Senate Bill 686, Override veto of state employee whistleblower protection law: Failed 22 to 15 in the Senate

To override Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s veto of this bill, which would have prohibited state agencies from retaliating against employees for telling a legislator about problems at the agency. An override requires a two-thirds supermajority vote and so the bill will not become law.

Sen. Ed McBroom, R – Vulcan, Yes

House Bill 5265, Overhaul state budget to reflect federal epidemic relief money: Passed 36 to 1 in the Senate

To adopt a revised version of the state budget for the 2019-20 fiscal year. This substitutes $1.008 billion federal coronavirus relief dollars for $538.7 million of state tax receipts that had been projected but won’t be realized do to the epidemic and business lockdowns. The bill also makes some modest budget cuts and adjustments that reflect fewer demands on certain state functions and services due to the epidemic.

The state’s Medicaid and other social welfare programs receive a large boost under the bill, including more federal “match” dollars tied to spending state dollars on Medicaid, and an outright grant of $600 million additional dollars for food stamps.

Sen. Ed McBroom, R – Vulcan, Yes

House Bill 5265, Overhaul state budget to reflect federal epidemic relief money: Passed 104 to 0 in the House

The House vote on bill described above.

Rep. Beau LaFave, R – Iron Mountain , Yes

Senate Bill 373, Overhaul school budget to reflect federal epidemic relief money: Passed 36 to 1 in the Senate

To use federal coronavirus epidemic relief money, and a $350 million withdrawal from the state “rainy day fund,” to fill holes in 2019-2020 education budget, brought about by a decline in state revenue caused by the epidemic and business lockdowns. For the fiscal year that ends on Sept. 30, public schools will actually get $136 million more revenue than the previous year under this budget. Community colleges and state university will see no changes in their net current-year appropriation amounts under the bill.

Sen. Ed McBroom, R – Vulcan, Yes

Senate Bill 373, Overhaul school budget to reflect federal epidemic relief money: Passed 104 to 0 in the House

The House vote on bill described above.

Rep. Beau LaFave, R – Iron Mountain , Yes

House Bill 5910, Prescribe “e-learning” requirements for public schools: Passed 56 to 48 in the House

To prescribe requirements, standards, limitations and more on conducting public school classes electronically over the internet. Among many other things school districts would have to ensure that all students will have access, and that the specific needs of different students are met including special education students.

Rep. Beau LaFave, R – Iron Mountain , Yes

House Bill 5912, Specify public school epidemic hours and methods eligible for funding: Passed 57 to 47 in the House

To revise and waive many of the rules on the required number of hours and days of public school instruction, including allowances for snow days, rules for conducting classes online, and the amount of state funding provided for both these exceptions to regular schooling, and to days on which fewer than 75 percent of a school’s students are in attendance. Public schools could continue to operate under distance learning plans during the coronavirus epidemic, but with added steps intended to assure students receive instruction and meet academic goals.

Rep. Beau LaFave, R – Iron Mountain , Yes

House Bill 5913, Require coronavirus lockdown student learning impact tests: Passed 55 to 49 in the House

To require all school districts to test all K to 8 students within the first 30 days of the 2020-2021 school year to measure proficiency in reading and mathematics. The bill would also revise some rules on students allowed to get “remote instruction,” and create a committee to provide oversight to the state education department’s pupil accounting process.

Rep. Beau LaFave, R – Iron Mountain , Yes

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Senate Bill 956, Ban transferring coronavirus patients to nursing home: Passed 74 to 34 in the House

To ban transferring patients in a medical care facility who test positive for COVID-19 to nursing homes, with exceptions for patients who have recovered from the disease or nursing homes with a designated coronavirus area meeting standards specified in the bill. Also, to require state regulators to create a “centralized intake facility” in each of the state’s eight “health care regions” to treat coronavirus patients who are “ineligible for admission at a hospital.”

Rep. Beau LaFave, R – Iron Mountain , Yes

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Source: MichiganVotes.org, a free, non-partisan website created by the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, providing concise, non-partisan, plain-English descriptions of every bill and vote in the Michigan House and Senate. Please visit www.MichiganVotes.org.