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• Introduced by Rep. George Cushingberry (D) on March 20, 2007, 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 House Appropriations Committee on March 20, 2007.
    • Reported in the House on May 23, 2007, with the recommendation that the substitute (H-2) be adopted and that the bill then pass.
  • Substitute offered in the House on August 8, 2007, 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 Senate Bill 436, which contained similar provisions, and added borrowing against future tobacco lawsuit settlement revenues. The substitute failed by voice vote in the House on August 8, 2007.
  • Substitute offered by Rep. Kathy Angerer (D) and Rep. Andy Coulouris (D) on August 8, 2007, 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 in the House on August 8, 2007.
    Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
  • Amendment offered by Rep. Andy Coulouris (D) on August 8, 2007, 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 in the House on August 8, 2007.
    Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
• Passed 56 to 48 in the House on August 8, 2007, 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).
  Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
• Motion by Rep. Chris Ward (R) on August 8, 2007, to give the bill immediate effect.
• The motion failed 57 to 51 in the House on August 22, 2007.
  Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
• Received in the Senate on August 30, 2007.
  • Referred to the Senate Appropriations Committee on August 30, 2007.