SENATE BILL NO. 627
the people of the state of michigan enact:
Sec. 1. This act may be cited as the "Michigan-Indiana state line monumentation act".
(a) "Commission" means the Michigan-Indiana state line commission established in section 5(1).
(b) "Monument" means a relatively permanent physical marker.
Sec. 5. (1) The Michigan-Indiana state line commission is established.
(2) The commission consists of 10 members, 5 from the state of Indiana and 5 from this state, who shall be known as state line commissioners. The 5 members from the state of Indiana shall be appointed under the laws of the state of Indiana. The 5 members from this state are the elected county surveyors of Berrien County, Cass County, St. Joseph County, Branch County, and Hillsdale County and shall serve ex officio.
(3) The first meeting of the commission shall be called by the director of the department of labor and economic opportunity. At the first meeting of the commission, the commission shall elect from among its members a chairperson and other officers as it considers necessary or appropriate. After the first meeting, the commission shall meet at least quarterly, or more frequently at the call of the chairperson or if requested by 6 or more members.
(4) A majority of the members of the commission appointed from this state and a majority of the members of the commission appointed from the state of Indiana, together, constitute a quorum for transacting business. A vote in favor by a majority of the members serving is required for any action of the commission.
(5) The commission shall conduct its business in compliance with the open meetings act, 1976 PA 267, MCL 15.261 to 15.275.
(6) A writing that is prepared, owned, used, possessed, or retained by the commission in performing an official function is subject to the freedom of information act, 1976 PA 442, MCL 15.231 to 15.246.
(7) A member of the commission appointed from this state is not entitled to compensation for service on the commission but may be reimbursed for actual and necessary expenses incurred in serving.
Sec. 7. The commission shall do all of the following:
(a) Administer a survey and remonumentation of the Michigan-Indiana state line.
(b) Recover or reestablish monuments at the mileposts and intermediate monument control points of the Michigan-Indiana state line as established in the 1827 federal survey that defined that line. The commission also shall recover or reestablish monuments at the posts originally set at or near the shores of lakes and large rivers of the Michigan-Indiana state line as established in the 1827 federal survey, or witness corners for set posts. The commission shall review the survey upon completion of each milepost.
(c) Compile appropriate records and documents verifying the location of the mileposts, and process those records and documents through the state survey and remonumentation commission created in section 3 of the state survey and remonumentation act, 1990 PA 345, MCL 54.263.
(d) Resolve any controversies regarding the location of mileposts defining the Michigan-Indiana state line.
Sec. 9. For each milepost or the posts originally set at or near the shores of lakes or large rivers determined under this act, the commission shall do both of the following:
(a) File a Michigan land recordation certificate that provides appropriate references and Michigan south zone state plane coordinates with the appropriate county register of deeds.
(b) File a copy of the certificate under subdivision (a) with the state survey and remonumentation commission created under section 3 of the state survey and remonumentation act, 1990 PA 345, MCL 54.263.
Sec. 11. The commission shall procure professional surveying services through negotiated contracts. The commission shall award contracts only to persons incorporated in this state or with a principal place of business in this state.
Sec. 13. This act takes effect when the director of the department of labor and economic opportunity certifies in writing to the secretary of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives that legislation similar to this act has been enacted into law by the state of Indiana and that the Indiana legislation does both of the following:
(a) Enables the interstate cooperation necessary to effectuate this act.
(b) Provides that the state of Indiana will share the responsibilities and costs of determining the Michigan-Indiana state line in an equitable manner.