DETROIT - The New International Trade Crossing would be able to contain Canadian steel under a waiver the state has requested from the U.S. Department of Transportation. Federal rules require projects using federal funds to contain U.S.-sourced materials, and the new bridge would fall under that rule because the state is planning to use money
LANSING - In a new effort to cut down on government requirements that hamper state worker efficiency, Governor Rick Snyder on Wednesday announced a program called Bureaucracy Busters that will encourage workers to provide direct input on innovative ideas for enhancing efficiency, customer service and their workplace. Since taking office, Snyder has had regular meetings
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Former Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm has long resented Mitt Romney for his insistence on putting Chrysler and General Motors into bankruptcy and she uncorked a tirade of a speech Thursday at the Democratic National Convention that delighted the Democratic audience. Granholm, now host of "The War Room," a liberal political talk show
LANSING - Teachers unions quickly won a temporary restraining order on part of the new law overhauling public school employee retirement benefits as they filed litigation before Governor Rick Snyder had even signed the law. Ingham Circuit Judge Rosemarie Aquilina, ruling from the bench, placed a restraining order against the state from forcing public school
LANSING - A partisan split occurred Monday when the Michigan state Board of Canvassers could not reach an agreement on three proposed controversial ballot proposals-including one to expand the number of casinos in Michigan that the Supreme Court essentially ordered on the ballot - likely sending them back to court and keeping their place on
LANSING - The Department of State on Thursday gave the okay to ballot signatures from the group aiming to put a two-thirds majority vote for tax increases on the ballot, as well as a proposal to designed to thwart Governor Rick Snyder's new bridge between Detroit and Windsor, Ontario. A staff review found that the
LANSING - In the first full-scale departure of a department head during the administration of Governor Rick Snyder, state capital observers were surprised Wednesday when it was announced that Department of Community Health Director Olga Dazzo is resigning. She was replaced by James Haveman, who led the department for many years under former Governor John
LANSING - The House unexpectedly, but unanimously, approved an election reform bill Wednesday that would address some of the issues that arose following the revelation that House Speaker Jase Bolger and Rep. Roy Schmidt (R-Grand Rapids) plotted to have Schmidt switch parties at the last second and find a straw candidate to run against him.
LANSING - A bill that would spend the state's portion of a national foreclosure settlement on restitution for victims of wrongful foreclosure, aid to displaced students, blight elimination and legal counseling for those dealing with foreclosure was signed by Governor Rick Snyder on Wednesday. HB 5015 (PA 296) passed the House and Senate in mid-July.
LANSING - Leading up to its annual conference in Chicago next week, the National Conference of State Legislatures is renewing a push for Congress to close what the group calls a loophole in sales tax collections from online retailers such as Amazon. Members of NCSL's Executive Committee Task Force on State and Local Taxation recently