Senate passes supplemental appropriations bill after rejecting a series of floor amendments

Senate Bill 55, a supplemental appropriations bill for fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2024, passed the Michigan Senate on March 17, 2025, by a vote of 19-17 with one senator excused.

The bill attracted a lengthy floor amendment sequence. Senators offered amendments on a wide range of topics — including conditions on funding for so-called sanctuary localities, a requirement that state employees work in person four days per week, interim literacy and school supports, funding for local road repairs, and sector-specific clawbacks — but none of those amendments gained the votes needed to alter the bill.

Sponsor Senator Bolino offered Amendment No. 1, which he described as preventing state funds from going to any locality that “willfully violates United States law by declaring themselves a sanctuary community.” That proposal was debated at length and was not adopted; the secretary announced 17 ayes, 19 no votes and one excused on the recorded tally for the adoption phase.

Senator Nesbitt offered Amendment No. 2 to require state employees to work in person at least four days a week. Nesbitt framed the change as pro-collaboration and accountability; opponents urged flexibility and parity with other workforce policies. The amendment failed (17 ayes, 19 no votes, 1 excused on final tally).

Other amendments included Senator Hough's Amendment No. 3 to fund resources for local clerks to hold a special election to fill a vacant Senate seat, Senator Hoytenga's Amendment No. 4 to require local approval for certain large-scale solar projects on state land, Senator Haug/Hall-type sponsors' amendments raising concerns about state incentives for projects tied to foreign actors, and multiple member proposals to restore funds for roads, child tax credits and emergency aid for local ambulance providers. Most of these amendments were debated on the floor and were not adopted after recorded roll-call votes.

Senator Bellino proposed an amendment allocating $500,000,000 for local road repairs, describing pothole season and the need to address local roads. That proposal did not gain the required support on the floor.

Senator McBroom offered an amendment seeking $6,000,000 to assist local ambulance providers harmed by failed contractors; the motion failed to receive enough votes.

After the sequence of amendments, the Senate voted on SB 55 as a whole. The secretary announced the final passage tally as 19 ayes, 17 no votes and 1 excused, and the bill passed.

Senators on both sides repeatedly asked that their floor remarks be printed in the journal; several sponsors framed amendments as immediate responses to constituent needs, while opponents argued the supplemental bill was not the right vehicle for the listed policy changes. The public record shows recorded roll-call votes on each amendment and on final passage.

Because the bill is supplemental appropriations for FY2024, passage affects fiscal-year allocations and will require further administrative steps to implement the approved appropriations.