Michigan state government
Michigan House OKs big K-12 budget, pushes for July 1 deal

By David Eggert Jun. 24, 2021 10:24 PM EDT
LANSING, Mich. (AP) — The Michigan House overwhelmingly approved a $65 billion state spending plan and the release of billions in federal COVID-19 relief aid...

Michigan bill to end extra unemployment benefit faces veto

By David Eggert Jun. 24, 2021 02:00 PM EDT
LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Republican lawmakers voted Thursday to stop a $300 weekly federal supplement that is added to unemployed workers' benefits in Michigan,...

Unemployed workers can visit state offices starting June 30

Jun. 23, 2021 04:31 PM EDT
LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Michigan is reopening 12 state Unemployment Insurance Agency offices for in-person visits more than 15 months after they were closed due...

Michigan lawmakers announce bills after opioid deaths spike

By Anna Liz Nichols Jun. 23, 2021 03:48 PM EDT
LANSING, Mich (AP) — A bipartisan group of Michigan lawmakers announced a package of bills Wednesday to curb opioid overdose deaths in the state, which experts...

FILE - In this June 17, 2021 file photo, conservatives gather on the steps of the Michigan Capitol before delivering thousands of affidavits requesting that lawmakers order an "forensic" audit of the 2020 election in Lansing, Mich. Senate Republicans who investigated Michigan's presidential election say there was no widespread or systemic fraud in a report Wednesday, June 23, 2021. (AP Photo/David Eggert File)
Michigan Senate GOP probe: No systemic fraud in election

By David Eggert Jun. 23, 2021 01:25 PM EDT

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer speaks during a press conference on Belle Isle in Detroit, on Tuesday, June 22, 2021, announcing the end of COVID restrictions in the state. After facing 15 months of capacity restrictions and being hit by the country’s worst surge of coronavirus infections this spring, restaurants, entertainment businesses and other venues can operate at 100% occupancy starting Tuesday. (David Guralnick/Detroit News via AP)
Michigan ends workplace COVID-19 rules except in health care

By David Eggert Jun. 22, 2021 12:43 PM EDT

Angela Fitzgerald, of Bloomfield Hills., exercises at Burn Fitness in Rochester Hills, Mich., Monday, June 21, 2021. Michigan is fully open again. After facing 15 months of capacity restrictions and being hit by the country’s worst surge of coronavirus infections this spring, restaurants, entertainment businesses and other venues can operate at 100% occupancy starting Tuesday. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
'Time to play': Michigan reopens 15 months after pandemic

By David Eggert And Corey Williams Jun. 22, 2021 12:00 AM EDT

FILE - In this Jan. 20, 2021, screen grab taken from a Zoom meeting provided by the Grand Traverse County Board of Commissioners, Grand Traverse County Commissioner Ronald Clous holds a rifle at his home during a county commissioner meeting in Michigan. Michigan's attorney general said Friday, June 18 she would not file charges against Clous for the incident which some described as illustrating racial and cultural tensions in the Lake Michigan resort area. (Grand Traverse County Board of Commissioners via AP, File)
No charges filed against Michigan official who flashed rifle

By John Flesher Jun. 18, 2021 03:45 PM EDT

Koen Kerns, 7, of St. Joseph, Mich., cools off in the Whirlpool Compass Fountain Wednesday, June 9, 2021, in St. Joseph, Mich. (Don Campbell/The Herald-Palladium via AP)
Michigan lifts indoor capacity limits, mask requirements

By David Eggert And Mike Householder Jun. 17, 2021 01:38 PM EDT

FILE - In this May 24, 2021 file photo, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer speaks at Steelcase in Grand Rapids, Mich. The Michigan Supreme Court on Friday, June 11 unanimously ordered the state elections board to certify a veto-proof initiative that would let Republican legislators wipe from the books a law Whitmer used to issue sweeping pandemic orders. (Cory Morse/The Grand Rapids Press via AP, File)
Whitmer: Reinstate incentive so companies can hire workers

By David Eggert Jun. 16, 2021 06:41 PM EDT

Michigan Legislature passes $6.6 B in federal virus aid

By David Eggert Jun. 15, 2021 05:20 PM EDT
LANSING, Mich. (AP) — The Michigan Senate voted unanimously Tuesday to allocate nearly $4.4 billion in federal COVID-19 aid to K-12 schools after Republican...

FILE - In this May 24, 2021 file photo, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer speaks at Steelcase in Grand Rapids, Mich. The Michigan Supreme Court on Friday, June 11 unanimously ordered the state elections board to certify a veto-proof initiative that would let Republican legislators wipe from the books a law Whitmer used to issue sweeping pandemic orders. (Cory Morse/The Grand Rapids Press via AP, File)
Whitmer proposes use of $1.4B in federal child care aid

By David Eggert Jun. 14, 2021 04:48 PM EDT

FILE - In this Oct. 2, 2020 file photo, a group gathers as boxes filled with petition signatures are delivered by Unlock Michigan to the Michigan Department of State Bureau of Elections in Lansing, Mich. The Michigan Supreme Court on Friday, June 11, 2021, unanimously ordered the state elections board to certify a veto-proof initiative that would let Republican legislators wipe from the books a law Gov. Gretchen Whitmer used to issue sweeping pandemic orders. (Rod Sanford/Detroit News via AP, File)
Ballot drive targets Michigan law that underpins virus rules

By David Eggert Jun. 14, 2021 02:33 PM EDT

FILE - In this Oct. 2, 2020 file photo, a group gathers as boxes filled with petition signatures are delivered by Unlock Michigan to the Michigan Department of State Bureau of Elections in Lansing, Mich. The Michigan Supreme Court on Friday, June 11, 2021, unanimously ordered the state elections board to certify a veto-proof initiative that would let Republican legislators wipe from the books a law Gov. Gretchen Whitmer used to issue sweeping pandemic orders. (Rod Sanford/Detroit News via AP, File)
State board ordered to OK bill to end emergency powers law

By David Eggert Jun. 11, 2021 01:39 PM EDT

In this June 10, 2021 photo provided by the Michigan Office of the Governor, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer speaks at Straits State Park in St. Ignace, Mich., with the Mackinac Bridge behind her. Whitmer called for spending a "historic" $250 million in federal coronavirus relief aid to upgrade state parks and trails, a day after Senate Republicans announced a $1.5 billion plan to fix deteriorating local bridges across Michigan. (Michigan Office of the Governor via AP)
Whitmer seeks $250M for parks; Senate has $1.5B bridge plan

By David Eggert Jun. 10, 2021 03:09 PM EDT

FILE - In this Sept. 24, 2020, file photo, Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson speaks in Detroit. Benson said Tuesday, June 8, 2021, her office is adding 350,000 appointments over nearly four months to address a pandemic-related backlog as Michigan residents try to renew driver's licenses, transfer vehicle titles and conduct other business in person. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya, file)
Senate: Extend lapsed licenses, plates; keep walk-in option

By David Eggert Jun. 10, 2021 01:05 PM EDT

Editorial Roundup: Michigan

By The Associated Press Jun. 07, 2021 09:00 AM EDT
Detroit Free Press. May 30, 2021. Editorial: Michigan senators chart a path to real police reform There is growing...

FILE - This April 12, 2021, file photo shows Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer in Ypsilanti, Mich. Michigan legislators gave final approval Tuesday, June 1, 2021, to a bill that would exempt high school graduation ceremonies from a state order that restricts crowd sizes due to the coronavirus pandemic. The measure could be vetoed by Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. (Lon Horwedel/Detroit News via AP)
Whitmer vetoes bill to exempt graduations from crowd limits

By David Eggert Jun. 03, 2021 03:21 PM EDT

Michigan health chief: Nursing home death toll is accurate

By David Eggert Jun. 03, 2021 01:11 PM EDT
LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Michigan's top health official said Thursday that nursing homes are accurately reporting the number of coronavirus-related deaths, amid...

Michigan state House passes vaccine passport ban

By Anna Liz Nichols Jun. 02, 2021 06:20 PM EDT
LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Republicans alongside a handful of Democrats in the Michigan House passed a bill Wednesday that would ban government-required COVID-19...