HOUSE BILL NO. 5895

A bill to provide for certain legislatively issued civilian state medals; and to prescribe the powers and duties for certain state governmental officers and entities.

the people of the state of michigan enact:

Sec. 1. This act may be cited as the "Michigan legislative civilian state medal act".

Sec. 3. As used in this act:

(a) "Legislative council administrator" means the council administrator appointed by the legislative council under section 104a of the legislative council act, 1986 PA 268, MCL 4.1104a, or his or her designee.

(b) "Medal" means the means the Michigan legislative medal of freedom described in section 7.

Sec. 5. (1) The legislative council administrator shall receive medal nominations submitted under this act and determine if the nominee meets the medal requirements under section 7. A medal nomination must include a written account of the occurrence warranting the award and any eyewitness statement, extract from official records, sketch, map, diagram, or photograph that supports and amplifies the facts contained in the written account. The legislative council administrator shall seek out and record any additional information available.

(2) The legislative council administrator shall maintain a website to receive medal nominations under this act.

(3) A medal nomination under this act may be submitted by the public on the website described in subsection (2).

(4) A member of the house of representatives or senate may submit a medal nomination to the chairpersons of the house of representatives and senate committees that have responsibility for military and veterans affairs.

Sec. 7. (1) The legislature may award the Michigan legislative medal of freedom as the highest civilian medal of this state.

(2) All of the following apply to the awarding of the medal:

(a) The medal may be awarded to a living or deceased individual in recognition of either of the following:

(i) A valorous or heroic deed performed in the saving of a life.

(ii) Injury or death, or the threat of injury or death, incurred in the service of this state or the individual's community, or on behalf of the health, welfare, or safety of other individuals in this state.

(b) The legislative council administrator shall submit the following information to the chairpersons of the house of representatives and senate committees that have responsibility for military and veterans affairs:

(i) If the legislative council administrator determines that a nominee does not qualify for the medal, the name of the nominee and the reasons why the nominee does not qualify for the medal.

(ii) If the legislative council administrator determines that a nominee qualifies for the medal and recommends the nominee for the medal, his or her recommendation, the nomination, and any supporting documents.

(c) The legislature may award the medal by concurrent resolution.

(d) Upon passage of the concurrent resolution described in subdivision (c), the speaker of the house of representatives and the majority leader of the senate shall award the medal in the presence of the legislator or legislators who sponsored the concurrent resolution and the representative and senator of the district where the individual being awarded the medal resides or, if the individual is deceased, last resided.

Enacting section 1. This act does not take effect unless all of the following bills of the 101st Legislature are enacted into law:

(a) Senate Bill No.____ or House Bill No. 5897(request no. 03839'21).

(b) Senate Bill No.____ or House Bill No.____ (request no. 03840'21).

(c) Senate Bill No.____ or House Bill No. 5896 (request no. 05388'22).