipients under subsection (1) to the standing committees in the senate and house of representatives responsible for natural resources matters.

This act is ordered to take immediate effect.

Secretary of the Senate

Clerk of the House of Representatives

Approved

Governor