Michigan Legislature Passes Only Seven Bills in First Three Months of 2026 as Divided Government Gridlock Continues

Michigan's Politically Divided Capitol Moves at Glacial Pace

LANSING — Michigan's state Legislature is off to its slowest start in an even year this century, with Governor Gretchen Whitmer signing just seven bills into law during the first three months of 2026.

That represents a slight increase from last year when lawmakers finalized six bills in the first six months of session but it marks the slowest pace in an even-numbered year since 2022.

The politically polarized Capitol continues to struggle with divided government between the Republican-led House and Democratic-led Senate. With campaign season looming and lawmakers expected to leave Lansing this summer for the fall election trail, experts predict legislators may not do much more than pass the constitutionally required budget.

"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 Republican strategist John Sellek founder and CEO of the Lansing-based Harbor Strategic communications firm.

House Speaker Matt Hall has defended the minimal lawmaking in Lansing arguing quality matters more than quantity. He told Bridge Michigan he is optimistic the Legislature can get a property tax cut deal done this year.

Hall has also 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.

Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks of Grand Rapids pointed to laws Democrats passed in 2023 when they were still in charge including elimination of the so-called retirement tax and expansion of the Earned Income Tax Credit for lower-income residents.

But there is certainly more we can get done this year Brinks said telling Bridge that other top priorities for her caucus include lowering child care costs and prescription drug prices.

We certainly hope to have willing partners in the House on all of those things Brinks said in a statement.

Bills Signed Into Law

More than 2600 bills have been introduced between the Republican-led House and Democratic-led Senate since the current two-year term started on January 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.

The second year of two-year terms are typically more productive than the first because lawmakers have learned to work together and already introduced many bills.

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.

What's Been Signed Into Law So Far This Year

• 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 8000 doctors licenses from expiring in the process. Both chambers wanted to renew but the legislation stalled for months amid a political debate over which lawmakers would get credit
• A measure allowing Harsens Island in St. Clair County to utilize tax incremental financing for downtown development purposes. It was approved as part of a deal on the medical compact bill
• Most recently a bill to designate the wood duck as Michigan's first official state duck.

Hall the House speaker 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 8000 medical licenses from lapsing in late 2025.

Legislative Priorities Stalled

Among other initiatives facing an uncertain future in the politically polarized Capitol:

• A medical debt relief plan approved by the Democratic-led Senate
• Funding for a new runway and infrastructure upgrades at the Selfridge Air National Guard Base approved by the Republican-led House
• A potential business incentive deal that Whitmer and Hall teased last year

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 is optimistic the Legislature can get a property tax cut deal done this year.

Hall has also 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.

Small Business Perspectives

The National Federation of Independent Business noted the Michigan Legislature has taken a deliberate approach to legislation this year so there are fewer bills being considered.

However the legislature has taken action on some significant legislation important to small businesses.

With a split government often times bills will only make it through one chamber of the legislature but NFIB continues to advocate for pro-small business policies in order to keep these issues front and center for legislators.

NFIB has been working on premises liability legislation known as open and obvious which would reinstate the standard that if an average person of ordinary intelligence could reasonably be expected to discover and avoid a dangerous condition the property owner is typically not liable for injuries stemming from that condition.

House Bill 4582 which would reinstate the open and obvious standard for premises liability passed the House with bipartisan support on March 11 2026. NFIB testified in favor of the bill and was instrumental in shepherding this legislation through the House.

While it is unlikely the Senate will take action NFIB will continue to push for this critical cost saving legislation.

Looking Ahead

With lawmakers off on their legislative spring break this week both chambers will be back in the Capitol on Tuesday.

The pace of legislation will likely slow further as the election season intensifies and lawmakers focus on campaigning rather than lawmaking.

The property tax deal remains one of the few potential legislative accomplishments that could break through the gridlock this year.