Big Three automaker Stellantis seeks 6,400 buyouts – nearly half its 12,700 total non-bargaining unit – as it accelerates into an electric future.
Citing “challenging market conditions”, Stellantis’ Media Relations Director Jodi Tinson said the offer is open to non-bargaining unit U.S. employees with at least five years of corporate service.
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Michigan House Republicans introduced House Concurrent Resolution 9 aiming for lawmakers to adjourn in late December.
The resolution notes, according to session schedule, that House lawmakers are to meet until Dec. 21 and the Senate is scheduled to meet until at least December 14.
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As Michigan aims for 100% clean energy by 2040, a new plan aims to ensure that child slaves aren’t mining the rare earth minerals and assembling the solar panels.
Michigan House Republicans proposed a package aiming to stop taxpayer money from funding projects using child or forced labor for solar panels and electric vehicle battery parts.
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Right-to-Life and other plaintiffs filed a lawsuit on federal constitutional grounds challenging the enactment of Proposal 3, an abortion rights amendment voters enshrined into the Michigan Constitution.
The American Freedom Law Center and Great Lakes Justice Center sued in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan on behalf of 16 plaintiffs challenging the abortion rights law voters passed Nov. 8, 2022.
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The Michigan House will be deadlocked 54-54 after two Democratic House members won local mayoral races.
After Reps. Lori Stone of Warren and Kevin Coleman of Westland won their respective mayoral races, House Democrats will still craft legislative agendas but won’t have the votes required to enact legislation without Republican votes until a special session is called to fill those seats.
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Days after the Michigan House and Senate passed a plan for the state to use 100% clean energy by 2040, Rep. Dylan Wegela, D-Garden City, said a goal of reaching 100% green energy by 2040 is “simply too late.”
“The problem is this legislation [SB271] is going to be billed as 100% clean energy, and that’s just false,” Wegela said in a statement. “This legislation had carveout exceptions for natural gas, carbon capture and even a trash incinerator. None of these are carbon free or clean, and all of them disproportionately impact communities of lower income and communities of color. 100% green energy by 2040 is simply too late. We need a Green New Deal.”
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Former Republican Rep. Peter Meijer announced his candidacy Monday for outgoing Democratic Michigan Rep. Debbie Stabenow’s seat in 2024.
Meijer already had an exploratory committee for the seat that he launched in late August, where he was able to raise funds ahead of an official run. The former congressman wrote in a campaign press release that he believes he is the Republican with “the best chance” of winning the Democratic-held seat, where he will face several opponents in a crowded GOP primary.
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After a record $82 billion budget that nearly depleted a $9 billion surplus, two bills aim to make Michigan’s budgeting process more transparent.
Reps. Tom Kuhn, R-Troy and Donni Steele, R-Orion Township, introduced House Bills 5296 and 5297 that aim to require that lawmakers can’t change existing laws through an appropriations bill.
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Michigan lawmakers approved a spending bill that aims to pay off $114 million of school debt in five districts.
House Bill 4292 is a supplemental bill aiming to pay $42 million of debt for Ypsilanti Community Schools, $31 million for Muskegon Heights School District, $18 million for Pontiac City School District, $12 million for the former Inkster School District and $10 million for Benton Harbor Area Schools.
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The Michigan Senate passed financial disclosure bills voters approved in November 2022 through Proposal 1 to expose conflicts of interest but one lawmaker says the rules are all “smoke and mirrors.”
Senate Bills 613, 614, 615, and 616 aim to require lawmakers and candidates for public office to disclose assets and income above certain thresholds. The bills seek to require candidates and officeholders to disclose their spouse’s employment, including their status as a registered lobbyist.
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Michigan plans to hand out more than $200 million in federal taxpayer funds for grants to provide high-speed internet access to underserved areas.
The Michigan High Speed Internet Office announced the first round of the Realizing Opportunity with Broadband Infrastructure Networks grants, awarding $203 million to more than 70,000 Michigan homes and businesses to connect them with faster internet.
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Michigan Democrat lawmakers introduced a seven-bill package aimed at reducing pollution.
The lawmakers say current law doesn’t hold polluters accountable for the public cost of remediating land, often shouldered by the Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy.
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Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer spent $285,709 on her seven-day trip to Japan.
The September trip marked her third privately funded trade mission this year including trips to Switzerland ($44,117) and Austria ($55,705).
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A materials and advancement research hub in Lansing will receive $400,000 in federal taxpayer money to develop faster charging electric vehicles.
The Federal Economic Development Administration announced the grant for project, which is a partnership between the Michigan State University Foundation and the EDA’s tech hub program. The hub will be used to research advanced materials, such as synthetic diamonds and rare isotopes, to advance semiconductor and defense technology. One of the hub’s key goals is to charge electric vehicles up to five times faster.
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The Michigan Court of Claims ruled Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson’s office must either rescind or revise a May 2022 Manual for election poll challengers.
The 15-page ruling analyzed four restrictions on poll challengers, including the credential form requirement, the requirement that communication only is with the “Challenger Liaison”, the prohibition on recording “impermissible challenges,” and the prohibition on electronic devices in the Absent Voter Counting Board.
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A Michigan State University (MSU) employee was suspended Sunday after allowing an image of Adolf Hitler to be shown on the university’s scoreboard, according to The Associated Press.
The video was shown prior to Saturday’s rivalry football game between MSU and the University of Michigan, according to the AP. Alan Haller, MSU’s vice president and director of Athletics, released a statement Monday confirming that the employee had been suspended without pay and was under investigation, noting that the MSU athletics department failed to check the entire video before it was approved.
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Schools through Michigan must test for lead in water and install wall-mounted water filtration systems after Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed three bills into law.
House Bill 4341, HB 4342 and Senate Bill 88 establish the new mandates, and installation of new filter systems is covered by an $600 million state budget appropriation dedicated toward clean water access and rebuilding sewage lines.
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Democratic Rep. Elissa Slotkin of Michigan paid rent to a company linked to a donor to her 2024 Senate bid, according to campaign finance data and business records.
Slotkin, who raised roughly $3 million during the third fundraising quarter, paid $2,000 in rent in September to “Ghandi Properties LLC,” registered to 26222 Telegraph Rd., Southfield, Michigan, according to Federal Election Commission (FEC) filings. “Ghandi” appears to be a typo for “Gandhi,” as Gandhi Properties LLC is registered to that same address in business filings with the Michigan state government.
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The Michigan Supreme Court heard arguments Wednesday about whether the government can use drones to surveil private property without a warrant and use that evidence in court for zoning disputes.
For two years, Long Lake Township zoning officials flew a drone over Todd and Heather Maxon’s property in northern Michigan near Traverse City, taking photographs and videos as part of a zoning dispute that he was running an illegal junkyard.
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About 3,700 casino workers in Detroit walked out on strike at noon Tuesday after failing to reach a new contract.
The strike affects operations at the MGM Grand Detroit, MotorCity Casino and Hollywood Casino at Greektown and workers including dealers, cleaning staff, food and beverage workers, valets, engineers, and more.
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Three Michigan lawmakers introduced a bipartisan plan to heighten sentencing recommendations for various narcotic drug crimes.
Reps. Sarah Lightner, R-Springport, Ann Bollin R-Brighton Township, and Angela Witwer, D-Delta Township, introduced a bipartisan plan to increase drug sentencing recommendations for heroin and fentanyl dealers.
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More than 200 voter registration forms that the Muskegon Police Department in Michigan received from the city clerk during the 2020 presidential election were suspected to be fraudulent, with incorrect or phony addresses and some names signed in reverse order..
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Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and the Michigan Economic Development Corp. unveiled “You Can in Michigan” — a new talent attraction marketing campaign launching nationally.
The campaign follows reports of population loss and an estimated more than 270,000 more people will leave the state by 2050. Michigan has lost more than 40,000 residents since 2020.
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As state spending will reach a record $82 billion, a Michigan lawmaker wants to create a new government agency.
Sen. Sam Singh, D-East Lansing, introduced Senate Bill 519 to create a new government agency to help people who lose their jobs as Michigan transitions from fossil fuels to clean energy.
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Former President Donald Trump is leading President Joe Biden in the key battleground state of Michigan by 7 points, according to a poll reported by The Detroit News on Wednesday.
In the state that Trump won in 2016 but lost to Biden in 2020, he beat the president 42% to 35%, with 20% saying they’d vote for someone else and 3% opting not to pick a candidate, according to a Marketing Resource Group (MRG) survey. When the Democratic candidate was changed to Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, she beat Trump 46% to 40% — a 13-point swing from the matchup with Biden.
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A federal judge has found the owner of the Edenville Dam responsible for widespread flooding in May 2020, that together with heavy rain, forced the evacuation of more than 10,000 people from 3,500 homes in mid-Michigan.
U.S. District Court Judge Paul Maloney granted Attorney General Dana Nessel a summary judgment against Boyce Hydro. Nessel had filed the motion on behalf of the Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy and the Department of Natural Resources.
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The disbarment trial of Donald Trump’s former attorney and constitutional legal scholar, John Eastman, wrapped up its seventh week on Friday, with more testimony from Kari Lake’s attorney Kurt Olsen, and Eastman resuming the stand briefly at the end. Olsen discussed several laws he said he believes were violated by state election officials in Wisconsin, Georgia, Michigan, and Pennsylvania.
Olsen began testifying about a Motion for Leave to File a Bill of Complaint that he and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed with the U.S. Supreme Court, asking to stop Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin from certifying their 2020 election results due to multiple violations of state law and constitutional problems. One of the reasons he said he brought the complaint was that signature verification was halted in the 2020 election in Detroit.
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The Citizens Research Council of Michigan released its final paper on how to make Michigan prosper by increasing population.
The five-part series found Michigan is losing ground in the nationwide competition to attract and retain residents, counting statistics from demographics, economy, workforce, health, infrastructure, environment and public services.
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A new coalition called the Great Lakes Growth aims to boost Michigan’s economy and population by opposing what it calls “anti-growth” bills introduced in the Legislature.
GLG’s founding members include the Michigan Chamber of Commerce, Michigan Manufacturers Association, Detroit Regional Chamber and Grand Rapids Chamber.
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Michigan House Republicans want an investigation into potential conflicts of interests for House Appropriations Committee Chair Angela Witwer, who was instrumental in forming the state’s record $82 billion budget.
On Sept. 5, a Detroit News report disclosed Witwer’s business connections involving a company she co-founded in 2007, Lansing-based public relations firm Edge Partnerships. Witwer was mentioned as an owner of the firm in a social media post in 2021. Company clientele include the Michigan Department of Education, Farm Bureau Insurance and the Michigan Chamber of Commerce.
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Eleven Michigan Republican lawmakers filed a federal lawsuit challenging election changes voters approved in 2018 and 2022.
Filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan, the plaintiffs say election officials violated state legislators’ rights because the U.S. Constitution and the Michigan Constitution require state legislatures to regulate the times, places, and manner of federal elections.
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Four bills aimed at voting that passed the Michigan House continues to get pushback from Republicans who say they will corrupt the state’s election system.
The bills, introduced earlier this week, are aimed at military voting, voter ID, voter transportation and online absentee ballot access. Rep. Josh Schriver, R-Oxford, took to social media to voice his opposition to each of them.
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The Michigan Supreme Court approved a new rule Wednesday requiring justices to use preferred pronouns or “other respectful means” to address attorneys.
The first-of-its-kind state court rule, which faced pushback prior to its approval, is now scheduled to take effect Jan. 1. In his dissent, Michigan Supreme Court Justice David Viviano warned the decision to “dabble in politics” would cause the court to “forfeit legitimacy with large portions of the public,” noting that addressing such topics is “sadly consistent with this Court’s recent practice.”
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A group called on the Democrat-dominated Michigan Legislature to boost electric vehicle incentives so the state can reach 2 million registered statewide by 2030.
Illinois leads the Midwest race to register EVs with nearly 80,000 EVs, while Minnesota has 41,417 and Michigan has 34,380. For Michigan to reach its EV goal, it must register 280,803 EVs each year until mid-2030, which would require registering 23,400 EVs every month for seven years.
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A day after Ford Motor Co. said it would pause construction on its $3.5 billion Marshall electric vehicle battery plant subsidized by $1.7 billion, the state of Michigan allocated the site another $65 million.
The Michigan Strategic Fund approved a $65 million Strategic Site Readiness Program Grant to the Marshall Area Economic Development Alliance for land acquisition, site studies and water and wastewater upgrades.
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Starting January 1, Michigan minors will be screened for lead poisoning unless a parent or guardian objects.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed Senate Bill 31, which requires children be tested for lead poisoning at certain ages, the testing be recorded on their certificate of immunization and the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) develop rules to implement the bill’s requirements.
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New faculty training courses at the University of Michigan this fall ask employees to check their “privilege,” use “inclusive language” for LGBTQ+ individuals, and respond to “harmful microaggressions” on campus.
The university’s Department of Organizational Learning is offering the courses as part of its diversity, equity and inclusion initiative – a campus-wide effort that includes students as well as faculty and staff.
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A new survey says Michigan’s small businesses mostly oppose a mandated paid family leave program of up to 15 weeks per employee funded by a new tax.
A Small Business Association of Michigan survey found small businesses expect increased costs associated with the program Gov. Gretchen Whitmer proposed in August.
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Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed into law three bills that effectively bans marriage of those under 18.
Previously, Michigan residents could get married as young as 16 with parental consent, and someone under 16 could with court approval.
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Democratic state Rep. Karen Whitsett of Michigan said that she will not be voting in favor of Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s abortion bill package, which would significantly ease abortion restrictions, according to The Detroit News.
Whitmer announced her support of several bills on Aug. 29 aimed at lowering restrictions on abortion, such as eliminating the mandatory 24-hour waiting period for women to make an informed decision before having the procedure and allowing for Medicaid funding of abortion. Whitsett explained Wednesday that she could not support taxpayer funding for abortions, and that women should have time to make a choice and understand the decision they are making, according to The Detroit News.
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Say what you will about former President Donald Trump, but he has a knack for ruffling the feathers of the elite while hob-knobbing with the regular folk and making connections.
While the Democrat Party likes to tout itself as the sole savior of the blue-collar worker, it’s the former president who is planning to speak to the rank-and-file in Detroit at an event next week. In fact, Trump plans to skip the second GOP presidential debate on September 27 to do so.
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The Michigan Supreme Court has announced the cases they will hear in their new session beginning in October. One of those cases is a lawsuit that was filed by students against Lake Superior State University, Central Michigan University and Eastern Michigan. In their lawsuit, they seek reimbursement for tuition, room and board and fees paid for classes during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. The students feel the colleges breached their agreements by failing to provide live and in-person instruction.
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A Detroit man was arraigned on organized retail fraud charges for allegedly stealing $80,000 of merchandise from Sam’s Clubs in Michigan.
Kevin Tansil, 64 of Detroit, was arraigned before Judge Vikki Bayeh Haley in the 67th District Court in Grand Blanc on five counts of organized retail fraud for his role in an alleged theft and resale ring targeting Sam’s Club stores across mid- and southeast Michigan, Attorney General Dana Nessel said.
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United Auto Workers striking along Michigan Avenue outside the Michigan Assembly Plant in Wayne since midnight want to be able to afford the vehicles they assemble.
The UAW went on strike against Ford, Stellantis and General Motors at select factories around midnight. Brandon Bell, who’s worked at the Ford plant for three years, said workers need boosted pay and benefits.
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A new report found Michigan’s infrastructure is generally “worse than the national averages” and is a factor of statewide population loss.
The infrastructure problems range from road pavement quality to unreliable electricity causing frequent, long power outages, to outdated water infrastructure such as sanitary sewers, stormwater and flood control.
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A Michigan lawmaker wants Auditor General Doug Ringler to investigate state prison staffing practices.
Rep. Sarah Lightner, R-Springport, sent a letter to Ringler requesting a review of staffing shortages and alleged violations of federal and state labor regulations within the Michigan Department of Corrections. The MDOC has more than 13,000-full time positions as of fiscal year 2023.
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Some Republicans and Democrats agree Michigan’s Freedom of Information Act should be reformed and will propose legislation later this year.
Sen. Jeremy Moss, a Southfield Democrat, called FOIA reform a “good government” issue. A 2015 report gave Michigan an ‘F’ grade for government transparency and accountability.
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During Democrat Whitmer’s recent “What’s Next” speech, she outlined an agenda for Michigan that included what Barbara Listing, Right to Life (RTL) of Michigan president, called “anti-life fall policy priorities.”
In her speech on August 30th, Gov. Whitmer talked about wanting to pass the RHA or “Reproductive Health Act.” Just seven days later, the RHA 11-bill package was introduced by Democratic lawmakers, spearheaded by Michigan House Rep. Lauri Pohutsky (D-Livonia) and Sen. Sarah Anthony (D-Lansing). Pohutsky said in a statement about the legislation, “The implementation of these bills is urgent to ensure medical avenues are open to access safe, legal abortion across Michigan.”
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The University of Michigan’s COVID-19 policies tell students who test positive to “make an isolation plan” for five days by getting a hotel, going home or staying with a friend off campus.
“Make an isolation plan, which could include relocating to your permanent residence, staying with a nearby relative or friend, or finding a hotel space,” the U-M guidance says.
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A new bill aims to protect public access to government communications under the Freedom of Information Act by preventing the government from speaking in code to thwart records requests.
State Sen. Ed McBroom, R-Waucedah Township, introduced the legislation after a lawsuit claimed Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s administration used encrypted Greek letters to discuss the Benton Harbor water lead crisis to avoid public scrutiny.
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