Governor Gretchen Whitmer will deliver her annual State of the State address on January 26. This will be the second year in a row the governor will present the speech virtually because of COVID-19.
The address is typically delivered to a joint session of the state House and Senate with many guests in attendance. But the address will not return this year to its traditional venue in the House chamber.
The Democratic governor’s fourth State of the State address will no doubt be devoted largely to Michigan’s response to COVID-19.
Last year, the Democratic governor and the Republican-led Legislature battled over her use of emergency powers, but found agreement on new business incentives. Negotiations this year on how to spend federal COVID recovery assistance will take place with the approach of the statewide November elections.