LANSING — On Wednesday, Michigan lawmakers sanctioned a significant $126 million funding plan aimed at enhancing school safety and mental health resources. The allocation includes $125 million dedicated to a school safety and mental health grant program, alongside $1 million earmarked for initiatives promoting safe gun storage.
The funding bill, which successfully passed through the conference committee earlier in the day, garnered a decisive 98-11 vote in the House and a 23-15 vote in the Senate. It now awaits the signature of Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer. However, the bill did not receive sufficient support in the Senate for immediate implementation, suggesting that the new policy may not take effect until early 2025.
This supplemental budget approval follows significant discontent among school administrators over a previously passed annual budget in June, which neglected to renew nearly $300 million for school safety and mental health programs. It also marked the first instance in about a decade where there was no increase in the per pupil funding for public schools.
The decline in funding for the grant program was primarily attributed to the cessation of federal support that had previously bolstered school safety initiatives. State Representative Regina Weiss, D-Oak Park, noted that lawmakers have since sought alternative funding sources to fill the gap. They identified approximately $18 million in available school aid fund dollars and an additional $108 million drawn from a separate lapsed grant program. However, this funding is classified as one-time assistance, meaning its availability in the next fiscal year is uncertain.
“Parents deserve peace of mind knowing their children are safe in school and that resources are available to support all aspects affecting their education,” Weiss stated.
State Representative Nancy DeBoer, R-Holland, attempted to amend the budget to restore the full $300 million cut earlier for school safety and mental health grants. “This is no time for half measures; this bill falls short,” DeBoer argued. “We cannot afford to cut corners.”
Senator Darrin Camilleri, D-Trenton, countered that there were no additional funds available to support the proposed restoration of funding. Later in the day, he criticized Republican senators for not providing the necessary votes for immediate implementation of the bill. In Michigan, a two-thirds majority is required for such measures to take effect immediately; lacking this, the legislation will activate 90 days after the session concludes, likely in early 2025.
“This is nothing but pure politics,” said Senator Steve Damoose. “We all see it, and I hope the public does as well. There were opportunities to reach out for collaboration.”
Earlier in the day, Senate Republicans had attempted to advance their own bill to restore full funding for the grant program but were unsuccessful. They also voiced concerns regarding the absence of funding for non-public schools and the anonymous reporting system associated with firearm storage safety.
According to the House Fiscal Agency, the state currently holds approximately $311.5 million in its general fund and $29.4 million in the school aid fund. Weiss indicated that a portion of these funds must be reserved to finalize the state’s budgetary commitments by September 30, the conclusion of the 2024 fiscal year.
Educational leaders have been urging the Legislature to reinstate school safety and mental health funding since the drastic cut from $328 million to $26.8 million in the state’s $83 billion budget in June. They emphasized the detrimental impact of such reductions amid rising student mental health concerns.
These funding cuts followed a legislative decision to freeze per pupil funding for the current school year, marking a significant departure from the trend of increasing operational funding for K-12 public schools.
Historically, funding for school safety and mental health programs remained stable after the tragic 2021 shooting at Oxford High School, which claimed the lives of four students. Since then, nearly 200 Michigan school districts have hired police officers to bolster security within schools.
In fiscal year 2022-23, lawmakers allocated roughly $150 million to the per-pupil mental health grant fund, increasing it to $328 million for fiscal year 2023-24. The recent supplemental budget will partially restore funding for school safety and mental health grants, with an additional $1 million directed toward educational programs concerning the state’s new safe storage firearm law and a hotline for anonymous reporting of unsafe gun storage practices involving minors.
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