Dear Friends,

The chaos in Washington has continued to make headlines across our nation and state.

Meanwhile, I am thankful that lawmakers in Lansing were able to come together and pass a balanced, bipartisan budget to keep our state running into the next fiscal year.

I supported the 2026 state budget to begin the process of cutting back on wasteful spending, shrinking the size of government and lowering taxes for more than 500,000 Michiganders.

Over the previous two years, Democrats in full control of the state Legislature and governor’s pen squandered Michigan’s historic $9 billion surplus.

They increased the size of state government, added hundreds of new unsustainable bureaucrat jobs, handed out millions to favored corporations and doled out endless dollars for special pork projects like pickleball courts and hip-hop classes in their home districts.

They also added more debt and imposed a $700 million tax hike on the backs of hardworking Michiganders who were still struggling to overcome record inflation not experienced in four decades.

But that era of out-of-control spending is now over.

Working with the new Republican majority in the House, we were able to insist on a smaller, more responsible spending plan for Michigan tax dollars.

For the first time in years, the state’s share of spending will be smaller than the previous year by nearly $800 million.

That’s right, Republicans fought hard to ensure that state government — just like hardworking Michigan families — lives within its means.

We worked to identify and eliminate wasteful spending, including over 2,000 phantom jobs funded by taxpayers that were never filled. We also directed the Whitmer administration to stop paying rent on half-empty buildings around the state.

And this year’s budget required full transparency for any earmark spending requests to avoid the kind of fraud and abuse we’ve seen under the leadership of Lansing Democrats.

For six years, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has failed to fulfill her campaign promise and put forward a realistic plan to fix the roads.

Republicans were able to make sure this new budget puts nearly $2 billion into fixing local roads that Michigan families drive to work and school. And for the first time ever, every penny that drivers pay in taxes at the gas pump will go toward fixing the roads.

Speaking of taxes, we were able to lower them. Republicans made sure Michigan’s budget followed President Donald Trump’s lead, eliminating taxes on tips, overtime and Social Security.

And our kids are winning too.

We were able to fully restore dangerous cuts Democrats made last year to school safety funding and mental health support.

Our K-12 schools will also receive record per-student funding. Republicans fought hard to ensure this year’s budget empowers local schools to make decisions instead of mandates from bureaucrats in Lansing.

There’s still plenty of work to be done to reverse the misguided policies of the past few years.

If you have any thoughts on this or any topic important to our state, please reach out to my office at 517-373-1777 or by email at SenKDaley@senate.michigan.gov.  We are always happy to hear from our constituents about the issues that matter most to them.

Sincerely,

Kevin Daley
State Senator
26th District

The State Board of Education is considering new health standards that could end up merging sex education topics into required health classes. Instead of focusing on improving student performance, the board is spending its time blurring the line between health and sex education.

Michigan law gives parents control over elective sex education courses. Schools can choose whether to teach sex education, parents must be notified and can opt out, and local communities control their own curriculum. The new proposal weakens those protections by adding recommended topics such as gender identity, gender expression and same-sex attraction to required health classes for students as young as sixth grade.

Parents, not state bureaucrats, should decide what’s right for their kids. Health classes should focus on fitness, nutrition and healthy choices. I strongly oppose this proposal and encourage parents to stay engaged with their local school boards if the state board does end up adopting these recommendations and make their voices heard.

The 2025 deer season is off to a strong start with 41,772 deer harvested so far. Because hunters must report a successful harvest within 72 hours, up-to-date statistics are available to the public through the Deer Harvest Report Summary.

All deer hunters are required to wear hunter orange during Michigan’s regular firearm deer season, Nov. 15–30. It must be the outermost layer and visible from every direction. Camouflage is acceptable as long as the pattern is at least 50% hunter orange.

Hunters Feeding Michigan processed 140,000 pounds, or about 560,000 servings, of donated venison during the fiscal year that ended on Sept. 30. You can make a monetary donation online or through the DNR eLicense website, a DNR retail license agent location or the Michigan DNR Hunt Fish app.

A 68-foot spruce from Sault Ste. Marie has been selected as Michigan’s official 2025 Christmas tree. It will be harvested on Oct. 30 and transported to the Capitol lawn, where it will be placed near the intersection of Capitol and East Michigan avenues for the holiday season.

This year’s tree was donated by Sault Ste. Marie resident Linda Ried in honor of her grandparents, Lawrence and Nettie Richey. It will be the centerpiece of the 41st annual Silver Bells in the City tree lighting ceremony on Friday, Nov. 21.

Organizations that are committed to protecting Michigan’s waters are encouraged to apply for Clean Boats, Clean Waters grants. Grants of up to $3,000 are available for lake associations, watershed groups, nonprofits and local or tribal units of government to fund educational signage, invasive species removal or outreach materials.

Funds are provided through a partnership between the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy and MSU Extension. The deadline to apply is Jan. 30, 2026.

The Medicare Open Enrollment period runs from Oct. 15 through Dec. 7. During this time, Michigan seniors make important decisions about their health insurance and prescription drug coverage. As a result, they may be the target of scams and high-pressure sales tactics.

To avoid Medicare scams, keep these safety measures in mind:

The new MI Options call center offers free counseling to help people navigate Medicare plan options or enrollment. Call 800-803-7174 for assistance.

Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer and the second-leading cause of cancer deaths among Michigan women.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. It is a time to raise awareness, support research and promote early detection.

Visit the National Breast Cancer Foundation for more information or to find support and resources for those affected by the disease.

My office is happy to offer legislative tributes in honor of noteworthy events such as retirement, anniversaries of businesses in our community, awards and public recognitions.

Michigan Senate website: www.senate.michigan.gov
Michigan House of Representatives website: www.house.mi.gov
Michigan Legislature website: www.legislature.mi.gov
Michigan Citizen’s Guide: Citizen’s Guide to State Government, 102nd Legislature