LANSING, Mich. — Sen. Mark Huizenga expressed his disappointment on Wednesday after the Senate rejected a motion to consider his legislation to restore nearly $302 million in school safety and student mental health care funding that was cut in the new state budget.
“Time is not a luxury we have. With the new fiscal year just days away, a 92% reduction in school safety and student mental health funding is set to take effect,” said Huizenga, R-Walker. “These are not partisan matters, and no community is immune from the risks of violence or the challenges posed by untreated mental health conditions. In the past, Republicans and Democrats have worked together to provide schools with this critical support.
“The resources are there to address this issue, and my bill provides a solution to restore this vital funding. I am deeply disappointed that the Senate majority refuses to take up my legislation to ensure all Michigan students have access to necessary mental health care services and to help schools make critical safety improvements.”
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in July signed a fiscal year 2025 budget that cut almost $302 million in funding dedicated to student mental health and school safety — going from $328 million in support in the current budget to just $26.5 million in the budget starting Oct. 1.
Senate Bill 1005, sponsored by Huizenga, is a supplemental budget bill for fiscal year 2024-25 that would use $301.5 million from the state’s General Fund to restore school safety and student mental health funding to the current level.
Senate Minority Floor Leader Dan Lauwers made a motion to discharge the bill from committee so that the Senate could immediately vote on it. The motion failed with all Senate Republicans voting yes and all Senate Democrats either voting no or refusing to vote at all.
“In these hyper-partisan times, it can feel almost impossible to find common ground. I had hoped that we could come together and find that elusive common ground to protect and support our children. Sadly, that didn’t happen,” Huizenga said.
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