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Public Act 199 of 2012

1. Introduced by Sen. Darwin Booher (R) on April 12, 2011, to require children to be age 5 on Sept. 1 to attend kindergarten, rather than by Dec. 1 under current law. The bill would also establish procedures for allowing a child who is less than age 5 on the new date to still start kindergarten, including a skills level assessment test. Note: School districts get extra money from the state for every kindergartner they enroll.
   • Referred to the Senate Education Committee on April 12, 2011.
     • Reported in the Senate on March 15, 2012, with the recommendation that the substitute (S-3) be adopted and that the bill then pass.
   • Substitute offered in the Senate on May 1, 2012. The substitute passed by voice vote in the Senate on May 1, 2012.
   • Amendment offered by Sen. Hoon-Yung Hopgood (D) on May 3, 2012, to earmark any budget savings realized in the transition to earlier kindergarten cutoff ages to government "early childhood education" programs. The amendment failed 14 to 24 in the Senate on May 3, 2012.
     Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
     
     
2. Passed 36 to 2 in the Senate on May 3, 2012, to require children to be age 5 by Sept. 1 to attend kindergarten, rather than by Dec. 1 under current law. This earlier age cut-off would be phased in one month at a time over three years, starting in 2013. A child who would have been eligible under the current requirements could still attend if the parents "opt in" by notifying the school by June 1. The phase-in was negotiated because school districts get money from the state for each kindergartner, whose numbers would be reduced during the transition period.
   Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
   
   
3. Received in the House on May 3, 2012.
   • Referred to the House Education Committee on May 3, 2012.
     • Reported in the House on June 7, 2012, with the recommendation that the substitute (H-2) be adopted and that the bill then pass.
   • Substitute offered in the House on June 12, 2012. The substitute passed by voice vote in the House on June 12, 2012.
4. Passed 66 to 44 in the House on June 13, 2012, to require children to be age 5 by Sept. 1 to attend kindergarten, rather than by Dec. 1 under current law. This earlier age cut-off would be phased in one month at a time over three years, starting in 2013. A child who would have been eligible under the current requirements could still attend if the parents "opt in" by notifying the school by June 1. The phase-in was negotiated because school districts get money from the state for each kindergartner, whose numbers would be reduced during the transition period.
   Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
   
   
5. Received in the Senate on June 13, 2012.
6. Passed 25 to 11 in the Senate on June 13, 2012, to concur with the House-passed version of the bill.
   Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
   
   
7. Signed by Gov. Rick Snyder on June 25, 2012.