Lt. Governor Signs Supplemental to Close Books on 2014 Fiscal Year

Michigan Lt. Governor Brian Calley signed a year-end, supplemental appropriations bill on Tuesday that included $32.5 million to help people in southeast Michigan and northern Michigan communities hit by weather related disasters this year. The bill closes the book on the 2014 fiscal year and includes some spending changes for the 2015 fiscal year.

Senate Bill 781 includes $30 million from the state's general fund and $2.5 million from the disaster relief fund, in part to help cover the state's share of the federally declared disaster relief. The funding is now part of the 2015 fiscal year budget. The bill also made a number of adjustments to amounts included in the 2014 budget, which ended September 30th, reflecting changes in welfare caseloads and other projected costs.

Calley also used his line-item veto authority to reject one part of the bill which was a proposed $3.3 million deduction in the disability assistance payments. Because supplemental security income program recoveries are coming in lower than anticipated, the reduction would have created a deficit.

Calley had the authority to sign the bill under the Michigan Constitution due to Gov. Rick Snyder being out of state. The bill is now Public Act 356 of 2014.