Budget Spending Heads to the Governor

Liz Gullett

Dec 13, 2019

Following months of negotiations, the legislature approved appropriations that would restore some of the funding that Governor Gretchen Whitmer vetoed from the current fiscal year budgets.

Restored funding includes:

- $13 million for secondary road patrols
- $15 million to reimburse county jails for holding state prisoners
- $15 million to combat PFAS contamination at municipal airports
- $27 million for the Payment in Lieu of Taxes program
- $4 million for the County Veteran Service Fund
- $10 million for school safety grants
- $16.6 million for rural hospitals
- $10.7 million to improve pediatric psychiatric services
- $350,000 for a new autism intervention program
- Tuition grant funding for 17,000 independent college students

The legislature also approved changes to the State Administrative Board structure. Currently, a governor can use the board to transfer funding from one program, or department, to another. However, the Republican caucuses have been calling for changes to the board after Governor Whitmer used her authority to transfer funds after signing the budgets earlier this year. Under the legislation, the legislature would be notified if the State Administrative Board seeks to move money and they would then have a minimum of six session days to approve the transfers. Additionally, the package includes a requirement for the legislature to send a budget to the governor by July 1.

The proposals will be sent to Governor Whitmer for her final consideration.

Michigan Legislative Consultants is a bipartisan lobbying firm based in Lansing, Michigan. Our team of lobbyists and procurement specialists provide a wide range of services for some of the most respected companies in America. For more on MLC, visit www.mlcmi.com or connect with us on LinkedIn and Twitter.