LANSING, MI (AP)-- Governor Rick Snyder has signed legislation authorizing larger withdrawals from an autism fund and a crime victims' fund to help balance the state budget.
One law OK'd Wednesday shifts an additional $3 million from a fund that help health insurers offset the cost of covering autism benefits and directs it to autism centers at Michigan State, Eastern Michigan and Western Michigan universities.
Another law moves an additional $1.3 million from the Crime Victim's Rights Fund toward a statewide emergency medical trauma system.
The bills help Snyder implement an executive order he issued in February to help address a $412 million shortfall in the current fiscal year. The order saved money in the general fund, but lawmakers had to pass the bills to make sure autism and trauma funding is intact.