that the House Oversight Committee authorize the Chair of the committee to execute a subpoena for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. 1. The information being sought is necessary to the work of the Committee because: The Legislature has a right to know information about the programs being implemented by the State of Michigan or one of its departments. Any policy memos, scientific studies, and stakeholder consultations that the DNR might have regarding this program would be relevant to the Legislature’s evaluation of potential amendments to the hunting laws and public health laws in the state of Michigan. Furthermore, the financial records regarding the cost of the program and its funding sources would be relevant to the Legislature’s consideration of the annual budget of the DNR. 2. Previous efforts made to obtain the information being sought, without the issuance of a subpoena, are as follows: On October 10, 2024, the Michigan Natural Resources Commission approved a pilot program for the euthanasia of Canada Geese. Although the DNR initially began implementation of this pilot program, on May 9, 2025, DNR Director Bowen confirmed his department's plans to pause the pilot program, citing the department’s need to “continue to research alternative options for managing human-goose conflicts and health and human safety concerns for areas with overabundant Canada Goose populations.” Given the DNR’s refusal to cooperate with the Oversight Committee regarding the production of other departmental documents and information, it appeared that making an informal request for documentation regarding this euthanasia program would only cause delays without resulting in the production of documents to the committee. Therefore, authorization and immediate issuance of a document subpoena is requested. 3. The party to be subpoenaed is the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. 4. A general description of the documents or other things to be produced can be found on the last page of the subpoena document, which is before each member of the committee. 5. At this time, only a subpoena for the production of records is sought.
Representative Rigas moved that the House Oversight Committee authorize the Chair of the committee to execute a subpoena for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. 1. The information being sought is necessary to the work of the Committee because: The Legislature has a right to know information about the programs being implemented by the State of Michigan or one of its departments. Any policy memos, scientific studies, and stakeholder consultations that the DNR might have regarding this program would be relevant to the Legislature’s evaluation of potential amendments to the hunting laws and public health laws in the state of Michigan. Furthermore, the financial records regarding the cost of the program and its funding sources would be relevant to the Legislature’s consideration of the annual budget of the DNR. 2. Previous efforts made to obtain the information being sought, without the issuance of a subpoena, are as follows: On October 10, 2024, the Michigan Natural Resources Commission approved a pilot program for the euthanasia of Canada Geese. Although the DNR initially began implementation of this pilot program, on May 9, 2025, DNR Director Bowen confirmed his department's plans to pause the pilot program, citing the department’s need to “continue to research alternative options for managing human-goose conflicts and health and human safety concerns for areas with overabundant Canada Goose populations.” Given the DNR’s refusal to cooperate with the Oversight Committee regarding the production of other departmental documents and information, it appeared that making an informal request for documentation regarding this euthanasia program would only cause delays without resulting in the production of documents to the committee. Therefore, authorization and immediate issuance of a document subpoena is requested. 3. The party to be subpoenaed is the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. 4. A general description of the documents or other things to be produced can be found on the last page of the subpoena document, which is before each member of the committee. 5. At this time, only a subpoena for the production of records is sought. The motion prevailed 16-0-1: FAVORABLE ROLL CALL Yeas: Reps. DeBoyer, Bierlein, Meerman, Paquette, Carra, Bruck, Jaime Greene, Rigas, Schriver, Woolford, Miller, Pohutsky, Conlin, Mentzer, Tsernoglou and Wegela. Nays: None. Pass: Rep. MacDonell.