Advocacy News – April 23, 2026
What’s happening: The Legislature is starting to advance initial state budget proposals – kicking off negotiations that will shape nearly $76 billion in spending.
- The House passed a series of budget bills after late-night Wednesday session.
- The Senate is expected to vote next week.
Why it matters: These early proposals are far from final – but they offer a clear signal on MI Chamber priorities and competing issues that will drive negotiations impacting taxes, workforce investment and economic competitiveness in the weeks ahead.
What happened in the MI House: House Republicans are emphasizing a return to baseline budgeting – focusing on what was spent in previous years versus what has been appropriated.
Other highlights:
- $3B lower than last year’s budget
- Infrastructure: Increased investment in roads and transportation
- Education: Modest K-12 increases, with focus on career/technical education, tutoring and academic support
- Workforce: Includes $40M for Going PRO Talent Fund (MI Chamber helped secure this key workforce development priority)
- Efficiency: Eliminates funding tied to ~4,300 unfilled state positions, freeing up ~$560M
Over in the MI Senate: Senate Democrats are moving their own budget plan this week, with a vote expected soon. They are pushing a $350M withdrawal from the state’s rainy day fund and did not include any funding for Going PRO. The MI Chamber will continue to advocate for employers on this proven workforce training tool and its inclusion in the final budget.
What’s next: Negotiations between the House, Senate and Governor will intensify in the coming weeks. Expect continued debate on spending levels, workforce investments and use of reserves and/or tax or fee increases, as suggested by the Governor.
- The Chamber will continue to closely monitor the situation and advocate for employers, fiscal responsibility and our state’s economic competitiveness.
For Qs or more information, contact Dan Papineau.