March 13, 2026 | This Week in Government: Invest in MI Kids Organizers Suspend Petition Drive; Look Instead to 2028 Ballot

The ballot measure campaign to place a surcharge on the income tax of Michigan’s wealthiest earners and put the money toward public schools is suspending its signature gathering efforts, organizers announced Thursday evening.

Invest in MI Kids had sought to amend the state Constitution to apply a 5% surcharge to the 4.25% income tax for joint filers earning more than $1 million and single filers earning more than $500,000. The graduated income tax could have generated $1.7 billion more for schools.

The campaign’s steering committee voted to suspend the operation this week after evaluating the path toward election day and determining there was not a viable way to obtain the required signatures to make the 2026 ballot.

“This was not an easy decision. We are extraordinarily proud of the volunteer team we have built. We are inspired by the thousands of Michiganders who dedicated their time and energy to this campaign, gathering nearly 250,000 signatures,” Invest in MI Kids steering committee president Rachelle Crow-Hercher said in a statement. “However, we owe it to our volunteers to be realistic about what is achievable to qualify for the ballot this year, and we unfortunately do not see a path forward to getting the signatures we need to make the ballot in 2026.”

The effort needed more than 446,198 valid signatures to make the ballot. Signatures were not due until this summer. Last week, organizers seeking to put a proposal on the ballot requiring proof of citizenship to vote submitted 750,000 signatures to the Bureau of Elections.

Crow-Hercher said the most recent successful effort on a similar proposal in Massachusetts took three election cycles before approval. Organizers also said such a ballot measure had not been sought in Michigan since 1973.

“Our work is far from over. We know that our schools and our communities are going to be facing serious cuts in the next couple of years,” she said. “But there are brave and committed people in every county across this state who are ready to stand up and fight for a better future. We built this campaign to create a lasting movement beyond any one election year. We’re just getting started.”

Organizers said although the campaign is suspending, it won’t go completely dormant and plans to keep volunteers and interested parties engaged in advocacy opportunities until reactivating in 2027. Invest in MI Kids was endorsed by several of the state’s large local school boards, labor unions, and the State Board of Education.

The campaign faced vocal opposition from business groups around the state, which argued the surcharge constituted an improper change of the state’s income tax distribution and would inadvertently cripple small business owners. Crow-Hercher said despite the efforts of well-resourced groups like the several regional chambers of commerce who opposed the campaign, Invest in MI Kids built an impressive volunteer network that will be ready to come back in two years.

“We always knew that we were going to face strong headwinds from billionaires who don’t want to pay their fair share,” she said. “But the dedication and enthusiasm of our volunteers over the past few months has been truly inspirational. At a time when working people are struggling to pay their rising bills, Michiganders from Detroit to Houghton came together to organize for a world where Michigan students come before billionaires’ yachts.”

Jase Bolger, Chief Executive Officer of the West Michigan Policy Forum, said in a statement the “horrible proposal,” would have damaged the state’s pursuit of success.

“Simply put, out-of-state special interests sought to import their dangerous agenda to Michigan, and Michigan residents said ‘no’ by declining to sign their petition,” he said. “Though they may seek to parachute in to Michigan again, we will remain dedicated to policies that will actually grow Michigan, help workers and teach our kids.”

Senate appropriators voiced support for maintaining or increasing funding for the Going Pro program in the upcoming budget on Wednesday, with one member questioning a state department head over the lack of recommended funding in the governor’s budget proposal.

Discussion on the program took place at the Senate Appropriations LEO and MEDC Subcommittee during testimony by Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity Director Susan Corbin on the governor’s proposed 2026-27 budget.

Sen. Mark Huizenga, R-Walker, expressed disappointment about the lack of funding for the Going Pro program, asking Corbin if she supports the elimination of the funding and of the program itself.

“This program, just like apprentices, helps people,” Huizenga said. “It helps upskill them, helps employers mitigate churn. It elevates people’s ability to earn more money, just like apprentices, and for not a lot of money, it has as tremendous impact all across out entire state.”

Funding for Going Pro was cut for the current fiscal year, to $22.3 million in one-time funding, while another $22.9 million in General Fund was eliminated. The reduced funding came following the House’s initial proposal to completely eliminate funding for the program.

Corbin said the program has had strong results, supporting more than 200,000 employees with training since its inception.

“I just think that the governor and the State Budget Office made some difficult budget decisions,” Corbin said, adding it is the beginning of the budgeting process and there is plenty of time to discuss the program.

To this, Huizenga asked Corbin if she supports the program and if she would like to see some of the funding return in the upcoming budget.

“I have a strong appreciation for the Going Pro program,” Corbin said.

Huizenga said his hope was the committee could find a way to include funding for the program in its budget recommendation, saying it has value.

Subcommittee Chair Sen. Mary Cavanagh, D-Redford Township, said she hopes it is a priority in future budget talks and among members of the House as well.

For LEO, total recommended funding was $1.7 billion ($158.7 million General Fund).

Corbin said the LEO budget overall includes $429.1 million in ongoing funding for various workforce development programs and grants. She said these include training opportunities for youth, dislocated workers, and people in underserved communities across the state.

“We have seen a lot of wins for Michiganders thanks to these investments and all of our partners,” Corbin said.

Among them is the fact that Michigan has consistently been a top 10 state in registered apprenticeships, she said, adding there are about 24,000 registered apprenticeships in the state and more than 800 registered apprenticeship programs.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer met with President Donald Trump Tuesday in Washington, D.C., to discuss the devastating tornadoes that hit southwest Michigan over the weekend and the ongoing recovery efforts in northern Michigan roughly a year after the ice storms that left the region’s infrastructure heavily damaged.

Whitmer walked away from the meeting with a major win, her office said: Trump’s agreement to deliver additional federal dollars to the state to offset recovery costs.

“Gov. Whitmer just wrapped up a meeting with President Trump and members of his team at the White House this afternoon. The governor gave an update on the deadly tornadoes that hit southwest Michigan on Friday. She also asked the president for an update on the state’s appeal for FEMA funding to help northern Michigan residents, small businesses, and utilities recover from the historic ice storms last year,” Whitmer press secretary Stacey LaRouche said in a statement. “The president agreed to deliver additional federal funding to help Michiganders with the cost of recovery efforts, and the governor is thankful for this extra assistance.”

The state repeatedly requested additional support from FEMA, along with appeals to now-former Department of Homeland Security Director Kristi Noem from northern Michigan lawmakers to release the federal funds that could help pay for the repairs to power lines and infrastructure.

Rep. Parker Fairbairn, R-Harbor Springs, said he was excited to see the president’s agreement to release the funds to the state. Even nearly a year out from the storm itself, he said there’s great need for additional assistance as the region continues to recover from storm damage.

“I know that our electrical co-ops could use this. That’s a big reason. Each of them incurred well over $100 million of damage to their infrastructure; that would be a good place to start,” Fairbairn said when asked what work is yet to be completed that the funding might support. “But there’s so many different areas impacted by this, whether it was individuals (and) their homes, their property; a lot of people still need a lot of help out there.”

In a statement separate from his comments to reporters on the House floor Tuesday, Fairbairn called upon the Senate to pass his bill that would send $100 million in further relief funds to the region, scolding the upper chamber for “sitting on it for nearly a year … our communities have waited long enough.”

There were not specific details immediately available on Tuesday as to what the recovery funding Trump agreed to direct to Michigan might look like, Fairbairn said, but northern Michigan officials were relieved to “hear and see the commitment” from the federal government after months of rejection.

“I witnessed the devastation the ice storm brought firsthand,” Rep. Cam Cavitt, R-Cheboygan, said in a statement. “The damage more closely resembled a hurricane than a winter storm. I’m glad President Trump took matters into his own hands and secured this funding for our communities. Northern Michigan has been doing everything it can to recover for more than a year. These funds from President Trump are the culmination of months of hard work and close partnership between House Republicans and the White House. I’m proud to see our work pay off.”

Rep. Ken Borton, R-Gaylord, called the news a “massive win” for northern Michiganders and echoed statements by Cavitt and Fairbairn emphasizing House Republicans’ role in getting the funding released, with no mention of Whitmer’s involvement.

“Michigan House Republicans have been working tirelessly to secure this victory, and today we can celebrate. The ice storms caused unprecedented damage to these communities,” Borton said in a statement. “Today, these people still need our help, and the announcement from the president today offers hope. I’m proud to work with President Trump to deliver significant relief to the communities up north that are too often overlooked by state agencies.”

Whitmer visited the White House twice in 2025, first for the now-infamous and impromptu press conference she and House Speaker Matt Hall, R-Richland Township, found themselves in the middle of last April, and again in August when she met privately with Trump and his team to warn the president about the effect Medicaid cuts in his federal budget would have on Michigan. In both meetings, the governor’s office said Whitmer also raised the issue of ice storm relief funding with Trump.

On Tuesday, LaRouche said the governor and the president also discussed two of the main projects on which Michigan is collaborating with the federal government: the new fighter wing at Selfridge Air National Guard Base in Macomb County and the Brandon Road Interbasin Lock and Dam project in Joliet, Illinois, which would, if completed, keep invasive Asian carp out of Lake Michigan via the Des Plaines and Chicago Rivers.

“We continued the conversation on two pieces of critical infrastructure: Selfridge Air National Guard Base and the Brandon Road Interbasin project. Michigan looks forward to welcoming new fighter jets to Selfridge, which will strengthen our national security, boost base readiness, and protect thousands of jobs in Macomb County,” LaRouche said. “The governor also reiterated Michigan’s commitment to the Brandon Road project to prevent invasive carp from entering the Great Lakes and damaging the region’s economy. We need funding released so the Army Corps can begin construction as soon as possible.”

The Brandon Road project was delayed, in part, due to political animosity between Trump and Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, who has adopted a different stance from Whitmer in his relationship with Trump. Trump and Pritzker have traded barbs over the past year and Pritzker delayed part of the project on the Illinois end last year, citing lack of certainty from Trump regarding federal grants to complete it.

Whitmer has repeatedly said she will work with “anyone, anywhere, at any time” to secure wins for Michigan, including the president, regardless of their disagreements.

“Gov. Whitmer is always going to show up and make the case for Michigan and our economy,” LaRouche said. “We appreciate the president’s time.”

The House approved legislation on Wednesday that would reinstate Michigan’s open and obvious doctrine by codifying it into law.

HB 4582 passed 58-48.

“Small businesses, farms, retailers, restaurants, and property owners across Michigan are facing legal uncertainty without the previous clear and reliable standards that open and obvious provided,” bill sponsor Rep. Jerry Neyer, R-Shepherd, said during a floor speech. “Higher liability exposure earns higher insurance rates and premiums. Higher insurance rate premiums, higher cost of operation. Higher cost of operation, less money going to wages, investments, and expansion because of a recent court decision.”

In its 2001 case Lugo v Ameritech Corp, Inc., the Michigan Supreme Court held that a possessor’s duty of care to protect invitees does not extend to conditions on a property that are “open and obvious.” In 2023, the court overruled that decision. Under the new framework, a possessor still has a duty to exercise reasonable care, but the duty extends to conditions that are open and obvious.

The legislation codifies the open and obvious doctrine and reinstates the status quo that existed prior to the 2023 court ruling.

Under HB 4582, people who possess real property would have the duty to use ordinary care to protect people on the property from risks of harm. That means property owners would not be liable for any injuries to people on the property that occurred as the result of a condition those people where aware of or that would be discovered by a reasonably carful person on casual inspection.

The bill would require reasonable precautions to avoid any risk presented by any special features of something that is open and obvious.

NFIB Michigan celebrated the bill’s passage.

“For decades, this rule served as a clear, objective standard that allowed courts to dismiss meritless claim early in litigation,” Amanda Fisher, NFIB Michigan state director said in a statement. “Without it, judges and juries must now engage in complex factual inquiries about whether an ‘open and obvious’ hazard nonetheless posed an ‘unreasonable risk of harm.’ This subjective standard increases litigation costs and clogs judicial resources.”

Fisher urged the Senate to take up the bill.

“The Legislature has the opportunity to eliminate the uncertainity of the courts with a standard that will provide clarity and predictability for not just property owners, but all Michigan residents,” she said.

Michigan Forward spokesperson Gabe Butzke called the open and obvious standard “common sense” and criticized the Supreme Court for overturning it in the first place.

“We’re glad the Republican House is working to save taxpayers time and money,” he said in a statement.

Zach Rudat, Director of the Michigan Alliance for Legal Reform, said in a statement that without the open an obvious doctrine, Michigan was a national outlier and “hotbed for frivolous lawsuits.”

“Thanks to a bipartisan coalition of lawmakers, Michigan is one step closer to lower housing costs, stronger property owner protections, and a fairer legal system for all,” he said. We thank the House for this important step and look forward to further discussions in the Senate.”

House Republicans unveiled a new energy plan that they say would cut rates for people across the state by rolling back the clean energy mandates that have been in place for the last decade.

“Electricity is not a luxury. It heats our home in January and keeps the light on at our hospitals. It powers the factories that gave our state our identity,” Rep. Pauline Wendzel, R-Watervliet, said during a press conference on Wednesday. “When government drives up the cost of that electricity through mandates that have more to do with political ideology than engineering reality, it’s not a talking point. It’s a tax on every family that flips a switch.”

The bills would repeal the 2023 Clean Energy and Jobs Act passed by the Democratic trifecta and eliminate the renewable energy portfolio minimums passed in 2016 under a Republican trifecta. They would also require the Public Service Commission to first consider system reliability and affordability when making decisions on utility rates.

“You cannot pivot in energy,” Rep. Steve Frisbie, R-Battle Creek, said. “You must transition. A goal to clean, more reliable and affordable is always good. I don’t think anybody wants to continue with dirty means of producing energy in a long-term way. But we also have to transition, not pivot. Those costs that we inherited with that pivot are going to be with us for a while.”

The legislation would also end the Energy Waste Reduction program, which requires electric and natural gas utilities to reduce customer energy use through targeted programs. Under the program, electricity companies are required to achieve 1.5% annual energy savings from the previous year’s retail sales and natural gas utilities must achieve 0.875% annual energy savings.

The program was introduced in 2008 and updated in 2023.

Spending on the program has increased by hundreds of millions of dollars during the last decade, and Republicans argue that the amount it is costing utilities, and by extension, rate payers, is no longer worth the meager energy savings.

The bill also prohibits money from the Utility Consumer Representation Fund from being used to advocate on behalf of the interest of residential energy utility customers regarding energy costs or rates, as Hall said the money was only going toward advocates pushing for clean energy and social justice.

“We need to get rid of all of these regulations and mandates that have forced us to raise the rates by a billion dollars over the last three years,” House Speaker Matt Hall, R-Richland Township, said.

Rolling back clean energy requirements is ill-conceived, House Minority Leader Ranjeev Puri, D-Canton Township, said.

“The 2023 mandates, I think, were ahead of their time in helping us diversify our generation portfolio here in Michigan,” he said. “Making sure that we’re producing the cheapest option available and have everything on the table to making sure that we can deliver the lowest rates to working families and working Michiganders across the state.”

Puri agreed there may be conversations to be had around changes to the Public Service Commission.

“There’s always conversations to be had,” he said. “I think our first lens should be making sure that our rates are affordable, reliable, and making sure that our power is dependable. Unfortunately, when you attack everything from a pollical lens and not face the reality of the facts that fuel and oil costs right now are skyrocketing because of the polices coming out of D.C., and then the fact that billions of dollars of potential investment to harden our grid to make sure that we have every energy source available to Michigan is being taken off the table … is probably the real reason that so much is not working the way it’s supposed to be working in the energy sector right now.”

Puri pushed back on the argument that clean energy mandates were driving up rates.

“Generating energy in all forms is a very expensive, capital-intensive endeavor,” he said. “It’s been proven in many parts of the world that these clean energy sources offer so many benefits, including affordability.”

The Michigan League of Conservation Voters also denounced House Republican’s proposal.

“At a time when families across Michigan are struggling under the weight of never-ending rate hikes, this House Energy Plan does nothing to fix the problem and instead would give utility company chief executive officers a free pass to boost their profits by building expensive, polluting methane gas plants that saddle our kids with 30-plus years of debt,” Alex Kellogg, energy accountability manager for the Michigan LCV, said in a statement. “Demand is skyrocketing and yet they want to take off-the-table clean energy options – the cheapest energy sources available and the fastest energy to bring online.”

Hall said that, coupled with the $5 billion property tax cut proposal he floated a few weeks ago, the plan would require utilities to reduce their rates by $1 billion.

“We’re saying we’ll lower the cost. We’ll take a lot of the costs out of there, like the wind and solar mandates and the property taxes. … But then we’re going to require you to lower your rate,” he said. “We no longer can trust these corporations to just do it automatically.”

The mechanics forcing companies to lower their rates, Hall said, are still being worked out.

“The rates are going up significantly because of all the wind and solar mandates that they’re forcing on us,” he said. “They’re too expensive. They’re not reliable. They’re not affordable.”