- The Michigan state legislature is heading back to session January 8th.
- The state House now has Republican control while the Senate and Governor's seat remain democratic.
- This is the first time all of the Representatives are expected to be on the House floor since all of the GOP and one democratic representative left the floor in December.
UPDATE 5:30 PM: Representative Matt Hall is now speaker of the house -- and leading the chamber into a new republican majority.
"We did it. You all a part of this. This is for you," Speaker of the House Matt Hall said.
And with a new Majority, Republican lawmakers say that have one goal, the same goal that drove them out of the Capitol last month.
"Well obviously the biggest thing right now is fixing the tipped waged credit and restoring the sick time issue with a lot of our businesses and workers in Michigan," State Representative Sarah Lightner said.
Republicans say they'll aim to work quickly -- before wage increases for servers and bartenders goes into effect on February 21 -- a move many in the industry say would actually harm those workers.
For Democrats in the house, a new six seat minority, means any priorities they'd like to get done would need some help.
"We want to find solutions that are going to meet the needs of Michiganders," Democratic Floor Leader Ranjeev Puri said.
And it takes working together, within the chamber and out, a message coming from both parties on Wednesday.
Democratic leader Ranjeev Puri said his caucus priorities are to lower rising costs, help small businesses and fix the politicization of the education system.
"Any genuine opportunity for cooperation and collaboration with this new House of Representatives is going to be necessary in order to get things not only to the Senate but successfully to the governor's desk as well," Minority floor leader Grant Fitzgerald said.
"I tell people all the time, it's people issues not political issues and I'll continue to do that and you know my parents always taught me, you treat people how you want to be treated," Lightner said.
Governor Whitmer will outline her priorities at the upcoming state of the state address.
The Michigan state legislature is heading back to session for opening day at noon.
This will be the first time all of the Representatives are expected to be on the House floor after all of the GOP and one democratic representative left the floor in December, ending the final lawmaking days of 2024 early.
Michigan GOP takes control of the State House of Representatives while Democrats hold onto the Senate.
The first house bills of the new term will be introduced, officially marking the beginning of the 2025 legislative session.
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