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• Introduced by Rep. David Palsrok (R) on February 17, 2004, to revise the composition of the board of the Michigan forest finance authority by removing the director of the Department of Natural Resources, and adding the attorney general, the state forester, and representatives of forest products industries. The board governs a state forest development fund, which receives receipts from timber sales. The bill also revises the uses of that fund to include payments in lieu of taxes to local governments on state forestland, maintenance of certification of sustainable forestry standards in the state forest, and assistance to private landowners for forest management activities. The bill is part of a legislative package comprised of House Bills 5552 to 5554, which would require state forest management to be based on sustainable forestry principles, and requires the state to seek forest certification from an independent third party organization.
  • Referred to the House Agriculture and Resource Management Committee on February 17, 2004.
    • Reported in the House on March 9, 2004, without amendment and with the recommendation that the bill pass.
  • Amendment offered by Rep. Rich Brown (D) on March 10, 2004, to eliminate a provision allowing money from the forest development fund to be used to provide assistance to private landowners for forest management activities. The amendment passed in the House by voice vote on March 10, 2004.
  • Amendment offered by Rep. Rich Brown (D) on March 10, 2004, to eliminate a provision placing the attorney general and the state forester on the board of the Michigan forest finance authority and taking the director of the Department of Natural Resources off the board, and add to the board a representative from a statewide, broad-based, sportsman and conservation organization (this describes the Michigan United Conservation Clubs, or MUCC). The amendment passed in the House by voice vote on March 10, 2004.
  • Amendment offered by Rep. Rich Brown (D) on March 10, 2004. The amendment passed in the House by voice vote on March 10, 2004.
  • Amendment offered by Rep. Joseph Rivet (D) on March 10, 2004, to eliminate a provision allowing money from the forest development fund to be used to make payments in lieu of taxes to local governments on state forestland. The amendment failed in the House by voice vote on March 10, 2004.
  • Amendment offered by Rep. Tom Meyer (R) on March 10, 2004, to clarify a technical reference in a provision contained in the bill. The amendment passed in the House by voice vote on March 10, 2004.
• Passed in the House (57 to 36) on March 10, 2004, to revise the composition of the board of the Michigan forest finance authority to include representatives of forest products industries, and the representative of a statewide, broad-based, sportsman and conservation organization (probably the Michigan United Conservation Clubs). The board governs a state forest development fund, which receives receipts from timber sales. The bill also revises the uses of that fund to include payments in lieu of taxes to local governments on state forestland, and the maintenance of certification of sustainable forestry standards in the state forests. The bill is part of a legislative package comprised of House Bills 5552 to 5554, which would require state forest management to be based on sustainable forestry principles, and requires the state to seek forest certification from an independent third party organization. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Received in the House on March 10, 2004. Passed in the House (65 to 36) on March 10, 2004. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Received in the Senate on March 11, 2004.
  • Referred to the Senate Agriculture, Forestry and Tourism Committee on March 11, 2004.