LANSING, Mich. (WZMQ) – Michigan representatives are heading into March with a game plan to build the 2026 budget. Speaker of the House Matt Hall (R-Richland Township) said Republicans are looking to approve $20 billion in school and public safety funding early.
Before lawmakers can crack down on the budget for next fiscal year, they have to close out the current one. Thursday, House Republicans announced a $49 million supplemental plan to close out the last of the 2025 budget. The original proposal totaled $369 million, the Senate pared that down to $168 million, but House leaders are looking to cut costs heading into 2026.
“We will give you your book closing, OK, but what you need to do is you need to support our effort to keep vital functions of government open in the next fiscal year,” Hall said. “These are not the controversial parts of this budget, let’s just get them out of the way now and then let’s focus on something that we really should all agree on, finding efficiency in state government”
Since they took office, the new Republican leadership has been focused on taking their time looking at every budget item to approve, deny, or reduce spending.
Normally, state funding is finalized in July to allow recipients time to plan ahead. The chair of the House appropriations committee said they intend to look at every single budget item to cut unnecessary spending and fund their priorities, even if they have to work on it until the September 30th deadline.
Democrats immediately raised concerns about causing a government shutdown if essential funding isn’t approved before the start of the next fiscal year. In response, House Republicans introduced what they’re calling a government shutdown prevention plan.
The plan includes $20 billion to preemptively approve parts of next year’s budget, including money for education, corrections, veterans homes, public safety, local governments, debt payments, and a new per-pupil allowance of $1,025. Hall said they can now take their time on the rest of the budget without worrying about a government shut down come October.
House Democrats said they were informed about the plan just minutes before the vote and are calling the plan reckless and dangerous.
“The Republicans on the state and federal levels are taking a scorch and burn approach to the democratic process and to our necessary agencies. Democratic lawmakers were given extremely short notice before these bills were added to the agenda. The bills obliterate investments to many areas and state agencies. Sneaky and shameful, that is what this is. What we need is transparency and good governance — this behavior isn’t it,” said Democratic Leader Ranjeev Puri (D-Canton). “This Republican government shutdown plan will cause Michiganders to lose their jobs and access to critical services. The Republican plan will hurt families, plain and simple.”
While Democrats said the plan guts the state budget, Republicans reassured they still intend to work on a complete budget. The bills passed down party lines and will now need support in the Senate before they can be approved by the governor.
