LANSING - The House Commerce Committee reported changes Wednesday to the state's unemployment system to stay in conformity with the federal government's regulations and to deter instances of fraud. Most of the bills in the package won approval with bipartisan support, except for HB 4952 . The bill is the most controversial of the package
LANSING - Legislation that would exempt prewritten computer software from the sales and use taxes in Michigan were reported from the House Tax Policy Committee on Wednesday. The bills (SB 142 and SB 143 ) would exclude using prewritten software from another person's server from both the sale and use tax. The software is defined
LANSING - An organization led by former Rep. Andrew "Rocky" Raczkowski is asking Attorney General Bill Schuette to enforce the Michigan Consumer Protection Act's language prohibiting charging "a price that is grossly in excess of the price at which similar property or services are sold" against hospitals. Raczkowski said Schuette concludes he has no authority
LANSING - Governor Rick Snyder has moved out to a lead against his likely Democratic opponent, former U.S. Rep. Mark Schauer, in a new poll after previous surveys showed the pair in a statistical tie. The survey from EPIC/MRA, released to the Detroit Free Press, put Mr. Snyder at 44 percent and Schauer at 36
LANSING - Legislation to overhaul auto insurance might have new life after Michigan Senate Majority Leader Randy Richardville confirmed Tuesday it is on the Senate's agenda. "We are definitely going to take up no-fault insurance this fall," Richardville (R-Monroe) said Tuesday on WJR-AM's "Frank Beckmann Show." Richardville did not offer much detail, but said he
DETROIT - The Southeast Michigan Purchasing Managers Index for August hit 60.2, a 13 percent increase over July's PMI of 53.1, reflecting continued strengthening of the local economy. The three-month average, however, was relatively unchanged at 54.2. Among components of the index, the Commodity Prices Index rose in August to 55.6 from 54.8 in July
BEIJING, China - Marking the beginning of a new effort to draw Chinese visitors to Michigan, Governor Rick Snyder on Thursday at an event in Shanghai unveiled the effort to make Michigan a destination for a growing Chinese tourism market. While just some 1.5 million Chinese visited the U.S. in 2012, that was an increase
LANSING - Even as Republicans, both in Michigan and in national circles, cast about for potential candidates for U.S. Senate, former Secretary of State Terri Land, the only announced GOP candidate, continues to poll well. A survey released Thursday by the Republican polling firm Harper Polling showed Ms. Land leading a possible four-way Republican primary
LANSING - Governor Rick Snyder has come under heavy criticism from some quarters of the Republican Party for spearheading the expansion of Medicaid, but a new poll released Thursday shows he still enjoys a strong favorability rating among those expected to participate in next year's statewide Republican primary. The survey, from the Republican polling firm
LANSING - U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow on Wednesday announced legislation to provide a federal match for the state's current program funding community college and business partnerships to train workers for high-skilled jobs. The New Skills for New Jobs Act would double the state's current program, and help fill vacant high-skilled jobs that pay at least