Updates About Legislature

This week, members of the Senate Appropriations Committee reported on SB 596 (Anthony, D-Lansing) and HB 4420 (Kunse, R-Clare), legislation that would apply transparency measures for budget earmarks into state statute. In a unanimous vote, HB 4420 which outlines the requirements for the earmark request form, was approved by members. All but one legislator voted for SB 596, which would enact certain transparency requirements for legislative earmarks.

Both bills were substituted before being reported, with the S-1 substitute for SB 596 including several changes. The bill defines a “legislatively directed spending item” (LDSI) as an appropriation that provides a specific amount of money to a particular entity, local government, or project. It excludes funds tied to declared emergencies, formula-based programs, or services that are already required by law.

Earmarks would need to be reviewed by the originating chamber’s appropriations committee before inclusion in any bill or conference report. For-profit organizations would be ineligible for earmarks, while nonprofits must have operated in Michigan for at least three years, maintained a Michigan office for one year, and have a board of directors. The House and Senate would also be required to post earmark requests online within five business days of submission.

A second substitute was adopted for SB 596 to require that an earmark be submitted at least 10 days prior to being voted on by the legislature. The substitute also included parameters for giving either chamber the authority to require an earlier deadline for submitting earmarks. While the bill passed in the Senate 31-5, Speaker of the House Matt Hall (R-Richland Township) criticized the brief 10-day deadline for submitting earmarks and instead suggested a 90 day deadline would be optimal.

HB 4420’s S-2 substitute would require the legislator making the earmark request, and any cosponsors, to attach their name to the earmark. The name of the recipient and their address would also have to be included. A confirmation for nonprofit requirements detailed in SB 596’s S-1 would also be required. Each request would also need to include a statement confirming no conflict of interest and verification of the recipient’s nonprofit status or a statement that it is not-for-profit.

SB 596 is currently awaiting a committee hearing in the House Appropriations committee. HB 4420 has been placed on third reading in the Senate.

Ten total individuals have declared to run for the vacant 35th Senate District seat prior to the September 30th filing deadline. Six Democrats and four Republicans will face off in their respective primaries set on February 3rd, 2026. The winners will then proceed to compete in the special general election held on May 5th, 2026. Representatives Bill Schuette (R-Midland) and Timmy Beson (R-Bay City) considered entering the race but ultimately chose to seek reelection to the House instead. Rep. Schuette was regarded as the best candidate for the Republicans to retake the seat in what is expected to be a tightly contested race.

Governor Whitmer recently called for the special election after receiving attacks from Republicans who were frustrated with the Governor for not calling the election sooner. The 35th Senate District includes parts of Bay, Midland, and Saginaw counties. With Democrats holding a 19-18 majority in the Senate, a Republican victory would create a 19-19 tie, requiring the lieutenant governor to cast tie-breaking votes. The winner of the special election will also have to defend the seat again just six months later in the regular election if they choose to run.

The list of the candidates for each part are as follows:

DEMOCRATS

• Brandell Adams (Bridgeport Township) - Saginaw County Democratic Party Chair
• Martin Blank (Saginaw) - a surgeon and former Republican candidate
• Chedrick Greene (Saginaw) - former Marine and current Saginaw Fire Captain
• Dr. William Morrone (Bay City) - medical director of Recovery Pathways
• Pamela Pugh (Saginaw) - State Board of Education Chair
• Serenity Salak (Saginaw) - former Eligibility Specialist

REPUBLICANS

• Jason Tunney (Saginaw) - attorney
• Chadwick Twillman (Saginaw) - businessperson
• Christian Velasquez ( Midland) - former Dow executive
• Andrew Wendt (Saginaw) - former Saginaw City Commissioner

For more election-related news, see 2026 STATE ELECTION UPDATES

According to a statement released by Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) Director, Elizabeth Hertel, the meager budget passed by House Republicans would have dire consequences on Michigan residents. Hertel highlighted that the budget’s $4.95 billion reduction in MDHHS funding would lead to significant staff reductions impacting child protective services workers, benefits specialists, disease specialists, and fraud, waste, and abuse investigators.

The director also reported that the budget cuts would curb certain service programs such as removing $20 million in adult dental coverage, $10 million to hospitals for maternal health care, $7 million for the Office of Community Violence and their gun violence reduction efforts, $6.8 million to state psychiatric hospitals, and $4 million toward addressing homelessness.

Hertel stressed that the eliminated funding would negatively impact behavioral health services by increasing wait times and decreasing the state’s patient capacity capabilities. The cuts would also erase Medicaid coverage for approximately 33% of residents in rural communities, placing an extra burden on local hospitals and resources posed with absorbing the costs of their care.