LANSING, Mich. — Sen. Ruth Johnson on Tuesday sponsored an amendment to House Bill 4016 to invest $800 million into improving safety at Michigan schools, community colleges and public universities.
“In the aftermath of the horrific events on the campus of Michigan State University two weeks ago and at Oxford High School in 2021, we need to do more to help prevent future tragedies,” said Johnson, R-Holly. “Instead of giving $800 million of taxpayer money to inflate the profits of a private corporation, my amendment would have invested those resources into helping make sure our kids are safe in schools and universities across our state.”
HB 4016 would allocate more than $1.3 billion in supplemental spending, earmarking $630 million for site development at Ford Motor Co.’s newly announced battery plant near Marshall and $170 million to the Strategic Outreach and Attraction Reserve (SOAR) Fund, which is intended to further support the plant.
Johnson’s amendment to the bill would have redirected the $800 million from corporate subsidies to student safety, specifically providing $400 million to public universities and community colleges to be used for safety infrastructure, including cameras, door blocks, hardened vestibules, window screening, and technology to operate alert systems and coordinate with local law enforcement.
The amendment also provided $400 million to the state Department of Education to provide payments to school districts and schools for student safety improvement activities, such as coordination with local law enforcement, training for school staff and students, and safety infrastructure.
The amendment was defeated.
HB 4016 now returns to the House for further consideration.
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