Liberal group launches ballot effort to change Michigan lobbying laws
by Riley Beggin (Bridge) LANSING – A liberal advocacy group on Thursday launched a constitutional amendment ballot initiative effort to change Michigan laws to ban lobbyists from giving gifts to public officials and require a “cooling off” period before former officials could become lobbyists. “For years there’s been talk about the need for more transparency […]
Michigan county threatens to bulldoze Amish homes in poop dispute
by Ted Roelofs (Bridge) LENAWEE COUNTY—As late afternoon sun streamed into the home’s spare living area, an Amish couple recalled the day this past August when a Lenawee County health official came to their door to post a notice. “Do Not Enter,” it warned. “Unfit For Human Habitation.” And below that: “Order to Vacate.” An […]
Crashes, injuries spike after Michigan boosts freeway speed limits to 75 mph
by Jonathan Oosting (Bridge) ITHACA – For Connor Learman, Michigan’s 75 miles per hour speed limit on US-127 allows him to shave a few minutes off his weekend snowboarding trip up north and all but eliminates the risk he’ll get pulled over by police. “I go 80 anyways, so it gets me closer,” the 22-year-old […]
Michigan the latest to roll out Medicaid work rules. Can it avoid pitfalls?
by Robin Erb (Bridge) Dreaded by some as a red-tape attack on the poor and lauded by others as a road to self-sufficiency, Michigan’s Medicaid work requirements are now in force. Since Jan. 1, more than 238,000 Michiganders ages 19 to 62 have been required to work at least 80 hours a month or produce […]
Five things to know about Michigan’s Medicaid work rules
by Robin Erb (Bridge) Thousands of Michigan residents enrolled in Healthy Michigan are now expected to work 80 hours a month — or tell the state why they can’t — to continue receiving health insurance under Michigan’s expanded Medicaid program. Who’s affected? The work rules apply only to a portion of Michigan’s 662,000 people who […]
Michigan residents say they oppose uncertified teachers leading classrooms
by Alexandra Schmidt (Bridge) In an era where education policy can be divisive, Michigan residents overwhelmingly agree on one thing: They want trained, certified teachers leading school classrooms. A large majority say they are skeptical that long-term substitute teachers who currently are in charge of thousands of Michigan classrooms can provide a quality education for […]
The answer to swelling jails? Stop jailing so many folks, Michigan report says
by Riley Beggin (Bridge) LANSING – A coalition charged with shrinking Michigan’s county jail populations is recommending the state reduce license suspensions, shorten probation terms, cut fines for civil infractions and stop requiring inmates to pay for their own incarceration, among other things. The recommendations, unveiled Tuesday, are based on an unprecedented analysis of local jail […]
Michigan’s ‘green ooze’ may be ‘tip of iceberg’ of state’s toxic sites
by Jonathan Oosting (Bridge) LANSING – The discovery of toxic PFAS chemicals at a contaminated site in Madison Heights could triple the cost of an already expensive cleanup effort, a state official told lawmakers Wednesday. And taxpayers could get stuck with the bill to clean up the green ooze site, since it’s unclear if its […]
Five things to know as Michigan lawmakers kick-start state budget process
by Jonathan Oosting (Bridge) LANSING — Michigan Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and the Republican-led Legislature wrapped up a bitter nine-month budget fight in December, with a deal that restored more than half of her $1 billion in line-item vetoes but included no new money to fix the state’s roads. A month later, they’re getting ready […]
Michigan’s brain drain is back, as best and brightest leave state
By Mike Wilkinson When it comes to population, Michigan is no longer a rarity – a state losing population while every other one is gaining it. The state has gained residents since bottoming out in 2009 after five straight years of decline. But recovery has been tepid and from July 2018 to July 2019, the […]
