A person suffering accidental bodily injury while an operator or a passenger of a motor vehicle operated in the business of transporting passengers shall receive the personal protection insurance benefits to which the person is entitled from the insurer of the motor vehicle. This subsection shall not apply to a passenger in the following, unless that passenger is not entitled to personal protection insurance benefits under any other policy. A bus operating under a government sponsored transportation program. A bus operated by or providing service to a nonprofit organization. Defendant argues that Commuter does not have priority because it is both a government-sponsored transport program and it provides service to the Wayne County Metropolitan Airport Authority, a nonprofit organization.
Statutory interpretation is a question of law subject to de novo review on appeal.
The primary goal of statutory interpretation is to ascertain and give effect to the intent of the Legislature in enacting a provision. Statutory language should be construed reasonably, keeping in mind the purpose of the statute. The first criterion in determining intent is the specific language of the statute. If the statutory language is clear and unambiguous, judicial construction is neither required nor permitted, and courts must apply the statute as written. However, if reasonable minds can differ regarding the meaning of a statute, judicial construction is appropriate.