State Government
Health care workers, crash survivors demand auto no-fault fixes ahead of committee hearing
A sea of people in blue shirts demanding action on Michigan’s care crisis gathered on the Capitol lawn Tuesday in support of car crash survivors and health care workers harmed by 2019 changes to Michigan’s no-fault auto insurance law. Last week state Sens. Sarah Anthony (D-Lansing) and Mary Cavanagh (D-Redford Twp.) introduced a bipartisan package […]
Michigan House Republicans call for Appropriations chair to be investigated
An investigation into Michigan House Appropriations Committee Chair Rep. Angela Witwer is a non-starter for House Speaker Joe Tate, amid questions from Republicans on whether she financially benefited from the consulting firm she founded. Meanwhile Republican lawmakers introduced a resolution Tuesday to create a committee to investigate Witwer’s actions for possible legal violations. In September, […]
How some Michigan Muslims united with extremist Republicans against LGBTQ+ rights
Standing at a microphone inside a packed school board meeting in Dearborn in October 2022, Brian Stone wasn’t sure he’d make it out alive. The 36-year-old wrote a will, put an emergency contact card in his pocket, and told his partner he loved him. Behind him, a furious mob of conservative Muslims shouted gay slurs, […]
Nessel offers plan to address Michigan’s frequent power outages
Following a call out from the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) for comments on how to address Michigan’s energy reliability woes, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel has submitted her own proposal on how to reduce the frequency and duration of power outages. In comments filed with the commission on Sept. 22, Nessel asked for clarity […]
Gilchrist calls on Michiganders to get flu shot and COVID-19 vaccine booster
With the fall season, Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist on Monday received a flu shot and a COVID-19 vaccine booster shot in Detroit and urged others to do so. “We are still navigating the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and as such we want people to make the choices that are available to them to […]
Dems say new Michigan voting rights bills strengthen democracy
The state House in Michigan voted through a handful of bills aimed at addressing different elements of the voting process to ensure every eligible voter can participate in elections. The bills address maintaining online voter applications, voting rights for military spouses, as well as eliminating certain parts of the state’s voting laws with the goal […]
Judge dismisses claims against state officials in all 3 Benton Harbor lead contamination cases
The U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan has dismissed all claims against state agencies and officials in three cases seeking damages for lead contamination in Benton Harbor, determining that state actors did not contribute to or worsen contamination. All three suits were brought by residents of Benton Harbor, who argued that named […]
GOP former House speaker sentenced to federal prison for taking bribes as head of state licensing board
A one-time Michigan House speaker has been sentenced to just over four-and-half-years in prison following his conviction for taking bribes while heading up a state licensing board. Rick Johnson, who chaired the Michigan Marijuana Licensing Board (MMLB) from 2017 to 2019, was ordered on Thursday to serve 55 months in prison by U.S. District Court […]
House panel hears testimony on whether to remove ban on local regulation of plastic bags
The House Natural Resources, Environment, Tourism and Outdoor Recreation Committee met on Thursday to hear testimony on bills that would restore local governments’ ability to regulate plastic bags and other reusable or single-use containers. State Rep. Felicia Brabec (D-Pittsfield) — whose House Bill 4359 would repeal a 2016 law preempting local regulations of “certain containers” […]
As Michigan considers a homeless bill of rights, lawmakers hear about issues facing the community
The rights to access emergency medical care, for youth to be enrolled in school and for people to move around freely in public spaces are included in a proposed “Bill of Rights for the Homeless,” which received testimony Thursday from formerly homeless individuals and advocates. There are homeless individuals all over the state, homelessness advocate […]
DHHS promotes free COVID test program, offers additional testing options
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is encouraging residents to take advantage of the federal government’s free at-home COVID-19 test program, and is providing information about testing options in the state. As of Monday, all U.S. residents can sign up to receive up to four free at-home COVID-19 tests per household by […]
Legislation to end ‘gay panic’ defense in Michigan gets House hearing
Beaten. Blinded. Bludgeoned. According to the American Bar Association, LGBTQ+ people have been subjected to an assortment of violent crimes — but those actions have been successfully defended in courts, lessening or even throwing out criminal charges when the assailant claimed the victim’s sexual orientation or gender identity led to their violent actions. That’s commonly […]