MLC Insider Intelligence: March 6, 2026
Michigan Legislative Consultants
Weekly Recap: The House held its typical Tuesday-Thursday session schedule, while the Senate met on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Budget Status: House and Senate Subcommittees are holding hearings on the areas within their purview. House Subcommittee Chairs have been given their targets.
Beyond the Bio – Meet Tony Des Chenes
What did you want to be when you were a kid?
An airline pilot, starting with my first trip at age ten. For my 50th birthday, I flew in a glider over my hometown.
What is your favorite activity to unwind from work?
I unwind before work by swimming at least three days a week in the morning.
If you were to give a TED Talk, what would it be on and why?
On why we need to manage technology. Technology is amazing and helpful, but we need to develop breaks from it.Who are three people, living or past, that you would most want to have dinner with?
George Washington. I recently watched a documentary on the Revolution; Washington went through many trials and challenges. For all of his success, he also experienced failure and still helped create the nation we have today. Winston Churchill, whose perspective on the world would be amazing considering what he had seen and lived through. My father, who passed away before he could see my children graduate from high school and college. I would like to share with him the amazing people they have become and the partners they have in their lives today that are continuing to make my life even more rewarding. I’d also like to share how he influenced them and the people they’ve become.
What skills are most important in your role?
Listening. Hearing the other perspective and truly listening can help your own position, and it can also help you gain confidence with the person you are engaged with.
How do you describe your job to someone outside of the industry?
I’m a consultant assisting clients through the maze of government. I also give them a voice when they are not present to advocate for themselves.
What’s one thing you know now that you wish you knew when you started?
Stay calm, especially when things may not be going your way, because it can be helpful in finding another solution.
What is one thing about MLC that makes us great?
How we work with our clients and the partnership that we have with them throughout their journey.
Dive deeper in our rapid-fire Q&A video!
House Passes Air Base Supplemental: The House voted this week to appropriate $152 million in state funding to build two new runways at Selfridge Air National Guard Base. According to proponents of the supplemental, state funding is needed to ensure the 2028 deadline agreed to by federal and state officials is met. They state that relying solely on funding from the federal government would risk delays that could jeopardize the project.
Key Points: Governor Whitmer and President Trump announced the expansion in April 2025, in agreement with the U.S. Department of War. Approximately 20 F-15EXs will be stationed at the base, in addition to the already planned KC-46As the base is set to receive. At the time of the announcement, the Department of War said the F-15EXs will begin arriving in FY28. The base, which is located in Macomb County, contributes an estimated $850 million to Michigan’s economy, supporting 30,000 jobs statewide. Additionally, Selfridge supports Michigan’s defense industry, which contributes $30 billion to the state’s economy and supports approximately 166,000 jobs.
Next Steps: House Bill 4572 will be sent to the Senate for consideration. Following the passage of the legislation, Senator Kevin Hertel (D-St. Clair Shores), whose district includes the base and who chairs the committee responsible for crafting the Military and Veterans Affairs budget, stated, “As conversations on the final budget continue, I will remain a staunch advocate for the future of Selfridge and the dedicated men and women who serve there. I’m committed to ensuring the Legislature makes smart, fiscally responsible investments in the transformational infrastructure upgrades already underway, so we’re fully prepared to welcome the new fleet of F15-EXs and secure a long, bright future for the base and our region.”
Constitutional Carry Proposal Introduced: Legislation establishing Michigan as a constitutional carry state was introduced by a handful of members of the House Republican Caucus this week. If signed into law, the requirement for a specialized license to carry a concealed pistol would be eliminated. Currently, twenty-nine states have constitutional carry laws.
Key Points: House Bills 5653-5657 were introduced by Representatives Joseph Fox (R-Fremont), James DeSana (R-Carleton), Mike Hoadley (R-Au Gres), Jay DeBoyer (R-Clay), and Rachelle Smit (R-Shelbyville). According to the sponsors, Michigan’s current laws infringe on Second Amendment rights and don’t provide any protections. The package was referred to the House Judiciary Committee for consideration. Even if it passes the House, it is highly unlikely to pass the Democratic-controlled Senate, and Governor Whitmer would likely veto the legislation should it make it to her desk.
Importance: “It’s time for Michigan to put into law what dozens of other states across our country have already realized,” Representative Hoadley said. “These permit requirements are a misguided attempt to protect people. In reality, they only serve as a hindrance to responsible gun owners who are already well-versed in gun safety. Whether you own a firearm or not, we have to recognize that regularly exercising our rights is the only way we can actually defend them.”
Voter ID Considered: Legislation requiring a person to prove United States citizenship when registering to vote was considered by the House Elections Integrity Committee this week. The bill changes current laws that allow a person to provide their driver’s license or state ID when registering to vote.
Key Points: The bill outlines a number of items that could be used to prove citizenship, including a birth certificate, passport, American Indian card issued by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security with KIC classification, Bureau of Indian Affairs card number, or naturalization documents, among others. It also requires voter registration applications to clearly state it will not be processed until satisfactory proof of citizenship is provided. The bill remains before the committee, awaiting further consideration.
Response: Following the hearing, Michigan Deputy Secretary of State Aghogho Edevbie issued a statement, “The vast majority of Michigan voters use the ID that they carry with them every day – a driver’s license or state ID – when they register to vote. Under this bill, that would no longer be enough; Michiganders would need more than a standard REAL ID when they register. At least five million of Michigan’s registered voters don’t have an enhanced REAL ID. Under this bill, Michiganders would be on the hook for about $150 million in additional government fees to upgrade their IDs just to continue what they are able to do right now – use their driver’s license to register and to vote.”
Annual Energy Report Released: The annual report by the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) was released, pointing to what they believe are significant improvements to reliability, affordability, and consumer protections. Under law, the commission must file an annual report prior to the first Monday of March, recapping the accomplishments in the areas for which they work. The latest data shows that from 2019 to 2024, Michigan reduced nearly an hour of outages per year when accounting for weather. When including storm events, the outage time dropped by 88.5 minutes. In terms of costs, Michigan ranked 18th nationally for home energy bills in 2024, its best ranking in a decade.
Key Points: In 2025, the commission approved the first interstate electric transmission lines in 50 years. It authorized Michigan Electric Transmission Co. (METC) to build two transmission lines — the Nelson Road to Oneida project, a 39-mile, 345 kilovolt (kV) double circuit line between substations in Gratiot and Eaton counties, and the Helix to Hiple project, a 55-mile, 345 kV double circuit line between substations in Calhoun and Branch counties. Additionally, the state made significant steps forward on renewable energy, increasing generation by 40% from 2023. During the year, the MPSC awarded more than $54 million in grants through the Michigan Energy Assistance Program, providing home energy assistance and self-sufficiency services to 56,018 customers.
Public Outreach: Last year, the MPSC assisted 12,958 customers with complaints or issues, the most common concerns being rates and surcharges, inaccurate billing, outages, and high bills. The commission issued orders in four rate cases, approving $530 million of the more than $1 billion in requests. They held 18 regular commission meetings throughout the year and a series of public hearings around the state on a variety of topics.
Spotlight On Representative Mike McFall: Representative McFall (D-Hazel Park) is serving his second term in the Michigan House of Representatives. Prior to his election to the House, he served on Hazel Park’s City Council. Before elected office, Representative McFall worked in the nonprofit sector and worked for the Williams Syndrome Association. He received a Bachelor of Science in community development and public administration from Central Michigan University.
District: He represents the 14th Michigan House District, which includes parts of Oakland County and Macomb County, including Center Line, Madison Heights, Hazel Park, and part of Warren.
Committees: Representative McFall serves as minority vice chair of the Natural Resources and Tourism Committee and is a member of the Government Operations Committee.
We asked Representative McFall a few questions to learn more about him:
What’s your favorite travel destination outside of Michigan?
A – My favorite destination outside of Michigan is London, UK. I’m a huge history nerd, and London is full of history!
What did you want to be when you were a kid?
A – When I was a kid, I wanted to be an astronaut. I wanted to travel into space on one of the Space Shuttles.
Next Week: The House and Senate are scheduled to hold their typical Tuesday-Thursday session schedule.