Appropriations: general government; appropriations for fiscal year 2026-2027; provide for. Creates appropriation act.
Summary
Senate Bill 861 is a fiscal year 2026-2027 appropriations bill for Michigan’s general government functions. It provides funding for the legislature, the executive branch, the attorney general, the secretary of state, the treasury, the Department of Technology, Management, and Budget, the Department of Civil Rights, and other related state purposes. As drafted, the bill appropriates a total of $100 in gross appropriations, all from the state general fund/general purpose, making it a placeholder-style or nominal appropriations measure rather than a substantive spending bill.
The bill also states the constitutional spending totals for the fiscal year, including $100 in total state spending from state sources and $0 paid to local units of government. It ties the appropriations to the Management and Budget Act, which governs how the funds may be administered and expended. In practical terms, the bill would amend state budget law only for the listed general government accounts and would not create new regulatory programs or alter private rights directly.
Impact
SB 861 would update Michigan’s appropriations law for the 2026-2027 fiscal year by setting line-item funding for general government departments and branches at a nominal $100 total from the general fund. Its legal effect is limited to budget authorization and expenditure authority under the state’s annual appropriations framework, while also reaffirming the application of the Management and Budget Act. Because the bill contains no meaningful program funding, it has little direct operational impact on agencies, local governments, or regulated parties beyond the formal budget structure.
Sentiment
The available voting history suggests the bill received generally favorable committee support, passing out of committee 11-6 with a substitute. That vote indicates some bipartisan or at least mixed support, but not unanimity. No committee transcript is available, so the record does not show detailed debate, but the favorable report suggests the bill was viewed as acceptable as a budget vehicle, even if not without opposition.
Contention
The main point of contention appears to be the appropriations approach itself, especially given the bill’s nominal $100 total funding level for major general government functions. Opponents likely objected to either the substance of the substitute, the symbolic or placeholder nature of the appropriation, or the broader budget strategy reflected in the bill. Supporters, by contrast, appear to have favored moving the appropriations measure forward in order to establish the fiscal framework for the covered departments and branches.