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Act No. 13
Public Acts of 2026
Approved by the Governor
May 14, 2026
Filed with the Secretary of State
May 14, 2026
EFFECTIVE DATE: May 14, 2026
STATE OF MICHIGAN
103RD LEGISLATURE
REGULAR SESSION OF 2026
Introduced by Rep. Markkanen
ENROLLED HOUSE BILL No. 4695
AN ACT to amend 2000 PA 321, entitled “An act to provide for the establishment of recreational authorities;
to provide powers and duties of an authority; to authorize the assessment of a fee, the levy of a property tax, and
the issuance of bonds and notes by an authority; and to provide for the powers and duties of certain government
officials,” by amending sections 1 and 3 (MCL 123.1131 and 123.1133), section 3 as amended by 2016 PA 174.
The People of the State of Michigan enact:
Sec. 1. This act may be cited as the “recreational and natural resources authority act”.
Sec. 3. As used in this act:
(a) “Articles” means the articles of incorporation of an authority.
(b) “Authority” or “recreational authority” means an authority established under section 5.
(c) “Board” means the board of directors of the authority.
(d) “District” means a portion of a municipality having boundaries coterminous with those of a precinct used
for general elections.
(e) “Electors of the authority” means the qualified and registered electors of the participating municipality or
municipalities who reside within the territory of the authority.
(f) “Largest county” means, of those counties in which a participating municipality is located, the county having
the greatest population.
(g) “Municipality” means a city, county, village, township, or school district.
(h) “Park” means an area of land or water, or both, dedicated to 1 or more of the following uses:
(i) Recreational purposes, including, but not limited to, landscaped tracts; picnic grounds; playgrounds; athletic
fields; camps; campgrounds; zoological and botanical gardens; living historical farms; boating, hunting, fishing,
and birding areas; swimming areas; and foot, bicycle, and bridle paths.
(ii) Open or scenic space.
(iii) Environmental, conservation, nature, or wildlife areas.
(i) “Participating municipality” means a municipality or district that is named in articles of incorporation or
proposed articles of incorporation as joining in the original establishment of an authority, or a municipality or
district that joins an existing authority and is added to the articles of incorporation, and that has not withdrawn
from the authority.
(j) “Public forest and natural resources area” means an area of land or water, or both, and buildings and other
improvements on the area, that is designated by an authority to be used primarily for 1 or more of the following:
(i) Recreational purposes, including, but not limited to, landscaped tracts; picnic grounds; playgrounds; athletic
fields; camps; campgrounds; zoological and botanical gardens; living historical farms; boating, hunting, fishing,
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and birding areas; swimming areas; foraging and fruit picking; and foot, snowmobile, ORV, bicycle, and bridle
paths or trails. As used in this subparagraph, “ORV” means that term as defined in section 81101 of the natural
resources and environmental protection act, 1994 PA 451, MCL 324.81101.
(ii) Open or scenic space.
(iii) Environmental, conservation, nature, or wildlife areas.
(iv) Forestry or natural resources management.
(v) Protection or preservation of cultural or historical resources.
(vi) Any activity that may be a dedicated use of a park under subdivision (h).
(k) “Public historic farm” means a parcel of public land and its buildings that are accessible to the public, and
provides, but is not limited to, agricultural and historical programs, farming activities and animal husbandry,
community recreation activities and events, programs hel d in common areas, meeting rooms, and community
gardens, and access to surrounding parkland.
(l) “Swimming pool” includes equipment, structures, areas, and enclosures intended for the use of individuals
using or operating a swimming pool, such as equipment, dressing, locker, shower, and toilet rooms.
(m) “Territory of the authority ” means the combined territory of the participating municipality or
municipalities that is served by an authority.
Enacting section 1. This amendatory act does not take effect unless House Bill No. 4694 of the 103rd Legislature
is enacted into law.
This act is ordered to take immediate effect.
Clerk of the House of Representatives
Secretary of the Senate
Approved___________________________________________
____________________________________________________
Governor