Michigan House Passes $78.5B Budget After Seven-Week Delay

The Michigan House of Representatives has passed a $78.5 billion state budget for the 2026 fiscal year, marking a significant step toward averting a government shutdown after missing the initial July 1 deadline. The budget, supported primarily by House Republicans, includes substantial allocations for roads, public safety, and education, with claims of eliminating over $5 billion in waste, fraud, and abuse, and cuts to corporate subsidies. Governor Gretchen Whitmer and legislative leaders remain engaged in negotiations, emphasizing the urgency as the state faces risks like school districts losing funding for free lunch programs if the budget is not finalized by October 1. Despite the House's approval, the Democrat-controlled Senate has its own budget plan, and both chambers must reconcile their differences before sending a final agreement to the governor. Tensions persist, with Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks and House Speaker Matt Hall expressing frustration over delays and calling for an end to political gamesmanship. The looming deadline intensifies pressure on lawmakers to finalize the budget and avoid the consequences of a shutdown that last occurred in Michigan in 2007.