State Senator Jeff Irwin

Another good consumer protection measure that could help lower Michigan's high car insurance rates.

Thank you Office of State Senator Jeremy Moss!

Bill to ban basing insurance rates on consumer behavior heads to state House A bill that would ban the practice of using data from a consumer's shopping behavior as a factor in setting insurance rates has passed the Michigan Senate.

Bad news for Michigan.

Governor Whitmer and Michigan House Republicans delivered a massive blow to teachers, public safety officers, corrections officers, and all public employees.

In addition, they made sure Michigan continues to have the worst protections in the country for consumer debt, giving a big win to debt collectors and debt buyers.

This move enables and encourages future unconstitutional games by the Legislature and hurts regular people who are being squeezed by a tough economy.

Finally.

The courts finally ruled on a time-sensitive case to determine if the Michigan House Republicans had to follow the Constitution Article 4, Section 33.

Michigan House Republicans violated the state Constitution to withhold bills that passed both chambers in what amounted to a "veto" from the House Clerk. Now, the Supreme Court is backing up what the Court of Claims and the Court of Appeals ruled.

Here is what's at stake if Governor Gretchen Whitmer signs the bills (or not):
1) Michigan has, currently, the worst protections for people with credit card or other consumer debt. Bills passed to bring Michigan into alignment with national averages and to protect public benefits like the EITC from garnishment by debt buyers and debt collectors (or not if vetoed).
2) Correctional officers will be allowed back into the pension, enacting the most significant policy we can to reduce mandatory overtime and improve safety (or not if there is a veto).
3) Teachers, public safety, or other public employees will be able to bargain for lower health insurance costs (or not if there is a veto).
4) the Charles Wright museum will be allowed to seek support from the voters (or not if there is a veto).

Here is the Detroit News' version:

Michigan House must present 9 stalled bills to gov under high court order The Michigan House must present nine bills passed in 2024 to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer for her signature under a Michigan Supreme Court order.

Michigan's Legislature just passed a budget. Here are some highlights on the budget for K-12 schools:

Funding the education of our people and our local schools is the most important investment that the state of Michigan makes each year. In general, our budget for 2027 includes modest increases for base operations and protects a number of critical investments in school success.

The 2026-2027 k-12 budget:

✅ ️Increases per-pupil base funding to $10,300, a 2.5% increase

✅️ Continues progress on literacy by funding more literacy coaches, training, and materials that align with our new early-literacy law

✅️ Protects universal, free school breakfast and lunch

✅ ️Cements the weighted funding formula which brings more support for students facing poverty, special needs, or who need more help with language proficiency

✅️ Continues funding for mental health and school safety grants.

Here is a link to the summary from the Senate Fiscal Agency (you can also find the full bill on the Michigan Legislature website):https://www.legislature.mi.gov/documents/2025-2026/billanalysis/Senate/pdf/2026-SFA-5630-R.pdf

Happy Fourth of July!

The Michigan Senate and House have come together on a budget.

I'll focus on some specific items over the coming days, but I have a few quick observations and highlights:

1. It is important to pass the budget now - or even sooner - to give schools and local governments time to plan their budgets.

2. Investments in housing are especially important right now and I am very happy that we are making additional investments in keeping people housed.

3. One of my top priorities from my first Senate budget in 2019 was to improve services for seniors. Every year I have fought for wage increases for the people who provide direct care to seniors. We have made a little progress almost every year; but, this year we increased direct care workers wages more than any of my previous seven budgets.