MLC Insider Intelligence: October 17, 2025
Michigan Legislative Consultants
Weekly Recap: The Senate held session on Tuesday, while the House did not meet.
Senate Moves Earmark Reforms: This week, the Senate Appropriations Committee reported two bills making changes to legislatively directed spending items (LDSIs). Commonly referred to as earmarks, the legislation creates a definition of LDSI in state law and sets up a system for how they will be handled during the appropriations process.
Key Points: The legislation outlines the process for a legislator to make a request, including completing a form and presenting the request to either an Appropriations Committee or subcommittee. Furthermore, unless a legislator is in leadership, they can only make a request for a recipient within their district. A non-profit must be in the state for three years and have a physical office for one year to be eligible. Lastly, the House and Senate would be required to have a dedicated page on each of their websites to post the LDSI requests. The legislation provides for exemptions for appropriations in response to declarations of emergency and appropriations to state departments and agencies.
Next Steps: Both bills were referred to the Committee of the Whole for consideration. The House bill was passed unanimously by the House in June. Since the Senate amended the House-passed version, if passed by the Senate, it would go back to the House for a concurrence vote.
Election Audit Report Released: The Michigan Bureau of Elections released its report on the recounts, ballot audits, and post-election procedural audits conducted after the 2024 general election. Three types of reviews were conducted: a state-led recount of the 44th Michigan House District race (which confirmed the results), a statistical statewide ballot audit of the election, and a post-election procedural audits at the precinct level.
Statewide ballot audit results: This was a statistical risk-limiting audit, reviewing a sufficient number of ballots to discover any tabulation error that would have changed the outcome of the election. Computer software randomly selected 166 precincts with a total of 119,567 ballots to be hand-counted in the audit. The audit found a difference of 33 votes between the machine and hand counts, just 0.3% of audited ballots. Both of the major political party candidates gained votes during the hand count. Kamala Harris gained 11 votes, and Donald Trump gained 10 votes.
Precinct procedural audit results: Procedural audits were conducted in 378 randomly selected precincts, checking over 70 key points in the election process. The audits help ensure that election officials and election inspectors followed the required procedures before, during, and after Election Day. They covered each voting method, including early in-person voting, voting by mail, and Election Day voting. Overall, the procedural audits met the standard of good general compliance with election requirements and verified that the reported election outcomes were correct.
September Revenue Increases Slightly: Michigan’s major taxes and net lottery revenue totaled $3.8 billion last month, an increase of 0.6% from September 2024. Despite the slight year-over-year growth, collections were approximately $191.8 million less than May 2025 consensus revenue projections.
Key Points: General Fund collections came in $183 million less than projections for the month and fiscal year-to-date collections were $267 million below estimates. School Aid Fund collections also totaled less than prior estimates for the month and year-to-date collections were down by $76.5 million.
Taxes: Net income tax revenue totaled $1.6 billion, a 0.5% increase from the prior year, but $62.6 million below forecasts. Sales tax receipts totaled $919.3 million, a 2.4% increase from the prior year, but $9.9 million less than estimates. Lastly, use tax collections totaled $206.4 million, a 9.7% decline year-over-year and $25.8 million less than estimates.
Microplastics Awareness Week Announced: To raise awareness for the growing concern of microplastics harming the Great Lakes, the Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) is hosting the first-ever Microplastics Awareness Week. Microplastics are plastic particles smaller than 5 millimeters and can be found in Michigan’s lakes, rivers, drinking water, wildlife, and air. Modeling studies estimate that 10,000 metric tons of plastic enter the Great Lakes each year.
Key Points: Governor Whitmer dedicated October 19 – 26 to this week in a proclamation. The goal is to raise awareness and provide opportunities for the public to participate in cleanups and discover practical solutions to reduce plastic waste. As part of the week, EGLE is hosting the first-ever virtual Great Lakes Microplastics Summit on October 22. The summit is open to researchers, environmental advocates, and anyone curious about the topic. It will bring together scientists, policymakers, and community members to discuss microplastics in surface and drinking water and to address questions.
Microplastics in Michigan: Microplastics are present in Michigan’s water, soil, air, and wildlife, including fish, birds, and mussels. They can be created when larger plastic items break up in sun and wave action over time, or they can be intentionally manufactured. Studies in the five Great Lakes have shown that larger amounts of microplastics are found close to urban and nearshore areas, particularly near locations where rivers, storm drains, and wastewater treatment systems discharge. While researchers are still learning how microplastics may affect human and ecosystem health, scientists suspect that these particles can absorb and release harmful chemicals and may impact the development and reproduction of aquatic species.
Spotlight On Senator Veronica Klinefelt: Senator Klinefelt (D-Eastpointe) is serving her first term in the Michigan Senate. Her career in public service began in 1998 when she was elected to the East Detroit School Board. She later won her election to serve on the Eastpointe City Council and then on the Macomb County Board of Commissioners. Additionally, Senator Klineflet has served on the 8 ½ Mile Drain Board, as president of the Michigan Association of Counties, and as a representative on the National Association of Counties Board of Directors.
District: Senator Klinefelt represents the 11th Senate District, which includes portions of Clinton Township, Detroit, Macomb Township, and all of Eastpointe, Fraser, and Roseville.
Committees: She chairs both the Local Government and the Veterans and Emergency Services Committee. Additionally, she is a member of the following standing committees: Appropriations, Health Policy, and Transportation and Infrastructure. Senator Klinefelt sits on the following Appropriations Subcommittees: Department of Health and Human Services, General Government, PreK-12, Department of Education, Military, Veterans, State Police, and MiLEAP.
Next Week: The House and Senate are scheduled to hold their typical Tuesday–Thursday session schedule.