SENATE BILL No. 951

 

 

January 11, 2006, Introduced by Senators GARCIA, EMERSON, SWITALSKI, CHERRY, HARDIMAN, JACOBS, TOY, BIRKHOLZ, JOHNSON, CLARKE, GEORGE, JELINEK, PATTERSON, PRUSI, BISHOP, VAN WOERKOM, BARCIA, BRATER, OLSHOVE, THOMAS, LELAND and SCHAUER and referred to the Committee on Finance.

 

 

 

     A bill to establish the companion animal welfare fund in the

 

department of agriculture; to provide for the distribution of money

 

from the fund; to prescribe the powers and duties of certain

 

agencies and officials; and to provide for appropriations.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

     Sec. 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the

 

"companion animal welfare fund act".

 

     Sec. 2. As used in this act:

 

     (a) "Animal control shelter" and "animal protection shelter"

 

mean those terms as defined in section 1 of 1969 PA 287, MCL

 

287.331.

 

     (b) "Companion animal" means a mammal that is kept by an

 

individual for companionship and pleasure and includes, but is not

 

limited to, dogs, cats, and horses.


 

     (c) "Department" means the department of agriculture.

 

     (d) "Fund" means the companion animal welfare fund created in

 

section 3.

 

     Sec. 3. (1) The companion animal welfare fund is created in

 

the department to provide funds to promote sterilization and

 

adoption of companion animals and to increase and improve

 

enforcement of animal anticruelty laws in this state.

 

     (2) The state treasurer shall credit to the fund all amounts

 

appropriated for this purpose under section 436 of the income tax

 

act of 1967, 1967 PA 281, MCL 206.436.

 

     (3) The fund shall consist of the money credited to the fund

 

pursuant to section 436 of the income tax act of 1967, 1967 PA 281,

 

MCL 206.436, any interest and earnings accruing from the saving and

 

investment of that money, and other appropriations, money, or other

 

things of value received by the fund.

 

     (4) The state treasurer shall direct the investment of the

 

fund.

 

     (5) Money in the fund at the close of the year shall remain in

 

the fund and shall not lapse to the general fund.

 

     Sec. 4. (1) The money, interest, and earnings of the fund

 

shall be expended solely for the purposes described in this act.

 

     (2) Money granted or received as a gift or donation to the

 

fund is available for distribution upon appropriation.

 

     Sec. 5. (1) The department shall solicit proposals for grants

 

under this act.

 

     (2) The department shall request that the companion animal

 

advisory committee within the department of agriculture or a


 

subcommittee of that advisory committee review applications for

 

grants from the fund and make recommendations to the department for

 

distribution of the money in the fund.

 

     (3) The department shall approve proposals for funding under

 

this act. Only the following entities shall receive grants from the

 

fund:

 

     (a) An animal control shelter or animal protection shelter.

 

     (b) An organization exempt from taxation under section

 

501(c)(3) of the internal revenue code that is based in this state

 

and whose primary purpose is to increase the sterilization and

 

adoption of companion animals.

 

     (4) The department shall make grants for only 1 or more of the

 

following purposes:

 

     (a) To increase the availability of sterilization or adoption

 

services for companion animals.

 

     (b) To provide information to the public about the value of

 

sterilization and adoption of companion animals.

 

     (c) To increase public awareness of state and local animal

 

anticruelty laws, ordinances, and regulations.

 

     (d) To increase and improve enforcement of state and local

 

animal anticruelty laws, ordinances, and regulations in this state.

 

     Sec. 6. The money in the fund that is available for

 

distribution shall be appropriated each year.

 

     Enacting section 1. This act does not take effect unless

 

Senate Bill No. 952                                            

 

          of the 93rd Legislature is enacted into law.