Michigan Legislature

In a court filing, Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson is pushing back against Michigan Republican allegations that she is refusing to cooperate with legislative election oversight efforts.

Governor Gretchen Whitmer pardoned two turkeys named Faygo and Vernors, and she signed bills aimed at earmarks and budget transparency.

Michigan lawmakers are debating a bill that would require school board candidates to run with party labels, ending the state’s long nonpartisan tradition. Education groups warn the proposal could inject politics into local districts and limit who can serve.

The grant would help colleges better track academic progress so students can automatically get a two-year degree once they meet the requirements—even if they already transferred out.

The Michigan Senate approved bills to outlaw per-signature payments to professional circulators gathering signatures for political candidates and ballot campaigns.

The Michigan Education Association and the Michigan League for Public Policy say that the state’s increased appropriations for education this year can help school districts reduce class sizes and improve student performance.

Legislation in the Michigan House would protect property owners from lawsuits over injuries that occur due to an “open and obvious” danger.

Michigan is one of only two states that fully exempts lawmakers and the governor’s office from FOIA.

Some environmental agencies and organizations are concerned that carbon capture and storage legislation passed recently by the state Senate will harm Michigan’s environment.

Michigan bills to restart tracking abortion data — including patients' marital status, racial and ethnic background, and pregnancy history — will get a hearing in the Republican-led House Committee on Health Policy.