State lawmakers finalize 2022 budget

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State lawmakers Tuesday advanced a 2022 fiscal year budget which calls for more funding for colleges and universities in addition to record funding for K-through-12 school districts that was passed earlier this summer. The bipartisan $70 billion spending plan calls for universities and community colleges to receive a 4% one time funding increase this year and a smaller 1% increase for next fiscal year. Up to $200 million will go towards bridge infrastructure and $20 million dollars for failing dams. Lawmakers included language in the budget that would prohibit state agencies and department from subjecting employees to any “negative employment consequences” due to their COVID-19 vaccine status. Whitmer could strike that language in the process of signing the spending bills into law.