2002 House Bill 5881 ↩

House Roll Call 972: Failed

To use this bill as a legislative "vehicle" for an appropriation to the school aid fund of proceeds from a proposed 50-cent increase in the current 75-cents per pack cigarette tax (and proportionate increases on all other tobacco taxes). Of the additional 50-cent tax, 20.2 cents would go to the state's school aid fund. The bill would establish that in the 2003-2004 school year the basic school foundation allowance would be $6,700 per-pupil, and all so called “categorical” line items would remain the same as those proposed for 2002-2003. The bill also would remove a provision in the original bill that, beginning in 2005, would replace the social studies assessment test with a civics test, including American and Michigan history and government. Finally, it eliminates the monetary award of $1000 for each full-time elementary school employee that accompanies the “Golden Apple Award” designation, and would use the money that now goes to the awards for school accreditation purposes.