GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., Dec. 18, 2023 — Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed House Bill 4292, a supplemental budget bill, today at the Pew Campus of Grand Valley State University in Grand Rapids. Among the provisions in the bill was funding to relieve the outstanding debt of Benton Harbor Area Schools. After the signing, state Rep. Joey Andrews (D-St. Joseph) released the following statement:
“Today marks a fresh start for Benton Harbor. The dark cloud of this debt has loomed over our students, schools and community for far too long. Making payments has sapped resources from the classroom while other districts have been free to give more support to their students. I was proud to vote yes on this legislation, and I’m excited to see how BHAS will grow in the coming years.”