Carter: After Yearlong Delay, Political Games Block Path Forward for Michigan’s Historic Museums

DETROIT, July 10, 2026 — The Michigan Supreme Court today upheld a lower court ruling that Speaker Matt Hall had a constitutional duty to present nine withheld bills to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. While the bills moved through the required constitutional process, the governor vetoed all nine. Among them were state Rep. Tyrone Carter’s (D-Detroit) House Bills 4177 of 2023 and 5817 of 2024, along with House Bill 5818 of 2024, which would have created a pathway to support and preserve Michigan’s historic museums.

Carter issued the following statement in response:

“I am disappointed that House Bills 4177, 5817 and 5818 will not become law. These bills represented an opportunity for Michigan to invest in the institutions that preserve our history, educate our children and tell the stories that define our communities.

“What is most disappointing is that these bills were delayed for more than a year because of unnecessary political gamesmanship. The people of Detroit and communities across Michigan deserved a serious conversation about how we preserve these irreplaceable cultural resources, not a process that was stalled by political games.

“I want to thank the Michigan Supreme Court for defending the rule of law. In my view, this ruling makes clear that House Republicans’ decision to withhold these bills was a disservice to the legislative process and to the communities that were counting on us to address these challenges.”