The Michigan State House and Senate approproations subcommittees have issued their respective budget recommendations for the upcoming fiscal year beginning on October 1.

The Senate’s Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) budget closely aligns with the governor’s proposal in overall funding levels but includes some notable differences. Notable changes include adjustments to funding for the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, Medicaid reimbursement rates, juvenile justice programs, and various one-time funding items and new programs. Additionally, the Senate introduced boilerplate language aimed at safeguarding the privacy of individuals seeking abortion services in Michigan from out-of-state investigations. The Senate’s proposed budget stands at $37.71 billion (with $6.68 billion allocated from the General Fund), coming in $110 million higher than the Governor’s proposed $37.6 billion budget for DHHS.

On the other hand, the House’s DHHS budget introduces its own modifications to the Governor’s proposal. Notably, the House subcommittee opted to allocate $53.4 million from opioid settlement funds toward opioid recovery and addiction care services. The House also proposed various adjustments to Medicaid reimbursement rates, foster care administration rates, and funding for behavioral health initiatives. Additionally, the House prioritized several one-time projects, including investments in public health initiatives, behavioral health programs, and community violence prevention. The House’s proposed budget amounts to $35.9 billion (with $6.6 billion allocated from the General Fund). Their total budget for DHHS is $1.81 billion less than the Governor’s DHHS budget proposal.

Overall, both the Senate and House Budget Recommendations exhibit nuanced differences from the governor’s proposal, reflecting varying priorities and approaches in addressing key areas such as healthcare, social services, and public health initiatives. While the Senate budget came in slightly higher than the executive budget allocation for DHHS, the House proposal is significantly lower. Updated revenues for Fiscal Year 2025 will be presented on May 17 at the next Consensus Revenue Estimating Conference.

Amidst the NFL draft festivities in Detroit, Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed into law two bills aimed at bolstering cardiac emergency response in Michigan high schools. House Bill 5527 mandates the development of comprehensive cardiac emergency response plans, including the establishment of emergency response teams, AED placement, staff training, and annual simulation drills, beginning in the 2025-26 school year. Complementing this, House Bill 5528 requires high school coaches to be certified in CPR and AED use. Both bills garnered bipartisan support in the state legislature.

Advocates, including bill sponsors Rep. John Fitzgerald (D – Wyoming) and Rep. Tyrone Carter (D – Detroit) and NFL player Damar Hamlin, emphasized the importance of equipping schools with lifesaving equipment and training. The Chasing M’s Foundation, co-founded by Hamlin, announced a significant donation of AEDs to Michigan high schools, emphasizing the vital role of CPR and AED knowledge in saving lives. The bill signing ceremony featured hands-on CPR training sessions, highlighting the importance of community readiness in responding to cardiac emergencies.

Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced several appointments to various boards and commissions, showcasing our state’s diverse talent pool. Notable appointments are listed below. The complete list of new appointments is available at the Governor’s Press Releases.

¶Appointments Include:

Child Lead Exposure Elimination Commission:

• Alison Dickson: Reappointed to represent physicians
• Alan G. Vanderberg: Reappointed to represent local government

Michigan Board of Speech Language Pathology:

• Dr. Denise Ludwig: Appointed to represent speech language pathologists (Succeeds Abaries Farhad)

Michigan Board of Licensed Midwifery:

• Angela Wells: Appointed to represent nurse midwives (Succeeds Geradine Simkins)

Michigan Board of Nursing Home Administrators:

• Alethea Nichols-Taylor and LaTosha Agee-Gussman: Appointed to represent the general public
• Dr. Mark DeLano: Appointed to represent licensed physicians
• Daniel Velez: Appointed to represent nursing homes (Succeeds Donald Haney)

Certificate of Need Commission:

• Dr. Amy McKenzie: Reappointed to represent a nonprofit health care corporation operating pursuant to the nonprofit health care corporation reform act and Independents
• Renee Turner-Bailey: Reappointed to represent organized labor unions and Democrats
• Dr. Eric Ferguson: Reappointed to represent physicians and Independents
• Dr. Mark DeLano: Appointed to represent licensed physicians and school of medicine and Democrats (Succeeds Justin Dimmick)
• Daniel Velez: Appointed to represent nursing homes and Independents

Michigan Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee:

• Kassem H. Elhelou and Rachael Prusi: Appointed to represent pharmacists