"GREEN SCHOOL" DESIGNATION H.B. 5554: FLOOR ANALYSIS
House Bill 5554 (as reported without amendment)
Sponsor: Representative Joe Hune
House Committee: Natural Resources, Great Lakes, Land Use, and Environment
Senate Committee: Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs
CONTENT
The bill would amend Part 25 (Environmental Education) of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act to allow a public or private school in Michigan to apply to be designated as a "green school".
A county would have to designate a department of the county or the county's intermediate school district to accept and consider the approval of an application submitted by a school. A school would be eligible to receive a designation if it met 10 of the following criteria:
-- The school recycles paper; recycles batteries and has designated a representative to return them to a recycling program; recycles cell phones and receives money from them from recycling companies that work with schools; has a printer cartridge recycling program through which the school earns money by selling the cartridges; or reuses its magazines and newspapers for other projects.
-- The school media center updates its print and nonprint ecological materials regularly.
-- An energy savings program has been instituted at the school; students participate in a planned program of energy savings; classes do energy audits of their classrooms and make improvements; the school sets a goal of 5% less energy usage and works with local power utilities to make progress toward the goal; or the school has solar power presentations or experiments.
-- The school has adopted an endangered species animal from one of several organizations; or has hosted a visit from an ecological spokesperson, a representative of the Sierra Club, an endangered animal species show, or a similar presentation.
-- The school has a birdhouse habitat project; has established a natural Michigan garden project with native plants; has an ecology club; or observes Earth Day in April.
-- The school has science class projects in which students do home energy improvements.
-- Classes visit internet sites where clicking saves rainforest habitat and teachers document the students' efforts.
Proposed MCL 324.2511 Legislative Analyst: Julie Koval
FISCAL IMPACT
The bill would have no fiscal impact on State or local government.
Date Completed: 5-3-06 Fiscal Analyst: Joe Carrasco
David ZinAnalysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent. hb5554/0506