Every state in the nation has some form of a budget in place — except Pennsylvania and Michigan

ThePennsylvaniaandMichiganstateCapitols.(GraphicsbyStatesNewsroom) ThisstorywasreportedcollaborativelybetweenthePennsylvaniaCapital-StaranditssisteroutletMichiganAdvance. Justtwostatesinthenationhavebeenunabletopassbudgetsforthe2025-26fiscalyear–andnow,they’restaringdownsignificantconsequencesiftheirrespectivelegislativebodiesfailtoactsoon. Pennsylvaniahasentereditsthirdmonthwithoutanewbudget,whileMichiganisjustweeksawayfromapotentialshutdown.Meanwhile,lawmakersinotherstateshavefiguredouttheirspendingplans–orcontingencies. ListentoEmily’saudiorecap: https://michiganadvance.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/08epMIPASSE.mp3   Asidefromtheircurrentbudgetwoes,theRustBeltstatesmirroreachotherinsomeuniqueways.BotharehelmedbyDemocraticgovernorswithpresidentialambitionsandnationalprofilestomatchinJoshShapiroandGretchenWhitmer.Theyareconsideredbattlegroundstateswithrecentlyredrawnlegislativedistrictsgen