Michigan Laws > Chapter 15 > Act 370 of 2016 – Electronic Open Access to Government Act


§ 15.451	Short title; information to be included on state website

Terms Used In Michigan Laws > Chapter 15 > Act 370 of 2016 - Electronic Open Access to Government Act

Abandoned property: means an aircraft; a watercraft, including a ship, boat, canoe, skiff, raft, or barge; the rigging, gear, fittings, trappings, and equipment of an aircraft or watercraft; the personal property of the officers, crew, and passengers of an aircraft or watercraft; and the cargo of an aircraft or watercraft, which have been deserted, relinquished, cast away, or left behind and for which attempts at reclamation have been abandoned by owners and insurers. See Michigan Laws 324.76101
Absent voter: is a voter who utilizes the process described in section 759. See Michigan Laws 168.2
Absent voter ballot: means a ballot that is issued to a voter through the absentee voter process. See Michigan Laws 168.2
absent voter ballot secrecy envelope container: means a container described in section 24k that is used for storing and securing absent voter ballot secrecy envelopes that are removed from the absent voter ballot return envelopes on the Sunday and Monday before election day as provided in section 765. See Michigan Laws 168.14b
Adjourn: A motion to adjourn a legislative chamber or a committee, if passed, ends that day's session.
Advice and consent: Under the Constitution, presidential nominations for executive and judicial posts take effect only when confirmed by the Senate, and international treaties become effective only when the Senate approves them by a two-thirds vote.
Affidavit: A written statement of facts confirmed by the oath of the party making it, before a notary or officer having authority to administer oaths.
Affirmed: In the practice of the appellate courts, the decree or order is declared valid and will stand as rendered in the lower court.
Agricultural property: means real property used for farming in any of its branches, including cultivating of soil; growing and harvesting of any agricultural, horticultural, or floricultural commodity; dairying; raising of livestock, bees, fish, fur-bearing animals, or poultry; turf and tree farming; or performing any practices on a farm as an incident to, or in conjunction with, these farming operations. See Michigan Laws 324.20101
Agricultural use: means property that is substantially devoted to the production of plants and animals useful to people, including forages and sod crops; grains and feed crops; dairy and dairy products; poultry; livestock, including breeding and grazing; fish; timber; fruits; vegetables; flowers; Christmas trees; plants or trees grown in an agricultural nursery; and other similar uses and activities. See Michigan Laws 205.221
Amendment: A proposal to alter the text of a pending bill or other measure by striking out some of it, by inserting new language, or both. Before an amendment becomes part of the measure, thelegislature must agree to it.
Ancillary facility: means any revolving credit agreement, agreement establishing a line of credit, or letter of credit; reimbursement agreement; interest rate exchange or similar agreement; currency exchange agreement; commodity exchange agreement; interest rate floor or cap; option, put, call, or similar agreement to hedge payment, currency, commodity, rate, spread, or similar exposure; investment agreement; float agreement; forward agreement or other investment arrangement; insurance contract; surety bond; commitment to purchase or sell securities; purchase or sale agreement or commitment; or other contract or agreement or other security agreement approved by the authority under this act, including without limitation any arrangement referred to in this act. See Michigan Laws 12.272
Annuity: A periodic (usually annual) payment of a fixed sum of money for either the life of the recipient or for a fixed number of years. A series of payments under a contract from an insurance company, a trust company, or an individual. Annuity payments are made at regular intervals over a period of more than one full year.
Appeal: A request made after a trial, asking another court (usually the court of appeals) to decide whether the trial was conducted properly. To make such a request is "to appeal" or "to take an appeal." One who appeals is called the appellant.
Appropriation: The provision of funds, through an annual appropriations act or a permanent law, for federal agencies to make payments out of the Treasury for specified purposes. The formal federal spending process consists of two sequential steps: authorization
Arrest: Taking physical custody of a person by lawful authority.
Assets: (1) The property comprising the estate of a deceased person, or (2) the property in a trust account.
Attachment: A procedure by which a person's property is seized to pay judgments levied by the court.
Attorney general: means the department of the attorney general. See Michigan Laws 324.20101
Authority: means the Michigan finance authority created by Executive Reorganization Order No. See Michigan Laws 12.272
Authorizing body: means the governing board of a state public university that issues a contract as provided in this part. See Michigan Laws 380.521
Authorizing body: means any of the following that issues a contract as provided in this part:

(i) The board of a school district. See Michigan Laws 380.551

Background concentration: means the concentration or level of a hazardous substance that exists in the environment at or regionally proximate to a facility that is not attributable to any release at or regionally proximate to the facility. See Michigan Laws 324.20101

Bail: Security given for the release of a criminal defendant or witness from legal custody (usually in the form of money) to secure his/her appearance on the day and time appointed.

Balanced budget: A budget in which receipts equal outlays.

Ballot container: means a container that is used for transporting and storing voted ballots, as described and approved under section 24j. See Michigan Laws 168.14a

Bankruptcy: Refers to statutes and judicial proceedings involving persons or businesses that cannot pay their debts and seek the assistance of the court in getting a fresh start. Under the protection of the bankruptcy court, debtors may discharge their debts, perhaps by paying a portion of each debt. Bankruptcy judges preside over these proceedings.

Baseline: Projection of the receipts, outlays, and other budget amounts that would ensue in the future without any change in existing policy. Baseline projections are used to gauge the extent to which proposed legislation, if enacted into law, would alter current spending and revenue levels.

Beneficiary: A person who is entitled to receive the benefits or proceeds of a will, trust, insurance policy, retirement plan, annuity, or other contract. ^{Source: OCC}

Bequeath: To gift property by will.

Bequest: Property gifted by will.

Board: means the board of directors of the authority. See Michigan Laws 12.272

Board: means the brownfield redevelopment board created in section 20104a. See Michigan Laws 324.20101

Bond: means a bond, note, financial instrument, or other evidence of indebtedness or obligation issued by the authority under this act. See Michigan Laws 12.272

Bonds: means the bonds authorized under the Great Lakes water quality bond authorization act. See Michigan Laws 324.19701

Bottomlands: means the unpatented lake bottomlands of the Great Lakes. See Michigan Laws 324.76101

Certificated teacher: means an individual who holds a valid teaching certificate issued by the superintendent of public instruction under section 1531. See Michigan Laws 380.551

Cleanup criteria for unrestricted residential use: means any of the following:

(i) Cleanup criteria that satisfy the requirements for the residential category in section 20120a(1)(a). See Michigan Laws 324.20101

Commission: means the commission of natural resources. See Michigan Laws 324.301

Committee: means the underwater salvage and preserve committee created in section 76103. See Michigan Laws 324.76101

Common law: The legal system that originated in England and is now in use in the United States. It is based on judicial decisions rather than legislative action.

Community college: means a community college organized under the community college act of 1966, 1966 PA 331, MCL 389. See Michigan Laws 380.551

Community district education trust fund: means the community district education trust fund created in section 12. See Michigan Laws 12.252

Contract: means the executive act taken by an authorizing body that evidences the authorization of an urban high school academy and that establishes, subject to the constitutional powers of the state board and applicable law, the written instrument executed by an authorizing body conferring certain rights, franchises, privileges, and obligations on an urban high school academy, as provided by this part, and confirming the status of an urban high school academy as a public school in this state. See Michigan Laws 380.521

Contract: means the executive act taken by an authorizing body that evidences the authorization of a school of excellence and that establishes, subject to the constitutional powers of the state board and applicable law, the written instrument executed by an authorizing body conferring certain rights, franchises, privileges, and obligations on a school of excellence, as provided by this part, and confirming the status of a school of excellence as a public school in this state. See Michigan Laws 380.551

Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.

Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.

Cyber school: means a school of excellence established under this part that has been issued a contract to be organized and operated as a cyber school under section 552(2) and that provides full-time instruction to pupils through online learning or otherwise on a computer or other technology, which instruction and learning may be remote from a school facility. See Michigan Laws 380.551

Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.

Dark sky preserve: means an area designated in section 75102. See Michigan Laws 324.75101

Decedent: means a deceased person and includes, but is not limited to, a testator, grantor, bargainor, vendor, donor, or person who dies intestate. See Michigan Laws 205.256

Decedent: A deceased person.

Deed: The legal instrument used to transfer title in real property from one person to another.

Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.

Department: means the bureau of revenue of the department of treasury. See Michigan Laws 205.256

Department: means the department of environmental quality. See Michigan Laws 324.19701

Department: means the director or his or her designee to whom the director delegates a power or duty by written instrument. See Michigan Laws 324.20101

Department: means the director of the department of natural resources or his or her designee to whom the director delegates a power or duty by written instrument. See Michigan Laws 324.301

Department of natural resources: means the principal state department created in section 501. See Michigan Laws 324.301

Dependent: A person dependent for support upon another.

Devise: To gift property by will.

Director: means director of the department of licensing and regulatory affairs, or his or her designee. See Michigan Laws 12.272

Director: means the director of the department of environmental quality. See Michigan Laws 324.20101

Director: means the director of the department of natural resources. See Michigan Laws 324.301

Directors: means the directors or their designees of the departments of environmental quality, community health, agriculture and rural development, and state police. See Michigan Laws 324.20101

Dismissal: The dropping of a case by the judge without further consideration or hearing. ^Source:

Disposal: means the discharge, deposit, injection, dumping, spilling, leaking, or placing of any hazardous substance into or on any land or water so that the hazardous substance or any constituent of the hazardous substance may enter the environment or be emitted into the air or discharged into any groundwater or surface water. See Michigan Laws 324.20101

Docket: A log containing brief entries of court proceedings.

Donor: The person who makes a gift.

Educational management company: means an entity that enters into an agreement with the governing board of a public school to provide comprehensive educational, administrative, management, or instructional services or staff to the public school. See Michigan Laws 380.521

Educational management organization: means an entity that enters into an agreement with the governing board of a public school to provide comprehensive educational, administrative, management, or instructional services or staff to the public school. See Michigan Laws 380.551

Election: means an election or primary election at which the electors of this state or of a subdivision of this state choose or nominate by ballot an individual for public office or decide a ballot question lawfully submitted to them. See Michigan Laws 168.2

Enforcement costs: means court expenses, reasonable attorney fees of the attorney general, and other reasonable expenses of an executive department that are incurred in relation to enforcement under this part. See Michigan Laws 324.20101

Entity: means a nonprofit corporation that is organized under the nonprofit corporation act, 1982 PA 162, MCL 450. See Michigan Laws 380.521

Entity: means a partnership, nonprofit or business corporation, labor organization, or any other association, corporation, trust, or other legal entity. See Michigan Laws 380.551

Environmental contamination: means the release of a hazardous substance, or the potential release of a discarded hazardous substance, in a quantity which is or may become injurious to the environment or to the public health, safety, or welfare. See Michigan Laws 324.20101

Equitable: Pertaining to civil suits in "equity" rather than in "law." In English legal history, the courts of "law" could order the payment of damages and could afford no other remedy. See damages. A separate court of "equity" could order someone to do something or to cease to do something. See, e.g., injunction. In American jurisprudence, the federal courts have both legal and equitable power, but the distinction is still an important one. For example, a trial by jury is normally available in "law" cases but not in "equity" cases. ^{Source: U.S. Courts}

Escrow: Money given to a third party to be held for payment until certain conditions are met.

Evaluation: means those activities including, but not limited to, investigation, studies, sampling, analysis, development of feasibility studies, and administrative efforts that are needed to determine the nature, extent, and impact of a release or threat of release and necessary response activities. See Michigan Laws 324.20101

Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.

Ex officio: Literally, by virtue of one's office.

Exacerbation: means the occurrence of either of the following caused by an activity undertaken by the person who owns or operates the property, with respect to contamination for which the person is not liable:

(i) Migration of contamination beyond the boundaries of the property that is the source of the release at levels above cleanup criteria for unrestricted residential use unless a criterion is not relevant because exposure is reliably restricted as otherwise provided in this part. See Michigan Laws 324.20101

Executor: A male person named in a will to carry out the decedent

Facility: means any area, place, parcel or parcels of property, or portion of a parcel of property where a hazardous substance in excess of the concentrations that satisfy the cleanup criteria for unrestricted residential use has been released, deposited, disposed of, or otherwise comes to be located. See Michigan Laws 324.20101

Family-owned: means participation by the decedent or a qualified heir in the operation of the business for not less than 500 hours in 5 out of the 8 years immediately preceding the decedent's death and either of the following:

(i) The business is 100% owned by the decedent and qualified heirs, or for a corporation, 100% of the stock is owned by the decedent and qualified heirs. See Michigan Laws 205.221

Feasibility study: means a process for developing, evaluating, and selecting appropriate response activities. See Michigan Laws 324.20101

Federal return: means any United States transfer tax return including federal estate tax returns and generation-skipping tax returns unless the context indicates a similar Michigan tax return. See Michigan Laws 205.256

Fiduciary: A trustee, executor, or administrator.

Financing costs: means all capitalized interest; operating and debt service reserves; costs of issuance; fees for credit and liquidity enhancements; any item of expense directly or indirectly payable or reimbursable by the authority and related to the authorization, sale, or issuance of bonds, including without limitation underwriting fees, counsel fees, fees of the attorney general, and fees and expenses of consultants, advisors, fiduciaries, and rating agencies; and other costs as the authority determines to be desirable in issuing, securing, and marketing and remarketing the bonds. See Michigan Laws 12.272

Fiscal year: The fiscal year is the accounting period for the government. For the federal government, this begins on October 1 and ends on September 30. The fiscal year is designated by the calendar year in which it ends; for example, fiscal year 2006 begins on October 1, 2005 and ends on September 30, 2006.

Flint settlement trust fund: means the Flint settlement trust fund created in section 11. See Michigan Laws 12.252

Forbearance: A means of handling a delinquent loan. A

Foreclosure: A legal process in which property that is collateral or security for a loan may be sold to help repay the loan when the loan is in default. ^{Source: OCC}

Foreclosure: means possession by a lender of a property on which it has foreclosed on a security interest or the expiration of a lawful redemption period, whichever occurs first. See Michigan Laws 324.20101

Forgery: The fraudulent signing or alteration of another's name to an instrument such as a deed, mortgage, or check. The intent of the forgery is to deceive or defraud. ^{Source: OCC}

Foundation: means the Michigan state parks foundation created in section 74302. See Michigan Laws 324.74301

Fraud: Intentional deception resulting in injury to another.

Freedom of Information Act: A federal law that mandates that all the records created and kept by federal agencies in the executive branch of government must be open for public inspection and copying. The only exceptions are those records that fall into one of nine exempted categories listed in the statute. ^{Source: OCC}

Fully shielded: means outdoor light fixtures shielded or constructed so that no light rays are emitted by the installed fixture at angles above 15 degrees below the horizontal plane and also constructed so that the filament or light source is not visible to the naked eye when viewed from a point higher than 15 degrees below the horizontal plane. See Michigan Laws 324.75101

Fund: means the Great Lakes water quality bond fund created in section 19706. See Michigan Laws 324.19701

Fund: means the cleanup and redevelopment fund established in section 20108. See Michigan Laws 324.20101

Garnishment: Generally, garnishment is a court proceeding in which a creditor asks a court to order a third party who owes money to the debtor or otherwise holds assets belonging to the debtor to turn over to the creditor any of the debtor

general November election: means the election held on the November regular election date in an even numbered year. See Michigan Laws 168.2

Generation-skipping transfer: means every transfer subject to the federal generation-skipping transfer tax in which the original transferor is a resident of this state at the date of the transfer by the original transferor or the property transferred is real or personal property situated in this state. See Michigan Laws 205.256

Gift: A voluntary transfer or conveyance of property without consideration, or for less than full and adequate consideration based on fair market value.

grantee: may be construed as including every person to whom any such interest or estate passes in like manner. See Michigan Laws 8.3e

Grantor: The person who establishes a trust and places property into it.

grantor: may be construed as including every person from or by whom any estate in lands passes in or by any deed. See Michigan Laws 8.3e

Great Lakes: means lakes Erie, Huron, Michigan, St. See Michigan Laws 324.76101

Guardian: A person legally empowered and charged with the duty of taking care of and managing the property of another person who because of age, intellect, or health, is incapable of managing his (her) own affairs.

Hazardous substance: means 1 or more of the following, but does not include fruit, vegetable, or field crop residuals or processing by-products, or aquatic plants, that are applied to the land for an agricultural use or for use as an animal feed, if the use is consistent with generally accepted agricultural management practices at the time of the application or stamp sands:

(i) Any substance that the department demonstrates, on a case by case basis, poses an unacceptable risk to the public health, safety, or welfare, or the environment, considering the fate of the material, dose-response, toxicity, or adverse impact on natural resources. See Michigan Laws 324.20101

Historical value: means value relating to, or illustrative of, Michigan history, including the statehood, territorial, colonial, and historic, and prehistoric native American periods. See Michigan Laws 324.76101

in writing: shall be construed to include printing, engraving, and lithographing; except that if the written signature of a person is required by law, the signature shall be the proper handwriting of the person or, if the person is unable to write, the person's proper mark, which may be, unless otherwise expressly prohibited by law, a clear and classifiable fingerprint of the person made with ink or another substance. See Michigan Laws 8.3q

Indemnification: In general, a collateral contract or assurance under which one person agrees to secure another person against either anticipated financial losses or potential adverse legal consequences. ^{Source: FDIC}

Interest rate: The amount paid by a borrower to a lender in exchange for the use of the lender's money for a certain period of time. Interest is paid on loans or on debt instruments, such as notes or bonds, either at regular intervals or as part of a lump sum payment when the issue matures. ^{Source: OCC}

Interim response activity: means the cleanup or removal of a released hazardous substance or the taking of other actions, prior to the implementation of a remedial action, as may be necessary to prevent, minimize, or mitigate injury to the public health, safety, or welfare, or to the environment. See Michigan Laws 324.20101

Internal revenue code: means the United States internal revenue code of 1986, in effect on January 1, 1998 or, at the option of the personal representative, in effect on the date of the decedent's death. See Michigan Laws 205.256

Intestate: Dying without leaving a will.

Joint resolution: A legislative measure which requires the approval of both chambers.

Joint session: When both chambers of a legislature adopt a concurrent resolution to meet together.

Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.

Lease: A contract transferring the use of property or occupancy of land, space, structures, or equipment in consideration of a payment (e.g., rent). ^{Source: OCC}

Legacy: A gift of property made by will.

Legatee: A beneficiary of a decedent

Lender: means any of the following:

(i) A state or nationally chartered bank. See Michigan Laws 324.20101

Liabilities: The aggregate of all debts and other legal obligations of a particular person or legal entity.

Lien: A claim against real or personal property in satisfaction of a debt.

Lineal descendant: Direct descendant of the same ancestors.

Litigation: A case, controversy, or lawsuit. Participants (plaintiffs and defendants) in lawsuits are called litigants.

local unit: means a municipality or county. See Michigan Laws 324.301

Local unit of government: means a county, city, township, or village, an agency of a local unit of government, an authority or any other public body or entity created by or pursuant to state law. See Michigan Laws 324.20101

major political party: means each of the 2 political parties whose candidate for the office of secretary of state received the highest and second highest number of votes at the immediately preceding general election in which a secretary of state was elected. See Michigan Laws 168.16

Medicaid benefits trust fund: means the Michigan Medicaid benefits trust fund established in section 5. See Michigan Laws 12.252

Medicaid program: means a program for medical assistance established under title XIX of the social security act, 42 USC 1396 to 1396w-6. See Michigan Laws 12.252

Medicaid special financing payments: means the Medicaid special adjustor payments each year authorized in the department of health and human services appropriations act. See Michigan Laws 12.252

Method detection limit: means the minimum concentration of a hazardous substance that can be measured and reported with 99% confidence that the analyte concentration is greater than zero and is determined from analysis of a sample in a given matrix that contains the analyte. See Michigan Laws 324.20101

Metropolitan district: means a district incorporated under the metropolitan district act, 1929 PA 312, MCL 119. See Michigan Laws 168.17

Michigan merit award trust fund: means the Michigan merit award trust fund established in section 9. See Michigan Laws 12.252

month: means a calendar month; the word "year" a calendar year; and the word "year" alone shall be equivalent to the words "year of our Lord". See Michigan Laws 8.3j

Mortgage: The written agreement pledging property to a creditor as collateral for a loan.

Municipality: means a city, village, or township. See Michigan Laws 324.301

NAPL: means that term as it is defined in section 21303. See Michigan Laws 324.20101

National Bank: A bank that is subject to the supervision of the Comptroller of the Currency. The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency is a bureau of the U.S. Treasury Department. A national bank can be recognized because it must have "national" or "national association" in its name. ^{Source: OCC}

natural resources: means land, surface water, groundwater, subsurface strata, air, fish, wildlife, or biota within this state. See Michigan Laws 324.20101

No further action report: means a report under section 20114d detailing the completion of remedial actions and including a postclosure plan and a postclosure agreement, if appropriate. See Michigan Laws 324.20101

Nonresident: means an individual who is not a resident. See Michigan Laws 205.256

Oath: A promise to tell the truth.

oath: shall be construed to include the word "affirmation" in all cases where by law an affirmation may be substituted for an oath; and in like cases the word "sworn" shall be construed to include the word "affirmed". See Michigan Laws 8.3k

Obligation: An order placed, contract awarded, service received, or similar transaction during a given period that will require payments during the same or a future period.

Operating expenses: means the reasonable operating expenses of the authority under this act, including without limitation the cost of preparation of accounting and other reports; costs of maintaining the ratings on the bonds; bond insurance premiums; costs of authority meetings or other required activities of the authority under this act; counsel fees, including the fees of the attorney general; fees and expenses incurred for consultants, advisors, and fiduciaries relating to bonds or activities of the authority authorized by this act; and any other costs arising from activities authorized in section 8(2). See Michigan Laws 12.272

Operator: means a person who is in control of or responsible for the operation of a facility. See Michigan Laws 324.20101

Original transferor: means any grantor, donor, trustor, testator, or person who by grant, gift, trust, will, or otherwise, makes a transfer of real or personal property that results in a federal generation-skipping transfer tax. See Michigan Laws 205.256

Outstanding: means with respect to bonds, all bonds except those that have been paid in full at maturity or that are not outstanding under the terms of the applicable authority resolution, trust indenture, or trust agreement authorizing the issuance of the bonds. See Michigan Laws 12.272

Oversight: Committee review of the activities of a Federal agency or program.

Owner: means a person who owns a facility. See Michigan Laws 324.20101

Panel: means the response activity review panel established under section 20114e. See Michigan Laws 324.20101

Partnership: A voluntary contract between two or more persons to pool some or all of their assets into a business, with the agreement that there will be a proportional sharing of profits and losses.

Permitted release: means 1 or more of the following:

(i) A release in compliance with an applicable, legally enforceable permit issued under state law. See Michigan Laws 324.20101

Person: means an individual, firm, partnership, joint venture, association, corporation, limited liability company, company, estate, or any other group or combination acting as a unit. See Michigan Laws 205.256

Person: means an individual, corporation, limited or general partnership, association, joint venture, limited liability company, or a governmental entity, including this state. See Michigan Laws 12.272

person: may extend and be applied to bodies politic and corporate, as well as to individuals. See Michigan Laws 8.3l

Person: means an individual, partnership, corporation, association, governmental entity, or other legal entity. See Michigan Laws 324.301

person who is liable: includes a person who is described as being subject to liability in section 20126. See Michigan Laws 324.20101

Personal property: All property that is not real property.

Personal representative: means the personal representative appointed by the probate court, including an independent personal representative, or, if a personal representative is not acting, then any person who is in the actual or constructive possession of any property included in the gross estate of the decedent or any other person who is required to file a return or pay the taxes due under any provision of this act. See Michigan Laws 205.256

Plaintiff: The person who files the complaint in a civil lawsuit.

Pleadings: Written statements of the parties in a civil case of their positions. In the federal courts, the principal pleadings are the complaint and the answer.

Postclosure agreement: means an agreement between the department and a person who has submitted a no further action report that prescribes, as appropriate, activities required to be undertaken upon completion of remedial actions as provided for in section 20114d. See Michigan Laws 324.20101

Postclosure plan: means a plan for land use or resource use restrictions or permanent markers at a facility upon completion of remedial actions as provided for in section 20114c. See Michigan Laws 324.20101

primary election: as used in this act , shall mean a primary election held for the purpose of deciding by ballot who shall be the nominees for the offices named in this act, or for the election by ballot of delegates to political conventions. See Michigan Laws 168.7

Probate: Proving a will

property: means the property or interest in property of the testator, intestate, grantor, bargainor, or vendor, passing or transferred to those not specifically exempted from this act, and not as the property or interest in property passing or transferred to the individual legatees, devisees, heirs, next of kin, grantees, donees, or vendees, and includes all property or interest in property whether situated within or without this state and including all property represented or evidenced by note, certificate, stock, land, contract, mortgage or other kind or character of evidence thereof, and regardless of whether that evidence of property is owned, kept or possessed within or without this state. See Michigan Laws 205.221

prosecuting attorney: means the county treasurer or prosecuting attorney of the county having jurisdiction pursuant to section 10. See Michigan Laws 205.221

Public law: A public bill or joint resolution that has passed both chambers and been enacted into law. Public laws have general applicability nationwide.

qualified elector: as used in this act , means a person who possesses the qualifications of an elector as prescribed in section 1 of article II of the state constitution of 1963 and who has resided in the city or township 30 days. See Michigan Laws 168.10

Qualified farm real and personal property: means real and personal property located in this state that on the date of the decedent's death was devoted primarily to an agricultural use, and, for a decedent who dies before January 1, 1993, meets all the following conditions or, for a decedent who dies after December 31, 1992, meets the conditions in either subparagraph (ii) or (iii):

(i) The real property is eligible as farmland pursuant to part 361 (farmland and open space preservation) of the natural resources and environmental protection act, Act No. See Michigan Laws 205.221

Qualified heir: means an individual entitled to any beneficial interest in property who is the grandfather, grandmother, father, mother, husband, wife, child, legally adopted child, stepchild, brother, sister, wife or widow of a son, or husband or widower of a daughter of the decedent grantor, donor, or vendor, or for the use of a person to whom the decedent grantor, donor, or vendor stood in the mutually acknowledged relation of a parent, if the relationship began at or before the child's seventeenth birthday and continued until the death of the decedent grantor, donor, or vendor, or to or for the use of a lineal descendant of or a lineal descendant of a stepchild of the decedent grantor, donor, or vendor, or farm business partner, or to or for the use of any person to whom the decedent grantor, donor, or vendor stood in the mutually acknowledged relation of a farm business partner. See Michigan Laws 205.221

Quorum: The number of legislators that must be present to do business.

Real property: Land, and all immovable fixtures erected on, growing on, or affixed to the land.

Recreational value: means value relating to an activity that the public engages in, or may engage in, for recreation or sport, including scuba diving and fishing. See Michigan Laws 324.76101

Regular election: means an election held on a regular election date to elect an individual to, or nominate an individual for, elective office in the regular course of the terms of that elective office. See Michigan Laws 168.3

Regular election date: means 1 of the dates established as a regular election date in section 641. See Michigan Laws 168.3

Release: includes , but is not limited to, any spilling, leaking, pumping, pouring, emitting, emptying, discharging, injecting, escaping, leaching, dumping, or disposing of a hazardous substance into the environment, or the abandonment or discarding of barrels, containers, and other closed receptacles containing a hazardous substance. See Michigan Laws 324.20101

Remainder: An interest in property that takes effect in the future at a specified time or after the occurrence of some event, such as the death of a life tenant.

Remand: When an appellate court sends a case back to a lower court for further proceedings.

Remedial action: includes , but is not limited to, cleanup, removal, containment, isolation, destruction, or treatment of a hazardous substance released or threatened to be released into the environment, monitoring, maintenance, or the taking of other actions that may be necessary to prevent, minimize, or mitigate injury to the public health, safety, or welfare, or to the environment. See Michigan Laws 324.20101

Remedial action plan: means a work plan for performing remedial action under this part. See Michigan Laws 324.20101

Residence: as used in this act , for registration and voting purposes means that place at which a person habitually sleeps, keeps his or her personal effects, and has a regular place of lodging. See Michigan Laws 168.11

Resident: means that term as defined in section 18 of the income tax act of 1967, 1967 PA 281, MCL 206. See Michigan Laws 205.256

Residential: means that category of land use for parcels of property or portions of parcels of property where people live and sleep for significant periods of time such that the frequency of exposure is reasonably expected or foreseeable to meet the exposure assumptions used by the department to develop generic residential cleanup criteria as set forth in rules promulgated under this part. See Michigan Laws 324.20101

Response activity: means evaluation, interim response activity, remedial action, demolition, providing an alternative water supply, or the taking of other actions necessary to protect the public health, safety, or welfare, or the environment or the natural resources. See Michigan Laws 324.20101

Response activity plan: means a plan for undertaking response activities. See Michigan Laws 324.20101

Revolving credit: A credit agreement (typically a credit card) that allows a customer to borrow against a preapproved credit line when purchasing goods and services. The borrower is only billed for the amount that is actually borrowed plus any interest due. (Also called a charge account or open-end credit.) ^{Source: OCC}

Right of survivorship: The ownership rights that result in the acquisition of title to property by reason of having survived other co-owners.

Rule: means a rule promulgated pursuant to the administrative procedures act of 1969, 1969 PA 306, MCL 24. See Michigan Laws 324.301

School board: means the governing body of a school district, including the board of trustees of a community college. See Michigan Laws 168.4

School district: means a school district, a local act school district, or an intermediate school district, as those terms are defined in the revised school code, 1976 PA 451, MCL 380. See Michigan Laws 168.4

School district election coordinator: means 1 of the following:

(i) For a school district whose entire territory lies within a single city or township, the city or township clerk. See Michigan Laws 168.4

seal: shall be construed to include any of the following:

(a) The impression of the seal on the paper alone. See Michigan Laws 8.3n

seal: means a seal of high tensile strength that is approved by the secretary of state under section 36. See Michigan Laws 168.14a

Security interest: means any interest, including a reversionary interest, in real property created or established for the purpose of securing a loan or other obligation. See Michigan Laws 324.20101

Service of process: The service of writs or summonses to the appropriate party.

Settlement: Parties to a lawsuit resolve their difference without having a trial. Settlements often involve the payment of compensation by one party in satisfaction of the other party's claims.

shall not apply: means that the pertinent provision is not operative as to certain persons or things or in conjunction with a particular date or dates. See Michigan Laws 8.4c

Soil conservation district agency: means the agency of the district where the real property is located created pursuant to part 93 (soil conservation districts) of the natural resources and environmental protection act, Act No. See Michigan Laws 205.221

Source: means any storage, handling, distribution, or processing equipment from which the release originates and first enters the environment. See Michigan Laws 324.20101

Stamp sands: means finely grained crushed rock resulting from mining, milling, or smelting of copper ore and includes native substances contained within the crushed rock and any ancillary material associated with the crushed rock. See Michigan Laws 324.20101

state: when applied to the different parts of the United States, shall be construed to extend to and include the District of Columbia and the several territories belonging to the United States; and the words "United States" shall be construed to include the district and territories. See Michigan Laws 8.3o

State land use agency: means the land use agency within the department of natural resources. See Michigan Laws 205.221

State park: means a state park or state recreation area designated by the director. See Michigan Laws 324.74101

State park: means a state park or state recreation area designated by the director. See Michigan Laws 324.74301

State public university: means a state university described in section 4, 5, or 6 of article VIII of the state constitution of 1963. See Michigan Laws 380.551

State treasurer: means the state treasurer of this state or his or her designee, if the designee is authorized to exercise delegated signatory power for purposes of this act in a written instrument signed by the state treasurer and maintained in a permanent file. See Michigan Laws 12.272

Statute: A law passed by a legislature.

Statute of limitations: A law that sets the time within which parties must take action to enforce their rights.

Strategic outreach and attraction reserve fund: means the strategic outreach and attraction reserve fund created in section 4. See Michigan Laws 12.252

Tangible personal property: means corporeal personal property. See Michigan Laws 205.256

Target detection limit: means the detection limit for a hazardous substance in a given environmental medium that is specified in a rule promulgated by the department. See Michigan Laws 324.20101

Testator: A male person who leaves a will at death.

Testify: Answer questions in court.

Testimony: Evidence presented orally by witnesses during trials or before grand juries.

this part: includes "rules promulgated under this part". See Michigan Laws 324.20101

threat of release: means any circumstance that may reasonably be anticipated to cause a release. See Michigan Laws 324.20101

Tobacco settlement revenue: means money received by this state that is attributable to the master settlement agreement incorporated into a consent decree and final judgment entered into on December 7, 1998 in Kelly Ex Rel. See Michigan Laws 12.252

Transfer: includes the passing of property or an interest in property in possession or enjoyment, present or future, by inheritance, descent, devise, bequest, grant, deed, bargain, sale, or gift in the manner prescribed in this act. See Michigan Laws 205.221

Transfer tax: includes an estate, generation-skipping, inheritance, legacy, or succession tax for residents and nonresidents, including aliens. See Michigan Laws 205.256

Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.

Trust account: A general term that covers all types of accounts in a trust department, such as estates, guardianships, and agencies. ^{Source: OCC}

Trustee: A person or institution holding and administering property in trust.

Uniform Commercial Code: A set of statutes enacted by the various states to provide consistency among the states' commercial laws. It includes negotiable instruments, sales, stock transfers, trust and warehouse receipts, and bills of lading. ^{Source: OCC}

United States: shall be construed to include the district and territories. See Michigan Laws 8.3o

User fees: Fees charged to users of goods or services provided by the government. In levying or authorizing these fees, the legislature determines whether the revenue should go into the treasury or should be available to the agency providing the goods or services.

Venting groundwater: means groundwater that is entering a surface water of this state from a facility. See Michigan Laws 324.20101

Verdict: The decision of a petit jury or a judge.

Veto: The procedure established under the Constitution by which the President/Governor refuses to approve a bill or joint resolution and thus prevents its enactment into law. A regular veto occurs when the President/Governor returns the legislation to the house in which it originated. The President/Governor usually returns a vetoed bill with a message indicating his reasons for rejecting the measure. In Congress, the veto can be overridden only by a two-thirds vote in both the Senate and the House.

village: as used in this act , shall mean an incorporated village. See Michigan Laws 168.9

Writ: A formal written command, issued from the court, requiring the performance of a specific act.