The budget-making race against the clock is underway in the state Capitol, as legislators have about two days to come together on a state spending plan before the new fiscal year begins.

Also, MIRS continues sharing interviews from the Michigan Republican Leadership Conference. Sterling Heights Robert Lulgjuraj is running in one of Michigan's most competitive U.S. House seats ahead of the '26 elections. He says his last name might be hard to pronounce, but his values are easy to understand (3:58). 

MIRS additionally catches up with Mitchell Nelson, the Michigan State Director of Humane World for Animals, who shares some of his policy goals for the year (22:51). 

This past weekend, MIRS podcast host Samantha Shriber covered the Michigan Republican Leadership Conference on Mackinac Island, where candidates ahead of the '26 elections courted Republican activists and enthusiasts. She recaps what she saw with guests (1:16). 

At the conference, MIRS met up with Republican Amir Hassan, the U.S. Navy veteran and Flint native running in Michigan's competitive 8th U.S. House district (9:24). 

Also, 46th Gov. John Engler shares what it was like creating budgets with a political rival and later with an evenly divided state House in the '90s (21:11). 

Monday afternoon, MIRS spoke with former Gov. James Blanchard, Michigan's 45th governor from 1983 through 1990. In his second term, he served with a Republican-led Senate and Democratic-controlled House. 

Gov. Blanchard shares his thoughts on government shutdowns, as both a federal and state government shutdown stand as possibilities if budget deals can't be reached. 

After the fatal shooting of conservative influencer Charlie Kirk, as well as bomb threats reportedly made against a Michigan lawmaker and Lieutenant Governor, has politics in 2025 become deadly?

Also, should state legislators be embarrassed by talk of a fall government shutdown despite not living under the Great Recession circumstances experienced in the prior shutdowns? 

MIRS discusses all of this and more with Sen. Veronica Klinefelt (D-Eastpointe), chair of the Senate Appropriations Transportation Subcommittee – and Rep. John Roth (R-Interlochen), chair of the House Appropriations Human Services Subcommittee (2:04). 

MIRS sits down with Doug Heller, the director of insurance for the Consumer Federation of America. He shares his takes and findings on the state of auto insurance in Michigan (1:10). 

Also, the House's road funding proposal brings Michigan's funding for local buses up to $286.5 million, an all-time high. However, bus service leaders are worried about how the proposal could link the extra dollars to farebox recovery metrics, representing how much of operating costs are covered by passenger fares (24:15). 

When it comes to budget-making in the Michigan Legislature, how big of a problem are phantom employees, or state agency job posts that are funded for but not filled? How large of an issue are work project dollars set aside in the past, but there's been no progress on those projects? 

Also, why do House Republicans instruct the state to follow the federal government's new work obligations for Medicaid recipients a year earlier for Healthy Michigan Plan beneficiaries? 

For its Labor Day episode, MIRS hosts a roundtable discussion with Sen. Jeff Irwin, the Ann Arbor Democrat, and Millington Republican state Rep. Phil Green (6:58). 

What are the costs and lasting effects of a state government shutdown? MIRS sits down with government policy lawyer Steve Liedel, who was Gov. Jennifer Granholm's legal counsel. The last time the government shutdown was during Granholm's administration (1:00). 

Also, MIRS talks to former state Representative Kurt Heise, a Plymouth Republican backing Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan's independent bid for governor. Heise hopes the Michigan GOP doesn't take the same approach as the state's Democratic Party by targeting pro-Duggan party members (19:45). 

Additionally, MIRS takes a virtual trip out-of-state to Texas, speaking with Andy Fish, Managing Partner of Texas Legislative Service, trying to better understand how mid-decade redistricting efforts became the latest Trump White House controversy (40:30). 

How are Democratic and Republican lawmakers reacting to suspicion around Lansing that there might be a looming government shutdown? Also what is the future of Michigan's business development strategy when the Democratic Attorney General suggests pausing funding to the economic development corporation until oversight is improved?

Today's episode is a roundtable edition of MIRS Monday, featuring Sen. Joseph Bellino Jr. – the Monroe Republican – and Flushing Democratic Rep. Jasper Martus (3:45). 

They also do a speed round of what policy ideas have promising, dead or unknown futures in a Democratic-run Senate and Republican-led House. 

MIRS meets Amanda Treppa, the 35-year-old Royal Oak Democrat running in the new 10th state Senate district. She shares how her early childhood in foster care and adult life in arts and fitness brought her into Michigan politics and policy. (1:00). 

A group of Michigan engineering companies is launching a "direct citizen contact" effort, pushing Michiganders into calling on Senate Democrats to put forward a road funding proposal. They hope phone calls will lead to lawmakers staying at the bargaining until a 2025 road funding deal is complete (20:25). 

MIRS also meets Gina Oliver, the senior director of the American Chemistry Council's Automotive Team. She talks about the state-level and national plastics industry, and wanting reform ramping up the country's advanced recycling capacity (37:30).