Medicaid and the state budget, license plate readers, March 5 know-your-rights training, and moreE-Newsletter | March 3, 2026 | State Rep. Matt Longjohn Hello Friends, The governor’s final State of the State address offered a powerful reminder of the commitment she has shown throughout her tenure to “fight like hell” for the health and wellbeing of all Michiganders. Her remarks also marked a turning point here in Lansing, as lawmakers are beginning the work on the next state budget. |
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Photo: State Reps. Matt Longjohn (D-Portage), center right, and Julie Rogers (D-Kalamazoo), in white, were joined by their moms on the House floor ahead of the State of the State address on Feb. 25, 2026. |
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About the FY 2027 Budget To kick off the budget process, my team and I have been meeting with constituents, local units of government, and nonprofit organizations across our district, county, and state. We have been learning about their priorities and needs, which the 2026-2027 budget might help address. These types of conversations shape my work every day, and I will fight all year long to bring state resources home to the 40th House District. While there are many uncertainties, one thing is clear: this year’s budget will be exceptionally challenging. First and foremost, we are dealing with decreasing revenues. The state is facing a deficit driven by multiple factors, including economic headwinds and the impact of tariffs, which together have contributed to more than $2 billion in reduced revenue to the state. So, incredibly difficult decisions are going to have to be made at a time when new additional pressure is being put on Michigan’s budget by changes in federal policy. For example, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act will add roughly $100 million in costs to Michiganders to administer the SNAP program. Additionally, as new federal work requirements are implemented, hundreds of thousands of Michiganders are projected to lose Medicaid coverage. At the same time, the State Budget Office estimates Michigan would need to hire roughly 600 new employees to review and verify the work, school, or volunteer status of the state’s 2.7 million Medicaid enrollees. |
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Photo: State Rep. Longjohn sits at the Michigan House-Senate Joint Committee on Appropriations to hear the governor’s budget recommendations for the 2027 fiscal year on Feb. 11, 2026. |
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No matter how things go this budget season, I will remain laser-focused on making smart, responsible choices to make it possible for the families of our community to live their healthiest lives. |
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Protecting Your Privacy While debates intensify in Lansing, important conversations continue here at home. I recently attended a Portage City Council meeting and participated in discussions about the use of Flock camera systems and legislation that would strengthen oversight of license plate reader technology. Community members and advocacy groups have raised serious concerns about how agencies could use this data, including potential misuse for immigration enforcement, reproductive healthcare tracking, or surveillance of lawful political activity. I shared with the City Council that the Legislature has introduced two bipartisan bills — one addressing private license plate readers used by businesses and other governing public systems operated by law enforcement. These bills aim to establish clear, uniform limits on how agencies collect, access, and use data while still allowing communities to use public safety tools responsibly. Although the Legislature has not yet scheduled hearings and the bills may change, I believe lawmakers must set clear guardrails now. |
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Upcoming Events As always, I want to ensure plenty of opportunities for us to connect directly. Please review the calendar of events below and mark your calendars for upcoming Community Coffee and Office Hours. These conversations guide my work, and I value hearing directly from you. You can view all upcoming events on my Facebook and Instagram: |
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In addition to our monthly events, on Thursday, March 5, I will be joined by special guests, state Reps. Brenda Carter, Penelope Tsernoglou, Julie M. Rogers and Phil Skaggs and Liz Balck from the ACLU of Michigan for a “Know Your Rights” Town Hall. We’ll be talking about how to navigate your constitutional rights and answering any questions you may have on the topic. |
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The event will be held virtually via Zoom; please RSVP below: |
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Thank you for staying engaged and for trusting me to represent our community. My office is ready to support you — whether you need help navigating state services, have questions about legislation, or want to advocate for an issue you care about. I look forward to seeing you soon. Sincerely, Matt Longjohn |