The House Agriculture Committee adopted substitute H‑2 for House Bill 4347 after the sponsor described three small changes clarifying funding distribution, veterinary responsibilities at races, and the bill’s relationship to gambling law.

Representative Koontz, explaining the substitute, said the substitute establishes percentages for how funds are allocated so money does not have to be re‑allocated by the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. Koontz said the substitute also clarifies that the department is not responsible for hiring on‑site veterinarians; instead, the hosting fair is responsible to ensure veterinarians are present to check horses when they arrive. “That was never our intent,” Koontz said, referring to any suggestion that MDARD would hire veterinarians. He added, “There is no gambling in this bill,” and said that any pari‑mutuel racing would still require licensing by the Michigan Gaming Control Board.

The committee conducted a roll call after the motion to adopt substitute H‑2. On the roll that immediately followed Representative Koontz’s explanation, the clerk announced, “Mister chair, you have 9 ayes, 0 nays to pass. The motion prevails.” Later in the meeting, when the committee moved to report House Bill 4347 with recommendations as substitute H‑2, the clerk recorded a different tally: “Mister chair, you have 7 nays, 3 nays, 1 pass. The motion prevails.” The transcript contains both roll‑call announcements; the record of which tally corresponds to which specific procedural motion is not fully consistent in the transcript.

The clerk read into the record cards indicating organized opposition to the bill: a representative from Attorneys for Animals (listed as Landers); Steve Johnson of the Michigan Association of Intermediate School Districts; a representative identified as John Stephenson; Mike McCoy, identified with Sault Ste. Marie; Mike Schuler of the Michigan Association of Superintendents and Administrators; and Jennifer Smith of the Association of School Boards. The transcript lists these individuals and organizations as opposing the bill; the content of their objections is not included in the meeting record provided.

Representative Alexander moved to report House Bill 4347 with recommendations as substitute H‑2; the clerk completed a roll call and the chair declared the motion prevailed. The transcript does not record further floor debate on the substance of the substitute during this meeting.

The substitute as explained in committee: sets fixed percentages for distribution of funds (specific percentages not read into the transcript), assigns responsibility for hiring or ensuring a veterinarian is onsite to the hosting fair rather than MDARD, and reiterates that the bill does not itself authorize gambling and that pari‑mutuel racing remains subject to licensing by the Michigan Gaming Control Board.