Michigan Legislature Moves Slowest in Decade as Campaign Season Looms

Michigan lawmakers have signed just seven bills into law in the first three months of 2026, marking the slowest legislative pace in an even-numbered year this century.

That glacial start to the second year of a two-year term follows a historic slog in 2025, when Michigan lawmakers passed the fewest bills since the Civil War. With campaign season approaching, experts predict the Legislature may not do much more than pass the constitutionally required budget before lawmakers head home to hit the stump.

A Historic Legislative Stumble

Bridge Michigan analyzed the state's legislative output and found that Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed only seven bills into law in the first quarter of 2026. The seven laws include two smartphone bans in public school classrooms, two death certificate streamlining measures, an interstate medical compact renewal, a tax incremental financing measure for Harsens Island, and a bill designating the wood duck as Michigan's first official state duck.

The pace is "the slowest in an even-numbered year this century," according to the analysis. Historically, the second year of two-year terms tends to be more productive than the first because lawmakers have learned to work together. But 2026 is breaking that pattern.

"We may, in fact, really not see much movement other than a budget all this year, unless we see a deal on property taxes," said John Sellek, a Republican strategist and founder of Harbor Strategic communications.

Property Tax Reform Remains Stalled

Property tax reform has been a high priority for several lawmakers, including House Speaker Matt Hall. But he has not yet introduced a plan and has suggested any proposal will be complicated.

Hall has personally blocked a top priority for Senate Democrats, who last year advanced a government transparency proposal to expand Michigan's Freedom of Information Act by subjecting the governor and lawmakers to public records requests.

Asked about the prospects for legislative action this year, Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks pointed to laws Democrats passed in 2023, including elimination of the so-called "retirement tax" and expansion of the Earned Income Tax Credit.

"There's certainly more we can get done this year," Brinks said, citing other top priorities for her caucus including lowering child care costs and prescription drug prices. "We certainly hope to have willing partners in the House on all of those things."

Contentious Budget Process

The budget process proved contentious last year, the first since Republicans won back the state House to end a short-lived Democratic trifecta. Lawmakers blew past a July 1 budget deadline written into state law and then missed an Oct. 1 deadline mandated by the state Constitution, passing a stopgap spending measure to avoid the first state government shutdown in 16 years.

Hall has defended the minimal lawmaking in Lansing, arguing quality matters more than quantity.

"In a statement, he told Bridge he's optimistic the Legislature can get a property tax cut deal done this year," according to Bridge Michigan.

More Than 2,600 Bills Introduced

More than 2,600 bills have been introduced between the Republican-led House and Democratic-led Senate since the current term started on Jan. 1, 2025. Whitmer signed 76 of those bills into law in 2025, making it the lowest performing legislative year since 1842, according to the Michigan Information and Research Service Inc.

Nearly half of the new laws — 36 — were signed in December during a year-end flurry. As of 2026, five of the seven bills signed into law this year originated in the Republican-led House, where Hall has at times vocally opposed passing legislation from Senate Democrats.

What's Been Signed Into Law

The seven bills signed into law so far this year include:

• Two bills to ban smartphones from public school classrooms, a long-running effort of lawmakers from both major political parties
• Two bills dealing with death certificates, streamlining the certification process and requiring certificates be filed within 48 hours of a death
• A bill to renew an interstate medical compact Michigan participates in, keeping 8,000 doctors licenses from expiring in the process
• A measure allowing Harsens Island in St. Clair County to utilize tax incremental financing for downtown development purposes
• A bill to designate the wood duck as Michigan's first official state duck

Both chambers wanted to renew the medical compact, but the legislation stalled for months amid a political debate over which lawmakers would get credit. Hall has claimed credit for having "personally negotiated deals to ban cellphones in classrooms" and for renewing Michigan's participation in the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact which stopped an estimated 8,000 medical licenses from lapsing in late 2025.

Campaign Trail Looming

With lawmakers expected to leave Lansing this summer to hit the campaign trail ahead of fall elections, experts predict the glacial pace could continue.

The second year of two-year terms are typically more productive than the first because lawmakers have learned to work together. But so far, 2026 is the slowest start to the second year of a term since at least 1998, which is as far back as legislative records are immediately available.