Michigan Senate kicks out 9 budget bills, as Republicans fail to win immigration and DEI amendments

Updated, 10:37 a.m., 5/10/24

The Democratic-led Michigan Senate voted to move forward a number of appropriations bills for the Fiscal Year 2025 budget, but left some on the table as they adjourned Thursday afternoon. 

Of the 15 bills allocating funding to various state agencies and efforts that were tentatively set for a vote, the Senate passed nine. The bills were largely passed along party lines with the exception of the budget for the Department of Transportation (MDOT), which was supported by state Sens. Jon Bumstead (R-North Muskegon) and John Damoose (R-Harbor Springs). Sens. Ruth Johnson (R-Holly) and Roger Victory (R-Hudsonville) were not present for voting. 

The Legislature has a July 1 deadline to pass a new state budget for the upcoming fiscal year, which begins Oct.1. However, there are no penalties if the Legislature fails to meet the July deadline. 

The state House of Representatives approved its own slate of budget bills on Wednesday, totaling $80.9 billion, slightly more than Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s $80.7 billion proposal. 

Michigan House passes $80.9B budget, as the Senate is expected to take up its version Thursday

Once each chamber has passed its own appropriations bills, any differences will be negotiated in conference committee. Afterward, both chambers will take a final vote on the budget before sending it to the governor’s desk to be signed. 

Senate Republicans proposed a number of amendments to the appropriations bills, all of which were defeated. 

Many of the proposed amendments centered on Republican priorities, with the Senate voting down an amendment from Senate Minority Leader Aric Nesbitt (R-Porter Twp.) to include funding in the Military and Veterans Affairs budget for Michigan to send National Guard troops to the southern border. 

Nesbitt and other GOP lawmakers have traveled to border crossings in recent months, amplifying messaging from likely GOP nominee former President Donald Trump that President Joe Biden needs to clamp down on immigration.

Sen. Jonathan Lindsey (R-Allen) blasted Whitmer’s proposal to increase the fee for disposing of waste in a landfill from 36¢ a ton, to $5 per ton, calling it a “trash tax” and arguing the cost of the increase would be passed down to homeowners.

While the budget for the Department of Environment Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) passed by the House did not include Whitmer’s proposal, the Senate version retained the estimated $80 million increase in revenue generated by the increase as a line item.

Lindsey offered an amendment to exclude the additional $80 million from the bill, which was ultimately defeated.

Following Lindsey’s explanation of Sen. Jeff Irwin (D-Ann Arbor), who introduced the budget bill for the Department of Energy, Great Lakes and Environment (EGLE). Irwin clarified that the budget does not actually authorize the fee increase, and that the Legislature would need to approve the fees in separate legislation. 

“I hope it’s a discussion we have here because out-of-state trash and the fact Michigan is a huge magnet for out-of-state trash is a problem that this Legislature has been wrestling with for years. This budget does not fix that, this line does not increase any fees, and that discussion will happen elsewhere,” Irwin said.

Republicans also brought forward amendments in opposition to funding for electric vehicles included in the EGLE budget, with members offering amendments to reallocate funding intended to transition government vehicles to electric models and support charging infrastructure into supporting lead line replacement and water infrastructure.

Republicans also took aim at Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives in Michigan’s public universities, with Sen. Thomas Albert (R-Lowell) offering an amendment to the higher education budget that would cap spending on DEI programs at 2% of a university’s total general fund operations revenue. The amendment was not approved.

Sen. Joe Bellino (R-Monroe) proposed an amendment to the higher education appropriations bill which would require universities to report a list of their sanctioned student organizations and would withhold operations increase payments from universities with a sanctioned student organization with  “a demonstrated history of supporting terrorist organizations or threats of violence to others.”

Sen. Lana Theis (R-Brighton) offered a related amendment that would block students in violation of the student code of conduct for “support of a terrorist organization” from receiving a scholarship from programs funded by the state. 

Both senators pointed to pro-Palestinian protests at Michigan universities, raising concerns about student support for the militant group Hamas and accusing protestors of antisemitism and inciting violence.

“Students are choosing to set their education aside and instead stand in line with extremism, violence, and antisemitism. Worse yet, American students are participating in anti-American chants and support a U.S. government-designated terrorist organization, Hamas. This is both dangerous and concerning,” Bellino said.

Sen. Darrin Camilleri (D-Trenton), who has repeatedly called for a ceasefire in Gaza, offered a statement opposing Bellino’s proposal, with Sens. Stephanie Chang (D-Detroit) and Sue Shink (D-Northfield Twp.) concurring. 

“Freedom of speech and campus activism are distinctly American. Students have the right to assembly; the First Amendment gives them that protection,” Camilleri said. 

“The students protesting today come from all backgrounds and religions. They see the war in Gaza as a human-rights issue. .… These demonstrations are overwhelmingly focused on safeguarding human rights and dignity for all, no matter their race, religion, or nationality. Those are American values. I urge my colleagues to focus more of their attention on the tens of thousands of lives that have been lost rather than how students are exercising their First Amendment rights,” Camilleri said.

Sen. Jeremy Moss (D-Southfield), the state’s only Jewish senator, refused to vote on both Bellino’s and Theis’s amendments.

“I’ve been presiding over this amendment process for the past several hours and intend to pick up and continue this presiding over the next several amendments as we continue through our budget,” Moss said. “Some of these amendments are common-sense, some of these are tailored to districts, some of these are benign, and some of these have been nakedly political in order to clip a video, pop it on Twitter and try to attack each other.”

Moss said he had made his concerns about antisemitism in protests on college campuses known and accused Republicans of attempting to weaponize the budget process. 

“I’m pissed off that this is what we’re doing right now,” Moss said. 

“There are avenues to resolve the antisemitic problem on our campus. This is not one of them. To be honest with you, I’ve not missed a single vote in the Senate over the last six and a half years here — I’m not voting on this amendment and I’m not voting on the next one,” Moss said

Both amendments were defeated. Bellino’s amendment failed 16-17 with Moss and Sens. Sylvia Santana and Paul Wojno not voting. Theis’ amendment failed 15-17 with Damoose, Moss, Santana and Wojno not voting.