MARQUETTE CO. PROPERTY CONVEYANCE                                                         S.B. 119:

                                                                                              SUMMARY AS ENACTED

Senate Bill 119 (as enacted)                                                      PUBLIC ACT 26 of 2017

Sponsor:  Senator Tom Casperson

Committee:  Appropriations

Date Completed:  7-12-18

CONTENT

The bill would require the State Administrative Board to convey by quitclaim deed 2.3 acres of land in Marquette County to Northern Michigan University for $1. The property is on the grounds of Marquette Branch Prison. The property is outside any fenced containment area and positioned partway between the prison itself and a U.S. highway that serves as the primary access to the prison. There are no structures on the property. There is no property tax assessment or current appraisal regarding the value of the property. The conveyance would have to contain the following restrictions:

-- The property would have to be used exclusively by Northern Michigan University for studies related to forensic anthropology and directly related activities.

-- The use of the property could not interfere with the use of contiguous or nearby property for correctional purposes by or on behalf of the Department of Corrections.

-- Northern Michigan University could not convey or sell the property to any person other than the State.

If the grantee violated any of these restrictions, the grantee would have to reconvey the property to the State or the State could reenter and take the property. The State would not be liable to reimburse any person for any improvements made on the property or compensate any person for any part of an unfulfilled contract or license.

The State would not reserve oil, gas, or mineral rights, but would receive one-half of the gross revenue generated if those rights were developed. The State would reserve rights to aboriginal antiquities lying on, within, or under the property. If the property were used by the State as a historical monument, memorial, burial ground, park, or protected wildlife habitat area, the grantee would be required to maintain and protect the property for that purpose in perpetuity.

FISCAL IMPACT

Net revenue from the sale of the property would have to be deposited in the General Fund. The $1 specified in the bill is the traditional amount for this type of conveyance.

                                                                                     Fiscal Analyst:  Bill Bowerman

This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.