OurMichiganParks.org

Committee has passed a resolution in support of the recreation passport.  The resolution explains the proposal and its implementation.  It also includes funding scenarios based on differing participation rates.

Legislation is now moving through Lansing to make this proposal a reality:

• House Bill 4677
• House Bill 4678
• Senate Bill 388
• Senate Bill 389

The bills have been reported out of committee. We are hopeful the House or Senate will soon take up the bills on the floor.

What can you do?
Please contact your state senator and representative and ask them to support these bills and support our state parks.

These bills would ask every Michigan driver to pay an optional $10 fee each year when renewing their Michigan vehicle registration on non-commercial vehicles. While non-residents would still have to purchase a non-resident motor vehicle permit, worker time in entrance booths at most parks would be drastically reduced, resulting in cleaner bathrooms, less litter, better resource stewardship, improved security and increased education and interpretation programs. In addition to providing support for state parks and boating access sites, this would also provide funding for our outstanding and underfunded state forest recreation system including more than 140 rustic campgrounds and almost a thousand miles of non-motorized pathways that serve hikers, mountain bikers, cross country skiers and equestrians. Finally, it would approximately double the amount of grant money annually available to local units of government to renovate or improve recreational facilities in local parks across Michigan.

This PDF slideshow depicting infrastructure challenges at Michigan’s state parks and forest recreation areas was provided to Michigan legislators.