NURSERY INSPECTION FEES S.B. 453: FLOOR ANALYSIS
Senate Bill 453 (as reported without amendment) Sponsor: Senator George A. McManus, Jr.
Committee: Agriculture and Forestry
The bill would amend the Insect Pest and Plant Disease Act to require the Director of the Department of Agriculture to charge an inspection fee based on the cost to the Department of making inspections, including the cost of salaries attributed to or connected with the inspections.
The Director would have to adjust the fee schedule for the costs of making the various inspections of nursery stock, plants, and plant materials as required by the Act and provide that each type of fee charged was sufficient to cover the inspection cost. The Director would have to review and adjust the fee schedule for the inspections at the end of each fiscal year. The Director also would have to approve all adjustments to the fees before they were adopted.
The Act currently requires the Director to have inspected at least once a year during the growing season all nurseries and nursery stock that will be stored or offered for sale in the State to determine whether they are infected with insect pests or with plant diseases, and to assess inspection fees based on the cost of making the various inspections.
MCL 286.206 Legislative Analyst: L. Arasim
Senate Bill 296, the Department of Agriculture appropriation bill for 1995-96, as passed by the Senate includes $200,000 of fee revenue in anticipation of Senate Bill 453. It is expected that this fee increase would generate about $200,000 in fees to the State per year. There would be no cost to local units of government.
Date Completed: 5-17-95 Fiscal Analyst: A. Rich
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This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.