Michigan Legislature

The Michigan House voted Tuesday to keep lawmakers from signing non-disclosure agreements.The practice has come under scrutiny in recent years as some lawmakers and state officials have signed NDAs as part of talks to bring some economic development projects.

A dispute between the state Senate Democratic majority and Michigan House Speaker Matt Hall (R-Richland Twp.) landed Monday before a Michigan Court of Claims judge who spent more than an hour listening to arguments regarding nine bills being held in legislative limbo.

The bill cut the extra 32 hours of unpaid sick leave for small businesses but kept the 72 hours of paid leave for larger businesses. It also gives small businesses until October to comply with the sick leave law.

Under the bills, lawmakers, statewide elected officials, and department heads would have to wait at least two years after their term to become a lobbyist.

The final legal briefs were filed this week in a lawsuit that pits state Senate Democrats against House Republicans for failing to send bills adopted by both chambers to Governor Gretchen Whitmer. Is this leading the state Capitol toward its own constitutional crisis?

Governor Gretchen Whitmer released a road-and-transportation funding proposal Monday that includes a new tax on marijuana products, more revenue from a business tax aimed at big tech companies, and unspecified budget cuts.

Bills introduced this week in the Michigan House aim to put up a bigger wall between lawmakers and lobbyists.The legislation would require lawmakers and high-level public officials—like the governor and department heads—to wait at least two years after leaving office before becoming a lobbyist.

This past week in Lansing, there’s been increased attention to transparency with the state Senate passing bills to open lawmakers and the governor’s office to Freedom of Information Act requests to the introduction of bills that would stop lawmakers from signing non-disclosure agreements.

Michigan’s new legislative session begins Wednesday with Republicans now in control of the state House. Democrats are still in charge of the Senate and governor's office.

Civil liberties groups are concerned that the incoming Republican majority in Washington may act to water down federal voting rights law.