Michigan House Speaker says Republicans open to vetoed bills if Democrats negotiate on priorities

Democrats in the Michigan House and Senate have reintroduced a package of nine bills that were vetoed by the governor after spending years in legal limbo.

The bills had originally passed when Democrats held a trifecta — control of the House, Senate and the governor's office. They were never transmitted to the governor, a delay that lasted years before the state Supreme Court ruled they had to be sent. The governor then vetoed them, a move that surprised even the lawmakers who backed the legislation.

The nine bills would make changes to corrections officers' pensions, require the state to cover a larger share of employee healthcare premiums and change collective bargaining rules for nurses.

Kara Ayotte, a nurse affected by the legislation, said the prolonged process was difficult to accept.

"The process of the 18 months of stalling and waiting and having to take it to a high court for a different decision, I think all of that was really frustrating and disappointing because that's not how our legislature is supposed to run," Ayotte said.

State Rep. Ranjeev Puri said Democrats are committed to pushing the bills through regardless of how many attempts it takes.

"I promise you we are going to do this again and again, we are going to introduce these bills as many times as we need to," Puri said.

The path forward is more difficult this time. Democrats no longer hold the trifecta and will need Republican support to advance the legislation.

Puri said he has not yet spoken with House Republicans about the bills but expressed doubt about near-term prospects.

"I have not had any conversations with the House Republicans about this, but the offer stands that we are willing to work in good faith to get this done. I'm skeptical if that's really going to happen in this year, but you know the alternative to that is making sure that they're not a part of the equation in 2027," Puri said.

House Speaker Matt Hall said he is open to working on the bills, but tied his cooperation to the Democratic movement on his own priorities.

"If they want to get these priorities done, then they should look at the bills they're sitting on, and they should stop blocking my efforts in House Republican efforts to end the state property tax," Hall said.