Michigan State Legislature
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,...

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

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

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...

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer speaks at Steelcase in Grand Rapids, Mich., on Monday, May 24, 2021. It was the first day Steelcase is having many of their employees back in the office since the coronavirus pandemic started, thanks to the new MIOSHA rules that changed today, allowing non-essential workers to come back to offices. (Cory Morse/The Grand Rapids Press via AP)
Bills nearing Whitmer exempt businesses from taxes on PPE

By David Eggert Jun. 02, 2021 01:31 PM EDT

FILE - In this Sept. 24, 2020, file photo, Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson speaks in Detroit. Benson is defending her decision to stick with appointment-only visits to branch offices after the coronavirus pandemic, amid pushback from lawmakers who say people should again be able to go without an appointment. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya, File)
Benson seeks $25M to address backlog at SOS branch offices

By David Eggert Jun. 01, 2021 05:09 PM EDT

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer speaks at Steelcase in Grand Rapids, Mich., on Monday, May 24, 2021. It was the first day Steelcase is having many of their employees back in the office since the coronavirus pandemic started, thanks to the new MIOSHA rules that changed today, allowing non-essential workers to come back to offices. (Cory Morse/The Grand Rapids Press via AP)
Whitmer proposes eliminating longtime school funding gap

By David Eggert May. 27, 2021 04:49 PM EDT

Veronica Diaz, 48, of Detroit stands by as her son Javier Belmares, 14, becomes nervous as he prepares to get his first Pfizer COVID vaccine shot by Medical Assistant Stephanie Yang during a vaccine clinic at Ideal Group in southwest Detroit on Thursday, May 13, 2021. School districts from California to Michigan are offering free prom tickets and deploying mobile vaccination teams to schools to inoculate students 12 and up so everyone can return to classrooms in the fall. They are also enlisting students who have gotten shots to press their friends to do the same. (Ryan Garza/Detroit Free Press via AP)
Michigan Senate: No COVID-19 vaccine mandate for minors

By David Eggert May. 25, 2021 02:09 PM EDT

Michigan tax revenues are $3.5B higher than past estimate

By David Eggert May. 21, 2021 11:59 AM EDT
LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Michigan's main funds will take in an estimated $3.5 billion more in taxes than previously forecast thanks to increased consumer spending...

FILE - In this Oct. 16, 2020 file photo, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer speaks at Beech Woods Recreation Center, in Southfield, Mich. Whitmer and six other people who risked their own health and safety to help and protect others during the coronavirus pandemic will receive special Profile in Courage awards next month, the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation announced Tuesday, May 4, 2021. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File)
Whitmer, GOP leaders cut deal on budget talks, work rules

By David Eggert May. 20, 2021 06:24 PM EDT