Displaying items tagged: policy

Democratic state Sen. Winnie Brinks from Grand Rapids continues to make history. She was the first woman to represent Grand Rapids in the state Senate since Eva McCall Hamilton was elected in 1920, and she will be Michigan’s first woman Senate Majority Leader when the Democrats take control of the legislative branch on Jan. 1 for the first time in 40 years.

LANSING — The push for election-year tax cuts gained further momentum today as lawmakers advanced a $1.7 billion proposal crafted by House Republicans to reduce Michigan’s individual income tax rate and raise income exemptions for retirees.

LANSING — The state Senate has advanced legislation to reduce the personal and corporate income taxes in Michigan, a proposal that contrasts Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s pitch for targeted election-year tax cuts.

Competing proposals from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Republicans who control the Legislature put tax cuts on the election-year agenda in Lansing.

Throughout his tenure in Washington D.C., Democratic U.S. Sen. Gary Peters has proven to be a consistent voice for the manufacturing industry.

Michigan’s newly signed state budget aims to maintain the momentum behind a variety of programs designed to help the manufacturing industry address workforce challenges.

The $1.4 billion injected into Michigan child care in the state’s newest budget is intended to bolster the industry at a time when most economic sectors are coping with a troubling labor shortage.

LANSING — Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has signed a state budget for the new fiscal year that includes hundreds of millions of dollars for childcare and talent development, as well as more than $23 million in one-time spending for various Kent County developments.

The committee behind a statewide ballot initiative to expand civil rights protections for LGBTQ people is prepared for a legal battle after state election officials ruled the campaign had an insufficient number of public signatures to advance the proposal.

The Michigan Catholic Conference has contributed nearly $240,000 to a campaign committee opposing a business-backed initiative to expand Michigan’s civil rights law to include protections for LGBTQ individuals.

Republican lawmakers are advancing bills that would reduce Michigan’s corporate income tax rate by 20 percent and create tax credits for businesses that lost at least a quarter of their revenue during COVID-19 restrictions.

COLDWATER — Hope Network will close a long-term housing center in Coldwater for people with severe disabilities as a new fee schedule is set to take effect under recent automotive no-fault insurance reforms.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has announced “slimmed down” COVID-19 emergency safety rules that begin to ease workplace restrictions and guidelines for employers.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and legislative leaders cut a deal Thursday that includes withdrawing proposed permanent COVID-19 workplace safety rules.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has outlined a new plan that lifts restrictions on restaurants, event venues and workplaces as the state meets a series of COVID-19 vaccination thresholds.

Statewide business groups announced their support today for House Republicans’ COVID-19 spending plan that’s a rebuttal to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s $5.6 billion plan unveiled last week.

The head of the Small Business Association of Michigan says he’s “cautiously optimistic” that Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and state legislators can agree on a bill that would allow businesses to defer property tax payments.

GRAND RAPIDS — Companies looking to break into the lucrative medical marijuana industry want to ensure their place in line for the city’s lottery process that will determine the order in which their proposals are considered. In an effort to boost their chances of being selected in the lottery, some applicants have submitted multiple proposals — sometimes even for adjacent properties — in concentrated areas where city zoning allows medical marijuana-related businesses.

An appeals court ruling upheld the ability of employers to withdraw job offers to people who failed a pre-employment drug test, even if they are a legal user of medical marijuana. In a case involving the City of Lansing and its utility, the Lansing Board of Water and Light, the Michigan Court of Appeals this week ruled that employers may withdraw a just offer from prospective at-will employees.

Reforming Michigan’s no-fault auto insurance system remains a high priority in Lansing after a proposal during the 2018 lame-duck legislative failed to gain the support needed to pass. State House leaders this month, soon after convening the new legislative session, formed a special committee to look at no-fault reform, and the first bill introduced in the Senate offers a basic outline for reforms.

Now that all adults in Michigan can legally use marijuana, employers are weighing how the new law — and misunderstandings about it — could affect their workforces.