Lee Chatfield

The Legislature’s Republican leaders are suing Governor Gretchen Whitmer.  They say she’s exceeded her emergency authority to deal with the COVID-19 health crisis and violated the state constitution.  We have more from Rick Pluta.

Governor Gretchen Whitmer issued new executive orders Thursday to extend Michigan’s COVID-19 state of emergency for another four weeks.  That was after Republicans in the Legislature refused her request to extend the emergency through May 28th.  The Legislature’s Republican leaders say they are ready to go to court to block future use of the emergency powers the governor has exercised to address the coronavirus crisis.  We have more from Michigan Public Radio’s Rick Pluta.

The state Senate was in Lansing Tuesday and, as we hear from Rick Pluta, the Republican-controlled chamber adopted resolutions asking Governor Gretchen Whitmer to reconsider aspects of her stay-at-home orders.

Governor Gretchen Whitmer says her strict stay-at-home order and the shutdown of many businesses appears to be slowing the spread of COVID-19.  We have more from Rick Pluta.

State lawmakers will return to Lansing today for the first time since March 17th.  They expect to vote on a resolution to extend Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s emergency powers to deal with the coronavirus crisis.  Rick Pluta explains.

Governor Gretchen Whitmer continues to issue emergency orders that close public places in an effort to contain the spread of the new coronavirus

The governor closed schools for three weeks with the expectation that they would re-open April 6th.  That order can be extended and that now appears likely.

That leaves students, families, administrators, and teachers in limbo.  And they’re wondering how to ensure students are getting the education they deserve under this new reality.

We have more from Michigan Public Radio’s Rick Pluta. 

Governor Gretchen Whitmer says she’s ready to go-it-alone to come up with money to pay for road repairs.  That’s if Republicans won’t support her proposal for a fuel tax increase.  That was the message Whitmer delivered in her second State of the State speech last night.  We have more from Rick Pluta.

Republican leaders in the Legislature say they are ready to adopt a petition-initiated bill to place new restrictions on abortion.  Rick Pluta tells us Republicans are looking to press the limits of the Roe versus Wade decision.

Governor Gretchen Whitmer has vetoed 375 million dollars in one-time road funding.  As Cheyna Roth reports, the governor finished signing all 16 state budgets hours before the October 1st deadline.

Michigan could become a completely hands-free driving state.  A new bill in the state House comes after Governor Gretchen Whitmer made distracted driving a priority during her State of the State address.

Governor Gretchen Whitmer set some big goals in her first State of the State Address Tuesday night.  She’s calling for major investments in infrastructure, education, and clean water, among other things.  But Republicans are skeptical about the costs of her ideas.  As Jake Neher reports, the speech represents a bold vision for Michigan that’s already sparking partisan divisions.

Republicans in the state Legislature are trying to limit the powers of statewide offices that – come January – will flip to Democrats.  It's a strategy that's angered Democratic voters, and protestors have been flooding the state Capitol with chants like “We voted for blue, not for you.”. 

Michigan’s new governor will start in January.  But Governor-Elect Gretchen Whitmer faces an adversarial state Legislature, which could impact what Whitmer is able to accomplish.

A new bill by state lawmakers would prohibit any anchor dropping in the Straits of Mackinac.  This comes after an anchor damaged an oil and gas pipeline.

Some businesses are set to get millions of dollars in tax incentives -- if Governor Snyder signs a package of bills.  Around the time those bills were going through the legislature, business groups were giving big political action committee donations to some key lawmakers.

Lawmakers in Lansing might not try to do away with the state income tax after all, but they are still looking to reduce it. 

Michigan and Louisiana are the only two states that don’t apply their public records laws to the legislature and the governor’s office.  A bipartisan group of Michigan lawmakers have rolled out bills to change that.