Michigan Senate Bill SB0864

Michigan 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 3/18/26
• Refer: 3/18/26
• Report Pass: 4/28/26
• Refer: 4/28/26

Caption

Appropriations: department of state police; appropriations for fiscal year 2026-2027; provide for. Creates appropriation act.

Summary

Senate Bill 864 is a fiscal-year 2026-2027 appropriations bill for the Michigan Department of State Police. As drafted, it makes a very small direct appropriation: $100 in gross appropriations from the state general fund/general purpose for the department of state police. The bill also states the total state spending from state sources under the bill is $100 and that none of that spending is to be paid to local units of government. The bill functions as an annual appropriations act and ties the spending authority to the Michigan Management and Budget Act and the state constitution’s budgeting requirements. In practical terms, it establishes the legal framework for the Department of State Police’s funding for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2027, but the amount appropriated in the text is nominal rather than a substantive operating budget. Because it is an appropriations bill, it affects state budget law and the department’s authority to expend the specified funds, but it does not create new regulatory programs or amend criminal law. The available voting history suggests the bill was generally supported in committee, as it was reported favorably with a substitute by an 11-6 vote. That indicates majority support, but not unanimity, and the substitute version suggests some changes were made before reporting. No committee transcript is provided, so there is no recorded debate to identify specific arguments in favor of or against the bill. The main point of contention appears to be the appropriations package itself, rather than any policy change, since the bill is a budget measure for a major state law-enforcement agency. The split committee vote implies some members may have objected to the substitute, the funding approach, or the broader budget context, but the record provided does not specify those concerns. Overall, the bill appears to be a routine appropriations measure with limited substantive policy impact beyond authorizing the department’s funding for the fiscal year.

Impact

SB 864 amends state spending authority by appropriating $100 from the state general fund/general purpose to the Department of State Police for fiscal year 2026-2027. It operates under the Michigan Constitution’s appropriations framework and the Management and Budget Act, and it sets the amount of state spending from state sources at $100 with no payments to local units of government. The bill affects budget law and the department’s expenditure authority, but it does not alter the department’s powers, duties, or underlying criminal statutes.

Sentiment

The overall sentiment appears moderately favorable, based on the committee vote to report the bill favorably with substitute S-1 by an 11-6 margin. That vote indicates the bill had majority support but also meaningful opposition. Because no committee transcript is available, the specific tone of debate is unknown, but the recorded action suggests the bill was accepted as a budget measure despite some dissent.

Contention

The principal contention likely centered on the appropriations decision and the substitute version rather than on policy language, since the bill is a straightforward funding act for the Department of State Police. The 11-6 committee vote shows that a substantial minority opposed reporting the bill, but the record provided does not identify whether objections related to the amount appropriated, the structure of the substitute, or broader budget priorities. No other specific disputes are documented in the materials provided.