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House committee adopts school aid omnibus after lengthy amendment battle
Summary
The House Appropriations Committee advanced a substitute (H‑1) to the school aid omnibus (HB5630), after Representative Kelly outlined targeted increases for literacy, transportation and school safety and a series of floor amendments — many offered by Rep. Glanville — failed in roll-call votes.
Chair Boland convened the House Appropriations Committee and introduced the House FY27 budgeting framework, saying the House budget "reduces the overall state budget by a $106,000,000 in general fund spending" and that it "does not raise taxes or fees." The committee proceeded to consider the school aid omnibus, House Bill 56 30, substitute H‑1.
Representative Kelly, the school-aid presenter, told the committee the House version reduced general fund spending relative to the governor's recommendation while increasing the foundation allowance by $250 and investing in literacy, math and science. Kelly said the package preserves transportation funding ($125 million), school infrastructure ($100 million), universal breakfast, and "$321,000,000 in safety and mental health" supports.
Representative Glanville offered a sequence of amendments seeking to remove what she described as ‘‘red tape’’ and to restore or add targeted investments — including striking food-and-drink restrictions, adding weighted funding to the formula, restoring Flint emergency-related funding, and adding dollars for tutoring, the Michigan Learning Channel and STEM. Each amendment was called for a roll-call vote. The clerk recorded detailed tallies on each measure; the committee chair announced that substitute H‑1 was adopted and the motion prevailed following the roll call.
Several members pressed staff on technical points during the amendments, including the fiscal and operational effects of moving categorical dollars into a weighted funding formula and how boilerplate changes would be implemented. Representative Kelly and HFA staff answered questions and confirmed that many line items were brought to "real dollar" spending levels based on recent actuals.
Action and next steps: The committee adopted substitute H‑1 on HB5630 and reported the measure with recommendation to the House. The committee adjourned for a brief recess and then resumed other budget items.
Ending: The committee reported the school aid bill as H‑1 and moved on to the general omnibus budget and additional subcommittee presentations.
