A six-bill package introduced on February 5 aims to regulate vaping like a tobacco product and tax it at 24 percent of the wholesale price.
Read the full storyMichigan Bill Package Seeks to Tax Vaping at 24 Percent, Clarify Rules
Tag: Gretchen Whitmer
Republicans React to Gov. Whitmer’s $61 Billion Budget Proposal
Michigan Republicans said they are committed to working with the governor to avoid more budget drama, but expressed a number of concerns with her new budget proposal.
Read the full storyWhitmer Releases $61.9 Billion Budget Proposal, Asks for Nearly $16 Billion for Public Education
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer unveiled her Fiscal Year 2021 budget proposal Thursday, which clocks in at a whopping $61.9 billion.
Read the full storyWhitmer Dispels Rumors She May Be Democratic Running Mate
Despite her insistence that she is not interested in going to Washington, D.C., Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has again roused suspicions that she may be tapped as a potential running mate for the eventual Democratic presidential candidate.
Read the full storyGov. Gretchen Whitmer Delivers Rebuttal to President Donald Trump’s State of the Union
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer delivered the Democrats’ response to the president’s State of the Union address Tuesday night.
Read the full storyGov. Whitmer Will Deliver Dem Response to State of the Union from Daughters’ Public School
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer will deliver the Democratic response to President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address from East Lansing High School, where her two daughters attend school.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced in January that Whitmer would deliver the Democratic response to the annual address, which is scheduled for Tuesday night.
Read the full storyMichigan Group Gives $300,000 to Organizations Providing Refugees with Legal Services
A Michigan group announced last week that it has awarded $300,000 to nine local organizations “working to address the needs of immigrants and refugees,” including legal services and healthcare.
Read the full storyWhitmer Announces $3.5 Billion Borrowing Proposal That Doesn’t Seek Gas Tax Hike
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer Wednesday night announced her Rebuilding Michigan plan to “fix the damn roads,” using an additional $3.5 billion in road funding through state road bonds without an increased gas tax.
Read the full storyPelosi and Schumer Tap Gretchen Whitmer to Deliver Dem Response to Trump’s State of the Union
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA-12) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) announced Friday that they have selected Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to deliver the Democratic response to President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address.
Read the full storyMichigan Bill to Make Public All Executive Branch Salaries Clears First Hurdle
A Michigan bill that would require every executive branch department and division to post the salary and benefit information of their employees unanimously cleared its first hurdle Thursday. House Bill 5015 easily cleared the House Oversight Committee and is now on its way to the House Ways and Means Committee for consideration. Under the bill, the Department of Technology, Management and Budget would be required to make public on the state’s website the “function, contact, and employee salary information for each executive branch department and each major division or sub-unit within the department.” “This information must be accessible to the public at no cost,” the bill adds. According to Rep. Ryan Berman (R-Commerce Township), sponsor of the bill, residents seeking to obtain salary information “must go through a burdensome Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) process in order to receive it.” “Having this information readily available up front removes the response time and effort needed to fulfill these individual requests and will free up government departments to serve people more efficiently,” he said in a statement. Berman believes that his bill would “make state government more accountable to the taxpayers who fund it,” pointing out that the Michigan House already…
Read the full storyMichigan Governor Compares Tackling ‘Hate Speech’ to Fighting in World War II in Letter to Zuckerberg
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer compared fighting “hate speech” to Detroit’s industrial efforts during World War II in a letter sent to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg this week.
Read the full storyWhitmer Task Force Recommends Sweeping Changes to Criminal Justice System, Including Three-Year Probation Cap
A Michigan task force established by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has recommended a number of sweeping changes to the state’s criminal justice system, including lowering probation terms and reclassifying most traffic offenses as civil infractions.
Read the full storyWhitmer Approval Rating Drops, James in Dead Heat with Peters in New Michigan Poll
A new survey of Michigan voters found that Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s approval rating has dropped by more than seven percentage points since June.
Read the full storyMichigan Supreme Court Declines to Restore Ban on Flavored Nicotine Vaping Products
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s motion to reinstate a ban on flavored vaping nicotine products has been denied by the Michigan Supreme Court.
Read the full storyMinnesota and Michigan Mayors Signed Letter Asking for Continued Refugee Resettlement
Dozens of mayors from across the country recently issued a letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to ask for continued refugee resettlement in their respective cities and townships.
Read the full storyMichigan’s New Marijuana Laws: What Consumers, Business Owners Should Know
by Scott McClallen The agency that regulates the marijuana market in Michigan has clarified rules to sell product legally to adult residents, making it easier for small businesses to enter the market. Michigan’s Marijuana Regulatory Agency said it plans to accept business applications through Nov. 1 and are required to begin approving businesses by Dec. 6. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer established the MRA to regulate medical and recreational marijuana in the state and to implement a fair and effective market for Michigan residents. The MRA set no capital minimums for the adult-use market after several citizens complained that small businesses don’t have enough startup capital to compete with corporate companies. Medical marijuana licensees previously had to prove they had $200,000 to $500,0000 in assets, with one-fourth liquidity. The new laws give new license types for temporary events, micro-businesses, and social-use facilities. “The race to be the first to get applications submitted and approved has now officially begun,” said Josh Hovey, spokesman for the Michigan Cannabis Industry Association. “Every business in the state that is looking at this industry … they’re putting on their running shoes.” There’s no legal way for the general public to purchase cannabis without a medical marijuana…
Read the full storyMichigan Gov. Whitmer Requests Farm Bailout from Federal Government Because of Weather
by Tyler Arnold Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is seeking federal funding for farms in her state because of the struggles farmers are facing from an unusual wet period and other issues with the weather. “Michigan farmers are in a state of crisis right now because of extraordinary weather conditions, from historic rainfall, extreme cold, excessive snow, flash flooding, and tornadoes,” Whitmer said in a news release. “Michigan has a rich history in agriculture, and on behalf of our farmers, our families, and our economy, we need to take action now. I’m ready and eager to partner with the federal government to make sure Michigan farmers have the support they need during this difficult time.” In a letter to U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, Whitmer requested that the department give Michigan a USDA Secretarial Disaster Designation and more flexibility – and the ability to apply for aid – under the Federal Crop Insurance Program and Congress’s disaster legislation. Michigan received 37.9 inches of rain between May 1, 2018 and April 30, 2019, which is the third wettest year recorded in state history. Whitmer said that this has led to oversaturated topsoil, which prevented farmers from planting their fields and harvesting…
Read the full storyMichigan Governor Signs Executive Order Creating ‘Task Force on Women in Sports’
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed an executive order Monday establishing a new Task Force on Women in Sports. “Multiple studies have documented that women who play sports are more likely to seek and fill leadership roles in other sectors. Yet even with the enactment of Title IX nearly fifty years ago, opportunities for girls and women in sports, while improved, remain severely limited,” the executive order states. In the executive order, Whitmer suggests that “limitations” on female athletes “intersect with what is now a pivotal moment for gender equality and opportunity in Michigan.” “Female athletes defy gender stereotypes, serve as role models, and widen perspectives,” the executive order continues. “This inequity in access and opportunity prevents girls and women in this state from fully accessing the benefits in leadership development that sports can provide—to the detriment of not only these girls and women, but also this state, which stands to gain from their leadership.” The executive order establishes the “creation of the Task Force on Women in Sports,” which will be overseen by Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson. The task force is charged with assessing “the history of and current landscape for girls and women in sports in…
Read the full storyMichigan Senate’s Budget Excludes Gas Tax Proposed by Gov. Whitmer, Potential Veto
by Tyler Arnold The Michigan Senate passed a budget package that secured some additional funding for roads, but falls far short of Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s proposed road funding and excludes her proposed 45-cent gas tax hike, which would nearly triple the tax. “We are … investing an additional $132 million entirely to local roads – fully implementing $1.2 billion from the 2015 roads plan a year ahead of schedule,” Sen. Stamas, R-Midland, said in a news release. Stamas is the chairman of the Senate appropriations committee. “Discussions can and will continue on additional funding for our roads, but we need to press forward and fulfill our other responsibilities with the resources that we currently have,” Stamas said. “It’s one of our top jobs to pass a balanced budget on time – and we owe that to all Michigan families.” Whitmer’s plan would have increased the state’s gas tax from 26 cents to 71 cents to generate $2.5 billion in revenue that would be spent fully on road funding. But her plan would have eliminated $600 million of road funding from the general revenue and diverted that money to other issues, including education and ensuring the quality of drinking…
Read the full storyMichigan Governor Costs Town 250 Jobs After Blocking Immigrant Detention Center
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D-MI) recently blocked the sale of a former state prison set to be used as an immigrant detention center. According to The Associated Press, Whitmer prevented the sale from moving forward after Immigration Centers of America, the sole bidder for the property that has been closed since 2009, couldn’t guarantee that it wouldn’t house adults separated from their children. “The governor believes that building more detention facilities won’t solve our immigration crisis, and she also believes that separating families doesn’t reflect our Michigan values,” a Whitmer spokesperson explained. The sale of the Deerfield Correctional Facility in Ionia, Michigan was allowed to move forward under Republican Gov. Rick Snyder’s administration. Rep. Thomas Albert (R-86), whose district includes the correctional facility, has repeatedly criticized Whitmer’s decision to block the sale. “I would really like to know what the governor’s plan is to bring 250 well-paying jobs to Ionia and how she plans to clean up the long-vacant former prison property. The sale of this blighted property has been in the works for well over a year and the governor’s heavy-handed rejection came days before the sale was to be finalized,” Albert said in a statement on Facebook. “It’s obvious…
Read the full storyGroup That Spent Millions to Help Elect Michigan’s New Governor Forced to Dissolve for Campaign Violations
A political group that helped elect Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D-MI) was recently required to pay a $37,500 and dissolve within 60 days after being found responsible for violating campaign finance laws. Whitmer’s own campaign committee was also found guilty of coordinating with Build a Better Michigan on advertisements, though it’s yet unclear what specific penalties it will face. According to Bridge Michigan, Democratic Secretary of State Joceyln Benson concluded that Build a Better Michigan engaged in “express advocacy” in certain advertisements rather than the “issue advocacy” the ads claimed to be. The specific examples cited by Benson in her letter to Build a Better Michigan’s attorney include the use of “candidate” in front of Whitmer’s name in one ad, and encouraging voters to take specific actions in another. “The closing line of both ads, ‘tell your legislators, let’s get it done,’ does not satisfy the above definition of ‘issue advocacy.’ At no point does the content of the ad take a position on a specific issue. Instead the ads clearly identified then-candidate Gretchen Whitmer by name as a candidate for the office of Governor, rendering them express advocacy,” Benson explains in a letter to attorney Graham Wilson. As such, the…
Read the full storyMichigan Governor Issues Executive Directive to Combat ‘Gender Wage Gap’
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D-MI) issued an executive directive Tuesday aimed at closing the “gender wage-gap” within state government agencies. Executive Directive 2019-10 prohibits state agencies from inquiring “about a job applicant’s current or previous salaries unless and until the department or agency first makes a conditional offer of employment,” and further forbids searching “public records databases to ascertain an applicant’s current or previous salary.” According to Whitmer, the practice of obtaining an applicant’s salary history “can inappropriately perpetuate the gender wage gap by enabling prospective employers to offer lower salaries to women than they otherwise would.” The directive also requires state agencies to “take reasonable measures to avoid inadvertently discovering salary history while gathering other information about an applicant.” If salary information is “unintentionally discovered,” it “must not be used by the department or agency in an employment decision.” Whitmer tasks the “Equity and Inclusion Officer” for each state office with engaging in “proactive efforts to educate employees of the department or agency about the requirements of this directive.” “Too often, the women of Michigan have been held back by an economy and a state government that does not fully treat them as equals,” the directive states. “Women still struggle…
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