Author
Tlaib, Sanders aim to curb ‘excessive’ CEO pay
U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Detroit) has teamed up with Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and U.S. Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) to reduce income inequality by taking aim at excessively paid CEOs. Their bill introduced Wednesday, called the Tax Excessive CEO Pay Act, would impose a higher corporate tax rate increase on companies whose CEOs are paid […]
4 events, 24 hours and 1 blizzard: My Veterans Day with Rep. Slotkin
I’ve decided I’m never going outside again. On Monday, I was assigned to cover U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-Holly) and her team as they traveled around her district – and beyond – for a full itinerary of Veterans Day events. I jumped at the chance to follow the congresswoman, who made news last year as the first […]
Slotkin talks traveling to Turkey and Iraq, fixing the VA
For Veterans Day, I spent the day following U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-Holly) and her campaign team as they embarked on a full itinerary of events. This happened to coincide on mid-Michigan’s first day of real, sustained snowfall, and as a result, I ended up on a 24-hour odyssey. I was finally able to speak […]
Shirkey offers no apology for comparing abortion to slavery in radio interview
In a recent radio interview, Michigan’s Senate GOP leader compared the “scourge” of abortion to slavery – and he’s not backing down from the comparison. Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey (R-Clarklake) made the comments on Radio Free Hillsdale 101.7 FM on during a Monday discussion about Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s push to expand abortion access to women […]
Bills you may have missed: SOS wait times, oil subsidies and horse-drawn carriage crackdowns
Ahead of the Legislature’s rapidly approaching hunting break, here is this week’s Michigan Advance roundup of noteworthy recent legislation you may have missed. Regulating horse-drawn vehicles State Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey (R–Clarklake) and state Sens. Curtis VanderWall (R-Ludington) and Jim Stamas (R-Midland) have introduced Senate Bills 642-644 to place more regulations on horse-drawn carriages, […]
Enviros, tribes call on Whitmer to shut down Line 5 before extreme weather hits, fearing oil spill
A coalition of more than a dozen Michigan organizations have sent a formal request to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, urging her to take immediate action to shut down Enbridge’s Line 5 pipeline ahead of potentially hazardous winter weather. The Oct. 25 letter, which was made public Wednesday, calls attention to the “serious threat” a Line 5 […]
Enbridge denies state’s report that it could evade oil spill cleanup costs
Canadian oil giant Enbridge has promised to fund almost $2 billion in cleanup costs in the event of a Line 5 pipeline rupture in the Great Lakes. According to a new state-commissioned report, however, that promise may not be legally enforceable. “In the event of a catastrophic oil spill, the people of the state of […]
Opponents say ‘fake’ emotional support animal crackdown bills could violate federal housing law
Is it time to crack down on tenants who misrepresent their pets as emotional support animals? A state Senate panel heard testimony this week that was split on this question. The Senate Committee on Local Government met Thursday to consider Senate Bills 608-610, all introduced by Committee Chair Dale Zorn (R-Ida). During the meeting, Zorn […]
Judge rules for Enbridge over state in Line 5 tunnel suit
Enbridge Energy, the Canadian oil company at odds with Gov. Gretchen Whitmer over its Line 5 oil pipeline and a proposed underwater tunnel to house the aging pipes, has won a Court of Claims lawsuit against the state. The decision from Judge Michael Kelly was announced Thursday afternoon. In the ruling, Kelly states that the […]
Whitmer signs bipartisan ‘Raise the Age’ juvenile justice bills into law
In a big step for criminal justice reform in Michigan, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Thursday signed into law legislation that will change the definition of “adult” in the criminal justice system from age 17 to 18. The new laws will also establish funding to ensure that age-appropriate rehabilitation services are accessible to 17-year-olds, and prohibit […]
Bills you may have missed: Wrongful imprisonment, disability accommodations and taxes for mosquito spraying
Here’s this week’s Michigan Advance roundup of noteworthy recent legislation that has mostly gone under the radar. Wrongful imprisonment claims Bipartisan legislation to resolve conflicting timelines for filing wrongful imprisonment claims was introduced earlier this month by state Reps. Kyra Bolden (D-Southfield) and Julie Calley (R-Portland). House Bills 5117 and 5118 are reintroductions of Senate […]
Former MSU president headed to trial, university trustee resigns over transparency concerns
The Larry Nassar sexual assault scandal continues to roil Michigan State University. Former MSU President Lou Anna Simon was ordered Monday to stand trial and Board of Trustees Member Nancy Schlichting resigned over the “lack of transparency” among the panel. Eaton County District Court Judge Julie Reinke ordered that Simon will head to trial for […]