Politics/Government

Report: Michigan Public School Retirement Costs Cutting Into Education Spending

LANSING - Growing contributions to the Michigan Public School Employees Retirement System are reducing what school districts can spend on other educational services and that effect is likely to continue for the near term, the Citizens Research Council said in a report released Wednesday. The report, Funding for Public Education: The Recent Impact of Increased

By |2013-05-23T00:00:00-04:00May 23rd, 2013|Archive, Politics/Government|

Snyder Signs Uniform Prescription Form Legislation

LANSING - Physicians will use one standardized form for obtaining prior authorization from a patient's insurer when a patient seeks coverage for prescribed medicine under legislation signed by Governor Rick Snyder. Snyder signed SB 178 (PA 30, effective 90 days after sine die adjournment) and SB 179 (PA 31, also effective 90 days after sine

By |2013-05-16T00:00:00-04:00May 16th, 2013|Archive, Politics/Government|

Michigan House GOP: Broaden Medicaid Eligibility With Limits

LANSING ? Michigan House Republicans unveiled Thursday a bill setting conditions for expanding Medicaid to 133 percent of the federal poverty level, but their call for a 48-month limit on Medicaid benefits for some recipients alarmed Democrats and other organizations that had supported expanding the program without conditions. For HB 4714 , introduced by Rep.

By |2013-05-10T00:00:00-04:00May 10th, 2013|Archive, Politics/Government|

Michigan House Education Reports Curriculum Changes For Tech Courses

LANSING - The Michigan House Education Committee on Tuesday reported two bills that are designed to provide more flexibility in a high school student's curriculum, particularly if the student is interested in career technical courses. The committee reported HB 4465 on an 11-2 vote, with Rep. Winnie Brinks (D-Grand Rapids) and Rep. Thomas Stallworth (D-Detroit)

By |2013-05-08T00:00:00-04:00May 8th, 2013|Archive, Politics/Government|

Road Funding Talks Stall Amid Tension

LANSING - The chances of a road funding plan passing the Legislature appear to have dipped with top Democrats and Republicans in the Legislature, along with Governor Rick Snyder, hitting a standoff in negotiations. With the partisan stalemate, House Republicans are now dangling the idea of trying to go it alone and pass a plan

By |2013-04-26T00:00:00-04:00April 26th, 2013|Archive, Politics/Government|

Snyder Calls For Education, Business Collaboration

EAST LANSING - Forgoing the usual discussions by education experts, the Governor's Education Summit launched Monday morning with panels of business leaders and college students discussing how the various levels of education could better work with business to ensure students are prepared for in-demand careers. Governor Rick Snyder, opening the event, called out both the

By |2013-04-23T00:00:00-04:00April 23rd, 2013|Archive, Politics/Government|

Bill Introduced To Increase Michigan’s Renewable Energy Portfolio To 22 Percent

LANSING - Sen. Hoon-Yung Hopgood (D-Taylor) on Wednesday introduced a bill (SB 322 ) to increase Michigan's Renewable Portfolio Standard from the current 10 percent by 2015 to 22 percent by 2022. The legislation comes after an election in which renewable energy proponents lost a battle to try to up that mandate to 25 percent

By |2013-04-17T00:00:00-04:00April 17th, 2013|Archive, Politics/Government|