LANSING - A dramatic reorganization of the state's economic development and worker protection functions ordered Thursday by Governor Gretchen Whitmer puts a new person in charge of those duties, renames the Department of Talent and Economic Development as the Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity and upends some key boards and commissions. The actions concentrate essentially
LANSING - A Michigan House subcommittee on Thursday moved a budget assuming $542.5 million from a forthcoming, dedicated transportation fuel tax that would eventually replace the 6 percent sales tax currently collected on fuel purchases. House Speaker Lee Chatfield (R-Levering) has made it a priority to ensure all money charged at the pump goes to the roads.
LANSING - The city of Lansing has finalized the 20 medical marijuana provisioning centers that will get official approval once they receive a state license, it announced Monday. Under Lansing's ordinance, the city was to approve 20 provisioning center applications and can approve five more later. The 20 that now have conditional approval received it
LANSING - Land under Michigan's Farmland and Open Space Preservation Program can house solar panels under a change announced Monday by Governor Gretchen Whitmer and Agriculture and Rural Development Director Gary McDowell. The change was a product of a workgroup McDowell chaired on incorporating renewable energy into farmland preservation. Those participating in the program would have their
MACKINAC ISLAND – Amid a jubilant bipartisan moment of unity, Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed significant auto insurance changes into law Thursday following a round of negotiations leaders said could prove to be a roadmap for resolving other policy debates and the budget. The remarks came during a crowded, euphoric gathering on the Grand Hotel porch in which
MACKINAC ISLAND - An umbrella organization representing most of the state's top environmental organizations in efforts to shut down Enbridge Energy's Line 5 oil pipeline at the bottom of the Straits of Mackinac put the choice facing Governor Gretchen Whitmer, seen as an ally of the environmental movement, in stark terms Friday. Whitmer is in
LANSING - Lawmakers will have a slight cushion of revenue to complete budget work in the weeks ahead for the current fiscal year and fiscal year 2019-20, according to the numbers agreed upon Friday by the state's Consensus Revenue Estimating Conference. Economists and state budget officials delivering presentations before conference members Friday in the Capitol
LANSING - While those studying the state and national economy remain optimistic regarding growth, the growing uncertainty on federal trade policy has everyone worried, officials said Friday at the Consensus Revenue Estimating Conference. In presentations Friday, Gabriel Ehrlich and Daniil Manaenkov with the Research Seminar in Quantitative Economics at the University of Michigan had mostly
LANSING - Michigan Republicans have asked the three-judge panel that ruled last week the Legislature must redraw maps for Michigan's 14 U.S. House seats, the Michigan Senate and the Michigan House for an emergency stay of the ruling. The motion for an emergency stay and immediate consideration was filed Friday by most of the state's
LANSING - Even with the 2015 road funding plan fully implemented, no "appreciable improvement" is expected in the state's roads and bridges during the next 12 years, with 41 percent of all paved federal-aid roads in poor condition currently, the Michigan Transportation Asset Management Council said Friday. The report was submitted to the Legislature, State Transportation Commission
