Michigan's 529 college savings program
What they say
His campaign says that as a state senator he wrote the legislation that created Michigan's 529 college savings program.
“He wrote the legislation that created Michigan’s 529 College Savings Program, helping families save for their children’s education.”
What the record shows ·
Senate Bill 599 of 1999 lists one sponsor, Mike Rogers of the 26th Senate district, and describes itself as establishing the Michigan education savings program. It passed the Senate 36 to 0 on May 3, 2000 and the House 105 to 0 on May 18; the Senate concurred in the House substitute 37 to 0 on May 31, and the governor approved it on June 16, 2000 as Public Act 161 of 2000.
Limit: The legislature's record ties the bill to two House bills, HB 5653 by Gary Woronchak and HB 5654 by Scott Shackleton. Both became law the same day, as Public Acts 162 and 163 of 2000, and provide the state income tax deductions for contributions; SB 599 is the act that establishes the program. The Senate Fiscal Agency's analysis says so directly: "Senate Bill 599 created the Michigan Education Savings Program Act". The claim that he wrote the legislation that created it matches the sponsor line on that act. Unanimous votes in both chambers mean the bill was not contested.