Rick Pluta

A state Senate committee advanced legislation Wednesday to create a Michigan Voting Rights Act, largely in response to a U.S. Supreme Court decision last month that struck down key portions of the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965. We have more from Rick Pluta.

A Democratic-led state Senate committee plans to act today on legislation to create a Michigan Voting Rights Act. We have more from Rick Pluta.

Michigan will receive as much as $240 million as part of a legal settlement with the chemical company Monsanto to help clean up PCB contamination across the state. We have more from Rick Pluta.

Starting next year, 11th graders in Michigan will no longer face the essay portion of the Michigan Merit Exam, and SAT scores will no longer have to be part of high school transcripts. That’s under bills signed Thursday by Governor Gretchen Whitmer. We have more from Rick Pluta.

Planned Parenthood of Michigan is asking Governor Gretchen Whitmer for an emergency infusion of $5 million. The organization says that would keep it from having to close clinics and reduce services. We have more from Rick Pluta.

State grants to upgrade two minor league ballparks in Lansing and Utica have been suspended by a Michigan Court of Claims judge, who says it appears the Legislature skirted the rules when it approved the money. We have more from Rick Pluta.

Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson says there is a firewall between her and decisions regarding this year’s gubernatorial election while she is running for governor. We have more from Rick Pluta.

The Michigan Supreme Court heard arguments Wednesday on whether legislative leaders have any discretion in deciding whether bills adopted by the House and Senate must go to the governor’s desk. Rick Pluta has more.

A Michigan Court of Claims judge says the Michigan Bureau of Elections can’t deny access to public records on what method voters use to cast their ballots under the state’s Freedom of Information Act. We have more from Rick Pluta.

Some Democrats are calling for Michigan to switch from party conventions to primary elections to choose candidates for statewide offices, such as Attorney General and Secretary of State. That’s after a raucous party endorsement convention this past weekend. We have more from Rick Pluta.