Politics

Michigan Technology related politics

Technology, Management And Budget Department Slammed In Audit For IT Recovery Shortfalls

LANSING - The Department of Technology, Management and Budget did not ensure that it had identified the state's most critical technology systems and, for those it had identified, it did not ensure that they could be restored within deadlines, a report released Thursday by Auditor General Doug Ringler said. The state designates certain systems as

By |2016-12-16T07:33:28-05:00December 16th, 2016|Featured, Politics|

Meekhof Declares Voter ID, Picketing, FOIA Bills Dead

LANSING - Senate Majority Leader Arlan Meekhof on Tuesday confirmed the end of several controversial initiatives passed by the Michigan House last week on a day otherwise consumed with recesses and caucuses. Among those proposals was a bill to tighten up voter identification (HB 6067), bills regulating picketing and striking workers (HB 4643 and HB

By |2016-12-14T14:44:55-05:00December 14th, 2016|Politics|

Energy Debate In Michigan House Gets New Twist – Palisades Nuclear Power Plant To Close in 2018

LANSING - The news that the aging and troubled Palisades nuclear power plant in Van Buren County would close in 2018 provided the latest twist to the ongoing energy debate in the Michigan House, where backers of legislation overhauling key regulations are down to three session days remaining to get a bill out of the

By |2016-12-21T15:37:09-05:00December 9th, 2016|Clean Update, Politics|

Michigan House Approves Uber, Lyft Regulations

LANSING - The House quickly and quietly approved regulations for transportation network companies like Uber and Lyft on Wednesday, giving final approval to a series of a series of House bills on an issue that remained unresolved for much of the last two terms. The House also made minor changes to SB 392, part of

By |2016-12-08T17:41:32-05:00December 8th, 2016|Autonomous Vehicles, Politics|

Michigan House Republicans Approve Legislation To Require Voter Photo ID

LANSING - Michigan House Republicans on Wednesday voted for legislation requiring most people in the state to show photo identification to vote in an effort to bring "integrity" to elections in the state, while Democrats voting against the measure argued it would disproportionally affect people of color, add barriers to those trying to exercise a

By |2016-12-08T17:27:30-05:00December 8th, 2016|Politics|

Michigan House Quickly Kills Income Tax Incentive For Businesses Hiring New Employees

LANSING - The Michigan House Local Government Committee won't vote this year on legislation backed by Business Leaders for Michigan and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation that would allow selected businesses to keep income tax withholdings on incomes paid to newly hired employees, Rep. Lee Chatfield, the committee chair, said after hearing testimony on the

By |2016-12-07T07:05:18-05:00December 7th, 2016|Politics|

UM Study: Charter Schools Teacher Support, Evaluation In Michigan Similar To Public Schools

ANN ARBOR - As Betsy DeVos - one of the shapers of charter school development in Michigan - is poised to shape school choice throughout the country as President elect-Trumps’ Education Secretary, a new survey by the University of Michigan shows Michigan's charter schools follow similar practices as public schools in supporting and evaluating teachers.

By |2016-12-02T15:31:29-05:00December 1st, 2016|Politics|

PSC: Utilities Continue To Exceed Energy Efficiency Goals

LANSING - Utility providers met a combined average of 121 percent of their electric energy savings targets and 117 percent of their natural gas energy savings targets in 2015, the Public Service Commission's latest report on utility energy optimization programs released Wednesday shows. The combined savings targets account for 1 percent of retail sales for

By |2016-12-01T14:27:04-05:00December 1st, 2016|Clean Update, Politics|

Michigan Republicans Seek ID To Vote – Opponents Call It Voter Suppression

LANSING - Voters would be required to show a photo identification card while voting or within 10 days after the election at a local clerk's office to have their voted counted under legislation being considered in the Michigan House Elections Committee. The bills (HB 6066, HB 6067 and HB 6068) were introduced by Elections Committee

By |2016-12-01T14:11:40-05:00December 1st, 2016|Featured, Politics|

Healthy Michigan Likely to See Changes, Not End, Observers Say

LANSING - A program that has provided health insurance to more than 600,000 working persons in the state - and that was approved after a major political struggle - faces an uncertain future with the election of President-elect Donald Trump, but most observers and officials involved in the creation of Healthy Michigan say they expect

By |2016-11-21T21:35:03-05:00November 21st, 2016|Featured, Politics|