LANSING — Michigan Democrats and Republicans are already preparing legislative wishlists should they secure full control of state government in November. The election will decide the governor’s office and all 148 seats in the Legislature. Democrats indicate a focus on controlling prescription drug costs, while Republicans aim to cut property taxes. Leaders from both parties also share an interest in cracking down on price gouging and reining in high healthcare costs.
Many of these proposals are holdovers from the current Legislature, a period marked by a Republican-led House and a Democratic-led Senate, which has been described as one of the least productive two-year sessions in state history. While candidates from both parties are promoting affordability measures on the campaign trail, the midterm election may largely hinge on voter sentiment regarding Republican President Donald Trump.
Matt Grossmann, director of Michigan State University’s Institute for Public Policy and Social Research, noted that there is an "almost perfect relationship for who they say they’re going to support in the state legislative race" based on how voters feel about the President. Grossmann also pointed to significant national headwinds for Republicans due to Trump's poor favorability ratings. He added that if statewide polls and generic ballot numbers are accurate, a substantial shift toward Democrats could be expected. This could benefit Democratic gubernatorial nominee Jocelyn Benson, who is leading in polls and actively campaigning with legislative candidates she hopes will join her in Lansing. Conversely, Republican nominee John James is asserting momentum for the GOP and has put forth numerous conservative proposals that would require a cooperative Legislature to pass.
Should Democrats regain full control, a position they last held in the 2023-24 session, they plan to prioritize affordability issues from the outset. Sen. Darrin Camilleri of Trenton, the party’s presumptive leader for the upper chamber next term, emphasized the importance of revisiting legislation considered in the past year. This includes Democratic bills to establish a prescription drug affordability board capable of capping prices and measures to address algorithmically driven dynamic pricing. Democrats have also proposed additional regulations for data centers, which have not yet advanced in Lansing but could be revisited. These proposals would limit hyperscale data centers to two million gallons of water daily and require them to pay laborers and contractors building these facilities a prevailing wage. The proposed package does not include a moratorium on construction or limits on facility noise. Sen. Camilleri stated that the party has many ideas, which he believes will help them be productive starting in 2027.
House Minority Leader Ranjeev Puri, a Democrat from Canton, also acknowledged that "affordability is absolutely the need of this moment." However, he is waiting to learn the full makeup of the new Democratic caucus and their ideas before prescribing a specific policy agenda. Puri noted that housing and healthcare access would remain prominent issues, adding that Democrats need a plan for community and economic development and ensuring every child has access to quality public education.
Republicans last had full control of state government from 2011 to 2018. During that time, legislators worked with former Gov. Rick Snyder to implement tax code reforms, expand Medicaid, and create Right-to-Work and read-or-flunk laws, which Democrats later repealed.
House Speaker Matt Hall, a Republican from Richland Township, stated that he would continue his efforts to "dramatically lower property taxes," regardless of whether Republicans retake full control of state government. His chamber proposed eliminating the 6-mill state property tax rate in June, though this plan did not include a strategy to replace the lost state revenue for schools and local governments. Hall previously suggested a replacement tax on certain services. He also expressed interest in improving the regulatory environment for Michigan businesses, viewing it as crucial for attracting new companies and supporting existing ones. Hall intends to try again to repeal Michigan’s clean energy standards, a goal shared with GOP gubernatorial nominee James. A 2023 law, passed by Democrats, mandates that the state’s electric providers achieve a 100% clean energy portfolio by 2040.
Sen. Roger Hauck of Mount Pleasant, the presumptive Senate GOP leader for the next term, is open to considering Hall’s property tax repeal plan, but noted that "property tax reform starts at the local level" and that he had not yet thoroughly examined the policy. Hauck indicated a desire for the Senate and its standing committees to meet more regularly under Republican leadership. He also expressed interest in focusing on state department accountability, which he defined as requiring agencies to respond to taxpayer inquiries in a more timely manner. Additionally, Hauck highlighted the need to address chronic absenteeism in Michigan, while House Speaker Hall said legislators must hold schools accountable and continue to improve them regarding childhood literacy scores. Hall referenced "bringing back phonics" as a newly adopted literacy training requirement for teachers, acknowledging that more work is needed.
