For months, the Republican-controlled House and the Democratic-led Senate have been struggling to reach a compromise on an annual funding plan. “We’re finally moving away from these COVID highs,” Hall said of record post-pandemic state funding over the past several years. The House passed the first spending bill, funding state agencies, in a 101-8 vote just before 10 p.m. Thursday night. The Senate voted 31-5 in favor of the funding plan for schools, universities and community colleges. Republicans in the House had originally proposed massive cuts for the University of Michigan and Michigan State University, but those reductions were dropped through negotiations with Democrats.