2008 Senate Bill 1097 / Public Act 247

Appropriations: 2008-2009 Department of Environmental Quality budget

Introduced in the Senate

Feb. 13, 2008

Introduced by Sen. Valde Garcia (R-22)

To provide the “template” or “place holder” for a Fiscal Year 2008-2009 Department of Environmental Quality budget. This bill contains no appropriations, but may be amended at a later date to include them.

Referred to the Committee on Appropriations

May 27, 2008

Reported without amendment

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

May 28, 2008

Substitute offered

To adopt a version of this budget that expresses the fiscal and policy preferences of the Republican-majority in the Senate on various spending items and programs. For details see <a href="http://www.legislature.mi.gov/documents/2007-2008/billanalysis/Senate/htm/2007-SFA-1097-F.htm">analysis</a> from the non-partisan Senate Fiscal Agency.

The substitute passed by voice vote

Amendment offered by Sen. Liz Brater (D-18)

To strip out a provision prohibiting the DEQ from regulating wetlands use in counties with fewer than 100,000 people until a detailed state wetland inventory required by statute as a condition for such regulation provides more detailed information than the current version, which has been criticized as not meeting the legislative intent.

The amendment failed 17 to 21 (details)

Passed in the Senate 30 to 8 (details)

The Senate version of the Fiscal Year 2008-2009 Department of Environmental Quality budget. This would appropriate $368.7 million in gross spending, compared to $370.8 million, which was the FY 2007-2008 amount enrolled in 2007. Of this, $44.8 million will come from the general fund (funded by actual state tax revenues), compared to the FY 2007-2008 amount of $31.7 million, and $173.9 million is from other state sources including debt, fees, royalties, etc., compared to $182.2 million in the previous budget.

Received in the House

June 3, 2008

Substitute offered by Rep. Doug Bennett (D-92)

To replace the Senate-passed version of this budget with one that expresses the preferences of the House majority on various spending items and funding sources. For more see the House-passed version, and for detail see <a href="http://www.legislature.mi.gov/documents/2007-2008/billanalysis/House/pdf/2007-HLA-1097-8.pdf">analysis</a> from the non-partisan House Fiscal Agency.

The substitute passed by voice vote

Amendment offered by Rep. Tim Moore (R-97)

To require the DEQ to create a small business environmental ombudsman office.

The amendment failed 51 to 56 (details)

Amendment offered by Rep. John Proos (R-79)

To prohibit any DEQ license, permit or other fee increases during the FY 2008-2009 budget year.

The amendment passed 103 to 4 (details)

Amendment offered by Rep. John Proos (R-79)

To establish that the Department of Agriculture will administer the "Michigan agriculture environmental assurance program" regulations on Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs), rather than the DEQ.

The amendment passed 105 to 2 (details)

Amendment offered by Rep. John Proos (R-79)

To impose a 5 percent across-the-board cut in the amount proposed for the DEQ operations budget, with the department to figure out what specifically to reduce below the previously proposed spending level.

The amendment failed 50 to 57 (details)

Amendment offered by Rep. John Proos (R-79)

To require the DEQ to post a user-friendly website showing all its expenditures and the purpose of each.

The amendment passed 91 to 16 (details)

Amendment offered by Rep. John Proos (R-79)

To require the DEQ to develop a staff savings initiative program that would reward employees who suggest cost savings by giving them 10 percent of the amount saved.

The amendment passed 100 to 7 (details)

Passed in the House 58 to 49 (details)

The House version of the Fiscal Year 2008-2009 Department of Environmental Quality budget. This would appropriate $368.4 million in gross spending, compared to $370.8 million, which was the FY 2007-2008 amount enrolled in 2007. Of this, $45.0 million will come from the general fund (funded by actual state tax revenues), compared to the FY 2007-2008 amount of $31.7 million, and $173.3 million is from other state sources including debt, fees, royalties, etc., compared to $182.2 million in the previous budget.

Motion by Rep. Steve Tobocman (D-12)

To give the bill immediate effect.

The motion failed 58 to 49 (details)

Received in the Senate

June 5, 2008

Failed in the Senate 0 to 35 (details)

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

Received in the House

June 10, 2008

June 27, 2008

Passed in the House 66 to 41 (details)

The House-Senate conference report for the Fiscal Year 2008-2009 Department of Environmental Quality budget. This would appropriate $363.9 million in gross spending, compared to $370.8 million, which was the FY 2007-2008 amount enrolled in 2007. Of this, $44.4 million will come from the general fund (funded by actual state tax revenues), compared to the FY 2007-2008 amount of $31.7 million, and $170.0 million is from other state sources including debt, fees, royalties, etc., compared to $182.2 million in the previous budget. The budget funds a DEQ ombudsman to be employed by the legislative council to respond to complaints of regulatory abuse by the agency. For budget details see House Fiscal Agency <a href="http://www.legislature.mi.gov/documents/2007-2008/billanalysis/House/pdf/2007-HLA-1097-8.pdf">analysis</a>.

Received in the Senate

June 27, 2008

Passed in the Senate 37 to 0 (details)

The House-Senate conference report for the Fiscal Year 2008-2009 Department of Environmental Quality budget. This would appropriate $363.9 million in gross spending, compared to $370.8 million, which was the FY 2007-2008 amount enrolled in 2007. Of this, $44.4 million will come from the general fund (funded by actual state tax revenues), compared to the FY 2007-2008 amount of $31.7 million, and $170.0 million is from other state sources including debt, fees, royalties, etc., compared to $182.2 million in the previous budget. For budget details see House Fiscal Agency <a href="http://www.legislature.mi.gov/documents/2007-2008/billanalysis/House/pdf/2007-HLA-1097-8.pdf">analysis</a>.

Signed by Gov. Jennifer Granholm

July 17, 2008