Bill Text: MI HB6277 | 2019-2020 | 100th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Military affairs: generally; Michigan legislative medal of honor; establish, and provide eligibility requirements. Amends 1967 PA 150 (MCL 32.501 - 32.851) by adding sec. 183.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 6-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-12-03 - Referred To Committee On Ways And Means, With Substitute (h-1) [HB6277 Detail]
Download: Michigan-2019-HB6277-Introduced.html
HOUSE BILL NO. 6277
September 29, 2020, Introduced by Reps.
Markkanen, LaFave, Glenn, Howell, Afendoulis and Berman and referred to the
Committee on Military, Veterans and Homeland Security.
A bill to amend 1967 PA 150, entitled
"Michigan military act,"
(MCL 32.501 to 32.851) by adding section 183.
the people of the state of michigan enact:
Sec. 183. (1) Under the Michigan
military department state awards program established under section 182(2), the
legislature may award the Michigan legislative medal of honor.
(2)
The Michigan legislative medal of honor is the highest military award of this
state. All of the following apply to this medal:
(a) A resident of this state who is a service member of the state military establishment or the Armed Forces of the United States may be considered for the award. To be eligible, the service member must have been born or died in this state, or have been a resident of this state at the time he or she entered military service.
(b) The medal must be awarded to a service member who voluntarily performs a deed of personal bravery or self-sacrifice involving risk of life that is so conspicuous as to clearly distinguish the service member for gallantry and intrepidity above the service member's comrades. Awarding of the medal must be determined in accordance with the standard of extraordinary merit. The medal may be awarded only on incontestable proof of performance of the deed.
(c) The adjutant general shall submit the following information to the chairs of the house of representatives and senate committees that have responsibility for military and veterans affairs:
(i) If the adjutant general 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 adjutant general determines that a nominee does qualify for the medal and the adjutant general recommends the nominee for the medal, his or her recommendation, the nomination, and any supporting documents.
(d) The medal is awarded upon passage of a concurrent resolution of the legislature. The resolution may be considered only during a regular session of the legislature and must not, during a single regular session, direct the medal to be awarded to more than the following:
(i) One member of the state military establishment or the Armed Forces of the United States who served during the period beginning January 1, 1836, and ending December 31, 1955.
(ii) One member of the state military establishment or the Armed Forces of the United States who served on or after January 1, 1956.
(e) Upon passage of the resolution described in subdivision (d), the speaker of the house of representatives and the majority leader of the senate shall award the medal in the presence of the governor, the sponsoring legislator or legislators, and the representative and senator of the district where the awardee resides.
(f) If the legislature determines that a recommendation does not meet the standards for awarding the medal, the legislature may do either of the following:
(i) Determine that the recommendation meets the threshold for awarding the Michigan Great Lakes medal of valor under section 184.
(ii) Determine that the recommendation meets the threshold for another state award under section 185 that is commensurate with the deed performed and recommend to the adjutant general the awarding of that award.
(3) As used in this section:
(a) "Armed Forces of the United States" means the United States Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard, including the reserve components.
(b) "Service member" means a member of the state military establishment, that of another state, or the Armed Forces of the United States.
Enacting section 1. This amendatory act does not take effect unless all of the following bills of the 100th Legislature are enacted into law:
(a) Senate Bill No.____ or House Bill No. 6279 (request no. 03568'19).
(b) Senate Bill No.____ or House Bill No. 6278 (request no. 04969'19).
(c) Senate Bill No.____ or House Bill No. 6276 (request no. 05062'19).
