Michigan 37th District State Sen. Wayne Schmidt, (R-Traverse City), issued the following statement on Thursday after Gov. Rick Snyder announced the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) would be implementing an emergency rule prohibiting the deployment of anchors in the Straits of Mackinac: “Many in my district and throughout the state were sorely disappointed in the…

Also signs 11 additional measures Victims and their families will now be guaranteed the right to confront their offenders in court, unless determined otherwise by a judge, under legislation signed by Gov. Rick Snyder. “I hope this legislation will help victims and their families through the healing process as they continue moving forward with their…

Bill Targets Safety in Visitor Areas & Baggage Claims U.S. Senators Gary Peters (D-MI) and Cory Gardner (R-CO) introduced, last week, bipartisan legislation to increase safety and security for airport passengers and visitors outside of Transportation Security Administration (TSA)-screened areas. The Secure Airport Public Spaces Act allows airports to use existing Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) funds to…

Movement Demands Sweeping Overhaul of Nation’s Voting Rights Laws, Policies to Address Poverty, Ecological Devastation, War Economy The Michigan Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival kicked off a six-week season of nonviolent direct action this past Monday in Lansing, demanding a massive overhaul of the nation’s voting rights laws, new programs to…

A confidential, anonymous 24-hour statewide hotline for sexual assault survivors to call for help, counseling and resources will soon be available, Gov. Rick Snyder and First Lady Sue Snyder announced today. “It’s critically important that all survivors of sexual assault have somewhere safe to turn for help,” First Lady Sue Snyder said. “This hotline will…

Michigan voters can see how many taxpayer dollars their lawmakers voted to give away in the form of subsidies to particular businesses and developers, thanks to new research from the Mackinac Center for Public Policy and MichiganVotes.org. Researchers analyzed 71 public acts that authorized spending $16 billion on business subsidies from 2001 through 2017 to…

The Michigan House today approved legislation introduced by state Rep. Triston Cole to give snow plow drivers the flexibility to continue using flashing amber lights while actively plowing. Currently, the law requires private snow removal companies to install a flashing amber light for use during snow removal operations. The light must be turned off while…

State Treasurer Nick Khouri, State Budget Director John Walsh, Senate Fiscal Agency Director Ellen Jeffries and House Fiscal Agency Director Mary Ann Cleary have reached consensus on economic and revenue figures for the remainder of Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 and for the upcoming 2019 and 2020 fiscal years. Following yesterday’s Consensus Revenue Estimating Conference, net FY…

U.S. Senator Gary Peters (D-MI), on May 15, joined a bipartisan group of 30 Senators in urging the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to increase the funding cap for a program aimed at improving the quality of health care available to patients in rural areas. In a letter to FCC Chairman Ajit Pai, the Senators highlight…

Lt. Gov. Brian Calley announced that the Michigan Achieving a Better Life Experience program has hit a new milestone with more than $5 million in assets. Known as MiABLE for short, the 529(A) disability savings account program offers investment and tax incentives for families and others who wish to save for individuals with disabilities. Since…

Bill Would Suspend Newsprint Tariffs While Government Studies Effects on U.S. Industries