Michigan Secretary of State Criticizes House GOP Budget Plan, Warns of Layoffs and Branch Closures

Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson has sharply criticized a budget plan proposed by Republicans in the Michigan House of Representatives, warning it would decimate the services her department provides to residents. In a statement released on Sept. 8, 2025, Benson said the plan contains “serious calculation errors and inaccurate estimates” and would slash funding for the Michigan Department of State by tens of millions of dollars【245701766813750†L1011-L1022】. The cut, she says, would not only hamper basic operations like issuing driver’s licenses and renewing vehicle registrations, but also jeopardize consumer protection, election administration and oversight of auto repair shops and driver education programs.

According to Benson, the budget as currently written would require the Department of State to lay off more than 400 employees, roughly a quarter of the agency’s workforce【245701766813750†L1011-L1022】. Those employees include front-line branch office staff, election administrators and consumer protection investigators. The layoffs would force the department to close about 10 percent of its branch offices, meaning fewer locations across Michigan where residents can obtain or renew a driver’s license, register a vehicle or access other in-person services【245701766813750†L1011-L1022】. “This proposal would lead to significantly longer wait times at our branches, fewer branch offices across the state and a dangerous lack of oversight of auto repair facilities and driving schools,” she warned【245701766813750†L1011-L1022】. She added that the cuts “would also defund critical election administration positions” needed to run secure and accessible elections【245701766813750†L1019-L1026】.

The Secretary said the proposed reductions are based on faulty assumptions about the department’s finances. Some lawmakers, she explained, mistakenly believe that the Department of State currently has a large surplus. In reality, she says, the agency has used one-time federal funds and temporary efficiencies to stabilize service during and after the pandemic. Those funds are expiring, and ongoing operations require stable revenue. Benson called the Republican plan “not rooted in reality” and said it fails to account for core mandates such as REAL ID compliance and improving technology used to issue credentials and maintain driver records. She argued that a 25 percent staffing cut would undo years of progress modernizing branch services and ensuring that consumers are protected.

Benson urged the House to work with her office on a budget that invests in people rather than one that, in her words, “would devastate the department’s ability to serve Michigan residents”【245701766813750†L1026-L1030】. She said there is no valid reason to make cuts of this magnitude, especially since the department provides essential services and brings in revenue through fees. Michigan drivers should not see the quality of service decline because of political disagreement over the budget. Instead, she asked lawmakers to craft a plan that preserves the jobs of dedicated public servants, keeps branch offices open and supports the modern technology needed to run efficient and secure operations. Residents concerned about the potential impacts may wish to contact their state representatives to voice support for a responsible budget that maintains access to licensing and vehicle services.