Dueling state House and state Senate bills need additional votes before heading to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s desk, but the votes represent major action on reforms that have stalled in past sessions.
Michigan's spending
Posted inBusiness Watch
Records: Rural Michigan ‘overlooked’ in Michigan’s $6B subsidy spending spree
A Bridge analysis finds that the northeast Lower Peninsula got $71 per person in economic development spending since 2022, compared to $854 in west Michigan. Some question the disparities.
Posted inMichigan Health Watch
Michigan forgives $200M in medical debt. Should it help prevent debt instead?
About 690,000 Michigan residents have some form of medical debt. The state has put up $4.5 million to erase some of it.
Posted inMichigan Government
Don’t have a retirement plan? Michigan Senate bills could change that
Michigan Senate Democrats on Wednesday OK’d legislation to create state-managed retirement accounts for private sector employees without them.
Posted inTalent & Education
Northern Michigan found a way to cut school absenteeism. Lansing may defund it
One reason Michigan is behind other states in test scores is because kids miss so much school. But a program hailed as a model is at risk of losing nearly half its funding.
Posted inBusiness Watch
Michigan playing catch-up on drone race, but manufacturing past should help
Michigan is spending more than $42 million on drone development as the market for unmanned aerial systems grows nationwide.
Posted inTalent & Education
Gov. Whitmer has vowed to boost literacy in Michigan. Here’s where we stand
As Michigan struggles with reading on national rankings, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer says the state must focus on literacy. What to know.
Posted inMichigan Government
Advocates: Upper Peninsula prison pay raise won’t solve dangerous shortage
A $10,000 a year pay raise may help with recruitment, but it may not be enough to keep officers working at Upper Peninsula prisons, where former corrections officers say vacant positions contribute to assaults on prison staffers.
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
In school cafeterias, kids fight Michigan’s food waste problems
Michigan schools are increasingly adopting composting programs that divert food waste from the landfill while teaching students sustainability.
Posted inMichigan Government
Michigan lawmakers finalize $152M for new Selfridge mission backed by Trump
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said it was ‘critical’ to deliver the Selfridge funding by June 1 to facilitate a planned expansion backed by President Donald Trump. Lawmakers had been in a stalemate.