Senator Winnie Brinks

Brinks says priorities for next year include passing a new state budget on time

A divided House and Senate are on track to set a record low this year in bills signed into law since Michigan became a state in 1837

The budget increases K-12 funding slightly and cuts economic development incentives that were championed by Governor Whitmer

The roads money comes from a mixture of budget cutting and other streams, many of which have faced their own criticism along the way to a final deal

The extension buys more time to avoid a partial government shutdown, when non-essential services would stop running

Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks aid she expects rank-and-file lawmakers will concur with the spending plan

House Minority Leader Ranjeev Puri said with a divided Legislature, House Majority leader Hall has no choice but to negotiate and make concessions

Governor Whitmer also discussed the budget, and weighed in further on the debate over using National Guard troops to patrol American cities

Michigan kids are going back to school soon and districts still don’t know how much state funding they'll get for the new year

Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks said Thursday that Hall is single-handedly driving the state toward a budget crisis