2012 Senate Bill 955

Appropriations: Higher Education

Introduced in the Senate

Feb. 14, 2012

Introduced by Sen. Tonya Schuitmaker (R-20)

To provide a “template” or “place holder” for the Fiscal Year 2012-2013 Higher Education budget. This bill contains no appropriations, but may be amended at a later date to include them.

Referred to the Committee on Appropriations

April 24, 2012

Reported without amendment

With the recommendation that the substitute (S-1) be adopted and that the bill then pass.

April 25, 2012

Substitute offered

To adopt a version of this budget that expresses the fiscal and policy preferences of the Republican-majority in the House on various spending items and programs.

The substitute passed by voice vote

April 26, 2012

Amendment offered by Sen. Morris Hood (D-3)

To increase higher education spending by $224 million.

The amendment failed 16 to 22 (details)

Amendment offered by Sen. Gretchen Whitmer (D-23)

To eliminate provisions making some university funding contingent on meeting certain performance goals.

The amendment failed 12 to 25 (details)

Amendment offered by Sen. Rebekah Warren (D-18)

To strip out a provision requiring universities to report on efforts "to accommodate the sincerely held religious beliefs of students enrolled in accredited counseling degree programs".

The amendment failed 10 to 27 (details)

Amendment offered by Sen. Glenn Anderson (D-6)

To not use tax revenues earmarked to the state School Aid Fund in next year's higher education budget, but instead use non-earmarked revenue. Although the state constitution explicitly authorizes using SAF money for higher education, the public school establishment contends that the 1994 Proposal A initiative earmarking a sales tax increase to the SAF means it can only be used for K-12 schools.

The amendment failed 17 to 21 (details)

Passed in the Senate 22 to 16 (details)

The Senate version of the Fiscal higher education budget for the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1, 2012. This would appropriate $1.400 billion in gross spending, compared to $1.36 billion the previous year. The Senate significantly watered down "incentive grant" criteria proposed by Gov. Rick Snyder, which would have made some funding contigent on degree completions; number of science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and health degrees; and number of students receiving Pell Grants. The Senate kept a tuition restraint restraint provision, but reduced the amount of extra money for schools that meet its proposed 3.5 percent cap on increases.

Received in the House

April 26, 2012

Referred to the Committee on Appropriations

May 2, 2012

Substitute offered by Rep. Chuck Moss (R-40)

To strip out all of the appropriations of the Senate-passed version of the bill, which is basically a procedural method of launching negotiations to work out the differences between the House and Senate budgets.

The substitute passed by voice vote

Passed in the House 63 to 47 (details)

To send the bill back to the Senate "stripped" of all actual appropriations. This vote is basically a procedural method of launching negotiations to work out the differences between the House and Senate budgets.

Received in the Senate

May 3, 2012

Failed in the Senate 0 to 38 (details)

To concur with the House-passed version of the budget. The vote sends the bill to a House-Senate conference committee to work out the differences.

June 5, 2012

Received

Passed in the Senate 22 to 16 (details)

The House-Senate conference report for the Higher Education budget for the fiscal year that begins Oct. 1, 2012. The bill appropriates $1.399 billion for state universities, compared to $1.364 billion the previous year. Of this, $97 million is federal money, and the rest comes for state taxes and fees. An identical version of this budget was pasted into House Bill 5372, which is the version to be sent to the Governor and signed into law.

Received in the House

June 5, 2012