State Rep. Mike Harris on Thursday criticized Michigan Democrats’ ongoing refusal to fully fund school safety and mental health efforts at Michigan schools, after Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed a partial funding measure that leaves schools with less than half of the safety funding they received in previous years.

“Democrats are still shortchanging critical safety and mental health needs in Michigan schools,” said Harris, R-Waterford. “When they eliminated 92% of school safety and mental health funding, Democrats were met with a justified public outcry from parents, teachers, and school leaders. Even now, they are refusing to restore more than half of these critical resources and asking the people of Michigan to be satisfied. This partial funding P.R. stunt is like turning in a half-completed homework assignment and expecting full credit. This fails to fully support the safety and well-being of Michigan students.”

Democrats cut $301.5 million, or 92%, of school safety and mental health funding from their budget, which passed along party lines this summer. The move earned severe criticism from school leaders, teacher unions, and parents, who pointed out that the cuts will lead to program cuts and layoffs of school resource officers and mental health counselors.

Democrats are hoping that House Bill 5503, which restores less than half of what they cut, will distract from the fact that the party is still blocking full funding for school safety and student mental health. Harris voted for the bill while demanding full restoration of school safety resources. The state still has enough general fund dollars available to fully fund school safety and mental health, but Democrats are saving those funds for corporate handouts and other wasteful projects.

House Republicans this summer introduced House Bill 5926, which would prevent layoffs of counselors and school resource officers by fully restoring the $301.5 million that Democrats cut from school safety and mental health.