Reps. Espinoza, Brown, Alma Smith, Adamini, Tobocman, Sheltrown, Farrah, Polidori, Bieda, Sak, Miller, Clemente, Plakas, McDowell, Byrum, Leland, Accavitti, Anderson, Ball, Brandenburg, Byrnes, Clack, Condino, Farhat, Garfield, Gillard, Gonzales, Green, Hopgood, Jones, Kolb, David Law, Kathleen Law, Lemmons, Jr., Lipsey, Mayes, Moore, Murphy, Nofs, Spade, Vagnozzi, Waters, Zelenko and Gleason offered the following resolution:

            House Resolution No. 289.

            A resolution to memorialize the Governor to amend the powers and duties of the Veterans Memorial Park Commission related to property acquisition of military-related sites and protection of veterans memorials or military-related sites from encroachment.

            Whereas, The Veterans Memorial Park Commission, established under ERO No. 2001-4, MCL 35.1082, should have several powers and duties in addition to those described in ERO No. 2001-4, MCL 35.1082, in order to carry out its duties more effectively; and

            Whereas, The commission should meet at least one time in a calendar year; and

            Whereas, The commission should determine whether any military-related site in this state should be acquired, by purchase or other means, so that the site can be protected as a military or veterans memorial site. In deciding whether property is available for acquisition, the commission may consider input from the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, the Department of History, Arts, and Libraries, the Michigan Historical Museum, and the general public; and

            Whereas, Upon a request from a member of the Michigan Legislature concerning an existing military-related site or veterans memorial on public property that may be subject to encroachment, the commission should review the request and make recommendations to the Legislature about addressing the encroachment, including, but not limited to, a recommendation to relocate the memorial or a recommendation to the local unit of government where the memorial is located; and

            Whereas, It should be the policy of the commission, within 180 days of considering input from the parties listed above, to determine whether to recommend that the property be acquired for protection under this act and, if a majority of commission members recommend acquisition of specific properties, the commission may report recommendations to the Legislature. After reviewing the report, the Legislature shall determine how and whether to proceed; now, therefore, be it

            Resolved by the House of Representatives, That we memorialize the Governor to amend the powers and duties of the Veterans Memorial Park Commission related to property acquisition of military-related sites and protection of veterans memorials or military-related sites from encroachment; and be it further

            Resolved, That a copy of this resolution be transmitted to the Governor of the State of Michigan.