Lansing- The University of Michigan and Michigan State University could lose millions in state aid next year if they don't  comply with legislative dictates that some view as ideological micromanaging of the state's largest universities.

The Republican-run House higher education appropriations subcommittee approved a plan Friday to withhold $4.78 million in state aid from U-M next year if it fails to report how many human embryonic stem cell lines it has in its research labs.

MSU could lose out on $6.79 million for requiring students to have health insurance, the committee said. Under the label of "performance measures," the panel attached the restrictions to a pool of $36 million in new money for universities.

It is very important to note the following.

Voters authorized a constitutional amendment in 2008 to allow Michigan scientists to create embryonic stem cell lines. But lawmakers included a requirement in the 2012 budget to have researchers file an annual report with a handful of figures, including how many stem cell lines it has created.

The Senate and Gov. Rick Snyder did not include such restrictions in their recommended university spending plans, Boulus said.

Rest here.