Introduced by Sen. Shirley Johnson (R) on February 23, 2005, to provide the “template” or “place holder” for a Senate Republican version of a Fiscal Year 2004-2005 capital outlay budget. This bill contains no appropriations, but may be amended at a later date to include them.
Referred to the Senate Appropriations Committee on February 23, 2005.
Reported in the Senate on March 24, 2005, with the recommendation that the substitute (S-1) be adopted and that the bill then pass.
Substitute offered in the Senate on March 24, 2005, to replace the previous version of the bill with one that adds appropriations. See Senate-passed bill for details. The substitute passed by voice vote in the Senate on March 24, 2005.
Passed 35 to 2 in the Senate on March 24, 2005, to authorize new state borrowing of some $200 million for college and university construction projects, and $70 million for state building and radio tower upgrades. See also House Bill 4308. Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
Received in the House on March 24, 2005.
Referred to the House Appropriations Committee on March 24, 2005.
Reported in the House on April 12, 2005, without amendment and with the recommendation that the bill pass.
Passed 104 to 4 in the House on April 14, 2005, to authorize new state borrowing of some $200 million for college and university construction projects, and $70 million for state building and radio tower upgrades. See also House Bill 4308. Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
Signed by Gov. Jennifer Granholm on April 28, 2005.
1) Rep. Alma Smith's "no vote explanation" by Admin003 on April 15, 2005 Rep. Alma Smith, having reserved the right to explain her protest against the passage of the bill, made the following statement:
"Mr. Speaker and members of the House:
I voted no on the SB 235 which makes appropriations for Capitol Outlay projects because it omits state funding for critical infrastructure maintenance at several community colleges and three universities, in particular Eastern Michigan University (EMU) in my district. To summarily reject funding necessary to maintain and restore safety in one of Michigan's largest classroom buildings shows a reprehensible lack of regard for the safety and well-being of the 10,000 students who pass through that building each and every day. Rather than making the most of a much-touted Price of Government process, leadership failed to prioritize the state's aging and dangerous academic infrastructure and spend accordingly.
Since 1999, Eastern Michigan University has sought to secure funding to modernize and bring into code the 36 year-old Pray-Harrold Building. Last November, EMU again requested funding to renovate the building that houses classrooms for roughly 10,000 students a day and was built long before there was a need to provide basic access to computers and Internet-based learning tools. The project is estimated to require $31 million in new state funding and would update the building's antiquated and unsafe elevators, repair and replace critical structural and mechanical systems, address all life safety and ADA code issues, and modernize the building's outdated wiring to meet the growing needs of new academic technologies.
This exclusion of critical funding penalizes today's students because a handful of legislators had the power to 'make an example' of a few institutions of higher education. The fact of the matter is you cannot expect students to attain the tools needed to compete and succeed in the 21st century when you force them to attend classes in unsafe and wholly inadequate classrooms. Because the petty peak that echoes in this capitol outlay bill contradicts everything we are trying to do with regard to education, economic development and job training, I voted 'no'."
2) 2005 Senate Bill 235 (Appropriations: 2005 capital outlay budget ) by admin on January 1, 2001 Introduced in the Senate on February 23, 2005, to authorize new state borrowing of some $200 million for college and university construction projects, and $70 million for state building and radio tower upgrades. See also House Bill 4308
The vote was 35 in favor, 2 opposed and 1 not voting