2017 House Bill 4438 / 2018 Public Act 271

Establish separate farm labor field sanitation regs

Introduced in the House

March 30, 2017

Introduced by Rep. Tom Barrett (R-71)

To exempt portable toilets for farm workers from the law governing septic systems, and instead require the state agriculture and environmental regulation agencies to promulgate “field sanitation, worker protection and food safety” regulations. The current rules restrict moving portable toilets around a property, and the bill would allow this subject to specific conditions.

Referred to the Committee on Agriculture

June 14, 2017

Reported without amendment

With the recommendation that the amendment be adopted and that the bill then pass.

June 20, 2017

Amendment offered

To require rather than just allow the Departments Environmental Quality and of Agriculture to develop the proposed rules.

The amendment passed by voice vote

Amendment offered by Rep. Ben Frederick (R-85)

To include "spill response" procedures in the proposed rules, along with field sanitation, worker protection and food safety requirements.

The amendment passed by voice vote

Passed in the House 82 to 25 (details)

Received in the Senate

June 21, 2017

Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources

May 16, 2018

Reported without amendment

With the recommendation that the bill pass.

June 7, 2018

Passed in the Senate 26 to 10 (details)

To exempt portable toilets for farm workers from the law governing septic systems, and instead require the state agriculture and environmental regulation agencies to promulgate “field sanitation, worker protection and food safety” regulations. The current rules restrict moving portable toilets around a property, and the bill would allow this subject to specific conditions.

Received in the House

June 7, 2018

June 12, 2018

Passed in the House 80 to 29 (details)

To concur with the Senate-passed version of the bill.

Signed by Gov. Rick Snyder

June 28, 2018