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• Introduced by Sen. Patricia Birkholz (R) on January 25, 2005, to establish an “adopt-a-watershed” program, which would require the state to encourage and facilitate the involvement of volunteer groups in protecting bodies of water through watershed-based cleanup, pollution prevention, and conservation activities. The Department of Environmental Quality would be authorized to give money to private groups for this purpose if funds are appropriated.
  • Referred to the Senate Natural Resources & Environmental Affairs Committee on January 25, 2005.
    • Reported in the Senate on March 3, 2005, with the recommendation that the substitute (S-1) be adopted and that the bill then pass.
  • Substitute offered in the Senate on March 8, 2005, to replace the previous version of the bill with one that requires a volunteer group conducting watershed management activities on private property to obtain written permission from the owner of that property. A property owner would not be liable for injuries to the group members, unless guilty of gross negligence or willful and wanton misconduct. The substitute passed by voice vote in the Senate on March 8, 2005.
  • Amendment offered by Sen. Bruce Patterson (R) on March 15, 2005, to clarify the legal liability of landowners who allow volunteers to enter their property, by defining the volunteers as having been granted "license" only. The amendment passed by voice vote in the Senate on March 15, 2005.
• Passed 36 to 0 in the Senate on March 15, 2005.
  Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
• Received in the House on March 15, 2005.
  • Referred to the House Natural Resources, Great Lakes, Land Use, and Environment Committee on March 15, 2005.