Rep. Dylan Wegela, D-Garden City

Michigan House staffers are unionizing: What could it look like? 

HOUSE UNION: Some staff in the state House are organizing a unionization drive which, if successful, would add Michigan to the small roster of states with unionized employees. It would be up to the House leadership, now Democratic, to recognize such a union. We talk to an MSU labor expert and to lawmakers from Clare, Garden City and Northfield Township. By Liz Nass. FOR DETROIT, CLARE, LANSING CITY PULSE AND ALL POINTS.

Right to Repair bills still being debated in Michigan House

House Bill 4673, one of two “right to repair” bills currently being considered by Michigan legislators, is intended to make it easier for farmers and their independent mechanics to get access to parts, documentation and important software needed to restore the expensive machines back to full functionality. 

Feds warn Michigan to improve speed, accuracy of food assistance program

SNAP DELAYS: USDA has criticized Michigan for delays and errors in handling applications for SNAP food benefits for low-income residents. One result is increased demand on already-stressed food banks. Whitmer and the governors of neighboring Ohio and Indiana have received warning letters from Washington. We talk to the Food Bank Council of Michigan and the National Center for Budget and Policy. By Alex Walters. FOR DETROIT, MICHIGAN FARM NEWS, HILLSDALE, COLDWATER, STURGIS, THREE RIVERS, MONROE, BLISSFIELD, ADRIAN, LANSING CITY PULSE AND ALL POINTS.

Michigan lags in preventing tobacco use but more funds, new laws could change that

TOBACCO MONEY: Michigan isn’t doing well in its anti-tobacco initiatives and spending, the American Lung Association says. The governor wants to boost spending, and some lawmakers want tighter controls over the sale of tobacco products. We talked to Health & Human Services, the Michigan unit of the American Cancer Society and an East Lansing lawmaker. Includes references to anti-tobacco programs by groups in Detroit and Grand Rapids and legislators from Metro Detroit and Flint. By Liz Nass. FOR DETROIT, GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS, GREENVILLE, LANSING CITY PULSE, WKTV AND ALL POINTS.

Sen. Jim Runestad, R-White Lake Township.

Michigan works to pass new laws surrounding juvenile justice system

JUVENILE JUSTICE: Michigan is poised to change the rates at which it reimburses counties for juvenile justice services. That means more state funds for county-run residential and mental health services. The legislation passed the House and Senate and is awaiting the governor’s signature. Sponsors are from Detroit, West Bloomfield, Warren, Northfield Township and Taylor. We hear from the Michigan Center for Youth Justice in Ann Arbor, the Prosecuting Attorneys Association president, from Kalamazoo County, who supports the measure and an Oakland County senator who voted against it. By Stephanie Rauhe. FOR DETROIT, LANSING CITY PULSE AND ALL POINTS.

One year after Proposal 3, activists and lawmakers find new battlegrounds on abortion

Just over a year ago, during the Nov. 8 midterm election, Michigan voters overwhelmingly voted to pass Proposal 3, a ballot measure designed to enshrine abortion rights in the state constitution. 

One year later, legislators and activists on both sides of the abortion debate continue to spar on how the promises created by the proposal should be achieved in practice. Genevieve Marnon, the legislative director at Right to Life of Michigan, said there was “a tremendous amount of disappointment” for anti-abortion activists following the results of the midterm election. Marnon said she attributes the results to a few reasons including being outspent three to one by pro-abortion groups, a lack of support from national anti-abortion groups, and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s outspoken support for Proposal 3. “We knocked thousands of doors, we manned the polls, we sent out information, we did ads to the best of our ability given our limited budget,” Marnon said.

Alpena Community College has 16 apartments that are in high demand.

Community college students struggle with affordable housing 

COMMUNITY COLLEGE HOUSING: Community colleges are urging the Legislature to make it easier for them to afford to build housing for their students, many of them already hard pressed financially to attend. Their association wants $40 million in grants to help pay for construction of housing at about eight campuses. Twelve of the 28 public colleges offer housing, including Monroe Community College, Northwestern Michigan College, Southwestern Michigan College, Kirkland Community College, North Central College, Gogebic COmmunity College and Bay College.We hear from the Michigan Community College Association, and the presidents of Alpena and West Shore community colleges. By Kenzie Terpstra. FOR ALPENA, ALCONA, MONTMORENCY, TRAVERSE CITY, LEELANAU, MONROE, ADRIAN, BLISSFIELD, LUDINGTON, LAKE COUNTY, OCEANA COUNTY, MARQUETTE, IRON MOUNTAIN, DETROIT, SAULT STE. MARIE, PETOSKEY, HARBOR SPRINGS, STURGIS, THREE RIVERS, CLARE, CRAWFORD COUNTY AND ALL POINTS.

Two simultaneous protests at Michigan Capitol rally for their causes

Two protests simultaneously occurred at Michigan’s capitol building on Nov. 8. The east side of the building hosted Michigan’s March for Life Rally, a pro-life event hosted by the Right to Life of Michigan, while the west side hosted The Rent is Too Damn High, who advocated for passage of the state House’s Renters’ Bill of Rights and an increase to the state budget for social housing aid.

Rep. Tom Kunse of Clare is the top Republican on the House Ethics and Oversight Committee

House Ethics panel rarely met this year 

ETHICS COMMITTEE: The House Ethics and Oversight Committee hasn’t met in months. The Democratic chair says the committee is still doing its work, but Republicans feel frustrated. We talk to lawmakers from Dearborn, Clare, Novi and Rochester Hills and to Common Cause. By Liz Nass. FOR CLARE, DETROIT, LANSING CITY PULSE AND ALL POINTS.