HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
REP. ANGELA WITWER
CHAIR
COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES
Wednesday, March 6,
2024
9:00
AM
Room 352, House Appropriations, State Capitol
Building
The House Committee on Appropriations was called to order by Chair Witwer.
The Chair requested attendance be called:
Present: Reps. Witwer, O'Neal, Brixie, Hood, Brabec, Morse, Puri, Steckloff, Weiss, Martus,
McKinney, Mentzer, Morgan, Price, Skaggs, Snyder, Lightner, Bollin, Green, Slagh, Beson,
Borton, Fink, Cavitt, DeBoer, Kuhn, Schuette, Steele.
Absent: Rep. Wilson.
Excused: Rep. Wilson.
Representative O'Neal moved to excuse Representative Wilson from the meeting. There being no
objection the motion prevailed by unanimous consent.
Representative Brixie moved to adopt the meeting minutes from February 21, 2024. There being
no objection, the motion prevailed by unanimous consent.
The Chair laid SB 350 and SB 555 before the committee:
SB 350
(Sen. Bayer)
A bill to amend 2008 PA 549, entitled "Michigan
promise zone authority act," by amending section
3 (MCL 390.1663), as amended by 2020 PA 330.
SB 555
(Sen. Anthony)
A bill to amend 2008 PA 549, entitled "Michigan
promise zone authority act," by amending sections
5, 7, and 11 (MCL 390.1665, 390.1667, and
390.1671), as amended by 2016 PA 9.
The following person submitted a card in support of SB 350 and SB 555, but did not wish to
speak:
Stephanie Szymas, representing Grand Rapids Community College.
Representative Steele offered the following amendment to SB 350:
1. Amend page 3, line 15, after "programs." by inserting "As used in this subparagraph,
"federal student loan fees" means origination fees charged for Direct Subsidized Loans,
Direct Unsubsidized Loans, or Direct PLUS Loans offered by the United States
Department of Education to eligible students or parents to help cover the costs of higher
education. Federal student loan fees does not include late payment fees, returned payment
fees, collection fees, or any other similar fees that do not constitute upfront charges paid to
a lender for setting up or processing a loan.".
Representative Steele moved to adopt the amendment to SB 350. The motion did not prevail 12-
15-0:
UNFAVORABLE ROLL CALL
Yeas: Reps. Lightner, Bollin, Green, Slagh, Beson, Borton, Fink, Cavitt, DeBoer, Kuhn,
Schuette, Steele.
Nays: Reps. Witwer, O'Neal, Brixie, Hood, Brabec, Morse, Puri, Weiss, Martus, McKinney,
Mentzer, Morgan, Price, Skaggs, Snyder.
Pass: None.
Representative DeBoer offered the following amendments to SB 350:
1. Amend page 3, line 13, after "disability;" by inserting "and".
2. Amend page 3, line 15, after "credential" by striking out the semicolon and the balance of the
line and inserting a period.
Representative DeBoer moved to adopt the amendments to SB 350. The motion did not prevail
12-15-0:
UNFAVORABLE ROLL CALL
Yeas: Reps. Lightner, Bollin, Green, Slagh, Beson, Borton, Fink, Cavitt, DeBoer, Kuhn,
Schuette, Steele.
Nays: Reps. Witwer, O'Neal, Brixie, Hood, Brabec, Morse, Puri, Weiss, Martus, McKinney,
Mentzer, Morgan, Price, Skaggs, Snyder.
Pass: None.
Representative Weiss moved to report out SB 350 with recommendation. The motion prevailed
16-11-1:
FAVORABLE ROLL CALL
Yeas: Reps. Witwer, O'Neal, Brixie, Hood, Brabec, Morse, Puri, Steckloff, Weiss, Martus,
McKinney, Mentzer, Morgan, Price, Skaggs, Snyder.
Nays: Reps. Lightner, Bollin, Green, Slagh, Beson, Borton, Fink, Cavitt, DeBoer, Kuhn,
Steele.
Pass: Rep. Schuette.
Representative Beson offered the following amendments to SB 555:
1. Amend page 2, line 3, after "of" by striking out "11" and inserting "13".
2. Amend page 2, following line 18, by inserting:
"(iv) Subject to subsection (4), 1 member appointed by the senate minority leader.
(v) Subject to subsection (4), 1 member appointed by the house minority leader.".
3. Amend page 3, line 5, after "under" by striking out "subsection (3)(a)(ii) or (iii)" and inserting
"subsections (3)(a)(ii) to (v)".
Representative Beson moved to adopt the amendments to SB 555. The motion did not prevail 12-
16-0:
UNFAVORABLE ROLL CALL
Yeas: Reps. Lightner, Bollin, Green, Slagh, Beson, Borton, Fink, Cavitt, DeBoer, Kuhn,
Schuette, Steele.
Nays: Reps. Witwer, O'Neal, Brixie, Hood, Brabec, Morse, Puri, Steckloff, Weiss, Martus,
McKinney, Mentzer, Morgan, Price, Skaggs, Snyder.
Pass: None.
Representative Green offered the following amendment to SB 555:
1. Amend page 3, line 7, by striking out all of subdivisions (a) and (b) and inserting:
"(a) To be eligible for the appointment, the individual must meet at least 1 of the following
criteria:
(i) Continuously reside in the promise zone for at least the immediately preceding year.
(ii) Be a principal owner of a business that is based in, or has locations physically located in,
the promise zone. As used in this subparagraph, "principal owner" means an individual
who owns, directly or indirectly, of record or beneficially, stock or membership interest
representing 10% or more of the outstanding stock or membership interest of a
corporation or limited liability company.
(iii) Actively serve on the board of an organization organized under the nonprofit
corporation act, 1982 PA 162, MCL 450.2101 to 450.3192, that is based in, or has locations
physically located in, the promise zone.
(b) To continue serving as a member of the board, the individual must continue to meet at
least 1 of the criteria described in subdivision (a)(i) to (iii) for the entirety of the
individual's appointment.".
Representative Green moved to adopt the amendment to SB 555. The motion did not prevail 11-
16-1:
UNFAVORABLE ROLL CALL
Yeas: Reps. Lightner, Bollin, Green, Slagh, Beson, Borton, Fink, Cavitt, DeBoer, Schuette,
Steele.
Nays: Reps. Witwer, O'Neal, Brixie, Hood, Brabec, Morse, Puri, Steckloff, Weiss, Martus,
McKinney, Mentzer, Morgan, Price, Skaggs, Snyder.
Pass: Rep. Kuhn.
Representative Brixie moved to report out SB 555 with recommendation. The motion prevailed
16-11-1:
FAVORABLE ROLL CALL
Yeas: Reps. Witwer, O'Neal, Brixie, Hood, Brabec, Morse, Puri, Steckloff, Weiss, Martus,
McKinney, Mentzer, Morgan, Price, Skaggs, Snyder.
Nays: Reps. Lightner, Bollin, Green, Slagh, Beson, Borton, Fink, Cavitt, DeBoer, Kuhn,
Steele.
Pass: Rep. Schuette.
The Chair laid Legislative Transfer Request 2024-2 before the Committee.
Perry Zielack, representing the House Fiscal Agency, provided testimony on Legislative Transfer
Request 2024-2.
Representative Puri made a motion to approve Legislative Transfer Request 2024-2. The motion
prevailed 16-0-12:
FAVORABLE ROLL CALL
Yeas: Reps. Witwer, O'Neal, Brixie, Hood, Brabec, Morse, Puri, Steckloff, Weiss, Martus,
McKinney, Mentzer, Morgan, Price, Skaggs, Snyder.
Nays: None.
Pass: Reps. Lightner, Bollin, Green, Slagh, Beson, Borton, Fink, Cavitt, DeBoer, Kuhn,
Schuette, Steele.
There being no further business before the committee, Chair Witwer adjourned the meeting at
9:18 AM.
Representative Angela Witwer, Chair
Dakota Soda
Committee Clerk
dsoda@house.mi.gov