Dear Friends and Neighbors,

Welcome to the latest edition of my e-newsletter.

Below you’ll find an update on what is going on in your state Capitol.

Thank you for allowing me to represent you in the Michigan Senate. I am grateful each and every day to work for the people of the 17th Senate District.

In Liberty,

Jonathan Lindsey
State Senator
17th District

The state Legislature recently gave final approval on two bipartisan bills to help students concentrate on learning while in the classroom.

Senate Bill 495 and House Bill 4141 would require public schools to adopt policies to address the use of smartphones during instructional time. The legislation, however, does include provisions recognizing the need for parents and children to communicate during emergencies.

The bills also provide exemptions for medically necessary devices, phones covered in students’ individualized education plans and devices used for instructional purposes.

Studies have clearly demonstrated the impact that cellphones have had on our students. I voted YES on this long-overdue legislation to help get students back on track and take another step to help Michigan improve our dismal educational rankings.

Both bills now await the governor’s signature.

Speaking with residents about important issues that affect them, our communities and our state is one of the most important parts of my job as your state senator.

My office recently scheduled the latest installment of my local town hall meetings for Monday, Feb. 9. The meeting will take place from 1 to 2 p.m. at Lehman’s Brewery and Farmhouse in Buchanan.

I will provide an update on legislative activity and be available to answer questions, provide information and assistance, and take suggestions on issues affecting families, businesses and communities in the district.

No appointment is necessary to attend. For more information, or if you are unable to attend the meeting, please feel free to contact my office at 517-373-3543.

The January 2026 Consensus Revenue Estimating Conference confirmed that Michigan’s current spending trajectory is unsustainable.

State fiscal experts lowered revenue projections by $779 million for the current budget year and by roughly $1.1 billion for the upcoming fiscal year when compared with estimates approved in May 2025.

We’re starting to experience the hangover of the rampant spending that happened under complete Democrat control of state government. The decrease in revenue from the state’s sales tax can be attributed to the anti-growth policies that came out of Lansing during that time.

Overspending, overtaxing and overregulating can all be deadly blows to state government, but when you combine all three, the result is the financial uncertainty we are currently experiencing.

Michigan’s finances and overall economic well-being continue to move in the wrong direction. The state is facing an affordability crisis, with inflation, wages and population growth lagging well behind national averages.

Government must become more efficient and prioritize what residents truly need, like less spending, lower taxes and policies that promote economic activity.

As my colleagues in the Legislature prepare for the upcoming budget season, we have two decisions to make: either focus this term on pro-growth strategies that can increase incoming state revenue or cut spending to live within our means. There is no third option.

Because of the growth-stifling policies promoted and passed by the Democrat-controlled Legislature and governor’s office last term and the careless overspending under their leadership, Michigan families and businesses have had to dig deeper into their pockets to prop up state government with their hard-earned money.

As a response to the recent decreased revenue projections, some Democrats have called for pulling over half a billion dollars out of the state’s savings account. That’s roughly one-quarter of the state’s $2.2 billion rainy day fund.

Instead of continuing to ramp up spending on wasteful government programs, the Republican House of Representatives worked to cut $645 million in pork from the current fiscal year budget — a dollar figure well above the proposed $539 million raid on our savings account to cover expected budget shortfalls.

But Democrats in the Senate have vowed to fight these cuts and restore every dollar of this wasteful spending, and Attorney General Nessel issued an opinion stating the manner in which the spending was cut was unconstitutional.

While a portion of the $645 million has already been allocated, Michigan Court of Claims Judge Michael Gadola thankfully overruled Nessel’s short-sighted, partisan opinion and ordered the state to freeze the remaining, unspent portion while the issue is litigated. This decision sets the stage for potentially eliminating hundreds of millions of dollars in wasteful spending.

I applaud Speaker Matt Hall’s dedication to eliminating waste from the budget and encourage my colleagues in both chambers to recognize the prudence in cutting spending and the need to shrink the size of state government.

The 17th state Senate District includes Branch, Cass, and St. Joseph counties, along with parts of Berrien, Calhoun, Jackson and Hillsdale counties.