0959: SENATE SUBCOMMITTEE REC. (Date Completed: 3-29-12) - FY 2012-13 MILITARY AND VETERANS AFFAIRS BUDGET

FY 2012-13 MILITARY AND VETERANS AFFAIRS BUDGET S.B. 959 (S-1, Draft 2): SENATE SUBCOMMITTEE REC.

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Senate Bill 959 (S-1, Draft 2 as reported) Throughout this document Senate means Subcommittee.
Committee: Appropriations

Changes from FY 2011-12 Year-to-Date:
1. Armory Maintenance. The Governor and Senate recommended an additional $4.8 million GF/GP to repair and maintain State-owned National Guard armories, providing $2.4 million GF/GP in Part 1 to an existing base of $5.3 million GF/GP and $2.4 million GF/GP in a one-time boilerplate appropriation.	4,800,000
2. Flint Armory. The Governor and Senate recommended construction of a new Flint National Guard Armory for $12.0 million Federal and $250,000 State restricted for land acquisition and appraisals.	12,250,000
3. Military Retirement. The Governor and Senate recommended an increase of $150,000 GF/GP to reflect higher costs and transferred the program to the DTMB.	(3,831,700)
4. Unclassified Salaries. The Governor and Senate recommended filling three positions, one for strategic planning, an assistant for Air National Guard, and a deputy for installations.	500,000
5. Grand Rapids and D.J. Jacobetti Veterans Home Fund Shifts. The Governor and Senate recommended a shift of $225,000 and $200,000 GF/GP to Federal funds respectively, and a fund shift of $250,000 State restricted to Federal for the Jacobetti home. Total FY 2012-13 homes' funding would be $46.5 million for Grand Rapids and $18.1 million for Jacobetti.	0
6. Veterans Affairs Directorate. The Governor and Senate recommended the addition of 1.0 FTE for a VA certification officer ($125,000 GF/GP) and $125,000 GF/GP to fill a funding shortfall.	250,000
7. Veterans Service Organization Grants. The Governor and Senate recommended a reduction of $125,000 GF/GP to bring the proposed FY 2012-13 level to $2,904,600 GF/GP. The Senate took $200 from this line to establish $100 placeholders for two new programs, for a Veterans Service Organizations Campus Initiative and for Veterans Service Organizations Technology Assistance.	(125,000)
8. Headquarters and Armories Reduction. The Governor and Senate recommended a GF/GP administrative reduction of $200,000.	(200,000)
9. Grand Rapids Veterans Home Adjustment. The Governor and Senate recommended a reduction of $2.0 million to reflect actual restricted funds received.	(2,000,000)
10. Lump Sum Payments. The Governor and Senate included $707,900 Gross, $155,900 GF/GP for employee lump sum payments.	707,900
11. Capital Outlay Adjustment. The Governor and Senate removed one-time expenditure.	(1,700,000)
12. FY 2011-12 Contingency Plans. The Governor and Senate provided for the FY 2011-12 employee contingency plans, a reduction of $921,300 GF/GP.	(921,300)
13. Economics. Includes $10,521,800 ($2,561,200 GF/GP) for OPEB and a negative $4,896,000 ($1,075,600 GF/GP) for other economic adjustments.	5,625,800
Total Changes	$15,355,700
FY 2012-13 Senate Appropriations Subcommittee Gross Appropriation	$167,839,200

FY 2012-13 MILITARY AND VETERANS AFFAIRS BUDGET BOILERPLATE HIGHLIGHTS

Changes from FY 2011-12 Year to Date:
Deleted Boilerplate:

1. Website. Requires department website with department expenditure and employee data. (Sec. 207)

2. Internet Reports. Requires use of Internet for providing reports. (Sec. 208)

3. IT Work Projects. Designates IT projects as work projects. (Sec. 211)

4. Out-of-State Travel. Provides guidelines/limitations on out-of-State travel. (Sec. 213)

5. IT Fees. Requires payment of fees to DTMB for IT services. (Sec. 214)

6. Lapse Fund Incentive. Requires GF/GP lapse funds to be used for incentive measures. (Sec. 218)

7. Grant Recipients. Requires a report from recipients receiving funds on the number of claims filed for veterans in the State and number of claims awarded. This language was kept and shifted to Sec. 401. (Sec. 221)

Amended Boilerplate:

8. Armory Operations. The Senate added language clarifying armory security standards and requiring that 15 armories rated in "red" condition be upgraded to "green" or "yellow" status. (Sec. 302)

9. Veterans Advocacy. The Senate added language requiring a report from recipients receiving funds on the number of claims filed for veterans in the State and the number of claims awarded and for the DMVA increase the percentage of veterans who become aware of education benefits under the Post 9/11 Veterans Education Assistance Improvement Act of 2010 and of job training and job placement opportunities. (Sec. 401)

10. Michigan Youth Challenge Program. The Senate removed language requiring a starting class size of 144 cadets and that three meals a day shall be provided according to regulations and a metric which requires that not more than 3% of enrollees enter the correctional system within five years of graduation. (Sec.406)

11. Veterans Homes. The Senate amended language which had required resources adequate to provide services for a maximum of 618 nursing and 140 domiciliary beds at the Grand Rapids Home to requiring a minimum number of residents in skilled nursing beds of 403 and a minimum number of 72 in domiciliary beds, and for the D. J. Jacobetti home, changing similar numbers from 182 to 158 and from 59 to 11. (Sec. 501)

12. FY 2014 Appropriations. The Senate added language requiring that 15 armories rated in "red" condition be upgraded to "green" or "yellow" status for FY 2014. (Sec. 1201-2)

Date Completed: 3-29-12 Fiscal Analyst: Bruce Baker This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations. himil_cs.docx