Michigan Proposal 1, Use of State and Local Park Funds Amendment (2020)
| Michigan Proposal 1 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Election date November 3, 2020 | |
| Topic Forests and parks | |
Status Approved | |
| Type Constitutional amendment | Origin State legislature |
Michigan Proposal 1, the Use of State and Local Park Funds Amendment, was on the ballot in Michigan as a legislatively referred constitutional amendment on November 3, 2020. Proposal 1 was approved.
A "yes" vote supported making changes to how revenue in the state's park-related funds can be spent, including (a) making projects to renovate recreational facilities eligible for grants and (b) requiring that at least 20% of the parks endowment fund spending be spent on park capital improvements, and (c) removing the cap on the size of the natural resources trust fund. |
A "no" vote opposed making changes to how revenue in the state's park-related funds can be spent, thus (a) continuing to prohibit projects to renovate recreational facilities from receiving grants and (b) continuing to not require a specific amount of the parks endowment fund spending to be spent on park capital improvement projects, and (c) keeping the cap on the size of the natural resources trust fund. |
Election results
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Michigan Proposal 1 |
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| Result | Votes | Percentage | ||
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4,154,745 | 84.29% | ||
| No | 774,509 | 15.71% | ||
Overview
What was Proposal 1 designed to do?
Proposal 1 made changes to how revenue in the state's park-related funds can be spent. As of 2020, the funds received revenue from mineral, oil, and gas leases and royalties. The ballot measure affected the following funds:[1]
- The Natural Resources Trust Fund (NRTF) provides grants to local governments for acquiring land for recreational use, environmental conservation, and scenic importance and for developing recreational facilities. The ballot measure made projects to renovate and redevelop existing recreational facilities eligible for grants. The ballot measure required that a minimum of 25 percent of grant funding be spent on developing, renovating, and redeveloping recreational facilities each year. As of 2018, a maximum of 25 percent of grant funding could be spent on developing facilities. The ballot measure continued to provide that a minimum of 25 percent of grant funding be spent on acquiring land each year.
- The State Parks Endowment Fund (SPEF) provides funding for the state park system. As of 2018, the fund could be spent on the acquisition of land and capital improvements. The ballot measure required that at least 20 percent of the annual expenditures be spent on capital improvements.
Proposal 1 also removed the NRTF's cap of $500 million in principal and allowed the trust fund to begin receiving revenue again after the SPEF reaches $800 million in principal. The NRTF reached the cap in 2011.[1]
Text of measure
Ballot title
The ballot title was as follows:[2]
| “ | A proposed constitutional amendment to allow money from oil and gas mining on state-owned lands to continue to be collected in state funds for land protection and creation and maintenance of parks, nature areas, and public recreation facilities; and to describe how money in those state funds can be spent[3] | ” |
Ballot summary
The ballot summary was as follows:[2]
| “ |
This proposed constitutional amendment would:
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” |
Constitutional changes
- See also: Article IX, Michigan Constitution
The ballot initiative amended Section 35 and Section 35a of Article IX of the Michigan Constitution. The following underlined text was added and struck-through text was deleted:[1]
Note: Hover over the text and scroll to see the full text.
Section 35. Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund
(1) There is hereby established the Michigan natural resources trust fund. The trust fund shall consist of all bonuses, rentals, delayed rentals, and royalties collected or reserved by the state under provisions of leases for the extraction of nonrenewable resources from state owned lands, except such revenues accruing under leases of state owned lands acquired with money from state or federal game and fish protection funds or revenues accruing from lands purchased with such revenues. The However, until the Michigan State Parks Endowment Fund reaches an accumulated principal of $800,000,000.00, the revenues from bonuses, rentals, delayed rentals, and royalties described in this section that would otherwise be deposited into the trust fund shall be deposited into the Michigan State Parks Endowment Fund. In addition to the revenues described in this subsection, the trust fund may receive appropriations, money, or other things of value. The assets of the trust fund shall be invested as provided by law.
Until the trust fund reaches an accumulated principal of $500,000,000.00, $10,000,000.00 of the revenues from bonuses, rentals, delayed rentals, and royalties described in this section otherwise dedicated to the trust fund that are received by the state each state fiscal year shall be deposited into the Michigan state parks endowment fund. However, until the trust fund reaches an accumulated principal of $500,000,000.00, in any state fiscal year, not more than 50 percent of the total revenues from bonuses, rentals, delayed rentals, and royalties described in this section otherwise dedicated to the trust fund that are received by the state each state fiscal year shall be deposited into the Michigan state parks endowment fund.
(2) The Until the Michigan State Parks Endowment Fund reaches an accumulated principal of $800,000,000.00, the amount accumulated in the trust fund in any state fiscal year shall not exceed $500,000,000.00, exclusive of interest and earnings and amounts money authorized for expenditure pursuant to this section. When the accumulated principal of the trust fund reaches $500,000,000.00, all revenue from bonuses, rentals, delayed rentals, and royalties described in this section that would be received by the trust fund but for this limitation shall be deposited into the Michigan state parks endowment fund until the Michigan state parks endowment fund reaches an accumulated principal of $800,000,000.00. When the Michigan state parks endowment fund reaches an accumulated principal of $800,000,000.00, all revenues from bonuses, rentals, delayed rentals, and royalties described in this section shall be distributed as provided by law.
The interest and earnings of the trust fund shall be expended for the acquisition This amount is the accumulated principal limit. The accumulated principal of the trust fund shall not be expended. However, the interest and earnings of the trust fund shall be expended for the following:
- (A) Acquisition of land or rights in land for recreational uses or protection of the land because of its environmental importance or its scenic beauty.
, for the development
- (B) Development, renovation, and redevelopment of public recreation facilities.
, and for the administration
- (C) Administration of the trust fund, which may include payments in lieu of taxes on state owned land purchased through the trust fund.
(3) The trust fund may provide grants to local units of local government or public authorities which shall be used for the purposes of this section. The legislature shall provide that a portion of the cost of a project funded by such these grants be provided by the local unit of government or public authority.
(4) Until the trust fund reaches an accumulated principal of $500,000,000.00, the After the Michigan State Parks Endowment Fund reaches an accumulated principal of $800,000,000.00, the accumulated principal limit for the trust fund as provided for in subsection (2) no longer applies and the revenues from bonuses, rentals, delayed rentals, and royalties described in subsection (1) shall be deposited into the trust fund. From these revenues each year the legislature may provide, in addition to the expenditure of interest and earnings authorized by this section, that a portion, not to exceed 33-1/3 50 percent, of the revenues from bonuses, rentals, delayed rentals, and royalties described in this section received by the trust fund during each state fiscal year may be expended during subsequent state fiscal years for the purposes of this section.
(5) Not less than 25 percent of the total amounts money made available for expenditure from the trust fund from any state fiscal year shall be expended for acquisition of land and rights in land for recreational uses or protection of the land because of its environmental importance or its scenic beauty, and not more less than 25 percent of the total amounts money made available for expenditure from the trust fund from any state fiscal year shall be expended for development, renovation, and redevelopment of public recreation facilities.
(6) The legislature shall provide by law for the establishment of a trust fund board within the department of natural resources. The trust fund board shall recommend the projects to be funded. The board shall submit its recommendations to the governor who shall submit the board’s recommendations to the legislature in an appropriations bill.
(7)The legislature shall provide by law for the implementation of this section.
Section 35a. Michigan State Parks Endowment Fund
(1) There is hereby established the Michigan state parks endowment fund. The endowment fund shall consist of revenues as provided in section 35 of this article, and as provided by law. The endowment fund may also receive private contributions of money or other things of value. All money in the Genevieve Gillette state parks endowment fund shall be transferred to the endowment fund. The assets of the endowment fund shall be invested as provided by law.
(2) The accumulated principal of the endowment fund shall not exceed $800,000,000.00, which amount shall be annually adjusted pursuant to the rate of inflation beginning when the endowment fund reaches $800,000,000.00. This annually adjusted figure is the accumulated principal limit of the endowment fund.
(3) Money available for expenditure from the endowment fund as provided in this section shall be expended for operations, maintenance, and capital all of the following:
- (A) Capital improvements at Michigan state parks.
- (B) Operations and maintenance at Michigan state parks.
- (C) Acquisition of land or rights in land for Michigan state parks.
(4) Not less than 20 percent of the money made available for expenditure from the endowment fund from any state fiscal year shall be expended under subsection (3)(a) for capital improvements at Michigan state parks.
(5) Money in the endowment fund shall be expended as follows:
(A) (1) Until the endowment fund reaches an accumulated principal of $800,000,000.00, each state fiscal year the legislature may appropriate not more than 50 percent of the money received under section 35 of this article plus interest and earnings and any private contributions or other revenue to the endowment fund.
(B) (2) Once the accumulated principal in the endowment fund reaches $800,000,000.00, only the interest and earnings of the endowment fund in excess of the amount necessary to maintain the endowment fund’s accumulated principal limit may be made available for expenditure.
(6) Unexpended appropriations of the endowment fund from any state fiscal year as authorized by this section may be carried forward or may be appropriated as determined by the legislature for purposes of this section.
(7)The legislature shall provide by law for implementation of this section.[3]
Readability score
- See also: Ballot measure readability scores, 2020
| Using the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level (FKGL and Flesch Reading Ease (FRE) formulas, Ballotpedia scored the readability of the ballot title and summary for this measure. Readability scores are designed to indicate the reading difficulty of text. The Flesch-Kincaid formulas account for the number of words, syllables, and sentences in a text; they do not account for the difficulty of the ideas in the text. The state board wrote the ballot language for this measure.
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Support
Vote Yes for MI Water Wildlife & Parks led the campaign in support of the ballot measure.[4]
Supporters
The campaign provided a list of supporters on its website, which is available here.
Political Parties
Corporations
Unions
Organizations
- Detroit Greenways Coalition
- Detroit Regional Chamber
- Ducks Unlimited
- Environment Michigan
- League of Women Voters of Michigan
- Michigan Audubon
- Michigan Bow Hunters Association
- Michigan Environment Council
- Michigan Farm Bureau
- Michigan Forest Products Council
- Michigan League of Conservation Voters
- Michigan NAACP Environmental & Climate Justice Committee
- Michigan Oil and Gas Association
- Michigan Pheasants Forever
- Michigan Realtors
- Michigan Recreation & Parks Association
- Michigan Trails & Greenways Alliance
- Michigan Trout Unlimited
- Michigan United Conservation Clubs
- National Wild Turkey Federation
- National Wildlife Federation
- Natural Resources Defense Council
- Pheasants Forever
- The Nature Conservancy
Arguments
Opposition
Opponents
Political Parties
- Green Party of Michigan
- Michigan Democratic Party Environmental Caucus
- North Oakland Democratic Club
Organizations
Arguments
Campaign finance
The Vote Yes for MI Water Wildlife & Parks PAC was registered to support the ballot measure. The committee had raised $891,963. The Nature Conservancy provided $530,505 to the PAC.[5]
There were no PACs registered to oppose the ballot measure.[5]
| Cash Contributions | In-Kind Contributions | Total Contributions | Cash Expenditures | Total Expenditures | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Support | $822,391.88 | $69,571.32 | $891,963.20 | $804,142.99 | $873,714.31 |
| Oppose | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Total | $822,391.88 | $69,571.32 | $891,963.20 | $804,142.99 | $873,714.31 |
Support
The following table includes contribution and expenditure totals for the committee in support of the ballot measure.[5]
| Committees in support of Proposal 1 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Committee | Cash Contributions | In-Kind Contributions | Total Contributions | Cash Expenditures | Total Expenditures |
| Vote Yes for MI Water Wildlife & Parks | $822,391.88 | $69,571.32 | $891,963.20 | $804,142.99 | $873,714.31 |
| Total | $822,391.88 | $69,571.32 | $891,963.20 | $804,142.99 | $873,714.31 |
Donors
The following were the top donors to the support committee.[5]
| Donor | Cash Contributions | In-Kind Contributions | Total Contributions |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Nature Conservancy | $500,000.00 | $30,504.73 | $530,504.73 |
| Michigan Environmental Council | $201,167.89 | $4,611.75 | $205,779.64 |
| Michigan Energy First | $100,000.00 | $0.00 | $100,000.00 |
| Vote Yes for MI Water Wildlife & Park | $10,000.00 | $14,850.27 | $24,850.27 |
| MI United Conservation Clubs | $0.00 | $11,376.12 | $11,376.12 |
Background
Natural Resources Trust Fund
In 1984, voters approved Proposal B, a legislative referral to create the Natural Resources Trust Fund (NRTF). The NRTF succeeded the Kammer Recreational Land Trust Fund, which was created via statute in 1976. The NRTF was designed to provide grants to acquire and develop land for conservation and recreation. Proposal B required royalties on the sale and lease of state-owned oil, gas, and minerals to be placed into the NRTF and invested in assets, such as equities and bonds, to increase the fund's revenue with earnings. In 1984, the NRTF had a cap of $200 million in principal from royalties. Voters approved ballot measures to increase the cap to $400 million in 1994 and to $500 million in 2002. In 2011, the NRTF reached the cap of $500 million.[6]
The following table illustrates NRTF expenditures from 2007 through 2016:[7]
| Year | Total | Acquisition ($) | Acquisition (%) | Development ($) | Development (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | $34,542,300 | $25,278,700 | 73.18% | $9,263,600 | 26.82% |
| 2008 | $48,534,700 | $35,632,200 | 73.42% | $12,902,500 | 26.58% |
| 2009 | $35,658,200 | $25,918,200 | 72.69% | $9,740,000 | 27.31% |
| 2010 | $102,098,400 | $81,155,800 | 79.49% | $20,942,600 | 20.51% |
| 2011 | $37,765,400 | $21,711,000 | 57.49% | $16,054,400 | 42.51% |
| 2012 | $23,348,700 | $14,276,500 | 61.14% | $9,072,200 | 38.86% |
| 2013 | $27,677,800 | $19,033,200 | 68.77% | $8,644,600 | 31.23% |
| 2014 | $24,729,500 | $18,249,900 | 73.80% | $6,479,600 | 26.20% |
| 2015 | $27,957,200 | $19,926,000 | 71.27% | $8,031,200 | 28.73% |
| 2016 | $47,610,900 | $27,670,800 | 58.12% | $19,940,100 | 41.88% |
State Parks Endowment Fund
Proposal P, which was approved in 1994, created the State Parks Endowment Fund (SPEF) to provide the state park system with funding. Proposal P required the state legislature to appropriate revenue from the Natural Resources Trust Fund (NRTF) to SPEF each year until SPEF reached $800 million in principal. Prior to Proposal P, entrance and camping fees, along with concession purchases, provided the park system with around 75 percent of its funding. Revenue could be diverted from the NRTF in principle until reaching $800 million.[8]
Constitutional amendments on Michigan ballots
In Michigan, both the state legislature and ballot initiatives can propose amendments to the state constitution. Between 1995 and 2018, the Michigan State Legislature referred nine constitutional amendments to the ballot, while voters decided 15 citizen-initiated constitutional amendments. The legislature's proposed amendments were approved at a higher rate (88.9 percent) than citizen-initiated amendments (40.0 percent). The following chart illustrates trends in constitutional amendments on the ballot in Michigan:
| Constitutional amendments on the ballot in Michigan, 1995-2018 | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Total number | Approved | Percent approved | Defeated | Percent defeated | Even-year average | Even-year median | Even-year minimum | Even-year maximum | |
| Legislative | 9 | 8 | 88.9% | 1 | 11.1% | 0.7 | 0.0 | 0 | 2 | |
| Citizen | 15 | 6 | 40.0% | 9 | 60.0% | 1.3 | 1.0 | 0 | 5 | |
| Total | 24 | 14 | 58.3% | 10 | 41.7% | 1.9 | 2.0 | 0 | 5 | |
Path to the ballot
- See also: Amending the Michigan Constitution
In Michigan, a constitutional amendment must receive a two-thirds vote in each chamber of the Michigan State Legislature during one legislative session.
Sen. Tom Casperson (R-38) introduced the constitutional amendment as Senate Joint Resolution O (SJR O) on January 24, 2018. On December 21, 2018, both the state House of Representatives and state Senate approved SJR O in unanimous votes, thus placing the constitutional amendment on the ballot in 2020.[1]
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How to cast a vote
- See also: Voting in Michigan
Click "Show" to learn more about voter registration, identification requirements, and poll times in Michigan.
| How to cast a vote in Michigan | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Poll timesIn Michigan, polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. local time. Most of the state is observes Eastern Time, while several counties observe Central Time. An individual who is in line at the time polls close must be allowed to vote.[9] Registration
To vote in Michigan, a voter must be a United States citizen and a resident of their city or township for at least 30 days. Voters must be at least 18 years old by Election Day, and not be currently serving a sentence in jail or prison.[10] Voters may register to vote online, by mail, or in person at clerk's offices in their county, city, or township, or at a state department branch office 15 days or earlier before an election .[10] Within 14 days of an election and on Election Day, voters can register in person at their local clerk's office by presenting proof of residency documentation.[10] According to the Michigan Secretary of State's website:[10]
Automatic registrationMichigan automatically registers eligible individuals to vote when they apply for or update a driver’s license or personal identification card.[11] Online registration
Michigan has implemented an online voter registration system. Residents can register to vote by visiting this website.[11] Same-day registrationMichigan allows same-day voter registration.[11] Residency requirementsMichigan law requires 30 days of residency in the state before a person may vote.[10] Verification of citizenshipMichigan does not require proof of citizenship for voter registration. An individual applying to register to vote must attest that they are a U.S. citizen under penalty of perjury. All 49 states with voter registration systems require applicants to declare that they are U.S. citizens in order to register to vote in state and federal elections, under penalty of perjury or other punishment.[12] Seven states — Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, New Hampshire, and Wyoming — have laws requiring verification of citizenship at the time of voter registration, whether in effect or not. One state, Ohio, requires proof of citizenship only when registering to vote at a Bureau of Motor Vehicles facility. In three states — California, Maryland, and Vermont — at least one local jurisdiction allows noncitizens to vote in some local elections. Noncitizens registering to vote in those elections must complete a voter registration application provided by the local jurisdiction and are not eligible to register as state or federal voters. Verifying your registrationThis page, administered by the Michigan Department of State, allows residents to check their voter registration status online. Voter ID requirementsMichigan requires voters to present photo identification while voting.[13] The following list of accepted ID was current as of October 2025. Click here for the Michigan Secretary of State page on accepted ID to ensure you have the most current information.
Voters can obtain a state identification card at a secretary of state branch office for $10. Voters over the age of 65, voters who are blind, and voters whose driving privileges have been terminated due to a physical or mental disability can obtain an identification card for free. Additionally, voters who can present a reason for having the fee waived may also obtain an ID for free. Visit the Michigan secretary of state’s page or call (888) SOS-MICH (767-6424) for more information.[14] | |||||
See also
External links
Support |
OppositionSubmit links to editor@ballotpedia.org. |
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Michigan State Legislature, "Senate Joint Resolution O," accessed December 21, 2018
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Michigan Board of State Canvassers, "Proposal 1," accessed September 8, 2020
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source. Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "quotedisclaimer" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid<ref>tag; name "quotedisclaimer" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ Vote Yes for MI Water Wildlife & Parks, "Homepage," accessed August 24, 2020
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Michigan Secretary of State, "Michigan Committee Statement of Organization," accessed August 24, 2020
- ↑ Michigan Department of Natural Resources, "History of the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund," January 7, 2018
- ↑ Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund, "Annual Report 2017," accessed January 7, 2019
- ↑ Citizens Research Council of Michigan, "Proposal P," September 1994
- ↑ Michigan Secretary of State, "Frequently Asked Questions: Elections and Voting," accessed April 16, 2023
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 Michigan Secretary of State, "Registering to Vote," accessed October 7, 2024
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 NCSL, "State Profiles: Elections," accessed August 26, 2024
- ↑ Under federal law, the national mail voter registration application (a version of which is in use in all states with voter registration systems) requires applicants to indicate that they are U.S. citizens in order to complete an application to vote in state or federal elections, but does not require voters to provide documentary proof of citizenship. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the application "may require only the minimum amount of information necessary to prevent duplicate voter registrations and permit State officials both to determine the eligibility of the applicant to vote and to administer the voting process."
- ↑ Michigan.gov, "Notice to Voters: Voter Identification Requirement in Effect," accessed October 7, 2025
- ↑ Kingsford Michigan, "A Guide to Voter ID/Affidavit at the Polls," accessed October 7, 2025
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