102nd Legislature, Weeks 18-23: The Budget Conference Committee Process
Conference committee is the endgame of the annual state budget process.
On the morning of Tuesday, May 23rd, the Senate voted to non-concur with the House budget, as expected. This triggered the conference committee process on SB 178.
Senators Klinefelt , Hertel, and Bumstead were appointed as the Senate conferees. Representatives Puri , Morgan , and Steele were appointed on June 6th to form the full six-member conference committee on the 2023-24 state transportation budget .
Made available to the public on Wednesday, June 28th, the final legislative budget proposed a $60M increase for Local Bus Operating Assistance , split in two parts: A $15M baseline increase, which will be the starting point for next year's budget, and a $45M one-time increase sourced from ARPA funds.
My original breakdown thread of the final budget proposal.
The $100M to "explore high-speed rail" was dropped from the final proposed budget. In its place is $20 one-time funding for grants to be awarded to local governments and public authorities.
If high-speed rail died so that the bus ops increase could live, I am okay with this. It's more or less what we pushed for: Both is good, but if it's one or the other, bump LBO.
HSR is a nice-to-have. Existing bus agencies are in crisis and need immediate help.
Squishy bus in the state legislature — and the current cover photo for my tracking index!
Governor Whitmer signed the budget into law on July 31st, thus concluding my funding coverage for the 2023-24 fiscal year.