HOUSE BILL NO. 5914

June 24, 2020, Introduced by Reps. Berman and Hornberger and referred to the Committee on Appropriations.

A bill to make, supplement, and adjust appropriations for various state departments and agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2020; and to provide for the expenditure of the appropriations.

the people of the state of michigan enact:


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part 1

line-item appropriations

Sec. 101. There is appropriated for various state departments and agencies to supplement appropriations for the fiscal year


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ending September 30, 2020, from the following funds:

APPROPRIATION SUMMARY:

 

 

GROSS APPROPRIATION.....................................

$

1,303,000,000

Interdepartmental grant revenues:

 

 

Total interdepartmental grants and intradepartmental

 

 

transfers..............................................

 

0

ADJUSTED GROSS APPROPRIATION............................

$

1,303,000,000

Federal revenues:

 

 

Total federal revenues..................................

 

1,303,000,000

Special revenue funds:

 

 

Total local revenues....................................

 

0

Total private revenues..................................

 

0

Total other state restricted revenues...................

 

0

State general fund/general purpose......................

$

0

Sec. 102. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

 

 

(1) APPROPRIATION SUMMARY

 

 

GROSS APPROPRIATION.....................................

$

1,250,000,000

Interdepartmental grant revenues:

 

 

Total interdepartmental grants and intradepartmental

 

 

transfers..............................................

 

0

ADJUSTED GROSS APPROPRIATION............................

$

1,250,000,000

Federal revenues:

 

 

Total federal revenues..................................

 

1,250,000,000

Special revenue funds:

 

 

Total local revenues....................................

 

0

Total private revenues..................................

 

0

Total other state restricted revenues...................

 

0

State general fund/general purpose......................

$

0

(2) ONE-TIME APPROPRIATIONS

 

 


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Safe schools restart plan...............................

$

1,250,000,000

GROSS APPROPRIATION.....................................

$

1,250,000,000

Appropriated from:

 

 

Federal revenues:

 

 

Coronavirus relief fund.................................

 

1,250,000,000

State general fund/general purpose......................

$

0

Sec. 103. DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY

 

 

(1) APPROPRIATION SUMMARY

 

 

GROSS APPROPRIATION.....................................

$

53,000,000

Interdepartmental grant revenues:

 

 

Total interdepartmental grants and intradepartmental

 

 

transfers..............................................

 

0

ADJUSTED GROSS APPROPRIATION............................

$

53,000,000

Federal revenues:

 

 

Total federal revenues..................................

 

53,000,000

Special revenue funds:

 

 

Total local revenues....................................

 

0

Total private revenues..................................

 

0

Total other state restricted revenues...................

 

0

State general fund/general purpose......................

$

0

(2) ONE-TIME APPROPRIATIONS

 

 

Teacher hazard and overtime pay premiums................

$

53,000,000

GROSS APPROPRIATION.....................................

$

53,000,000

Appropriated from:

 

 

Federal revenues:

 

 

Coronavirus relief fund.................................

 

53,000,000

State general fund/general purpose......................

$

0

 

part 2


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provisions concerning appropriations

general sections

Sec. 201. In accordance with section 30 of article IX of the state constitution of 1963, total state spending from state sources in this appropriation act for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2020 is $0.00 and state spending from state sources to be paid to local units of government is $0.00.

Sec. 202. The appropriations authorized under this act are subject to the management and budget act, 1984 PA 431, MCL 18.1101 to 18.1594.

Sec. 203. If the state administrative board, acting under section 3 of 1921 PA 2, MCL 17.3, transfers funds from an amount appropriated under this act, the legislature may, by a concurrent resolution adopted by a majority of the members elected to and serving in each house, intertransfer funds within this act for the particular department, board, commission, officer, or institution.

 

DEPARTMENT OF education

Sec. 301. (1) From the funds appropriated in part 1 for safe schools restart plan, there is allocated $1,250,000,000.00 to assist schools with increased and new expenditures incurred as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and for the purposes described in this section.

(2) From the allocation in subsection (1), there is allocated an amount not to exceed $1,170,000,000.00 to provide payments to districts equal to $800.00 for each pupil in membership in the district for 2019-2020 as calculated under section 6 of the state school aid act of 1979, 1979 PA 94, MCL 388.1606. Funds paid to districts under this subsection are to pay for the costs associated


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with the paradigm shift in the method of delivering education caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, which include, but are not limited to, costs associated with implementing a robust distance learning plan and for implementing health and safety measures to return students safely to school. A robust distance learning plan should include all of the following as determined to be necessary by each district:

(a) Wireless devices and expanded connectivity opportunities for students and teachers. If funds allocated under this subsection are used for devices, they should be purchased through a statewide purchasing online tool to the extent feasible. Funds may be used to expand network services, and to develop or expand wired or wireless connectivity. Other allowable uses of funds for connectivity include, but are not limited to, extended Wi-Fi in parking lots of community anchor institutions such as schools and libraries; equipping school buses with cellular or satellite Wi-Fi to provide access in particularly challenged areas; coordinating with service providers to assist low-income families in connecting to existing services where available and appropriate; providing educational software for virtual learning; and providing training to educators. If a district uses funds under this subsection for purposes described under this subdivision, the district agrees not to spend grant funds to construct new or extend existing fiber networks within a public right-of-way, and the district further agrees that any request for proposals or solicitations to purchase devices or services is technology neutral.

(b) Development of online and digital curriculum.

(c) Professional development related to virtual learning/instructional technology.


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(d) Improving telework capabilities for school employees.

(e) Other expenses incurred after March 1, 2020 as part of a robust distance learning plan and safe return to school including, but not limited to, salaries and benefit costs for directly hired staff, contracted staff, or staff at a public school academy who are employed by an educational management company; mailing and otherwise personally delivering learning materials including packets; instructional recovery; food service costs incurred as a result of providing food during the COVID-19 pandemic; communicating with students and parents via modes other than computer devices; and added intervention services due to developing social-emotional issues.

(3) Districts may use funds allocated under subsection (2) to provide for the health and safety needs of students returning to school under social distancing guidelines. Additional costs that may be considered as eligible expenses under this subsection include, but are not limited to, costs associated with smaller class sizes, sanitization procedures and materials, staggered start times, staggered bussing, staggered instructional periods, building enhancements necessary for the safe return of students to school as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, plexiglass barriers, masks, or other related materials or measures.

(4) From the funds allocated in subsection (1), there is allocated for 2019-2020 only an amount not to exceed $80,000,000.00 for payments to intermediate districts to assist districts in drafting, coordinating, and implementing distance learning plans and plans for a safe return to school. Funds shall be paid to each intermediate district in the same proportion that the intermediate district receives out of the total funds under section 81 of the


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state school aid act of 1979, 1979 PA 94, MCL 388.1681. Funds can be used to support any expenses that occurred on or after March 1, 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic that are associated with distance learning and a safe return to school.

(5) The department of education shall make payments under this section not later than July 15, 2020. The payments under this section are direct, noncompetitive grant payments and do not require the approval of the state board of education or the state superintendent of public instruction. The department shall distribute the grants without application by a district and without further approval by the department.

(6) As used in this section:

(a) "District" means a local school district as that term is defined in section 6 of the revised school code, 1976 PA 451, MCL 380.6, or a public school academy as that term is defined in section 5 of the revised school code, 1976 PA 451, MCL 380.5.

(b) "Intermediate district" means an intermediate school district as that term is defined in section 4 of the revised school code, 1976 PA 451, MCL 380.4.

 

DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY

Sec. 401. (1) From the funds appropriated in part 1 for teacher hazard and overtime pay premiums, there is allocated for 2019-2020 only an amount not to exceed $53,000,000.00 for payments to districts and nonpublic schools to distribute funding to classroom teachers to recognize the additional overtime and hazardous conditions teachers have incurred or experienced to provide distance learning during the period of school closure as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. All of the following apply to


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funds allocated under this section:

(a) The department shall distribute funding allocated under this section to districts and nonpublic schools equal to $500.00 per full-time equated (FTE) classroom teacher employed by the district or nonpublic school or assigned to regularly and continuously work under contract in a public school operated by the district or in a nonpublic school, and reported to the center for educational performance and information for the 2019-2020 school year. A teacher who works full time and is calculated as 1.0 FTE will receive $500.00 and a teacher whose work time is calculated as less than 1.0 FTE shall receive that portion of the FTE applied to $500.00. The department must distribute funding allocated under this subsection not later than July 15, 2020.

(b) Not later than July 31, 2020, districts and nonpublic schools shall distribute money to classroom teachers in an amount equal to $500.00 per full-time equated classroom teacher in the district or nonpublic school. The district or nonpublic school may distribute funds to classroom teachers by direct deposit or check.

(c) Each classroom teacher receiving funds allocated under this section shall sign, and the district or nonpublic school distributing funds to the classroom teacher shall retain for no less than 4 years, a statement that includes an acknowledgment of the receipt of funds.

(d) Districts and nonpublic schools shall return any unexpended funds allocated under this section to the department not later than September 30, 2020 in a manner prescribed by the department.

(e) Classroom teachers may opt out of receiving funds allocated under this section.


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(f) If funds allocated under this section are insufficient to pay $500.00 per full-time equated classroom teacher, the department shall reduce the payment on an equal per full-time equated classroom teacher basis.

(2) As used in this section:

(a) "Classroom teacher" means a full-time or part-time teacher with an assigned class who provided distance learning to students during the period of school closure that resulted from COVID-19. For the purposes of this section, classroom teacher does not include substitute teachers, paraprofessionals, support staff, or administrators.

(b) "District" means a local school district as that term is defined in section 6 of the revised school code, 1976 PA 451, MCL 380.6, or a public school academy as that term is defined in section 5 of the revised school code, 1976 PA 451, MCL 380.5.

(c) "Regularly and continuously work under contract" means that term as defined in section 1230e of the revised school code, 1976 PA 451, MCL 380.1230e.