Tag: Michigan legislature

Whitmer to Sign Bills Unionizing Family Caregivers in Michigan

The Center Square
Caregivers

Two bills awaiting Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s signature would unionize the home caregiver field in Michigan by creating a replica of a state council that voters overwhelmingly repealed in 2012.

Senate bills 790 and 791 would create the Home Help Caregiving Council, which would classify home caregivers as employees of the state rather than employees of the person they care for. This would allow the Service Employees International Union to collect dues out of caregivers’ Medicaid subsidies for the purposes of collective bargaining. 

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Group Forms to Oppose ‘Anti-Growth’ Bills in Michigan Legislature

The Center Square

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 Coalition: Offer EV Incentives to Reach 2 Million by 2030

The Center Square

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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Michigan Schools to Launch Statewide Infrastructure Study

The Center Square

A coalition of 12 Michigan intermediate school districts announced plans to launch a comprehensive statewide school infrastructure study.

The review will explain to lawmakers, school administrators, and parents the long-term costs associated with building upkeep as well as necessary health and safety upgrades.

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Report: Michigan Legislature Gave Private Company $4 Million

The Center Square

The Michigan Legislature is supposed to make laws and spend taxpayer money wisely and transparently.

But a report from the Detroit News says the GOP-led Legislature gave $4 million to a for-profit company, with an unclear return on investment for taxpayers. The details of the corporate handout weren’t discovered until months after the appropriation.

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Michigan Legislature Sets Stage for Policy Battle

The Center Square

Michigan Democrats filed bills aiming to fulfill a 40-year pending wishlist, which include restoring the prevailing wage and repealing right to work.

Other bills filed include repealing the retirement tax, boosting the earned income  tax credit, and repealing the 1931 abortion ban despite a constitutional amendment voiding the law.

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Michigan Legislature OKs $1 Billion Spending, Mostly Economic Development

The Center Square

The Michigan Legislature approved a $1 billion spending plan primarily meant to attract critical state projects. The supplemental spending bill was passed Wednesday over objections from some Republican lawmakers that the spending package wouldn’t benefit taxpayers in the long run.

The state is spending a $7 billion taxpayer surplus.

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Michigan Legislature OKs $1 Billion Spending, Mostly Economic Development

The Center Square

The Michigan Legislature approved a $1 billion spending plan primarily meant to attract critical state projects. The supplemental spending bill was passed Wednesday over objections from some Republican lawmakers that the spending package wouldn’t benefit taxpayers in the long run.

The state is spending a $7 billion taxpayer surplus.

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‘Crippling Effect’: Michigan Business, Restaurant Groups React to Minimum Wage Ruling

The Center Square

Some Michigan businesses are scrambling after a Court of Claims ruling says the minimum wage should increase from $9.87 to $12 after the Court declared the GOP’s 2018 circumvention of two voter-initiated ballot initiatives as unconstitutional.

A restaurant group estimates this change would hike labor cost inflation by 156%.

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Report: Tax Cuts Dropped as Whitmer, GOP Disagree

The Center Square

Tax cuts are no longer on the negotiating table as Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and the GOP-dominated Michigan Legislature square off before a deadline to submit a budget.

Crain’s first reported the story, citing two anonymous sources familiar with negotiations, and said lawmakers hope to pass a budget on Thursday.

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Michigan Legislature Oks Term Limits, Transparency Reform for November Ballot

The Center Square

The Michigan Legislature voted to place on the Nov. 8 ballot a question asking Michiganders if they want a constitutional amendment altering term limits and requiring financial disclosures.

On a 76-28 vote, the House approved House Joint Resolution R, followed by the Senate’s vote of 26-6 – each received the required two-thirds majority in support to reach the ballot.

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Former President Trump Endorses Michigan State Representative Matt Maddock

Cooper Moran
Donald Trump and Matt Maddock

Former President Donald Trump on Thursday endorsed Representative Matt Maddock (R-Milford) in his reelection campaign for the Michigan State Legislature.

Maddock, who has remained a strong proponent of the former president, is also running for a leadership position among House Republicans.

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Michigan State Senator Demands Apologies So She Can Forgive Republican Colleagues, Suggests They’re All Racists and Sexists

Peter D'Abrosca

In a bizarre speech on the floor of the Michigan legislature, a Democrat state Senator fought back tears while demanding apologies from unspecified Republican colleagues, while insinuating that they were racists and sexists. 

The following is a transcript from the speech, given by Sen. Stephanie Chang (D-1st District: 

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Michigan House Republicans Pitch Ethics, Lame-Duck Reform to Kick off 101st Legislative Session

The Center Square

On Wednesday, Michigan House Republicans kicked off the 101st legislative session by introducing a bill that seeks to prohibit lawmakers from voting on bills that could benefit themselves or their family members

“To say we’re living in challenging political times is an understatement. People just don’t trust their government or their politicians,” House Speaker Jason Wentworth, R-Clare, said in a Wednesday press conference.

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Legislative Oversight Committees Assume Subpoena Authority in Election Investigations

The Center Square

The Michigan House and Senate Oversight Committees are assuming authority to issue subpoenas, administer oaths and examine books and records related to the 2020 election.

The committees immediately proceeded to issue subpoenas to election clerks in Detroit and Livonia. Detroit Clerk Janice Winfrey and Livonia Clerk Susan Nash have until the end of business on Jan. 12 to turn over documents pertaining to their respective elections.

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Michigan Electors Cast Unanimous Vote for Biden/Harris, Resistance Continues

The Center Square

Michigan’s 16 electors unanimously cast ballots for presumptive President-elect Joseph Biden and presumptive Vice President-elect Kamala Harris.

The event transpired in the Senate chamber of the Michigan State Capitol on Monday afternoon, and was chaired by Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist.

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In Facebook Rants, Michigan Dem Rep. Cynthia Johnson Calls on ‘Soldiers’ to ‘Rise Up’ and Make ‘Trumpers’ Pay

Michigan Star Staff

A Michigan Democrat State Representative seemed to threaten President Trump’s supporters on video Tuesday, by saying “we ain’t playing with you,” and calling on “soldiers” to “make them pay.”

In a three minute long Facebook live video, the far-left State Rep. Cynthia Johnson said “Trumpers” had better “be careful,” and “walk lightly.”

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Michigan Senate Approves Tax Breaks in the Face of a Looming Budget Deficit

The Center Square

The GOP-led Michigan Senate passed bills that, if passed, will reduce government revenue in a year when the state will soon be strapped for cash.

Currently, the state is facing a projected deficit between $170 million and $1.17 billion for fiscal year 2022.

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Commentary: Illegalities, Irregularities, and Lack of Transparency Have Destroyed Public Confidence in This Election

Michigan Star Staff

It will likely take weeks, or even months, to sort through the mess that Democrats have made of Michigan’s elections. In the meantime, only the Michigan Legislature can legitimately determine the winner of the state’s presidential Electors.

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Whitmer Asks Legislature for $100 Million Stimulus Package

The Center Square

With nine session days left in 2020, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer asked the Republican-led Legislature to pass a $100 million COVID-19 stimulus package as well as several other pieces of legislation.

“This is the most urgent public health emergency our state has faced in our lifetimes, and it demands our full, immediate, and unified attention,” Whitmer wrote in a letter.

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Amistad Project Asks Michigan Supreme Court to Preserve Evidence of Election Irregularities

Jason M. Reynolds

The Amistad Project of the Thomas More Society said it filed a lawsuit on Thanksgiving asking the Michigan Supreme Court to physically secure all evidence of irregularities in the 2020 election and declare the results invalid on the basis of alleged unlawful conduct by state and local officials.

“In numerous instances, state and local officials brazenly violated election laws in order to advance a partisan political agenda,” said Phill Kline, Director of The Amistad Project. “The pattern of lawlessness was so pervasive and widespread that it deprived the people of Michigan of a free and fair election, throwing the integrity of the entire process into question.”

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Articles of Impeachment Filed Against Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer

Michigan Star Staff
Whitmer MI Capitol overcast

Several Republican lawmakers in Michigan have filed articles of impeachment against Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. The articles, filed Thursday, accuse the Democratic lawmaker of violating the state constitution and abusing her powers with her strict coronavirus restrictions.

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GOP-Led Michigan Legislature to Hold Election Hearings After Glitch Initially Gave up to 5,000 Trump Votes to Biden

The Center Square

Michigan House Speaker Lee Chatfield, R-Levering, on Friday said lawmakers will hold hearings Saturday to look into election fraud claims in the 2020 presidential election.

“Every single legal vote needs to be counted, regardless of who cast it or who they voted for. And then the candidate who wins the most of those votes will win Michigan’s electoral votes, just like it always has been. Nothing about that process will change in 2020,” Chatfield said in a statement.

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Michigan House Passes Bill Prohibiting Sending COVID-19 Patients to Nursing Homes

Michigan Star Staff

The Michigan House approved a bill with the stated purpose of better protecting Michigan’s nursing home population from COVID-19.

Senate Bill 956 seeks to prohibit the admission of COVID-19 patients into nursing homes.

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Michigan Bill to Make Public All Executive Branch Salaries Clears First Hurdle

Anthony Gockowski

  A Michigan bill that would require every executive branch department and division to post the salary and benefit information of their employees unanimously cleared its first hurdle Thursday. House Bill 5015 easily cleared the House Oversight Committee and is now on its way to the House Ways and Means…

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Whitmer Task Force Recommends Sweeping Changes to Criminal Justice System, Including Three-Year Probation Cap

Anthony Gockowski

A Michigan task force established by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has recommended a number of sweeping changes to the state’s criminal justice system, including lowering probation terms and reclassifying most traffic offenses as civil infractions.

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Michigan Bureau of Elections Rejected Inman Recall Petition Because of Typo, Group Plans Appeal

Anthony Gockowski

A group seeking to recall Michigan Rep. Larry Inman (R-Grand Traverse County) plans to take its case to the Michigan Court of Appeals after the state’s Bureau of Elections rejected the group’s recall petition because it contained a typo.

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Michigan Democrats Introduce Bills to Provide Driver’s Licenses to Illegal Immigrants

Anthony Gockowski

Michigan Democrats called a press conference Thursday to introduce their Drive SAFE legislation, a pair of bills that would provide driver’s licenses to illegal immigrants in the state.

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Michigan Democrats Introduce Bills to Provide Driver’s Licenses to Illegal Immigrants

Anthony Gockowski

Michigan Democrats called a press conference Thursday to introduce their Drive SAFE legislation, a pair of bills that would provide driver’s licenses to illegal immigrants in the state.

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