Overview

• Lawmakers passed and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed a continuation budget in the early hours of Oct. 1, authorizing about $1.56 billion to cover one week of operations.
• The fiscal year began without a finalized budget, triggering a brief technical shutdown around midnight before the stopgap restored funding.
• Whitmer, House Speaker Matt Hall and Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks say a full-year agreement is reached in principle, with the bill now being drafted and vetted for a vote expected this week.
• Leaders tout priorities such as long-term road funding, record per-pupil aid with free school meals, protections for Medicaid and hospitals, public safety investments and some tax changes.
• A proposed wholesale marijuana tax reported at roughly 24%–26% to help fund roads has drawn pushback from the cannabis industry and questions about distribution fairness, while education advocates continue pressing to protect school programs as details remain undisclosed.