State News

The State of Michigan is suing four pharmaceutical distributors for the role they allegedly played in the opioid epidemic. We become the 49th state to take such action – only Nebraska has not. Attorney General Dana Nessell blamed her predecessor, Bill Schuette, for the delay. Michigan is using a state …

The U.S. House of Representatives is expected to hold a vote on impeachment articles against President Trump today. Michigan’s congressional delegation is expected to split along party lines. Republican First District Representative Jack Bergman announced his support for the president early on, and has not wavered. Detroit-area Democrats Haley Stevens …

Governor Gretchen Whitmer has signed a series of bills that will expand the number of online retailers that will need to collect Michigan sales tax. The bills extend the six percent levy to third-party retailers who sell items directly on such websites as Amazon, Wayfair and Overstock, even if those …

More than 238,000 people enrolled in the Healthy Michigan Plan will begin receiving letters this week explaining what they need to do to comply with the program’s new work requirements. Beginning January 1st, enrollees will be required to spend 80 hours per month either working, or taking part in other …

The bidding process opens today for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources winter surplus land auction. 147 parcels of state property are being offered for sale. Only one is in the Copper Country – a 1.44-acre parcel with frontage on Otter Lake. The minimum bid has been set at $6,440. …

The first round of budget adjustments following Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s vetoes in late September includes money for rural hospitals, sheriff’s patrols, and isolated school districts. Those are likely to be approved this week. It does not include money for the Pure Michigan tourism campaign, which has helped drive visitors from …

U.S. and Michigan flags at state facilities will fly at half staff today, to honor a Detroit police officer killed in the line of duty. Officer Rasheen McClain was shot November 20th, while investigating a domestic violence home invasion. Another officer, Phillippe Batoum-Bisse, was seriously injured. The man who allegedly …

State Police troopers will be watching extra-closely for impaired drivers over the next several days. As part of the 6-State Trooper Project, extra staff will be assigned to focus on traffic safety issues, with an emphasis on both enforcement and education. The Michigan State Police has been taking part in …

Some of the state budget cuts made by Governor Gretchen Whitmer more than two months ago would be restored under legislation approved yesterday by the state House and Senate. The supplemental budget bill would undo 27 of the 147 line-items Whitmer vetoed, and would also reverse about half of the …

It didn’t take long for Republican leaders in the state legislature to reject Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s request to delay implementation of the work requirement for Medicaid recipients. The rule is still scheduled to take effect January 1st. Medicaid recipients between the ages of 19 and 61 will need to show …