Politics

Michigan Technology related politics

State Program Seeks To Connect Employers, STEM-Trained Immigrants

LANSING - The Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs is launching a program to connect employers with foreign-born professionals, particularly in the science, technology, engineering and math fields. The Michigan International Talent Solutions program, created by the Michigan Office for New Americans within LARA, plans to offer customized job search training to skilled and permanently

By |2015-11-03T20:13:41-05:00November 3rd, 2015|Featured, Politics|

Michigan Senate Action On Road Funding Proposal Will Wait Another Week

LANSING - A spokesperson for the Michigan Senate majority leader said Wednesday she thinks the earliest the Senate could try again to vote on a road funding solution is next week given the expected absence of some members for the remainder of this week, though the registration fee increase in the House-passed proposal is still

By |2015-10-29T15:02:18-04:00October 29th, 2015|Politics|

Michigan House Panel Considering Leases For Energy Improvements

LANSING - Michigan local governments would be able to make energy efficiency improvements to their buildings without incurring debt under legislation under consideration in the Michigan House Local Government Committee. The bills (HB 4990, HB 4991, HB 4992, HB 4993 and HB 4994) would allow counties, cities, villages and townships to enter lease-purchase agreements for the energy upgrades. Because the

By |2015-10-29T15:02:18-04:00October 29th, 2015|Clean Update, Politics|

Michigan Public Service Commission Exploring Payments To Electricity Generators

LANSING - The Michigan Public Service Commission ordered its staff Tuesday to begin examining what public utilities are required to pay certain power generators under the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978. Consumers Energy and DTE Energy both have contracts with qualified facilities under the act, the first of which expire at the end

By |2015-10-28T20:56:41-04:00October 28th, 2015|Clean Update, Politics|

Michigan Legislature Fails To Find The Political Will To Pass Road Spending Bills

LANSING - "Heartburn" among majority Michigan Senate Republicans about relying on increasing vehicle registration fees to raise most of the new proposed revenues for roads was the major reason why the Senate dropped its plans Tuesday for a vote on House-passed legislation designed to eventually generate $1.2 billion in new road spending, Senate Majority Leader Arlan

By |2015-10-28T16:35:25-04:00October 28th, 2015|Featured, Politics|

Health Care Costs Hurting Economic Recovery, Organization Says

LANSING - Rising health care costs, due to medical errors, unnecessary treatments and an antiquated payment structure, is dragging down consumer spending in other areas, an ultimately hurting the economy, a report released by the Economic Alliance of Michigan said. Eventually, some way has to be found to control health care costs, said Bret Jackson,

By |2015-10-27T18:23:39-04:00October 27th, 2015|Life Sciences, Politics|

U.S. Senate Passes Controversial Cybersecurity Legislation

WASHINGTON DC - The U.S. Senate easily passed legislation on Tuesday aimed at bolstering the country's cyber defenses, advancing the first serious attempt in Congress to combat computer hacks that have hit a growing number of businesses and government agencies in recent years. The bill, which would expand liability protections to companies that choose to

By |2015-10-27T18:27:40-04:00October 27th, 2015|Cyber Defense, Featured, Politics|

Environmental Groups Oppose New Michigan Air Rules

LANSING - New rules proposed by the Department of Environmental Quality would deregulate too many additional chemicals, the Michigan Environmental Council said on releasing its comments on the proposal. The DEQ announced Monday that it had opened the public comment period on the rules (ORR 2014-153 and 2014-154). The changes cover public notice and hearing provisions as well

By |2015-10-27T18:22:00-04:00October 27th, 2015|Clean Update, Politics|

Bombshell: Prevailing Wage Backers May Be Short Of Signatures

LANSING - The petition submitted by the group seeking to repeal Michigan's prevailing wage fell far below the minimum number of signatures from registered voters needed to bring the proposal before the Legislature, the group defending prevailing wage said Monday. Not only did Michigan Prevails file a challenge with the Department of State to the

By |2015-10-27T19:52:43-04:00October 27th, 2015|Featured, News, Politics|

Reactions To Michigan Road Plan Hesitant, Hostile

LANSING - Organizations are starting to review the roads plan the House passed late Wednesday night, and the first reviews of the proposal are not positive. One reaction was hostile, though the reaction came from an organization circulating petitions to increase the state's Corporate Income Tax to help pay for a roads plan. But other

By |2015-10-23T12:45:35-04:00October 23rd, 2015|Politics|