Capitol News
Citizen’s Guide to State Government | Michigan Legislature
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2018 |
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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... |
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2016 |
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Exciting political month! My favorite time of year... |
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At this writing, the result of the November 8 election is not known, but whatever the outcome, it will be a relief to move on to governance issues... |
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While Michigan remains a presidential battleground state and candidates and their surrogates... |
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The Michigan Legislature is returning September 7 for 9 session days before the November 8 election... |
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The Michigan Legislature has been adjourned since June 9 and is scheduled to return September 7... |
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Before its summer break ending June 9, the Legislature passed the budget for next year, a “fix” for Detroit Public Schools... |
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With the Flint Water Crisis and Detroit Public School’s potential bankruptcy looming large, there was a rush to pass a state budget before Memorial Day ... |
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The Flint water crisis continues to eclipse all other stories in Michigan, but the Detroit Public Schools funding... |
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The House and Senate recessed for spring “district work” on March 24 with a flurry of activity. They returned... |
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The Michigan Presidential Primary brought increased attention to the Flint water crisis and rustbelt economic... |
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National presidential politics and the Flint water crisis captured international attention in recent months, pushing many other stories off the radar... |
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The 2015 Legislative session ended on December 17 and resumed January 13, 2016 with spring break scheduled for April 1-9. Governor Rick Snyder is... |
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2015 |
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In November, the Legislature met for only 5 days due to the hunting and Thanksgiving break, returning December 1 for 9 days of session... |
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This month two nightmares have ended — the roads fix negotiations and the Courser-Gamrat scandal... |
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September and early October have been busy at Michigan’s Capitol. The scaffolding connected to the restoration... |
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In August the Senate did not meet; the House met three days, two of them fairly long days of waiting for any word on a roads fix deal... |
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The official session of the Michigan Legislature in July consisted of less than three total hours over three days for the House; the Senate scheduled five session days but... |
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Although the Michigan House recessed for its summer break on June 18, the Michigan Senate remained to work on finding revenue for roads and bridges. House and Senate... |
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A substitute HB 4124 sponsored by Rep. Jim Townsend (D-Royal Oak) to protect surviving spouse pension benefits was reported unanimously out of the House Tax Policy Committee on June 3... |
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Michigan voters rejected by a 4-to-1 margin Proposal 2015-1 to increase the sales tax that would have generated $1.2 billion more for roads as well as new funding for schools and... |
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The legislature recessed on March 26 for two weeks of in-district work that the rest of us call spring vacation. Before they left, all the appropriations bills... |
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The new session of the Michigan Legislature continues to be filled with presentations from agencies and organizations briefing legislators on how state government works and past history... |
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With the beginning of the new two-year legislative session, there are returning and fresh priorities. Having 57 percent of the House and 71 percent of the Senate, Republican legislators are in a good position to enact their... |
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Thanks to Walt Sorg for writing the December Serenade Capitol News article during my absence for a trip to southeast Asia... |
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2014 |
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Campaigning and preparations for the November 4 election consumed Michigan during the last month. Despite the Michigan Democratic party’s... |
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The Legislature came back from summer recess on September 9 and adjourned on October 2 to return to district work, i.e. campaigning and fundraising... |
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Although the Legislature was in session for only one day in August, there was plenty of political activity in the state... |
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With legislators all away on vacation, most of the media was consumed with campaign reporting. With less than 18 percent of the voters showing up at the primary... |
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The Legislature adjourned on June 12 after several late nights attempting to pass priority legislation, including... |
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With the Legislature expected to recess for the summer on June 12, much remains to be done... |
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First the good news! On April 17, the Court of Appeals granted retired school teacher Tom Okrie’s motion for oral argument in his challenge to the constitutionality... |
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The Legislature’s last day before spring break was March 27 with a planned return April 22 for the Senate and April 17, 23, and 29 for the House. Governor Snyder took the opportunity to go on a European trade mission... |
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March, April and May are the months for legislative hearings and deal-making on the Governor’s proposed budget for FY15 and FY16... |
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January and February may be frigid in Michigan, but those months are the ones when the Legislature is beginning to heat up for the year... |
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2013 closed with the usual rush to get everything done that had been put off for months... |
2013 |
2012 |
2011 |
See archived Legislative Report issues.