{"id":6380,"date":"2026-09-09T17:49:05","date_gmt":"2026-09-09T17:49:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tmbglobal.news\/index.php\/2026\/09\/09\/money-out-of-politics-prison-safety-and-primary-care\/"},"modified":"2026-09-09T17:49:09","modified_gmt":"2026-09-09T17:49:09","slug":"money-out-of-politics-prison-safety-and-primary-care","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tmbglobal.news\/index.php\/2026\/09\/09\/money-out-of-politics-prison-safety-and-primary-care\/","title":{"rendered":"Money out of politics, prison safety and primary care"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Each month, The Michigan Daily publishes a compilation of some of the most relevant bills in the Michigan Legislature for students.<\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>The following article explains five bills that have been introduced, passed or signed into law by the Michigan Legislature or Gov. Gretchen Whitmer throughout<\/em> <em>August 2026.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Money out of politics\u00a0<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Status: Passed in the House\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Public <a href=\"https:\/\/michiganadvance.com\/2025\/08\/12\/league-of-conservation-voters-blasts-michigans-largest-energy-companies-over-political-donations\/\">uproar is growing<\/a> over the influence of major companies like <a href=\"https:\/\/dteenergy.com\/\">DTE Energy<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.consumersenergy.com\/residential\">Consumers Energy<\/a> on Michigan politics. <a href=\"https:\/\/miunited.org\/en\/michiganders-for-money-out-of-politics-mmop\/\">Michiganders for Money out of Politics petition<\/a> by <a href=\"https:\/\/miunited.org\/en\/#\">Michigan United<\/a> aims to ban political contributions from such monopoly utilities and corporations holding state or local contracts. The group <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wilx.com\/2026\/05\/27\/group-behind-money-out-politics-campaign-submits-signatures-michigan-ballot-initiative\/\">submitted<\/a> more than half a million signatures and the petition will appear on the November ballot.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"scaip scaip-1    \">\n\t\t<\/aside>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At the same time, the legislature is also weighing addressing the issue directly.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In late August, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.house.mi.gov\/\">Michigan House of Representatives<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/spectrumlocalnews.com\/mi\/michigan\/news\/2026\/08\/26\/money-out-of-politics-proposal\">passed<\/a> the proposal in a 77-to-26 vote. The Democratic-led Michigan Senate <a href=\"https:\/\/michiganadvance.com\/2026\/08\/25\/brinks-says-senate-wont-vote-on-money-out-of-politics-measure-leaving-voters-to-decide\/\">decided<\/a> not to vote on the proposal, sending it to the voters instead. If both the House and <a href=\"https:\/\/senate.michigan.gov\/\">Michigan Senate<\/a> had passed the proposal, MMOP would have become law rather than a ballot proposal.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In a <a href=\"https:\/\/gophouse.org\/posts\/rep-bollin-votes-to-get-money-out-of-michigan-politics\">press release<\/a>, state Rep. Ann Bollin, R-Brighton Township, wrote that this bill aims to increase government transparency and accountability in elections.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cNo one should have a louder voice simply because they have deeper pockets,\u201d Bollin said. \u201cThis vote helps protect the integrity of the decisions being made on behalf of taxpayers.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In an <a href=\"https:\/\/michiganadvance.com\/2026\/08\/25\/brinks-says-senate-wont-vote-on-money-out-of-politics-measure-leaving-voters-to-decide\/\">interview<\/a> with the Detroit Free Press, Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks, D-Grand Rapids, said the decision aims to ensure Michiganders can express their opinion on the proposal, amid increasing support for the ballot proposal.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<aside class=\"scaip scaip-2    \">\n\t\t<\/aside>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cMMOP has successfully gathered more than half a million signatures and the message from Michiganders is clear: They want this on the ballot in November,\u201d Brinks said. \u201cSenate Democrats already agree that there is too much dark money in politics, and we are eager to hear what voters have to say on this issue. In that spirit, we will not be subverting the will of the voters, taking it up legislatively.\u201d<\/p>\n<ol start=\"2\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Primary care package<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Status: Introduced in the House<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/housedems.com\/\">Michigan House Democrats<\/a>, joined by some <a href=\"https:\/\/gophouse.org\/\">House Republicans<\/a>, hope to transform primary care with an eight-bill package introduced Aug. 26, containing House bills <a href=\"https:\/\/www.legislature.mi.gov\/Bills\/Bill?ObjectName=2026-HB-6288\">6288<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.legislature.mi.gov\/Bills\/Bill?ObjectName=2026-HB-6289\">6289<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.legislature.mi.gov\/Bills\/Bill?ObjectName=2026-HB-6290\">6290<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.legislature.mi.gov\/Bills\/Bill?ObjectName=2026-HB-6291\">6291<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.legislature.mi.gov\/Bills\/Bill?ObjectName=2026-HB-6292\">6292<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.legislature.mi.gov\/Bills\/Bill?ObjectName=2026-HB-6293\">6293<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.legislature.mi.gov\/Bills\/Bill?ObjectName=2026-HB-6294\">6294<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.legislature.mi.gov\/Bills\/Bill?ObjectName=2026-HB-6295\">6295<\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">House Bill 6288 introduces a spending increase for primary care, doubling from about 6% to 12% over eight years. The package also proposes grants for medical schools to introduce middle and high school students to healthcare in House Bill 6295, a state commission in House Bill 6289 and an office of primary care transformation within the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.michigan.gov\/mdhhs\">Michigan Department of Health and Human Services<\/a> to track primary care trends and identify future strategies in House Bill 6290. Additionally, House Bill 6294 provides tax credits to primary care preceptors training future healthcare providers.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In a <a href=\"https:\/\/housedems.com\/longjohn-fellow-legislators-unveil-bipartisan-plan-to-transform-primary-care-in-michigan\/\">press release<\/a>, state Rep. Matt Longjohn, D-Portage, sponsor of House Bill 6290, said that state government has a duty to protect healthcare access <a href=\"https:\/\/www.michiganpublic.org\/health\/2026-08-17\/michigan-advocates-speak-out-against-devastating-federal-healthcare-funding-cuts\">despite<\/a> federal funding cuts.\u00a0<\/p>\n<aside class=\"scaip scaip-3    \">\n\t\t<\/aside>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cUnfortunately, Michigan\u2019s primary care foundation is crumbling, and federal changes to healthcare funding and coverage are only intensifying the strain on patients, providers, and communities,\u201d Longjohn said. \u201cFor the health of all Michiganders, we have a responsibility to rebuild and strengthen the front door of our healthcare system by investing in primary care, expanding access, and growing the workforce Michigan needs.\u201d<\/p>\n<ol start=\"3\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Prison safety<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Status: Passed in the House<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">House bills <a href=\"https:\/\/legislature.mi.gov\/Bills\/Bill?ObjectName=2026-HB-5920\">5920<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/legislature.mi.gov\/Bills\/Bill?ObjectName=2026-HB-5921\">5921<\/a>, sponsored by state Rep. Jennifer Wortz, R-Quincy, and state Rep. Karl Bohnak, R-Deerton, both aim to improve prison safety and were signed into law Aug. 25. The bills increase the oversight authority of the <a href=\"https:\/\/council.legislature.mi.gov\/Ombudsman\/LCO\">Legislative Corrections Ombudsman<\/a> over <a href=\"https:\/\/www.michigan.gov\/corrections\">Department of Corrections<\/a>-related complaints. The ombudsman will now have access to medical and morbidity records, among others, and will issue monthly and annual public reports.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In a <a href=\"https:\/\/gophouse.org\/posts\/house-passes-wortz-bohnak-plan-for-prison-safety-and-transparency\">press release<\/a>, Wortz said this legislation is necessary in the wake of multiple deaths and health violations within Michigan prisons, including <a href=\"https:\/\/www.michigandaily.com\/news\/public-safety\/she-was-there-to-serve-her-sentence-not-to-lose-her-life-community-holds-vigil-for-deaths-at-womens-huron-valley-correctional-facility\/\">four recent deaths<\/a> at the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.michigan.gov\/corrections\/prisons\/womens-huron-valley-correctional-facility\">Women\u2019s Huron Valley Correctional Facility<\/a>. Wortz said this legislative plan will strengthen safety measures.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cMultiple deaths within our correctional facilities made it clear that change is needed,\u201d Wortz said. \u201cThe current model is unacceptable. We need to make sure that these facilities are operating with strict safety standards and clear guidelines for official accountability.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<aside class=\"scaip scaip-4    \">\n\t\t<\/aside>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In a <a href=\"https:\/\/gophouse.org\/posts\/reps-bohnak-wortz-advance-prison-reforms-to-bring-greater-transparency-to-michigan-corrections\">press release<\/a>, Bohnak also said strengthened oversight and transparency is key for growing government accountability.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cCorrections officers across the U.P. have incredibly difficult jobs, and they deserve safe, well-run workplaces,\u201d Bohnak said. \u201cStrengthening independent oversight will help bring existing problems into the light, ensure accountability, and make our correctional facilities safer for everyone who works and lives inside them.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<ol start=\"4\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Rent fees<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Status: Passed in the House<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Senate bills <a href=\"https:\/\/www.legislature.mi.gov\/Bills\/Bill?ObjectName=2025-SB-0022\">22<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.legislature.mi.gov\/Bills\/Bill?ObjectName=2025-SB-0373\">373<\/a>, sponsored by state Sen. Sarah Anthony, D-Lansing, and state Sen. Mary Cavanaugh, D-Redford Township, respectively, were passed by the House Aug. 25. If passed, the bills will update current laws surrounding rent payment and security deposits.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Senate Bill 22 would allow landlords to return a security deposit to a tenant via electronic transfer or mobile payment. A mailed notice containing an itemized list of damages assessed against the security deposit will still be required. Senate Bill 373 would require landlords to offer at least one fee-free method for their tenants\u2019 rent payments.\u00a0<\/p>\n<aside class=\"scaip scaip-5    \">\n\t\t<\/aside>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In a <a href=\"https:\/\/senatedems.com\/irwin\/2025\/06\/10\/senate-democrats-introduce-legislation-to-support-michigan-renters\/\">press release<\/a>, Cavanagh said she hopes the bill will help combat <a href=\"https:\/\/www.detroitnews.com\/story\/business\/2026\/06\/22\/umich-msu-see-more-luxury-apartments-raising-affordability-questions\/90508231007\/\"\/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/michigan-renters-housing-el-sayed-rogers-12290804\">high rent costs<\/a> facing Michiganders.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cEvery Michigander deserves access to a safe, affordable place to call home,\u201d Cavanagh said. \u201cBut as rent continues to climb and undisclosed fees are added to expenses, this basic need has been out of reach for so many families across our state. \u2026 These unnecessary fees quickly add up and contribute to the exorbitant cost of living that has long kept Michiganders priced out of housing.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">State Rep. Steve Carra, R-Three Rivers, voted against Bill 373 and in favor of Bill 22. In a <a href=\"https:\/\/gophouse.org\/posts\/carra-vote-explanations-for-the-week-of-august-24-2026\">press release<\/a>, Carra said he believes digital security deposit returns will protect tenants in the long run.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cEnsuring landlords can return a security deposit through digital methods better aligns with market realities and protects the private landlord-tenant relationship,\u201d Carra wrote. \u201cThe landlord and tenant should determine the method of payment, and government should not restrict their options.\u201d<\/p>\n<ol start=\"5\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Tourism, turning Travel Michigan into a type I agency<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Status: Introduced in the House<\/strong><\/p>\n<aside class=\"scaip scaip-6    \">\n\t\t<\/aside>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On Aug. 25, state Rep. Will Snyder, D-Muskegon, introduced <a href=\"https:\/\/legislature.mi.gov\/Bills\/Bill?ObjectName=2026-HB-6246\">House Bill 6246<\/a> to increase funding for state tourism. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.michigan.org\/property\/travel-michigan\">Travel Michigan<\/a>, the state\u2019s official tourism promotion office, manages Michigan marketing, visitor information, welcome centers and more. The organization is currently part of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.michiganbusiness.org\/\">Michigan Economic Development Corporation<\/a>, but Snyder hopes for it to become an independent agency under the Michigan <a href=\"https:\/\/www.michigan.gov\/leo\">Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In a <a href=\"https:\/\/housedems.com\/snyder-introduces-bill-to-create-travel-michigan-as-independent-type-1-agency\/\">press release<\/a>, Snyder said he believes House Bill 6246 will draw increased attention and state funding for tourism.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cTourism funding is economic development, but all too often tourism funding becomes forgotten about and used as a political scapegoat during the budget negotiations,\u201d Snyder wrote. \u201cBeing from a place like Muskegon, I understand the importance of both supporting our manufacturing sectors and supporting our tourism and hospitality sector.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Daily Staff Reporter Alyssa Tisch can be reached at<\/em> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.michigandaily.com\/news\/government\/august-2026-michigan-legislative-roundup-money-out-of-politics-prison-safety-and-primary-care\/mailto:tischaa@umich.edu\"><em>tischaa@umich.edu<\/em><\/a><em>.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<aside>\n\t\t<\/aside>\n<p><h3 class=\"jp-relatedposts-headline\"><em>Related articles<\/em><\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Each month, The Michigan Daily publishes a compilation of some of the most relevant bills in the Michigan Legislature for students. The following article explains five bills that have been introduced, passed or signed into law by the Michigan Legislature or Gov. Gretchen Whitmer throughout August 2026.\u00a0 Money out of politics\u00a0 Status: Passed in the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6381,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[2044,510,286,3395,4193,1614],"class_list":["post-6380","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-news","tag-care","tag-money","tag-politics","tag-primary","tag-prison","tag-safety"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/tmbglobal.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6380","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/tmbglobal.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/tmbglobal.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tmbglobal.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tmbglobal.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6380"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/tmbglobal.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6380\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6382,"href":"https:\/\/tmbglobal.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6380\/revisions\/6382"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tmbglobal.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6381"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/tmbglobal.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6380"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tmbglobal.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6380"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tmbglobal.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6380"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}