State Rep. Annette Glenn of Midland today helped lead Michigan House votes to restore funding for neonatal services, summer reading programs and several other important initiatives for the state budget year that began Oct. 1.

“I am hopeful the passage of time has helped the governor realize her vetoes were a mistake. Newborn babies and school children should never be used as pawns in a political battle,” Glenn said. “These measures approved by the House will provide a second chance for everyone to come together, set things straight and move Michigan forward.”

The House approved broad budget measures that restore much of the funding Gov. Whitmer eliminated in her failed quest to force an unnecessary 45-cent per gallon gas tax increase on Michigan drivers.

Glenn’s personal efforts led to today’s House votes which include $5 million to implement K-3 summer school programs for students who are not reading at grade level, and more than $5 million to increase Medicaid reimbursement rates for providers of neonatology services.

Glenn also voted to restore funding for:

• Public safety. The House-approved measure reverses the governor’s $13 million in cuts to the program allowing sheriffs to hire patrols for secondary roads, which last year amounted to more than $140,000 for the Bay County Sheriff’s Department and roughly $70,000 for Midland County. The House also voted to restore $10 million Whitmer eliminated for school safety grants and funding for counties that hold state prisoners in their jails.
• Education. The House again approved funding so public charter schools will get the same per-student funding increase planned for students in traditional K-12 public schools. The House votes would restore the tuition grant money for 17,000 independent college students the governor eliminated – which hurt students at Delta College and Northwood University.
• Health care. The House plan restores $7.9 million for rural hospitals providing obstetrician care, $16.6 million for rural hospitals serving relatively high rates of Medicaid and low-income patients, $10.7 million to improve pediatric psychiatric services, roughly $1.5 million to help children with autism, and more than $1 million to fight opioid drug abuse.

Glenn also voted to restore grants Gov., Whitmer vetoed to ensure military veterans can get access to services they need at the county level, along with several other veto reversals.

The measures approved by the House today advance to the Senate for further consideration.

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