[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6480889,"mediaKeyId","5784450-46069ba5c30c3e20746eb7caacd94318","parentId",5784450,"title","Sponsor: bill would require EGLE to obtain warrant before entering private property","audioSeconds",1938,"startMs",263000,"endMs",2201000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5784450-46069ba5c30c3e20746eb7caacd94318&start=263&end=2201","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5784450-46069ba5c30c3e20746eb7caacd94318/thumbnail_263000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6480889/Michigan/Sponsor-bill-would-require-EGLE-to-obtain-warrant-before-entering-private-property","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6480889-b24072dba3a9d32513c4d7b6f76bb66c/orig.mp4?Expires=1775415692&Signature=i1TUAu5891wz55uN~uJE~-FU3w6MOzx-7J8oJRSisPwo4juimveMgaGySK8I6BFeCIM9yunJSaCGVtXFOCVvbGhW27MGoqKX9eBd3hlCgDgprGb3hcL8pBI5iqiGTJe2ICp6YEqklCvSz3CJCqs31p962RSgHO0ed91QIHtKdYCIlgyKgrerdk2ogV9scHA1NC0xOw1JG~WqFS912xIkSq2FdQuIuBpcfELt8Q2sPlduLiu4DWACfWQVggUEjtT2jXD8scLCYehUJIa1wMVAhsKzxuZKEOSaXNcRUAEfRxWjudMKrOFEbRwu1ZByJJzczEL2sbyumd3HkwoNijv4Gw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Michigan Legislature","date","2025-09-18T05:38:58Z","article","House Committee on Natural Resources and Tourism — Representative Rob Koontz presented House Bill 4421 to require the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) to obtain a warrant before physically entering private property for investigations.

Koontz said the measure is brief and intended to “enshrine the Fourth Amendment” by requiring EGLE to go “before the judicial branch before they come on private property.” He told the committee that the bill is “two sentences, it’s one paragraph” and that EGLE “can still investigate ... but they have to follow the rules and go before the judicial branch.”

The bill’s sponsor and several legislators framed the proposal as an attempt to rebalance private property rights and administrative inspection powers. Koontz said constituents—farmers and a contractor—had planned to testify but feared reprisal and withdrew; he told the committee those people reported agents entering private land, investigating, and later concluding there was no violation, leaving owners with time and costs but no remedy.

Committee members pressed Koontz on the practical effects. Representative Weiss asked whether EGLE currently has authority to enter private property without a warrant beyond what police can do. Koontz replied that conservation and environmental investigators often rely on the open‑fields doctrine and can come onto certain private lands for investigative purposes; he said the bill is not intended to prevent emergency responses and that exigent circumstances would remain an exception.

Other members raised operational and legal concerns. Representative Myers Phillips and others cited Hester v. United States and the open‑fields doctrine as established U.S. Supreme Court law, noting the doctrine treats some outdoor areas as not protected by the Fourth Amendment. Koontz and supporters countered that the Michigan Constitution’s language (they cited Article I, Section 11) uses “possessions” and that some state courts have interpreted similar state provisions to provide broader protection than federal precedent.

Lawmakers asked whether the change would impede urgent public‑safety or environmental responses, such as spills. Koontz and others said the bill preserves responses for imminent danger or exigent circumstances; Koontz said such exceptions “have to be that situation” and that routine investigative entries would require a warrant. Members also questioned whether the change would increase judicial workload; Koontz said he had not identified numbers and that the frequency of warrant requests by EGLE is not documented.

Koontz said the bill seeks to restore a predictable process: officials must articulate probable cause and submit an affidavit to a judge rather than enter property without prior judicial authorization. Supporters framed the proposal as protecting private liberty and preventing perceived overreach; opponents and some members said the committee had not seen evidence that current practice routinely creates public‑safety failures and warned against impairing enforcement of environmental law.

No vote was taken on House Bill 4421 during the hearing. Committee members continued questioning and indicated further follow up with agencies would be needed before any formal action.

Ending: The committee did not adopt the bill or any substitute at the hearing and moved to other agenda items. Koontz and other members said they would pursue further information from EGLE and legal counsel in subsequent hearings.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Natural Resources and Tourism - 9/17/2025","oneSentenceSummary","Representative Rob Koontz presented House Bill 4421 to require the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) to obtain a warrant before entering private property for investigations.","taxTitle","2025-2026 House Legislature MI, Michigan","taxId",77683,"location","Michigan","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6480884,"Committee hears bill to limit open‑fields searches by conservation officers; agency opposition voiced",1027,2322000,3349000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5784450-46069ba5c30c3e20746eb7caacd94318&start=2322&end=3349","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5784450-46069ba5c30c3e20746eb7caacd94318/thumbnail_2322000.jpg","/articles/6480884/Michigan/Committee-hears-bill-to-limit-openfields-searches-by-conservation-officers-agency-opposition-voiced","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6480884-21aa635b413e0ac4c66d737621a21525/orig.mp4?Expires=1775415692&Signature=Rq3KB7qmAJkaVQI8UAKV4IqgZQOAPisq05FScl~lGgKAJcunHHbmow7KVmbYoTz9c4YcNXdz7xQF5eCSq~91cKz3EvjLrnGau7jRcZWJR9o-dqu-Ho3pgU4R5gXeLV81-lAnHbXEumO~fWNEdAXqUdfW6frScN~nNiYJvokeZZmOlewRwlUGRppfZvvHIgo2UEvDcTAiF9DU-uRGZYZhUaV5uJc5zufu0wMP5NJFcmxh5tVoqDyJwo-JwrHyK7ORN6felScC93l5I-NEUV6xHUrDIPEbndJYUH30wknvCyKGleJNw4H70bRzETxKbbawRPsxtHEfecGvxtmFmE993Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Lansing — Representative Jon Preston presented a substitute draft of legislation (referred to in hearing materials as House Bill 4073) that would clarify that the open‑fields doctrine does not apply to searches conducted by conservation officers of the Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

Preston told the House Committee on Natural Resources and Tourism that the earlier draft had prompted public‑safety concerns from the DNR; the simplified substitute aims to “protect private property rights while ensuring conservation officers can fulfill their duties.” He said many constituents in the Upper Peninsula fear unannounced agency presence on private land and that outreach to DNR leadership failed to produce reforms to officers’ practices.

The committee heard opposition from Gregory (Greg) Eagle, president of Michigan Resource Stewards and a retired Michigan conservation officer. Eagle argued the open‑fields doctrine is a long‑standing legal tool used by conservation officers and other agencies to investigate crimes and emergencies, and cautioned that restricting it would “be bad for Michigan and worse for Michigan’s fish and wildlife heritage.” He cited Article IV, Section 52 of the Michigan Constitution — the state’s public‑trust language on natural resources — to argue that conservation duties are a paramount public concern.

Discussion touched on case law and doctrine. Members and witnesses invoked Hester v. United States and the Supreme Court’s open‑fields jurisprudence; Preston and supporters pointed to state constitutional language and decisions in other states that they said interpret state constitutions to protect landowners more broadly than federal precedent. Several legislators asked how the proposed language would work in practice, raised concerns about whether limiting open‑fields searches would hamper criminal investigations or emergency responses, and asked for examples of where current practices had produced public‑safety benefits or harms.

Preston said the substitute includes exigent‑circumstances language so officers can act when there is an imminent threat; he also described numerous constituent complaints about visits by DNR officers that landowners considered intrusive. Eagle and other opponents said conservation officers rely on warrantless investigative authority in many contexts, including searches for lost persons, wildfire detection, and criminal investigations, and cautioned the committee against curtailing enforcement tools without clear alternatives.

Preston told the committee this is not a wholesale attack on officers, but an attempt to address “subjective application” of open‑fields doctrine and to build trust between landowners and agencies. The DNR indicated opposition in written testimony; the hearing included a mix of lawmaker questions and public comment, and committee members signaled a need for further engagement with the agency and legal counsel before any vote.

Ending: The committee did not adopt the substitute or vote on House Bill 4073 at the hearing; Preston said he would remain available for follow up and the committee took no final action.","Representative Jon Preston presented a simplified substitute of House Bill 4073 that would bar the open‑fields doctrine from authorizing searches by conservation officers of the Department of Natural Resources.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6480879,"Hunt Michigan Collaborative pitches farm‑tour model to grow hunters, reduce crop damage and donate venison",1075,4067000,5142000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5784450-46069ba5c30c3e20746eb7caacd94318&start=4067&end=5142","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5784450-46069ba5c30c3e20746eb7caacd94318/thumbnail_4067000.jpg","/articles/6480879/Michigan/Hunt-Michigan-Collaborative-pitches-farmtour-model-to-grow-hunters-reduce-crop-damage-and-donate-venison","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6480879-942699244a850412934599ca6a66a0d5/orig.mp4?Expires=1775415692&Signature=DQ7HFCXMpvmmhTBCiX2HmFcL36SwPIgiVImFKJHfkTJHmHQyVFiuhl8DKGc5Ylg73ZPiKKgmHvRi88fIsLnhtAU94DmrqG8x1h4x6D-kfzVAJKaSO6ZDDsXqyGGyV022NPlwTY4Q-lC8kLfaH-kmbYI7V1SsdSpa7Sg3vzdJ8tibFNsIysLsBkYP7RNtjh8Odu4i3KCUoSOM0xFNbZ9O38RAZAXtg1jRKn1AxyBuLsDdlPWqBvIJwDy0wkNbS5mpl4Oxjsi42PN0fMax5x3iFrHMjrrAFL-xyB7pKBjMDfHZq1SW52NNIihYqvHuyeXjxmyLN4oTiqH-5jNeqAEF8g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Lansing — Brian Farmer, chair of the Hunt Michigan Collaborative and a parks and recreation official, told the House Committee on Natural Resources and Tourism about a nonprofit program that organizes limited, guided hunts on private farms and in some communities to increase hunter participation, reduce crop damage and donate venison to people in need.

“This could be the change that you’ve been looking for,” Farmer told the committee. He described a model in which participating farmers identify blinds and hunting locations, hunters register (the program charged $100 per slot in pilot events), and volunteer hunt leaders organize safety checks, field‑dressing and transportation of harvested deer. Excess venison is processed and donated to hunger‑relief organizations such as Hunters Feeding Michigan.

Farmer said initial pilots involved two farms and three hunts, with 43 hunters participating; the pilots yielded 25 deer harvested and 13 donated to people in need. He told the committee that, for the current year, four farms were hosting 16 hunts with up to 228 registered hunters and that many events were already sold out. Farmer said the program also promotes archery ranges and youth and women‑only hunts to recruit new hunters and diversify participation.

The presentation emphasized economic and conservation benefits: increased license and equipment sales, more volunteers and stewardship on private lands, habitat improvement, and donations to food banks. Farmer said he has worked with national organizations, manufacturer foundations and archery programs to secure equipment and training and cited a $50,000 private donation to seed the nonprofit effort.

Committee members responded positively and asked about partnerships with the archery industry and scalability. Representative Martin told the group the committee would be available to help reduce barriers. Farmer said the approach is being adopted in communities and that the collaborative aims to expand to dozens of farms and hundreds of hunts in coming seasons.

Ending: Committee members expressed interest in connecting the collaborative with local governments and parks departments; no committee action was required for the nonprofit briefing.","Brian Farmer, chair of the Hunt Michigan Collaborative, briefed the committee on a nonprofit program that organizes limited, guided hunts on private farms to increase hunting participation, reduce crop damage, support habitat goals and donate excess venison to food banks; early pilots reported sold‑out hunts and donated meat.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Sponsor: bill would require EGLE to obtain warrant before entering private property

Committee hears bill to limit open‑fields searches by conservation officers; agency opposition voiced

Hunt Michigan Collaborative pitches farm‑tour model to grow hunters, reduce crop damage and donate venison