2017 Policy Priorities in Michigan

With the GOP in full control of state government in Michigan, we anticipate unveiling of budget priorities in Governor Snyder’s State-of-the-State address in late January. His budget presentation and early budget submission should come in early February. The budget bills should be marked up in March and April, with final conference committee approvals in May and June. They may not be as pressed to get out for summer recess before mid-June, since 2017 is not an election year.

At the federal level, we are working our way through to understand the direction that the Trump Administration will focus as it pertains to child care, early education, K-12 and postsecondary education policy.

State Budget for 2017-18:

The total Executive Budget Recommendation for fiscal year 2016, including all state and federal revenue sources, was $54 billion. Approximately 76 percent of the total budget was dedicated to education and health and human services.

The Consensus Revenue Estimating Conference held in early January 2016 projected that revenues would be $9.7 billion in the general fund and $12.3 billion in the School Aid Fund for fiscal year 2016, for a combined total of $22 billion.

Comparatively, fiscal year 2017 projected revenues are $10 billion in the general fund and $12.6 billion in the School Aid Fund, for a combined total of $22.6 billion.

Other relevant issues affecting potential policy wins:

• Post-election, it is expected that Michigan will have an even more conservative legislature than in the previous term.
• After investing $130 million in the Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP) the past two years, the governor appears to be shifting his early education focus for his remaining two years in office to building a better child care system, which is an important stepping stone for many children into GSRP. Research has firmly established the importance of the first 1,000 days of life to the intellectual and emotional development of children. Promoting investments in building a better child care system in Michigan may become one of the governor’s big ticket items in his proposed FY 2018 budget.

Priority Items in 2017 for Fight Crime: Invest in Kids, Michigan

State Policy Goal: Community College Postsecondary Credential Attainment.

Overarching goal is to increase the percentage of Michigan residents with high-quality degrees or credentials to 60 percent by the year 2025.

State Policy Goal: Early Childhood Education

• Increase state investment in building a better Child Care System to help more parents and children access quality care.
• Federal Policy Goal: Higher Education Act (HEA)
• FAFSA Simplification, College Affordability, and Year-Round Pell (Supports the three federal policymaker steps outlined in Public Safety, Public Savings and a Better Economy for All Report).

Federal Policy Goal: MIECHV

A five-year reauthorization and double funding from $400M annually to $800M annually over the course of the reauthorization period.