2007 House Bill 4492

Appropriations: Supplemental budget/Prohibit Secretary of State office closings

Introduced in the House

March 20, 2007

Introduced by Rep. George Cushingberry (D-8)

To provide a "template" or "place holder" for a potential supplemental multidepartment appropriation for Fiscal Year 2006-2007. This bill contains no appropriations, but may be amended at a later date to include some. This is related to closing a gap between spending that has already been appropriated and expected revenue for the year.

Referred to the Committee on Appropriations

May 23, 2007

Reported without amendment

With the recommendation that the substitute (H-2) be adopted and that the bill then pass.

Aug. 8, 2007

Substitute offered

To replace the previous version of the bill with one that contained House recommendations for some spending cuts, some spending increases, some disbursement delays and "accounting gimmicks," and a number of funding-source shifts to address a gap between current year spending and revenue. That issue was ultimately addressed in <a href="http://www.michiganvotes.org/2007-SB-436">Senate Bill 436</a>, which contained similar provisions, and added borrowing against future tobacco lawsuit settlement revenues.

The substitute failed by voice vote

Substitute offered by Reps. Kathy Angerer (D-55) and Kathy Angerer (D-55)

To replace the previous version of the bill with one that is a "vehicle" for essentially prohibiting the Secretary of State from closing or consolidating any branch offices in the current fiscal year.

The substitute passed 57 to 45 (details)

Amendment offered by Rep. Andy Coulouris (D-95)

To require the Secretary of State to maintain a branch office in every city with a population greater than 60,000 (which includes Saginaw).

The amendment passed 57 to 47 (details)

Passed in the House 56 to 48 (details)

To essentially prohibit the Secretary of State from closing or consolidating any branch offices in the current fiscal year, by appropriating specific amounts to be spent on each branch, rather than the single "branch offices" line item that is customary in Secretary of State budgets, and which characterized the current-year budget previously passed by the legislature. The vote comes in the same week that certain Saginaw residents and politicians protested against the closing of a branch office in that city. The bill also contains a provision requiring the Secretary of State to maintain a branch office in every city with a population greater than 60,000 (which includes Saginaw).

Motion by Rep. Chris Ward (R-66)

To give the bill immediate effect.

Consideration postponed

Aug. 22, 2007

Motion

The motion failed 57 to 51 (details)

Received in the Senate

Aug. 30, 2007

Referred to the Committee on Appropriations