LANSING, MI (WHTC) – The state Legislature continues work on a budget for Fiscal 2016.
The two “budget” buses – omnibus spending plans for the General Fund and for Education – have moved to the House floor. The Appropriations Committee forwarded the 37 billion-dollar general fund blueprint that covers the funding levels of the majority of state departments yesterday, and today, the 15.8 billion-dollar “school bus” for K-12, community college and higher education was endorsed. The full House will start discussions on both measures next week.
The House Appropriations Committee also amended the proposed Fiscal 2016 budget for the Michigan Department of Community Health that mandates creating a “contingency plan” for a possible federal funding loss of 10 million dollars or more. The move comes as the state seeks a second Affordable Care Act waiver for the Healthy Michigan program that some observers say could be problematic. The amendment would also apply to other state departmental budgets.
Meanwhile, the House Insurance Committee has moved a no-fault motor vehicle insurance reform package to the House floor after hearings that spread over three days. However, a substitute for one of the bills that was sent to the Lower Chamber from the Senate last week would add a new fee schedule for reimbursements to medical providers and would require “rate relief” of a hundred dollars per vehicle in two years. The full House is expected to take up the package next week.
