PREGNANT & PARENTING STUDENTS - S.B. 878 (S-1): FLOOR ANALYSIS


Senate Bill 878 (Substitute S-1 as reported)

Sponsor: Senator Alan Sanborn

Committee: Families, Mental Health and Human Services


CONTENT


The bill would create the "Pregnant and Parenting Student Services Act" to:


-- Establish the "Pregnant and Parenting Student Services Fund".

-- Allow the Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH) to award grants from the Fund to institutions of higher education that established and operated a "Pregnant and Parenting Student Services Office".

-- Specify requirements that an Office would have to meet.

-- Allow an Office to provide referrals on prenatal care, delivery, infant or foster care, or adoption, and on family planning to students who requested that information, but not for abortion services.

-- Require the MDCH to identify specific performance criteria and standards that an Office would have to use in preparing its annual report.


The Fund would consist of appropriations; money allocated, donated, or paid from any source; and interest and earnings from Fund investments. Money in the Fund could be appropriated for grants under the bill and the administrative costs of the MDCH in implementing and administering the bill.


An institution of higher education (a degree- or certificate-granting public or private college or university, junior college, or community college in Michigan) that had a Pregnant and Parenting Student Services Office would be eligible for and could receive a grant. The MDCH could award a grant to eligible institutions, but could not award more than four grants, for pilot programs, during the first year after the bill's effective date.


An Office annually would have to assess the performance of the institution and the Office in meeting the following needs of students who were pregnant or who were custodial parents or legal guardians of a minor: comprehensive student health care; family housing; child care; flexible or alternative academic scheduling; and education concerning responsible parenting for mothers and fathers. An Office also would have to identify public and private service providers that were qualified to meet those needs and establish programs to meet them.


- Legislative Analyst: Patrick Affholter

FISCAL IMPACT


The bill would have an indeterminate fiscal impact on the State depending on the level of Fund activity and the number of postsecondary education institutions that might apply for a grant. There could be a fiscal impact on local units of government because public community colleges would be eligible to receive grants from the Fund. The bill would allow money from the Fund to cover costs of the Department of Community Health for the implementation and administration of the grant program. There is no FY 2001-02 appropriation for this Fund in the MDCH budget, nor has the Governor recommended one for FY 2002-03.


Date Completed: 4-26-02 - Fiscal Analyst: Ellen Jeffries, Dana Patterson

- Floor\sb878 - Bill Analysis @ http://www.senate.state.mi.us/sfa

This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.