Whitmer delivers final State of the State address

LANSING, MI (WTVB) – In her eighth and final State of the State address last, Governor Gretchen Whitmer
outlined a “Michigan for All” agenda focused on literacy, housing, and healthcare affordability.

Addressing a joint session of the legislature, Whitmer proposed the “Every Child Read” plan, which she described as the largest targeted literacy investment in state history.

She also introduced a “Build, Baby, Build” housing initiative, calling for a new state-level affordable housing tax credit and the streamlining of zoning laws to lower construction costs and help young residents achieve homeownership.

The Governor further prioritized medical debt relief, urging lawmakers to cap interest rates, prevent medical debt from appearing on credit reports, and ban home foreclosures resulting from unpaid medical bills.

The Governor also reflected on some of her biggest accomplishments over the past seven years

Whitmer also acknowledged the challenges of national political division and called for continued bipartisan cooperation.

Republican leaders, however, remained critical, with House Speaker Matt Hall arguing that recent successes like road funding belonged to GOP efforts and expressed opposition to proposed tax shifts for Medicaid stabilization.