Watch live at 7 pm: Gretchen Whitmer’s final State of the State address

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is set to deliver her eighth — and final — State of the State address to a joint session of the Legislature on Wednesday evening.

The term-limited Democrat is expected to tout past accomplishments and lay out proposals for the year ahead. According to her office, she’ll focus on “continuing record investments in education and literacy, building housing, supporting health care, lowering costs, and so much more.”

The speech is slated to start at 7 p.m. Watch live in the player below.

Read Whitmer’s full 2026 State of the State address, as prepared for delivery, below:

My fellow Michiganders—good evening! I am honored to be back for my eighth and final State of the State Address.

Thank you, Majority Leader Brinks, Speaker Hall, Minority Leader Nesbitt, and Minority Leader Puri. I’m eager to work with you all again on our last balanced, bipartisan budget. Let’s get it done on time… by June 30th.

I want to thank every legislator here—whether it’s your first term or your last—for your public service. From folks like Representative O’Neal who leads the Michigan Legislative Black Caucus… to Senator McBroom, who brings the UP’s spirit of sisu to Lansing… You all have unique perspectives and strong voices. It’s an honor to serve the people of Michigan with you.

Let’s applaud three other statewide leaders who have also worked hard for Michigan these last 7 years… Lieutenant Governor Gilchrist, Attorney General Nessel, and Secretary of State Benson. 

Let’s thank the members of the Michigan Supreme Court for upholding our constitution and the rule of law.

And a big thanks to the Michiganders who keep us all safe… local first responders, the Michigan State Police, the Michigan National Guard, and our DNR Conservation Officers.

This includes two heroes who responded to the shooting at a church in Grand Blanc last September.

Two men who didn’t know each other, but acted quickly to protect their neighbors… because that’s what Michiganders do.

We’re honored to have them both here this evening.

Let’s give DNR Officer Luke Robare (row-bear) and Grand Blanc Township Officer Jason Carpentier (car-pen-teer) a big hand.

Next, let’s thank our state employees, including my cabinet, executive office team, and everyone on the front lines in the departments. Thank you.

To my family… without your sacrifices and support, I would not be able to do this work. I do this because of you and for you. I love you.

To the people of Michigan… serving as your governor has been the honor of a lifetime. Thank you for putting your trust in me.

Finally, let’s talk about the Olympics. From skiing and skating to snowboarding and hockey, Michigan was everywhere. 15 extraordinary Michiganders represented the US on the world stage. They came home with 13 medals and a few less teeth.

The Olympics are a reminder of what Americans can accomplish when we come together to do hard things. Here in Michigan, hard work and teamwork are in our DNA. Let’s give it up for all the Michiganders who represented the United States in Milan.

Here in Michigan, we have a lot to be proud of. Over the past seven years, we’ve delivered on kitchen table issues. Together, we’re building a Michigan for all:

Wages and GDP are up.

Crime and overdose deaths are down.

PreK, school meals, and community college all are free.

Taxes on retirement, tips, overtime, and Social Security are gone.

We’ve fixed more roads, built more homes, and replaced more lead pipes than ever before.

And more people moved in to Michigan from other states than out for the first time since the early 90s.

Still, people are nervous about the national economy. While your paycheck may have grown, the cost of everything else has too. Many middle class families tread water, struggle to pay the bills, find good jobs, and get ahead. If you’re young, it can be hard to find a job that pays well or a home you can afford.

Tariffs have jacked up prices, costing families an average of $1,000 bucks last year. Businesses of all sizes are facing higher costs and massive uncertainty too. Last year, America had its worst manufacturing trade deficit ever while China clocked their highest trade surplus ever—$1.2 trillion. I’m hopeful that last week’s Supreme Court decision will force Congress and the President to work out a more strategic trade policy.

As everyone reels from national uncertainty, WE must stay focused on growing Michigan’s economy. This year, let’s stay competitive against our neighbors like Ohio and Indiana by equipping ourselves with the tools we need to create good-paying jobs and make it easier to develop and grow here. Thank you, Senator Singh and Representative Farhat, for your leadership on this.

And we’re all exhausted by the endless division. Too many people are quick to judge and eager to spin everything they read, watch, or hear. It’s stoked by irresponsible leaders and organizations who get more power or make more money when we’re all angry at each other or sad about ourselves.

Despite these national challenges, Michiganders can show the way forward. We can all show the rest of the country how we work together to get things done. We can remind people to carry themselves with an underdog spirit and a championship swagger, like we do. That’s what being a Michigander is all about. Taking pride in who you are, what you do, and what you value.

In 2026, I’m focused on issues that will help us build a Michigan for all…

First, our kids’ education…

And second, more money in your pocket for housing and health care.

Let’s start with, literacy: an essential, lifelong skill.

Strong readers and writers grow up to be more confident speakers, better problem solvers, and great entrepreneurs. Illiteracy is a challenge that compounds over time. How could anyone enjoy learning when you can’t read your textbook?

Struggling students grow up anxious about getting called on in class, become increasingly disengaged, and ultimately struggle to fill out mortgage applications, pay bills, or apply for a job.

Tragically, American students are falling behind, and Michigan is no exception. There’s a gender gap here too. Boys are behind girls in reading at every age. Michigan is 44th for 4th grade reading. Forty-fourth.

This is a serious problem. Our kids deserve better.

It’s not the fault of any one person, party, or event. It’s not concentrated in any one state or any one kind of school district. Literacy is a national challenge. No matter who becomes governor after me, they’ll have to continue this work.

Because simultaneously, our economy demands every child possess stronger reading, writing, and critical thinking skills than ever before… Yet we’re not keeping up with top states. But we can. We can close the gender gap and raise the bar for all kids. We can compete, but we must change to win.

Over the past seven years, we’ve taken significant bipartisan action on literacy. Led by leaders in both chambers: Senators Irwin, Camilleri, and Polehanki and Representatives Glanville and Kelly.

Every budget I’ve introduced, negotiated, and signed these last 7 years made record investments in education. Every year we’ve raised the bar. We:

trained more teachers,

tutored more kids,

funded more mental health,

and upgraded classrooms, libraries, and science labs.

In late 2024, I signed “Science of Reading” legislation, a statewide strategy that uses proven methods to teach reading. That includes phonics… because it works. Previously, schools used over 400 different literacy teaching methods. Now, we’re simplifying that to what we know is most effective. Soon, we’ll also screen every student for dyslexia, identifying kids who need extra help and ensuring they get it.  

We gave districts more funds to buy evidence-based classroom resources. We invested in literacy coaches—professionals who help our educators improve how they teach reading.

Late last year, we convened the first-ever Michigan Literacy Summit of experts. I want to thank state Superintendent Dr. Glenn Maleyko for his focus on literacy.

And earlier this month, I signed the bills to limit phones during class time. Students can better focus on learning and our teachers can do what they do best—teach! I called for this in last year’s address and I want to thank Senator Polehanki and Representative Tisdel for getting it done.

We’ve been working together to make our schools safer, better places for kids to learn and grow.

This year, let’s build on that progress. I just released my final executive budget recommendation, which included the largest targeted literacy investment in Michigan history. The plan has a simple name and a clear goal: Every Child Reads.

It’s got three parts:

1) Early starts,

2) Proven methods,

and 3) Extra help.

First, we start teaching reading earlier. Those early years are crucial. It’s when young brains are best able to absorb new information. For babies and toddlers, literacy starts when people talk to them, sing with them, or read them stories—things most parents already do.

That early learning continues in preK, where kids learn their ABCs and use language to play and make friends. The data tells us that students who attend preK are far more likely to read and do math at or above grade level. I’m thrilled that Michigan families have repeatedly broken records for preK enrollment. It’s working. So, let’s keep going.

Every parent should know that Michigan is committed to their child’s lifelong academic success, from preK through graduation.

This year, let’s fund free, full-day PreK for All to set every child up for success.

Second, let’s get proven literacy teaching practices into all Michigan classrooms. Our teachers work hard. No one wants to see students succeed more than they do. Let’s support teachers by adopting effective curriculums statewide AND fund additional professional learning, like LETRS (letters) training, to ensure we’re teaching literacy using the most effective strategies to improve student outcomes.

Finally, extra help. Potential is universal. But opportunity is not. Our new science of reading law identifies students who need more support, but what does that actually look like? It means more tutoring and small group support in class, at after-school programs, over the weekend, and during the summer too.

With our support, every child can read—and reach their potential.

Hearing your child read for the first time, sound out the words, smile, and ask you if they got it right—that’s a magical moment. Few things feel better than watching your kid succeed, but few things hurt more than watching them struggle and not knowing how to help. A wise person once said, “you’re only as happy as your least happy child.” It’s so true. Too many parents know that pain of a struggling reader.

Literacy is an ordinary superpower that every child deserves.

We’ve already seen remarkable progress in states doing the same things I’ve covered tonight. These so-called “miracles” have been taking place in red, blue, and purple states who are climbing the ranks or maintaining their already strong positions. But these weren’t miracles… they were marathons—the result of years of hard work and commitment to the plan.

Michigan, we’ve already started this race. Let’s commit and work together to make sure every child reads. Let’s get it done.

Next, let’s talk about another national issue we must tackle together—housing. In the 90s, I bought my first house as a 28-year-old. If you’re a 28-year-old now and you think that sounds crazy—you’re right. Because a lot has changed since then:

Just 1 in 5 homes are sold to first-time homebuyers. That’s an all-time low.

The median age of a first-time homebuyer is 40. That’s a record high.

And the average income of first-time buyers is $97,000. That’s also an all-time high.

It’s hard out there. There’s a multi-million-home shortage nationwide while the majority of houses that are for sale are unaffordable.

We’re also seeing a widening gender gap in homeownership:

25% of first-time buyers are single women,

while just 10% are single men.

I know some people were surprised when I spoke directly about young men in my speech last year. But why wouldn’t I? A governor should care about every Michigander, including the more than 1 million young men and 1 million young women who call Michigan home.

I want all our young people to succeed and put down roots in Michigan. They should be able to buy a house and start a family. They deserve a life that’s just as good and hopefully better than their parents.

Unfortunately, it’s too hard and too expensive to build new housing today. Tariffs sure haven’t helped. We rely on Canadian lumber and Mexican drywall to build homes, and tariffs have raised the cost of a house by upwards of 17 grand, further exacerbating our housing shortage. We can’t change national tariffs—believe me, I’ve tried—but we can build more quality, affordable housing in Michigan.

Our solution so far has been pretty simple: Build, Baby, Build!

We’ve invested more to build housing than any administration in state history.

We set and smashed our goal of adding 75,000 homes a year ahead of schedule.

We’re at 86,000 now, on track to hit our new target of 115,000.

We’ve closed our housing gap by 44% and our homeownership rate remains higher than the national average, at almost 75%.

We helped more than 6,000 Michiganders buy their first homes last year with record-setting mortgage and down payment assistance loans.

I also directed our housing department to connect more young men and women to our homeownership programs.

Because whether it’s your first property, the home you raise your family, or the place you retire… everyone should be able to buy a house that meets their needs and stay in it long-term. This year, let’s continue making it easier to build more housing.

There are some commonsense ways we can get this done.

First, a new, state-level affordable housing tax credit. There’s already a federal affordable housing tax credit, which incentivizes the construction of housing for working class families. With a state credit, we can build thousands more homes every year.

Michigan’s the only state in our region without this tool. And once we create one, it unlocks more federal dollars too. We need to get this done because too many workers are being priced out of homeownership: fire fighters in Traverse City; nurses in Fraser; and teachers in Chelsea.

Two more things we should do to build housing:

ONE demolish nonsensical construction requirements…

and TWO streamline zoning.

There’s still a lot of red tape that gets in the way of shovels hitting dirt. Let’s make it easier to build in-law suites and multifamily homes. Let’s modernize lot sizes, setback rules, and parking requirements. By improving zoning and building codes, we can build more homes quicker, at lower cost.

Michiganders love the character of their communities. Whether you crave the hustle and bustle of a busy downtown or the slower pace of a quiet main street, every community is different—and that’s a good thing. For too long, however, our laws have made it easy to expand suburbs but hard to build walkable downtowns and main streets or do more with your own property.

It shouldn’t be so hard to build the homes people need in the places where they want to live.

Young Americans want to live in areas with good jobs, great restaurants, unique businesses, concert venues, and sports stadiums nearby. To attract and retain young workers, let’s build the kind of homes and places they want.

Representatives Grant, Aragona, Wooden, Meerman, Neeley, and Fairbairn… and Senators Irwin and Cavanagh have led on housing. We’ve come a long way together, but we must do more.

In 2026, let’s continue our mission to build more housing, make cities and towns more fun, affordable, and safe, and help the 28-year-olds watching this speech buy their first home. Together, we can give every Michigander a chance to live their American Dream.

The third thing we should focus on this year is health care.

We all need quality, affordable health care, but for too many, it’s synonymous with lengthy paperwork, long phone calls, and confusing processes.

It shouldn’t be so hard.

It shouldn’t be so maddening.

And it really shouldn’t be so damn expensive.

Last year, the majority in Washington, DC voted to slash Medicaid and SNAP by $1 trillion, ripping health care and food away from millions of our neighbors, family, and friends. They went home and did nothing and let premiums on the Affordable Care Act skyrocket.

I’m calling on members of Congress: renew the ACA subsidies to provide real relief to Michiganders who now must pay thousands more for the same coverage they had last year.

A lot of the federal changes will only make it harder and more frustrating for folks who are perfectly eligible to get the care they need. Even if you don’t get your health care through Medicaid or the ACA, we will all be impacted by these big cuts. The domino effects of higher premiums, hospital closures, reduced services, and workforce reductions will impact us all, even if you have good insurance.

No state can pick up the massive tab the federal government is dropping on us. It’s just not possible. What we can do is make health care more convenient and more affordable.

Over the past seven years, it’s exactly what we’ve done. Because of our work:

Insurers can’t charge more for preexisting conditions.

Young people can stay on their parents’ plans until they turn 26.

Prior authorizations are faster, digitized, and more transparent.

There are no more surprise medical bills and no caps on annual or lifetime care.

And mental health is finally covered equally to physical health by law, making Michigan the first state to get that done.

Now let’s talk about two more things we can do this year to lower costs and protect access to health care.

First, medical debt. Over half a million Michiganders got sick and couldn’t afford to pay the bill. It’s crushing. Last year, we wiped out medical debt for 210,000 people. That’s a huge weight off their backs. I’m grateful to county governments statewide who have taken similar actions. I also want to thank Senators Anthony and Lindsey for their leadership on this issue.

But with more economic uncertainty and deeper cuts to health care on the horizon, we know that thousands more Michiganders will rack up medical debt this year.

We must do more. Here’s what I’m thinking:

1) Let’s cap interest rates on medical debt.

2) Let’s prevent medical debt from showing up on your credit report.

3) Let’s require hospitals to set up financial assistance programs for patients.

4) And let’s ban liens or foreclosures on homes because of medical debt.

In Michigan, we believe that being sick or getting hurt shouldn’t also mean going broke. In 2026, we can help more Michiganders reduce medical debt.

Moving on… let’s talk about Medicaid. Last year, we recognized that federal cuts would put 2.5 million Michiganders at risk of losing their coverage and threaten hospitals in rural and underserved areas. We agreed that wasn’t right, so, we took action.

Our budget protected billions in funding for core Medicaid services. I want to thank Representatives Dr. Longjohn and VanWoerkom for their efforts here. But the work is not finished. In our budget this year, we must do more.

In my executive recommendation, I proposed a significant investment to stabilize Medicaid funding. If we include this throughout the budget process, we can protect benefits and maintain coverage for eligible Michiganders.

No matter what happens in DC, let’s work together in Lansing to help Michiganders pay less for the care they need.

It’s what we’ve done for years. In 2014, as the Minority Leader in the Michigan Senate, I worked with Governor Snyder to expand Medicaid under the ACA. It took a lot of compromise, but we got it done and created Healthy Michigan.

When we collaborate, we can do extraordinary things. This year, let’s erase more medical debt and protect our health care system for us all. Let’s get it done.

Tonight, I’ve spoken about the work we must do on literacy, housing, and health care to build a Michigan for all. But it’s worth reflecting on just how far we’ve come in the 2,612 days since I was sworn in on a frosty January morning in 2019.

Since then, we’ve made Michigan a state that more people can afford.

On Tax Day this year: 1 million Michigan seniors will no longer pay the retirement tax because we repealed it.

665,000 working families get refunds averaging $3,900 bucks because we increased the Working Families Tax Credit by 500%.

800,000 workers will keep more of their hard-earned paychecks because we ended state taxes on tips and overtime.

Workers benefit from the best earned-sick time policy in the country.

And the day I took office, 1.5 million Michiganders made under $15 bucks an hour. The day I leave, it will be almost zero.

And businesses have more opportunities. Our fiscal house is in order too:

We raised the rainy-day fund to record highs and enacted 7 balanced budgets.

We’re a top ten state for doing business for the third year in a row.

We improved our credit rating and will pay off $28 billion of debt.

We sped up permitting and cut lots of red tape.

And we’re building a strong start-up ecosystem.

Michigan is a safer, better place to live.

Every community has record resources to hire, train, and retain first responders.

We’re producing more clean, reliable energy from wind, solar, nuclear, and hydrogen, to protect our planet and power everyone’s homes.

We’ve replaced 70,000 lead pipes and upgraded water infrastructure statewide.

We’re fixing the damn roads everywhere, thanks to the biggest bipartisan roads deal in state history. I want to thank Speaker Hall for his collaboration here. This was a decades-long problem and we delivered a thoughtful, bipartisan solution. I’m really proud of this one. Since I took office through the end of this construction season, we’ll have fixed 26,500 lane miles of road and almost 2,000 bridges, supporting over 200,000 jobs.

We’ve had some of the busiest construction seasons in Michigan history and more are coming. There’s still a lot of work to do. When you see those orange barrels just know… I’m sorry and you’re welcome!

We’ve made record investments in our kids. It’s quite a list:

Every student in every school gets the same resources because we closed the funding gap.

Every four-year-old can go to pre-K for free, saving their parents $14,000 grand a year.

Every student gets more mental health resources, financial literacy skills, and personalized instruction.

Every graduate can go to their local community college tuition-free.

Every Michigander 25 and older can earn an associate’s degree or certificate tuition-free too.

And no child goes hungry in Michigan schools because all 1.4 million public school students get free breakfast and lunch. And you know what? This year, let’s make that permanent! Years from now, when people write about this session, they’ll remember that we were the ones who finally fixed our roads and fed our kids.

We’ve also protected fundamental freedoms for all.

I want to thank my friend, Majority Leader Brinks, the first woman to hold that position, for her strong leadership that’s helped make Michigan more fair and free. Thanks to the volunteers and voters and the work we did together…

Abortion is a constitutional right. Women can control over their own bodies, lives, and futures.

Black Michiganders can wear their hair natural, without discrimination.

We finally have commonsense gun violence prevention laws: background checks, safe storage, and extreme risk protection orders.

And LGBTQ+ Michiganders are protected against discrimination in their homes and at work by law.

In Michigan—everyone deserves to be who they are and love who they love.

I want to take a moment now to speak directly to our gay and trans neighbors, family, and friends. I want you to know that you are welcome in Michigan. You belong, you matter, and no matter who comes after you, I’ll stand in the way. In Michigan, we look out for each other. That’s why I’ll always fight for your freedom and safety. And I’ll veto any legislation that diminishes your humanity. I got your back.

We’re not done yet. Michiganders expect us to compete and win!

Michigan is open for business. New factories making batteries, cars, and chips are opening in Marshall, Lake Orion, Holland, Bay City, Calumet, Hemlock, Ann Arbor, and Delta Township.

A new fighter mission is coming to Selfridge Air National Guard Base in Macomb County… you probably didn’t have this one on your bingo card, but I want to thank President Trump for helping us get this done. I also want to thank Senator Hertel and Representative Mentzer for their work on this too and Congresswoman McClain, who’ll keep the pressure on in DC.

We’ve had lots of “firsts.”

We’re the first state to restore workers’ right to organize for better pay and benefits in 70 years.

The first state to ever restart a nuclear power plant at Palisades.

For the first time in 40 years, we opened a new veterans home.

For the first time in nearly 70 years, Detroit’s population grew.

And for the first time in over a century, a new bridge connecting Michigan to Canada—the Gordie Howe International Bridge—will open.

Throughout 2026, I’ll be going across Michigan, lifting up these wins and listening to you during what we’re calling the G-S-D Tour. I hope to see you out there.

My mission, over these last ten months, as it has always been, is to put you, the people of Michigan, first. 

I’ve spent two and a half working in this building. As a student at MSU, at the other end of the now freshly-paved Michigan Avenue, my beloved father wisely encouraged me to learn about state government and apply for an internship at the capital. He saw something in me before I saw it in myself.

Soon, I landed my first full-time job as a staffer. My desk was literally in a safe on the 1st floor. I occupied 40% of the space and the office refrigerator had the other 60. I got to work here at a unique moment—we had a tie. 55 Republicans and 55 Democrats shared power and still got a lot done. That early experience stayed with me and shapes the way I lead. 

In 2000, I was elected to the House. During my first term, I had my first child, Sherry. She was named after my mom, who was fighting brain cancer and lived just long enough to meet her namesake. In my second term, I had my second child, Sydney. 

After a few terms in the House, I won a seat in the Senate in a special election. I literally gave my farewell remarks and walked off the floor, across the rotunda to be sworn into the Senate. One of my House colleagues joked that the average IQ of both chambers went up that day.

I loved my time as a legislator. I made friends on both sides of the aisle who believed deeply in the work we did and wanted the best for Michigan. After a stint as county prosecutor, I ran for governor in 2018 to fix the damn roads and a lot of other stuff, too.

I’ve been to all 83 counties many times. I’ve met Michiganders on the frontline of every problem. Even as we’ve dealt with a lot of darkness over the past seven years, I’ve been overwhelmed by the light that I’ve seen in my fellow Michiganders. Our state is full of good, honest, hard-working people who care deeply about their families and want to make their communities better.

That’s why I’m optimistic about Michigan’s future. It’s the gritty, can-do attitude that defines our state’s character. The ordinary acts of kindness we practice, every day. It’s Republicans, Democrats, and Independents who put politics aside to solve problems. That’s what Michigan is about. It’s why I’ve never been prouder to be a Michigander.  

Right now, it can be hard to stay positive. It’s frustrating to just stay afloat financially—let alone get ahead. Ugly rhetoric and rising partisanship, especially at the national level, has made it tempting to tune out and turn away. Social media platforms that were supposed to bring us together have made us distrust and, in some cases, despise our fellow Americans.

These forces—economic uncertainty, political division, and toxic algorithms—work in a vicious cycle to try and tell us that empathy is weakness… that kindness is gullibility… that sincerity is for suckers. But that’s wrong. 

We’re all searching for a way forward, and the answer has been in front of us the whole time. It’s us. No matter what comes our way, we will always have a way through it because we will always have each other.

Through a destructive pandemic, devastating floods, deep freezes, and deadly shootings… I’ve seen that tough times don’t last, but tough people do. We’ve all been tested over the past seven years, but we’ve always come out stronger and we always will. There’s no problem we’ve faced that we cannot fix. That’s just who we are.

I want to close tonight by speaking about the guiding lights of my life. My parents and my girls. My folks taught me to be kind, quick to laugh at myself, slow to judge others, and always work hard. To those of you who shared condolences… thank you. Losing my dad last month was really hard. Thank you for seeing my humanity and showing me yours.

To my daughters who are watching tonight: you’ve both made so many sacrifices as kids of a public servant. You center me, inspire me, and shape my work. I’m incredibly proud of you. My husband, Marc, who has been by my side these last 15 years. My Brother Richard who drove me to all 83 counties in 2017 and 2018 and my sister Liz who helped me write True Gretch. And I want to acknowledge my nieces Damira and Maleah who are both here tonight. I love you all.  

And of course, my fellow Michiganders, thank you for this opportunity. I start and end every day thinking about you. Because of you, the state of our state is strong. And because of you, I know it always will be. Big Gretch out!

Watch live at 7 pm: Gretchen Whitmer’s final State of the State address

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