HOUSE BILL NO. 6156

September 02, 2020, Introduced by Reps. Steven Johnson, Meerman, Reilly, LaFave and Bellino and referred to the Committee on Transportation.

"An act authorizing the Mackinac bridge authority to acquire a bridge and a utility tunnel connecting the Upper and Lower Peninsulas of Michigan, including causeways, tunnels, roads and all useful related equipment and facilities, including park, parking, recreation, lighting, and terminal facilities; extending the corporate existence of the authority; authorizing the authority to enjoy and carry out all powers incident to its corporate objects; authorizing the appropriation and use of state funds for the preliminary purposes of the authority; providing for the payment of the cost of the bridge and authorizing the authority to issue revenue bonds payable solely from the revenues of the bridge; granting the right of condemnation to the authority; granting the use of state land and property to the authority; making provisions for the payment and security of bonds and granting certain rights and remedies to the holders of bonds; authorizing banks and trust companies to perform certain acts in connection with the payment and security of bonds; authorizing the imposition of tolls and charges; authorizing the authority to secure the consent of the United States government to the construction of the bridge and to secure approval of plans, specifications, and location of the bridge; authorizing employment of engineers regardless of whether those engineers have been previously employed to make preliminary inspections or reports with respect to the bridge; authorizing the state transportation department to operate and maintain the bridge or to contribute to the bridge and enter into leases and agreements in connection with the bridge; exempting bonds and the property of the authority from taxation; prohibiting competing traffic facilities; authorizing the operation of ferries by the authority; authorizing the creation of the Mackinac Straits corridor authority; authorizing the operation of a utility tunnel by the authority or the Mackinac Straits corridor authority; providing for the construction and use of certain buildings; and making an appropriation,"

by amending section 12 (MCL 254.322), as amended by 2004 PA 336.

the people of the state of michigan enact:

Sec. 12. (1) Except as provided in this section, all individuals an individual or vehicles vehicle using the bridge shall pay tolls and charges established by the authority.

(2) The authority shall not charge tolls or charges a toll or charge to its own personnel or vehicles while the personnel are on duty or while the vehicles are being used for authority business. Beginning October 1, 2003, the

(3) The authority shall allow the driver of a farm tractor or implement of husbandry to pay a toll or charge and cross the bridge if the farm tractor or implement of husbandry meets both of the following conditions:

(a) The farm tractor or implement of husbandry complies with all the applicable requirements of the Michigan vehicle code, 1949 PA 300, MCL 257.1 to 257.923.

(b) The farm tractor or implement of husbandry is able to accelerate to and maintain the minimum speed required to cross the bridge.

(4) The authority shall not charge tolls or charges a toll or charge to an authorized emergency vehicles vehicle that are is in the process of responding to an emergency. As used in this section, "authorized emergency vehicles" means that term as defined in section 2 of the Michigan vehicle code, 1949 PA 300, MCL 257.2. Beginning November 1, 2004, a violation of

(5) An individual who violates this section by failure failing to pay a toll is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than 30 days or a fine of not more than $500.00, or both.

(6) As used in this section:

(a) "Authorized emergency vehicle" means that term as defined in section 2 of the Michigan vehicle code, 1949 PA 300, MCL 257.2.

(b) "Farm tractor" means that term as defined in section 16 of the Michigan vehicle code, 1949 PA 300, MCL 257.16.

(c) "Implement of husbandry" means that term as defined in section 21 of the Michigan vehicle code, 1949 PA 300, MCL 257.21.