LANSING, Mich. (WZMQ) – Michigan House Republicans are focused on legislation they say will reduce government red tape and lower costs for families, focusing on occupational licensing, child care, housing, and health care.
State Rep. Bill Schuette (R-Midland) said this years main focus will be bills designed to remove barriers that make it harder for people to enter the workforce, start businesses, or afford basic necessities.
“We’re looking at occupational licensing. That’s barriers to entering the workforce,” Schuette said. “You need to make this an easier state to start your business, start your career, start a family.”
One example Schuette highlighted is legislation easing licensing requirements for barbers and hairdressers, including allowing mobile barber shops, a model already used in other states.
“We’re allowing not only easier ways for schools to operate to get more people into that profession, but also allowing things like mobile barber shops,” he said.
Schuette said child care affordability is another major focus of the package. He argued that nearly every region of the state faces challenges with access and cost.
“There’s not a family that couldn’t afford a little bit or couldn’t use a little bit more affordability and lower costs in child care,” Schuette said, adding that legislation he sponsored would expand access and reduce expenses.
Other proposals under development would address housing costs through changes to boiler installation regulations and aim to increase the number of trained physicians practicing in Michigan, which Schuette said could help reduce health care costs.
Schuette said many of the bills originated from recommendations made by state departments and align with priorities previously outlined by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.
“This initial tranche of legislation, we have the department’s support and actually came from the governor’s own department recommendation,” he said. “This is something the governor talked about a year ago in her State of the State.”
House leadership has emphasized focusing on as many as 50 bills with clear, measurable impacts rather than moving large quantities of bills. Schuette said that approach guided his work on the red tape reduction initiative.
“We don’t want to do bills just for the sake of doing bills,” he said. “We want to do things that we think actually have tangible, positive impacts on the lives of Michiganders.”
Schuette said several of the proposals have already passed the House and are moving through the legislative process. Supporters hope the full package can be finalized by the end of 2026.
