HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES AND TOURISM
REP. DAVID MARTIN
CHAIR
COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES
Wednesday, November 5,
2025
Noon.
Room 519, House Office
Building
The House Committee on Natural Resources and Tourism was called to order by Chair Martin.
The Chair requested attendance to be called:
Present: Reps. Martin, St. Germaine, VanderWall, Outman, Hoadley, Johnsen, Prestin,
Bohnak, Fairbairn, Wortz, McFall, Scott, Weiss, Foreman, Myers-Phillips and Wooden.
Absent: Rep. Arbit.
Excused: Rep. Arbit.
Representative Johnsen moved to adopt the meeting minutes from October 29, 2025. There being
no objection, the motion prevailed with unanimous consent.
The Chair laid HB 4855 before the committee:
HB 4855
(Rep. Prestin)
A bill to amend 1994 PA 451, entitled "Natural
resources and environmental protection act,"
by amending section 43510 (MCL
324.43510), as amended by 2013 PA 108.
Representative Prestin testified on the proposed substitute (H-1) to HB 4855.
Representative Prestin moved to adopt substitute (H-1) to HB 4855. The motion prevailed 15-0-0:
FAVORABLE ROLL CALL
Yeas: Reps. Martin, St. Germaine, VanderWall, Outman, Hoadley, Johnsen, Prestin, Bohnak,
Fairbairn, Wortz, McFall, Scott, Weiss, Foreman and Wooden.
Nays: None.
Pass: None.
The following person submitted a card in support of HB 4855, but did not wish to speak:
Chris Semrinec, representing the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.
Representative Prestin moved to report out HB 4855 with recommendation that the substitute
(H-1) be adopted. The committee further recommended that the bill and substitute (H-1) be
referred to the Committee on Rules. The motion prevailed 15-0-0:
FAVORABLE ROLL CALL
Yeas: Reps. Martin, St. Germaine, VanderWall, Outman, Hoadley, Johnsen, Prestin, Bohnak,
Fairbairn, Wortz, McFall, Scott, Weiss, Foreman and Wooden.
Nays: None.
Pass: None.
The Chair laid HB 4937 before the committee:
HB 4937
(Rep. Fairbairn)
A bill to amend 1994 PA 451, entitled "Natural
resources and environmental protection act,"
by amending section 43528 (MCL
324.43528), as amended by 2013 PA 108.
Representative Fairbairn testified on the proposed substitute (H-1) to HB 4937.
Representative Fairbairn moved to adopt substitute (H-1) to HB 4937. The motion prevailed
15-0-0:
FAVORABLE ROLL CALL
Yeas: Reps. Martin, St. Germaine, VanderWall, Outman, Hoadley, Johnsen, Prestin, Bohnak,
Fairbairn, Wortz, McFall, Scott, Weiss, Foreman and Wooden.
Nays: None.
Pass: None.
The following person submitted a card with a neutral position on HB 4937, but did not wish to
speak:
Chris Semrinec, representing the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.
Representative Fairbairn moved to report out HB 4937 with recommendation, as substitute (H-1).
The motion prevailed 15-0-0:
FAVORABLE ROLL CALL
Yeas: Reps. Martin, St. Germaine, VanderWall, Outman, Hoadley, Johnsen, Prestin, Bohnak,
Fairbairn, Wortz, McFall, Scott, Weiss, Foreman and Wooden.
Nays: None.
Pass: None.
The Chair laid HB 4822 before the committee:
HB 4822
(Rep. Fairbairn)
A bill to amend 1994 PA 451, entitled "Natural
resources and environmental protection act,"
by amending section 501 (MCL 324.501).
Representative Fairbairn testified on the proposed substitute (H-1) to HB 4822.
Representative Fairbairn moved to adopt substitute (H-1) to HB 4822. The motion prevailed
14-0-1:
FAVORABLE ROLL CALL
Yeas: Reps. Martin, St. Germaine, VanderWall, Outman, Hoadley, Johnsen, Prestin, Bohnak,
Fairbairn, McFall, Scott, Weiss, Foreman and Wooden.
Nays: None.
Pass: Rep. Wortz.
The following person submitted a card in support of HB 4822, but did not wish to speak:
Tim Golding and Sonny Koch, representing Americans for Prosperity.
Representative Fairbairn moved to report out HB 4822 with recommendation, as substitute (H-1).
The motion prevailed 15-0-0:
FAVORABLE ROLL CALL
Yeas: Reps. Martin, St. Germaine, VanderWall, Outman, Hoadley, Johnsen, Prestin, Bohnak,
Fairbairn, Wortz, McFall, Scott, Weiss, Foreman and Wooden.
Nays: None.
Pass: None.
The Chair laid HB 5115 and HB 4940 before the committee:
HB 5115
(Rep. Martin)
A bill to amend 1994 PA 451, entitled "Natural
resources and environmental protection act,"
by amending sections 21502, 21503, 21506a,
21506b, 21510, 21510a, 21510d, 21515,
21516, 21518, 21519, 21519a, 21521, 21524,
and 21548 (MCL 324.21502, 324.21503,
324.21506a, 324.21506b, 324.21510,
324.21510a, 324.21510d, 324.21515,
324.21516, 324.21518, 324.21519,
324.21519a, 324.21521, 324.21524, and
324.21548), sections 21502, 21503, 21510,
21510a, 21515, 21516, and 21521 as amended
by 2016 PA 380, sections 21506a and 21510d
as amended and section 21519a as added by
2017 PA 134, and section 21506b as added and
sections 21518, 21519, 21524, and 21548 as
amended by 2014 PA 416; and to repeal acts
and parts of acts.
HB 4940
(Rep. Pohutsky)
A bill to amend 1994 PA 451, entitled "Natural
resources and environmental protection act,"
by amending sections 21502, 21503, 21506a,
21506b, 21510, 21510a, 21510d, 21515,
21516, 21518, 21519, 21519a, 21521, 21524,
and 21548 (MCL 324.21502, 324.21503,
324.21506a, 324.21506b, 324.21510,
324.21510a, 324.21510d, 324.21515,
324.21516, 324.21518, 324.21519,
324.21519a, 324.21521, 324.21524, and
324.21548), sections 21502, 21503, 21510,
21510a, 21515, 21516, and 21521 as amended
by 2016 PA 380, sections 21506a and 21510d
as amended and section 21519a as added by
2017 PA 134, and section 21506b as added and
sections 21518, 21519, 21524, and 21548 as
amended by 2014 PA 416; and to repeal acts
and parts of acts.
Representative Fairbairn moved to adopt substitute (H-2) to HB 4940. The motion prevailed
15-0-0:
FAVORABLE ROLL CALL
Yeas: Reps. Martin, St. Germaine, VanderWall, Outman, Hoadley, Johnsen, Prestin, Bohnak,
Fairbairn, Wortz, McFall, Scott, Weiss, Foreman and Wooden.
Nays: None.
Pass: None.
Representative VanderWall moved to adopt substitute (H-1) to HB 5115. The motion prevailed
15-0-0:
FAVORABLE ROLL CALL
Yeas: Reps. Martin, St. Germaine, VanderWall, Outman, Hoadley, Johnsen, Prestin, Bohnak,
Fairbairn, Wortz, McFall, Scott, Weiss, Foreman and Wooden.
Nays: None.
Pass: None.
At 12:14 PM, the Chair laid the committee at ease.
At 12:15 PM, Majority Vice Chair St. Germaine called the committee back to order.
Representative Martin and Representative Pohutsky testified in support of HB 4940 and HB 5115.
Questions and discussions followed.
At 12:16 PM, Majority Vice Chair St. Germaine laid the committee at ease.
At 12:17 PM, the Chair called the committee back to order.
Mark Griffin, representing the Michigan Petroleum Association, testified in support of HB 4940
and HB 5115. Questions and discussions followed.
Dylan Gebhard and Bob Reisner, representing the Michigan Department of Environment, Great
Lakes, and Energy, testified in support of HB 4940 and HB 5115.
Representative McFall moved to excuse Representative Arbit from the meeting. There being no
objection the motion prevailed by unanimous consent.
There being no further business before the committee, Chair Martin adjourned the meeting at
12:28 PM.
Representative David Martin, Chair
Taylor Thrush
Committee Clerk
tthrush@house.mi.gov