Feb. 20: Governor’s budget recommendations, human trafficking bills advance, and more

📰 E-Newsletter | Feb. 20, 2026 | Office of State Rep. Kelly Breen

Dear Neighbor,

Welcome to the latest edition of my e-newsletter. I am excited to share with you updates from Lansing.

Remember: our government is most effective when we engage with it. I want to hear what matters most to you, how I can help address your needs and what you want me to fight for at the Capitol. My staff and I are always here to talk about ways we can improve our community. You can reach me at RepKellyBreen.com or (517) 373-2575.

In service,
Rep Kelly Breen's Signature
Kelly Breen
State Representative
House District 21

Upcoming Events

✯ Citizen’s Police Academy
These classes aim to grant citizens insight into the practices, procedures and daily operations of the Farmington Hills Police Department.

  • When: Every Wednesday from Jan. 14-March 18, 6-9 p.m.
  • Registration: E-mail [email protected] to register. 

☕Upcoming Legislative Coffee Hours – Jan. 23 and Jan. 30
These are an opportunity to sit down with me and discuss matters related to our district and my work in Lansing.

Feb. 20 Coffee Hour 

  • When: Friday Feb. 20, 11 a.m.-noon
  • Where: Lyon Township Public Library, 27005 Milford Road, South Lyon, MI 48178

Feb. 27 Coffee Hour

  • When: Friday Feb. 27, 11 a.m.-noon
  • Where: No.VI Coffee and Tea, 47490 Grand River Ave., Novi, MI 48374

To find more events in our community, you can visit the following link: 

Legislative Updates

As we start a new year, I look forward to continuing to serve my constituents and our state by working alongside my colleagues to deliver meaningful, impactful legislation aimed at protecting the people of Michigan, particularly the most vulnerable among us.

Governor’s budget recommendations. Recently the governor put out her budget recommendation for the coming fiscal year. While the state House and Senate still need to develop their draft budgets, the governor’s proposal may offer a glimpse at what a final budget could entail. One proposal by the governor would allocate $625 million to promote literacy. This comes at a time when Michigan ranks among the bottom 10 states in literacy for some grade levels. Another proposal includes a $90 million property tax break for senior citizens, which would come out of state funding, leaving municipalities that rely on those taxes unharmed. Additionally, the governor proposed increased taxes on some tobacco products and certain online gaming operators. All told, her general fund proposal comes out to $13.6 billion, which is a $500 million decrease from the current fiscal year’s enacted budget.

State of the State address. On the topic of the governor, the State of the State address will be taking place on Wednesday, Feb. 25. The address, given at 7 p.m. will be this governor’s final State of the State address. This will be an opportunity for her to outline her administration’s accomplishments and goals for the future. I anticipate that she will focus on her priorities regarding the economy, the state’s infrastructure and education.

Human trafficking legislation advances in the House. The House’s Human Trafficking Package, of which I am the lead sponsor, received a hearing in the House Judiciary Committee at the end of last month. The package is focused on uplifting survivors and helping them to clear their records of crimes they may have been forced to commit as a result of being trafficked. While the bills have yet to receive a vote in the committee, it is my hope that there will be further movement on the package soon.


Photo: State Rep. Kelly Breen provides testimony on her anti-human trafficking bill package at the House Judiciary Committee on Jan. 21, 2026.

Consumer protections for medications and supplements. Coming down the pipeline, my office is working on consumer protection legislation that we hope to introduce in the near future. Currently, we are looking to put together something similar to what was introduced last term, namely House Bill 5201 of 2023 and House Bill 5202 of 2023. The bills aim to revise the Consumer Protections Act’s applicability regarding unfair trade practices and to clarify liability regarding inaccurate representations of the risks of certain medications and supplements. Keep an eye out for updates on this in future e-news releases.

If there is any legislation that you are especially passionate about, please feel free to contact my office. You may also want to reach out to the House Speaker or the chair of the committee that the bill is in if it is awaiting a hearing.

ℹ️ Helpful Resources