Updates About Legislature

With Representative Regina Weiss (D-Oak Park) announcing she will not seek reelection in 2026, the number of State Representatives opting not to run again in the House has risen to 20. The other Representatives are as followed:

• 2nd district: Tullio Liberati (D-Allen Park), is running for State Senate
• 4th district: Karen Whitsett (D-Detroit), is not seeking reelection
• 6th district: Natalie Price (D-Berkley), is running for State Senate
• 11th district: Donavan McKinney (D-Detroit), is running for U.S. Congress
• 15th district: Erin Byrnes (D-Dearborn), is running for State Senate
• 18th district: Jason Hoskins (D-Southfield), is running for State Senate
• 22nd district: Matt Koleszar (D-Plymouth), is running State Senate
• 41st district: Julie Rogers (D-Kalamazoo), is running State Senate
• 54th district: Donni Steele (R-Orion), is running for State Senate
• 59th district: Doug Wozniak (R- Shelby Township), is running for State Senate
• 74th district: Kara Hope (D-Holt), is not seeking reelection
• 78th district: Gina Johnsen (R-Portland), is running for State Senate
• 80th district: Phil Skaggs (D-East Grand Rapids), is running for State Senate
• 84th district: Carol Glanville (D-Walker), is running for State Senate
• 89th district: Luke Meerman (R-Coopersville), is not seeking reelection
• 90th district: Bryan Posthumus (R-Rockford), is not seeking reelection
• 97th district: Matthew Bierlein (R-Vassar), is running for State Senate
• 101st district: Joseph Fox (R-Fremont), is running for State Senate
• 108th district: David Prestin (R-Cedar River), is running for State Senate

Former Representatives Jamie Churches (D-Wyandotte) and Lynn Afendoulis (R-Grand Rapids) have announced they are pursuing reelection to the State House. Churches is seeking her old seat in the 27th district, currently held by Rylee Linting (R-Wyandotte) who narrowly defeated Churches in the 2024 general election. Afendoulis, who ran in the 81st district in the 2022 cycle prior is now seeking election in the 90th district.

Following the recently announced executive recommendations, House Republican Appropriation Subcommittee chairs were given budget targets for Fiscal Year 2027. Although House Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Ann Bollin (R-Brighton) did not outline specific numbers, she did share that the highest budget threshold goal is lower than what we saw in the previous budget. House Republicans say they plan to address the projected $800 million January CREC shortfall without raising taxes. Representative Bollin said GOP priorities for the upcoming budget include strengthening Michigan’s businesses and improving the education system, while cutting spending where possible. Republicans also signaled they will push back against any proposals that increase taxes.

Prior to this report, Republican House Speaker Matt Hall (Richland) announced a new 6% sales tax proposal on select services that is projected to garner $4.73 billion for the state. His proposal applies to certain services usually popular with tourists and wealthier residents. Among the services included in the tax proposal are country club memberships, travel agencies, newspaper publishing, performing arts, political advertising, environmental consulting, and recreational activities such as skiing and golf. Speaker Hall stated that his proposal is not aimed at working class families and instead targets out of state visitors.

The proposal is intended to offset Hall’s proposed property tax cuts that currently generate about $5 billion in revenue. Overall, his tax plan would result in approximately a $270 million net tax cut.

Recently, Governor Whitmer signed SB 495 (Polehanki, D-Livonia) and HB 4141 (Tisdel, R-Rochester Hills) into law with immediate effect. Representative Tisdel’s bill, now Public Act 1 of 2026, bans the use of cellphones by students during instructional periods in all Michigan schools. The bill champoined by Senator Polehanki, now Public Act 2 of 2026, requires schools to develop protocols for when and how students may use their cellphones during an emergency. The legislation passed both chambers with broad bipartisan support.

The previous law allowed districts to create their own policies regarding cellphones. Whitmer called for the ban during her State of the State address last year. The Governor hopes the ban will help students with overall ability to learn, reduce behavioral issues, support higher test scores, and improve students’ mental health. The law applies only to instructional time, and future changes could be considered based on feedback from school leaders.