LANSING, Mich. — Sen. John Damoose offered a number of amendments as the Senate debated the state’s upcoming fiscal year spending plan.
“The proposed budget served as a good starting point, but I wanted to offer some additional opportunities to do good for Michigan families,” said Damoose, R-Harbor Springs.
Damoose proposed amendments to the general budget that would have restored Going PRO funding, which has benefited hundreds of thousands of Michigan workers and thousands of Michigan businesses, to the previous fiscal year’s funding level and set aside $10 million in one-time funding to address high-risk DNR-owned dams.
“Having seen the crisis in Midland caused by failing dams and closely monitoring the recent scare in Cheboygan, I can say with certainty that making sure our dams are in good shape would provide peace of mind for many communities,” Damoose said. “I am disappointed to see these amendments defeated, but I am going to continue these discussions and pursue other avenues to get these efforts approved.”
As debate continued into Thursday, Damoose offered two additional amendments, one to remove a prohibition on students from receiving a state scholarship if they are enrolled in a theology or divinity program and one to provide a solution to a long-awaited and delayed project at Northwestern Michigan College in Traverse City.
Funding for the student services hub was previously negotiated in 2024, though funding has been held up due to what Damoose called a mistake. The project was also postponed in favor of a downstate development.
“This long-overdue project — which was already negotiated in good faith — would help centralize student services such as financial aid and enrollment under one roof and repurpose old, inaccessible buildings to improve learning opportunities and student experiences,” Damoose said. “I offered this amendment because it’s time to finally make good on the commitments that were made years ago.”
Damoose’s amendments were voted down by the current Senate majority.
“Unfortunately, my amendments, along with many other good ideas, were shot down,” Damoose said.
After approving education budgets on Thursday, the Senate has passed its proposed spending plan for the 2026-27 fiscal year. The bills now head to the state House.
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