LANSING, Mich. — School bus safety inspections performed by the Michigan State Police (MSP) will continue without interruption following a call upon the state Legislature by Gov. Jennifer Granholm to appropriate funding for the bus inspection program.

SBFpreviously reported that Granholm had signed the state’s K-12 school aid budget, which did not include the approximately $1.4 million necessary to run the program.

However, in a statement issued by the governor’s office last Friday, Granholm expressed concern over the state Legislature’s elimination of funding in the school aid budget for school bus inspections.

"Without proper revenues, school districts and intermediate school districts are left with no resources to pay the Department of State Police for school bus inspection services," Granholm said. "Because this is an unfunded mandate, I call on the Legislature to appropriate the necessary resources for this critical service in an effort to protect the safety and security of our most precious resource: our children."
 
In the interim, the governor has directed the police department to identify resources within its budget for transfer into the school bus inspection program so that inspections can continue.

Col. Peter Munoz, director of the MSP, said that the department has yet to determine where the funding will come from, but it may result in a reduction in service elsewhere.

Munoz also said that as a result of this change of events, the layoff notices previously issued to 11 state police vehicle safety inspectors have been rescinded.

State law requires school buses to be inspected and certified annually by members of the MSP Motor Carrier Division. Schools and school bus owners cannot legally operate or permit the operation of school buses that have not been inspected.