Watch Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s 2023 State of the State speech

• This is Whitmer's fifth State of the State speech, the first in-person since 2020.
• Expect plans on tax cuts, education and gun control
• The speech may go longer because it's at the Capitol. The last two addresses have been under a half hour

LANSING — Gov. Gretchen Whitmer give her fifth State of the State address in the state Capitol on Wednesday, her first in-person speech since 2020.  

She will have a more favorable audience as this is the first time since the 1980s that Democrats have control of all three branches of government.

The speech starts at 7 p.m. Watch it here:

Whitmer is expected to speak longer because the pandemic isn't forcing her to give a virtual address. The last two years, as COVID raged in Michigan, Whitmer spoke for about 25 minutes, while her 2020 address was 36 minutes, and she spoke for nearly an hour in 2019.

Among the topics expected to be covered:

• Tax cuts: Whitmer wants to expand the Earned Income Tax Credit, which would put another $600 per year or so in the pockets of families of four who make about $55,000. Whitmer also wants to repeal the state’s income tax on pension incomes, which would save nearly 500,000 households an average of $1,000 per year.
• Gun control: Whitmer wants universal background checks, safe storage laws, which aims to keep children from accessing guns, and “red flag” laws, permitting someone’s gun to be temporarily taken away if they are deemed dangerous to themselves or others.
• Education: Whitmer wants to expand the state’s tutoring program to help reduce learning loss from the pandemic.
• Child care: Other media outlets have reported that Whitmer wants to expand access to state-funded preschool programs for more Michigan families.