2004 Senate Bill 953 (Authorize ethanol or biogas subsidies)

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Introduced by Sen. Cameron Brown (R) on February 4, 2004, to authorize up to $25 million in state money to be deposited in banks for loans to certain farmers for ethanol or biogas production plants. The maximum amount for a single loan would be $5 million.
- Referred to the Senate Agriculture, Forestry and Tourism Committee on February 4, 2004.
  - Reported in the Senate on June 1, 2004, with the recommendation that the substitute (S-1) be adopted and that the bill then pass.
- Substitute offered in the Senate on June 2, 2004, to replace the previous version of the bill with one that makes a farmer who has violated state environmental laws within the last year ineligible for the loans. The substitute passed in the Senate by voice vote on June 2, 2004.
Passed in the Senate (32 to 4) on June 3, 2004. [Vote Details and Comments]
Received in the House on June 3, 2004.
- Referred to the House Agriculture and Resource Management Committee on June 3, 2004.
  - Reported in the House on September 8, 2004, with the recommendation that the substitute (H-1) be adopted and that the bill then pass.
- Substitute offered in the House on September 29, 2004, to replace the previous version of the bill with one containing technical changes that do not affect its substance as previously described. The substitute passed in the House by voice vote on September 29, 2004.
Passed in the House (67 to 34) on September 29, 2004, to authorize up to $25 million in state money to be deposited in banks for loans to certain farmers for ethanol or biogas production plants. The maximum amount for a single loan would be $5 million. [Vote Details and Comments]
Received in the Senate on September 30, 2004.
Passed in the Senate (24 to 13) on November 3, 2004, to concur with the House-passed version of the bill. [Vote Details and Comments]
Vetoed by Gov. Jennifer Granholm on November 19, 2004.

Most Recent Comments

1) "no vote explanation" [by Admin003 on October 1, 2004]
Reps. Law and Hopgood, having reserved the right to explain their protest against the passage of the bill, made the following statement:

"Mr. Speaker and members of the House:

I voted no on SB 953 and SB 955 because: The state does not have funds available at this time to finance such a program, especially one that would basically benefit operations large enough to use a methane digester, usually multimillion-dollar CAFOs. The bill would amount to a $1.6 million tax payer subsidy for factory farms that in general have a history of environmental violations. Additionally, studies show that methane digesters have a failure rate near 50 percent.

Tax breaks and financing incentives for large farms and CAFOs may encourage the development of these large facilities to the detriment of small and medium size family farms. CAFOs or 'factory farms' which may have thousands of animals have been responsible for numerous violations of state and federal environmental laws and regulations in Michigan. Those who argue for a free market system believe that the construction and operation of methane digesters and other alternative technology should be a cost of doing business and not subsidized by the taxpayer dollars."

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2) 2004 Senate Bill 953 (Authorize ethanol or biogas subsidies) [by admin on January 1, 2001]
Introduced in the Senate on February 4, 2004, to authorize up to $25 million in state money to be deposited in banks for loans to certain farmers for ethanol or biogas production plants. The maximum amount for a single loan would be $5 million

The vote was 32 in favor, 4 opposed and 2 not voting

(Senate Roll Call 354 at Senate Journal 56)

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