Capitol News
Citizen’s Guide to State Government | Michigan Legislature
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2019 |
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Governor Whitmer has appointed SERA member Lauri Schmidt of Williamston to the State of Michigan Retirement Board which provides oversight of the state employee’s pension fund... |
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The talk of the town is the GOP-controlled legislature waiting until the last minute to send the Governor FY2020 budget bills and then the Governor’s bold budget vetoes. However, there was plenty of other news in the last month... |
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The Michigan Senate returned on August 27 and the Michigan House on the day following, ending its 9-week summer “district work.”... |
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The legislature remained adjourned during July while news outlets reported snippets of information about quiet budget talks among legislative and executive branch leaders. Each chamber has passed a proposed budget... |
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For the last 8 years, the GOP-led Michigan legislature finished the budget in mid-June, the Republican Governor signed it promptly, and everyone left for the summer. This year with a GOP-led legislature and a Democratic Governor disagreeing on budget priorities... |
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May saw continued movement of appropriation bills, conclusive activity on auto no-fault insurance reform, and the legislative and executive branch leadership decamping to Mackinac Island for the... |
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The Governor is still traveling the state touting her budget and policy priorities; the GOP-led legislative appropriation committees are moving their bills without her 45 cent gas tax increase, and a federal court decision rocked the capitol this month... |
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The Michigan Legislature was on spring recess for two weeks in late March and early April giving Governor Whitmer extra time to travel the state and pitch her proposed budget and policy priorities... |
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Highlights since our last report are the Governor’s budget presentation, hearings on pension tax repeal, and legislative committees finally beginning to move from... |
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Because of the polar vortex visiting Michigan just after Martin Luther King Day, all three branches of state government were either shut down or operating with fewer staff... |
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Happy New Year and welcome to the beginning of a new legislative session, the 100th Legislature in Michigan history, with a new Governor... |
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2018 |
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At this writing we are in the midst of Lame Duck session, a time when high priority and some surprise new bills emerge because the 99th Legislature ends December 31... |
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With the mid-term election over, Michigan’s officeholders can get down to the business of governing... |
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On November 6 we will be selecting a new Governor, Attorney General, Secretary of State, and voting in contested races for the... |
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As predicted, the scheduled August 15 legislative session was an administrative formality without attendance taken or any voting as most were busy on the campaign trail. However the scheduled September 5 and 6 sessions were very active... |
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Neither the Michigan House nor Senate met on July 25 as previously scheduled. The House chambers were under construction on that day and the Senate announced it would not take role or any votes... |
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Although the legislative schedule called for the legislative summer recess to begin June 21, the legislature decided to go home June 12 after it took final action on the two budget bills... |
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The House and Senate began their summer break June 12, earlier than planned. They will meet one day in July, one day in August and return... |
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Both chambers have now passed budgets, but both chambers make major changes to what Republican Gov. Rick Snyder recommended in February... |
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The Michigan Legislature was on spring break beginning March 23 through April 9, but there was still plenty of political news to report since... |
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After the Governor’s proposed budget was released in early February, the House and Senate appropriations committees began their hearings... |
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The two biggest stories around the capitol in January and early February were tax cuts, the FY 17-18 budget, and the MSU sexual assault scandal... |
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The Michigan House and Senate adjourned December 13 with the announced intention to return for 2018 on January 10... |
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2017 |
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Last month’s “Capitol News” featured the No-Fault Auto Insurance bill House Bill (HB) 5013 going down to defeat despite the backing of... |
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Auto no-fault insurance reform grabbed most of the attention in Lansing’s Capitol this month with a few exceptions... |
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The fall legislative session is well underway. This is the time for major legislation to be considered before 2018... |
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The Legislature was scheduled to meet on August 16, but both chambers announced they would not take roll or conduct any voting on that day... |
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The Legislature met only one day in July and plans to meet only one day in August. But there is still plenty of public policy and political news... |
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The stand-off between the Governor and the House and Senate Republicans over the budget was resolved just in time for legislators to get away for... |
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The Michigan Legislature is scheduled to depart Lansing between June 15 and June 22, depending on finalizing the budget... |
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A sharply divided Michigan House pushed through Fiscal Year 2018 spending plans in a late session on May 2 by a 60-47 margin... |
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Before they broke for spring break on March 31, a majority of the House and Senate appropriations subcommittees had reported out their budgets to... |
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February saw the introduction of the Governor’s budget proposal and a major effort to roll back the income tax... |
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The Legislature returned January 11 for House swearing-in ceremonies and leadership elections... |
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Because both Congress and the Presidency are now in the hands of one party, combined with the Republican Party’s platform plan to save Medicare... |
2016 |
2015 |
2014 |
2013 |
2012 |
2011 |
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