Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Childcare Myleap topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Committee adopts MyLEAP bill; TriShare childcare benchmarks and other restrictions added
Summary
House Bill 45 78 H‑1 for the Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential (MyLEAP) was adopted with modest net changes, a large child development and care caseload increase, and new boilerplate including benchmarks for TriShare and restrictions on pronoun use in materials.
The Appropriations Committee adopted the H‑1 substitute to House Bill 45 78, the MyLEAP appropriation. Perry Zielak and Noel Benson from House Fiscal summarized the proposal, which shows a gross appropriation of about $640.5 million and a net gross decrease of roughly $3.5 million compared with the current year, and a 62‑FTE reduction overall (about 18%).
Fiscal staff highlighted a $44.3 million gross increase (including $93 million general fund in the May revenue consensus figures) to reflect updated child development and care caseload estimates. The committee added boilerplate directing MyLEAP to create benchmarks and reporting for regional TriShare hubs, and the House added language allowing TriShare funds to be used for families who live in Wisconsin but have a family member employed in Michigan.
The House proposal removes several one‑time boilerplate sections and reduces some standing boilerplate; it also adds language restricting department use of pronouns and titles on certain items and authorizes a civil remedy in the Michigan Court of Claims with a $100 fine per violation, as described by fiscal staff. Members asked about FTE reductions and capacity to administer increased scholarship and childcare funding; fiscal staff said existing staff levels were judged adequate but noted negotiations and follow‑up could change that. The committee adopted the H‑1 substitute and reported the bill with recommendation as amended.
