New Bill.

[capt.dan]

Hello Everyone,

Michigan House Bill 4706 of 2025 just passed the house and it massively cuts funds of State Departments including the DNR. Deputy Director, Shanno Lott, has provided the attached overview of these cuts within the DNR and related agencies. Deputy Director Lott is organizing an online meeting on Thursday September 4th from 3 pm – 5 pm to discuss the impacts. Please let Deputy Director Lott know that you want to participate in the meeting at Lotts@Michigan.gov

I also attached an updated spreadsheet that provides a link to the bill allowing you to follow the progress and download all the documents. This sheet is my updated listing of all the State and US bills pertaining to fishing and related outdoor activities. The newly passed House Bill 4706 is the first Bill on the sheet.

Quick House Budget Overview
(HB 4706)
Overall Change
FTE is equivalent to a full time position - - - -
FTE Reduction: 434.8 FTEs (17.1% reduction)
Gross Reduction: $53.3 million (10% reduction)
GF Reduction: $37.2 million (48.4% reduction)
Restricted Funds Reduction: $15.2 million (4.3% reduction)
Major Budget Items - - - - -
No Hunting/Fishing License Increase
No Watercraft registration increase
No recreation passport increase (or opt-out)
No dam safety funding
No funding for asset management system implementation
Parks and Recreation Division - - - - - -
Reduces 114.0 FTE positions and $8 million gross ($4.3 million restricted/$3.7 million GF)
for state park operations
Reduces 6.0 FTE positions and $900,000 gross ($421,700 GF) for Mackinac Island State
Park Commission
Elimination of Nature Awaits
Elimination of Michigan Conservation Corps
Did not include $4 million increase for ORV trail improvements
Did not include $355,000 and 3.0 FTEs for park supervisors
Wildlife Division - - - -
Reduces 49.0 FTE positions and $4.2 million gross ($4 million GF) for wildlife division
Reduces 6.0 FTE positions and $2.5 million GF for invasive species prevention and
control
Reduces $200,000 GF for wetland restoration, enhancement, and acquisition
Did not include funding to expand pheasant release program
Fisheries Division -
Reduces 56.5 FTE positions and $5.3 million gross ($4.1 million restricted/$1.2 million
GF) for fisheries division
Forestry Division - - - -
Reduces 30.0 FTE positions and $1.7 million gross ($1.3 million GF) for forest resources
division
Does not include funding for ice storm clean-up
Reduces 9.0 FTE positions but adds $1.9 million GF for forest recreation and trails
Eliminates $900,000 in federal grants for urban forestry
Law Enforcement Division -
Reduces 63.0 FTE positions and $7 million GF for Law Enforcement Division
Michigan History Center - -
Reduces 40.5 FTE positions and $5.9 million gross ($3.2 million GF/$2.7 million
restricted) for communication and customer services unit and Michigan Historical Center
Eliminates funding for Cultural Resource Management
Exec/Operations/Marketing/Finance/Etc. - - - - - -
Reduces 47.0 FTE positions and $3.8 million gross for unclassified salaries, accounting
service center, executive direction, FOD, minerals management, and OPL.
Does not include funding for high-speed internet infrastructure
Does not include increase for capital outlay adjustments
Does not include FTEs or funding for shooting range operation and maintenance
Reduces $1.6 million for IT services and projects
Does not include $4.9 million gross for economic adjustments for salary and wage
increases
Major Boilerplate Changes - - -
Sec. 216: In-Person Work Prioritization
o Requires the department to prioritize in-person work for its workforce, post
related policies, and annually report on remote work hours and in-person work
hours.
Sec. 218: Work Authorization Requirement
o Requires departmental contractors and subcontractors to use the E-Verify system
to certify personnel are legally authorized to work in the United States and
requires the department to annually report on processes implemented under
this section.
Sec. 219: Citizenship Requirement
o Prohibits department from using state or federal funds to provide services to
non-US citizens, except for qualified aliens under federal law.
department Scorecard
o Requires department to maintain on a publicly accessible website a department
scorecard with key metrics concerning the department's performance.
Sec. 228: Prohibition on DEI Programs
o Prohibits the department from using state funds on diversity, equity, and
inclusion initiatives as defined in federal Executive Orders 14151, 14168, and
14173.
Deleted Cultural Resource Management boilerplate
Deleted Carbon Credit Program boilerplate
Section 501: Little Manistee River Designation Prohibition
o Prohibits Fisheries Resource Management funding from being expended to
designate the Little Manistee River as a natural river as defined in Part 305 of the
Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act.
Section 601: General Law Enforcement FTE Positions
o Requires that all general law enforcement FTE positions be filled by conservation
officers.
Section 701: Recreation Passport Selection
o Requires the department to provide the choice to opt in to purchasing a
Recreation Passport.
Section 702: One-day State Park Pass
o Requires the department to create a one-day pass option to visit all state park
facilities, the cost of which may not exceed half of the annual fee for a recreation
passport.
Section 1002: Grants to Counties – Marine Safety Prohibition
o Prohibits counties from receiving Grants to Counties – Marine Safety funding
unless the county board of commissioners adopts a resolution committing the
county to enforce federal executive orders and statutes related to immigration.