Michigan House Bill HB4798

Michigan 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 8/26/25
• Refer: 8/26/25
• Report Pass: 9/3/25
• Engrossed: 9/18/25
• Refer: 9/22/25
• Report Pass: 3/4/26
• Refer: 3/4/26
• Report Pass: 4/29/26
• Enrolled: 4/30/26
• Chaptered: 5/14/26
• Passed: 5/14/26

Caption

Local government: authorities; revisions to the recreational authorities act; provide for. Amends sec. 1901 of 1994 PA 451 (MCL 324.1901). TIE BAR WITH: HB 4694'25

Summary

HB 4798 amends section 1901 of Michigan’s Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act to update definitions used in the part governing the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund. The bill clarifies the meaning of “local unit of government or public authority” by expressly including counties, cities, townships, villages, school districts, recreational authorities, the Huron-Clinton Metropolitan Authority, and related combinations of those entities that are legally constituted to provide public recreation. It also restates the definitions of the Michigan State Parks Endowment Fund and the Trust Fund for purposes of the statute. The bill is largely definitional and does not itself create a new grant program, fee, or regulatory requirement. Its practical effect is to align statutory language with the entities that may participate in or be affected by trust fund and recreation-related provisions under state law, especially local governments and recreation authorities involved in public recreation projects. The act took immediate effect and is tied to the enactment of HB 4694, indicating it was part of a broader package of related changes. Overall sentiment appears strongly favorable and noncontroversial. The bill passed committee and the House with overwhelming support, including a 96-2 House third-reading vote and unanimous committee recommendations in the available history. The immediate-effect vote also passed comfortably, suggesting broad agreement that the changes were technical or clarifying in nature. There is little evidence of substantive opposition in the available record. Any potential point of contention would likely have centered on the scope of entities eligible to be treated as local units of government or public authorities for recreation purposes, but the vote history shows no meaningful resistance. The tie-bar to HB 4694 suggests the bill was intended to operate as part of a coordinated legislative package rather than as a standalone policy dispute.

Impact

HB 4798 amends the Michigan Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act, specifically MCL 324.1901, by revising statutory definitions used in the Natural Resources Trust Fund framework. The change affects how state law identifies eligible local governmental and public recreation entities, which can influence administration of recreation-related funding and projects under the trust fund and related constitutional endowment provisions. It does not appear to alter substantive eligibility rules beyond clarifying the covered entities.

Sentiment

The available voting record indicates broad bipartisan support and a generally positive reception. Committee reports were unanimous in the records provided, and the House passed the bill overwhelmingly with only two nays on the immediate-effect roll call. The lack of recorded opposition or committee debate suggests the measure was viewed as a technical clarification rather than a controversial policy change.

Contention

No major contention is evident in the available materials. The only plausible issue is whether expanding or clarifying the definition of “local unit of government or public authority” could affect which entities may participate in recreation-related funding or governance, but the bill history does not show organized opposition on that point. The tie-bar with HB 4694 indicates the bill’s operation depended on companion legislation, suggesting the main legislative concern was coordination within a broader package rather than disagreement over HB 4798 itself.