LANSING ? The Michigan House Tax Policy Committee reported legislation Wednesday that would discontinue the charging of the sales and use tax on the value of a trade-in when buying a motor vehicle or watercraft. The legislation (HB 4234 , SB 89 and SB 90 ) was reported unanimously by the committee after hearing testimony
LANSING - Growing contributions to the Michigan Public School Employees Retirement System are reducing what school districts can spend on other educational services and that effect is likely to continue for the near term, the Citizens Research Council said in a report released Wednesday. The report, Funding for Public Education: The Recent Impact of Increased
LANSING - Physicians will use one standardized form for obtaining prior authorization from a patient's insurer when a patient seeks coverage for prescribed medicine under legislation signed by Governor Rick Snyder. Snyder signed SB 178 (PA 30, effective 90 days after sine die adjournment) and SB 179 (PA 31, also effective 90 days after sine
LANSING ? Michigan House Republicans unveiled Thursday a bill setting conditions for expanding Medicaid to 133 percent of the federal poverty level, but their call for a 48-month limit on Medicaid benefits for some recipients alarmed Democrats and other organizations that had supported expanding the program without conditions. For HB 4714 , introduced by Rep.
LANSING - The Michigan House Education Committee on Tuesday reported two bills that are designed to provide more flexibility in a high school student's curriculum, particularly if the student is interested in career technical courses. The committee reported HB 4465 on an 11-2 vote, with Rep. Winnie Brinks (D-Grand Rapids) and Rep. Thomas Stallworth (D-Detroit)
LANSING - The chances of a road funding plan passing the Legislature appear to have dipped with top Democrats and Republicans in the Legislature, along with Governor Rick Snyder, hitting a standoff in negotiations. With the partisan stalemate, House Republicans are now dangling the idea of trying to go it alone and pass a plan
LANSING - The two most talked about potential Democratic challengers to Governor Rick Snyder in 2014, former U.S. Reps. Mark Schauer and Bart Stupak, both manage statistical ties when matched against Snyder in a new poll released Monday. Schauer took 39 percent to 38 percent for Snyder in the survey from Lansing-based EPIC/MRA while Snyder
EAST LANSING - Forgoing the usual discussions by education experts, the Governor's Education Summit launched Monday morning with panels of business leaders and college students discussing how the various levels of education could better work with business to ensure students are prepared for in-demand careers. Governor Rick Snyder, opening the event, called out both the
LANSING - Sen. Hoon-Yung Hopgood (D-Taylor) on Wednesday introduced a bill (SB 322 ) to increase Michigan's Renewable Portfolio Standard from the current 10 percent by 2015 to 22 percent by 2022. The legislation comes after an election in which renewable energy proponents lost a battle to try to up that mandate to 25 percent
LANSING - With the anticipation that unmanned aerial drones will soon move from foreign battlefields to domestic police work as well as engineering and scientific applications, legislation to regulate the use of drones in Michigan drew both praise and concern before the Michigan House Criminal Justice Committee on Wednesday. Rep. Kurt Heise (R-Plymouth Township), the