Wednesday, May 10

I voted NO on HB 4286 (Rep. Weiss) FY 2024 Budget for School Aid. The executive budget recommendation for FY24 recommends total funding of $20.9 billion, of which $73.7 million is GF/GP, $18.2 billion is SAF, and $2.2 billion is federal funds. This represents an approximate increase of 6.5% over the FY 2023 budget. EXPLANATION: This legislation includes $150 million dollars to purchase expensive electric battery school buses, $40 million dollars in debt forgiveness for schools that have not been financially responsible, gives out $50 dollars to certain students for completing FAFSA at an earlier date (which will only incentivize students to take out student loans), and tolerates school officials/staff who recommend abortions to students without parental knowledge. This school aid budget is a monstrosity.

PASSED: 56-52

I voted NO on HB 4287 (Rep. Weiss) FY 2024 Budget for the Michigan Department of Education. The subcommittee budget for FY24 proposes gross funding of $504.3 million gross, $121 million GF/GP, compared to current year’s $420.6 million gross, $99.6 million GF/GP. This represents an approximate 19.9% gross and 21.5% GF/GP increase compared to current year funding. EXPLANATION: This legislation removed language that prohibited the government from requiring proof of COVID-19 vaccination to access their facilities, removed language that stated the Department of Education will prioritize working in person, and also added that appropriations cannot interfere with diversity, equity, and inclusion programs.

PASSSED: 56-52

I voted NO on HB 4303 (Rep. Steckloff) FY 2024 Budget for Community Colleges. The governor’s proposed budget for FY24 recommends total funding of $492.6 million, all of which is SAF, including a $13.6 million or 4% increase in ongoing funds to support community college operations. The 100% reduction in federal funds is a result of one-time federal State Fiscal Recovery Fund (SFRF) dollars that are no longer available. EXPLANATION: This legislation removed language that community colleges must provide to their students and employees whether a vaccine is required to attend on campus and also removed language that community colleges must protect the First Amendment.

PASSED: 56-52

I voted NO on HB 4304 (Rep. Steckloff) FY 2024 Budget for Higher Education. The governor’s proposed budget for FY24 recommends total funding of $2.1 billion. This includes an ongoing increase of $64 million, or 4%, for university operations and $7.3 million for the second year of a three-year phased in $4,500 per-student funding floor. Increases are also included for MSU AgBioResearch and MSU Extension. EXPLANATION: Many of these large universities have massive endowments and don’t need funding from the state. For universities that receive billions in endowment, like MSU and U-Mich, the state should only provide them one dollar (as the state must constitutionally give financial support to these universities).

PASSED: 56-52

I voted NO on HB 4249 (Rep. Hood) Budget for Department of Environment, Great Lakes & Energy. The governor’s proposed budget for fiscal year 2024 includes total ongoing funding of $1.3 billion, $561.2 million GF/GP, compared to current year $728.7 million gross, $98.8 million GF/GP. This represents an approximate 80 percent gross and 467.8 percent GF/GP increase compared to current year funding. A total of $412 million GF/GP is one-time spending proposals. (Current FY GF/GP one-time is $8.65 million). The House substitute adds $300 million federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds for four one-time projects and reduces executive recommended GF/GP to $395.4 million. A 300 percent increase in GF/GP and a 98.4 percent gross increase. EXPLANATION: $100 million dollars from this legislation goes to “environmental justice”, $40 million dollars goes to communities as an incentive to switch to renewable energy (which will raise home energy costs). This legislation has also deleted language that would have protected state employees from whistleblowing and also deleted language that EGLE cannot adopt rules that will harm small businesses.

PASSED: 56-52

I voted NO on HB 4289 (Rep. Brixie) FY 2024 Budget for Department of Agriculture & Rural Development. The executive budget for FY24 proposes gross funding of $189.8 million, $124.6 million GF/GP, compared to current year $187.7 million gross, $122.9 million GF/GP. This represents an approximate one percent gross and GF/GP increase compared to current year funding. A total of $52,500 GF/GP is one-time spending proposals. House reduces GF/GP by $40.9 million from current year, gross funding reduced by nearly 20%. EXPLANATION: This legislation provides $10 million dollars for “climate smart farming” and also deleted language that protected state employee whistleblowers. Additional language was added to also make sure there is no interference in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) or restrictions on an individual’s “right” to an abortion. Farmers are more worried about purchasing equipment to plow their fields, the cost of fertilizer, and the cost of fuel.

PASSED: 56-52

I voted NO on HB 4290 (Rep. Brixie) FY 2023-24 Budget for Department of Natural Resources. The governor’s proposed budget for FY24 proposes ongoing funding of $584.1 million gross, $120.1 million GF/GP, compared to current year $535.5 million gross, $94.4 million GF. This represents an approximate 9 percent gross increase, and 27.2% GF/GP spending increase compared to the current year enacted budget. The budget request includes $54.8 million ($52.3 million GF/GP) one-time funding. House reduces funding from executive recc, but still increases gross funding $41.3 million (7.7%) and GF/GP by $18.4 million (19.5%). EXPLANATION: This legislation includes various incentives meant to convert to green energy, which picks winners and losers.

PASSED: 56-52

I voted NO on HB 4310 (Rep. Morse) FY 2024 Budget for DHHS. The subcommittee budget for FY24 proposes gross funding of $35.7 billion gross, $6.5 billion GF/GP, compared to current year $33.4 billion gross, $6.25 billion GF/GP. The House recommendation provides $35.95 billion gross, $6.59 billion GF/GP, which represents an approximate 7.5 percent gross and 5.5 percent GF/GP increase compared to current year funding. EXPLANATION: The DHHS budget has spiraled out of control, making up almost half of the entire budget. The language in this budget will allow the state to provide funding to abortion clinics, $15 million dollars for LGBTQ+ healthcare, and DHHS must support initiatives to distribute mandatory gun lockboxes.

PASSED: 56-52

I voted NO on HB 4247 (Rep. O’Neal) FY 2024 Budget for Corrections Appropriations. The subcommittee budget for FY24 proposes gross funding of $2.07 billion gross, $2.02 billion GF/GP, compared to current year $2.12 billion gross, $2.08 billion GF/GP. This represents an approximate 2.4% gross and 2.4% GF/GP decrease compared to current year funding. EXPLANATION: This legislation will provide mandatory diversity, equity, and inclusion training to corrections officers, further indoctrinating public employees with political motivations at the expense of the taxpayer.

PASSED: 56-52

I voted NO on HB 4292 (Rep. Brabec) FY 2024 Budget for General Government Appropriations. The subcommittee budget for FY24 proposes gross funding of $5.02 billion gross, $1.17 billion GF/GP, compared to current year $5.7 billion gross, $2.1 billion GF/GP. This represents an approximate 12.3% gross and 44.5% GF/GP decrease compared to current year funding. EXPLANATION: This legislation includes taxpayer funds for a $160,000 diversity summit, expansion of Elliott Larsen, enforcement of Props 1 and 2 from 2022, and $10 million dollars to switch government vehicles to electric.

PASSED: 56-52

I voted NO on HB 4309 (Rep. Puri) FY 2024 Budget for Transportation. The subcommittee budget for FY24 proposes gross funding of $6.8 billion gross, $525.5 million GF/GP, compared to current year $6.13 billion gross, $91.2 million GF/GP. This represents an approximate 11% gross and $434 million GF/GP increase/decrease compared to current year funding. EXPLANATION: This legislation provides funding for cameras to take your photo in construction zones to give people automated tickets.

PASSED: 56-52

I voted NO on HB 4246 (Rep. Snyder) FY 2024 Budget for Labor and Economic Opportunity. The subcommittee budget for FY24 proposes gross funding of $2.49 billion gross, $670 million GF/GP, compared to current year $4.69 billion gross, $2.94 billion GF/GP. This represents an approximate 46.9% gross and $2.27 billion GF/GP decrease compared to current year funding. EXPLANATION: This includes $500 million dollars to the SOAR Fund, which has been used to lure Communist Chinese Companies to locations close to National Guard bases. Additionally, there are various grants that are only open to minority owned businesses, which is a violation of a true free market.

PASSED: 56-52

I voted NO on HB 4280 (Rep. Skaggs) FY 2024 Budget for Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs. The subcommittee budget for FY24 proposes gross funding of $625million, $289.7 million GF/FP, compared to current year $539.8 million gross, $213.8 million GF/GP. This represents an approximate 1.11% gross and 1.25% GF/GP increase compared to current year funding. EXPLANATION: Just like many other of these budget bills, there is language included that prioritizes green energy over cheaper costs of energy, removal of protection against vaccine passports, and allows mask mandates in government buildings.

PASSED: 56-52

I voted NO on HB 4281 (Rep. Skaggs) FY 2024 Budget for Department of Insurance and Financial Services. The subcommittee budget for FY24 proposes gross funding of $74.6 million dollars, $500,000 GF/GP, compared to current year $74.3 gross, $0 GF/GP. This represents an approximate 0% gross and $500,000 GF/GP increase compared to current year funding. EXPLANATION: This legislation is spending taxpayer dollars on a study to lower the cost of insulin when we already know this answer: remove government regulations and pass legislation that opens up the markets, yet “Big Pharma” would never support these commonsense steps.

PASSED: 56-52

I voted NO on HB 4244 (Rep. Morgan) FY 2024 Budget for Department of State Police. The subcommittee budget for FY24 proposes gross funding of $884.5 million, $600 million GF/GP, compared to current year $843.7 million gross and $572.7 million GF/GP. This represents an approximate 4.8 percent gross and 4.7 percent GF/GP increase compared to current year funding. A total of $18.3 million is considered onetime spending proposals. EXPLANATION: This legislation creates one of the first unarmed public safety response programs for cities like Detroit. Programs like this have failed in locations like San Francisco, where these agents are defenseless or put into situations that can turn deadly.

PASSED: 56-52

I voted NO on HB 4248 (Rep. Morgan) FY 2024 Budget for Department of Military and Veteran Affairs. The subcommittee budget for FY24 proposes gross funding of $235.5 million, $86.4 million GF/GP, compared to current year $362.3 million gross and $142.5 million GF/GP. This represents an approximate 35.1 percent gross spending decrease and 39.4 percent GF/GP decrease compared to current year funding. The House subcommittee recommended $8 million in one-time expenditures. EXPLANATION: This legislation continues the trend of adding additional DEI requirements and even removes the board that can issue waivers to not receive the COVID-19 vaccine.

PASSED: 56-52

I voted NO on HB 4245 (Rep. Wilson) FY 2024 Budget for Judiciary. The subcommittee budget for FY24 proposes gross funding of $351.2 million, $245.7 million GF/GP, compared to current year $483.5 million gross and $370.8 million GF/GP. This represents an approximate 27.4 percent gross and 33.7 percent GF/GP decrease compared to current year funding. EXPLANATION: While the radical-left has stripped staff in the Legislature of their constitutionally protected right to defend themselves, they expect taxpayers to pay for the home security systems of State Supreme Court Justices. 

PASSED: 56-52

Thursday, May 11th, 2023

I voted NO on HB 4033 (Rep. Paiz) would require the state to reimburse local governments for special election costs if that special election does not occur on a regular election day. EXPLANATION: The taxpayers of this state should not be forced to foot the bill because the Governor decided to call a special election on a non-election day. The radical left came up with this horribly expensive election process and want it to be “cost-free” for locals when it is politically expedient.

PASSED: 94-13

I voted NO on HB 4376 (Rep. B. Carter) would strike the current language related to an insurance agent’s fiduciary responsibilities, and insert new language that among other things requires all premiums and return premiums to be held in a separate account from the agent’s own funds. EXPLANATION: This is an additional government regulation that will negatively impact small businesses. In a free market, doing business with an insurance agent that is part of a voluntary accredited association of responsible banking would be a market driven response instead of adding government red tape.

PASSED: 83-24

I voted NO on HBs 4362-4364 (Reps. Brabec, Neeley, and Price) would amend the Income Tax Act by creating space on the state income tax form to participate in the anatomical gift donor registry. Also amends the Public Health Code by adding the registration to participate in the anatomical gift donor registry on the income tax form to the list of ways to donate an organ. Then – amends the Revenue Act by indicating how information received from the income tax donor registry may be shared. EXPLANATION: This is an expensive cost for outreach and opens the door to later coercive abuse from the government.

HB 4362 PASSED: 102-5; HB 4363 PASSED: 103-4; HB 4364 PASSED: 103-4

I voted NO on HB 4437 (Rep. Whitwer) is an omnibus vehicle bill for FY 23-34 that would be used for the general government sections of the state budget. EXPLANATION: This legislation is a blank check for Lansing Democrats to continue their process of creating a misguided and bloated state budget. 

PASSED: 57-50

I voted NO on HBs 4250 and 4252 (Reps. Koleszar, and Mueller) would prohibit the holding or using of a mobile electronic device while driving. The bills also increase the penalties for a violation and allows the suspension of a license for multiple offenses. EXPLANATION: While texting and driving is dangerous, criminalizing phone usage, whether for GPS or a call from your job that you cannot miss, is ridiculous. This bill discriminates against those with vehicles that don’t offer hands-free technology. Additionally, many people under this law will try to hide that they are using a device, lowering their head and attention toward their lap and further away from the road, which is simply unsafe.

HB 4250 PASSED: 71-36; HB 4252 PASSED: 70-37