Michigan Radio

Michigan House passes school food additives ban

Colin Jackson

Michigan schools would be banned from offering foods that include certain dyes and additives under a bill that passed in the state House this week.

An image of an empty hallway at Plainwell Community Schools, lined with lockers with an emergency exit at the far end. The ceiling is very high, with exposed pipes and electrical systems.

K-12 education leaders say budget inaction leaves schools, students, families hanging

Rick Pluta

School districts face tough choices as their fiscal years began while the Legislature remains deadlocked on a state K-12 budget.

Michigan Capitol building in Lansing, including a tree.

Legislature misses its own deadline for state budget, leaders say K-12 budget likely weeks away

Colin Jackson

School districts have had to start a new fiscal year without knowing how much money they'll be getting from the state.

Michigan State Police Director James Grady testifies before a joint state House panel.

Michigan State Police director defends performance in testimony before lawmakers

Rick Pluta

The director of the Michigan State Police spent an hour and a half taking questions from lawmakers about morale in a department that appears skeptical of his leadership.

The Michigan Environmental Council hopes to work with the legislature to find money for issues it says were underfunded by the Governor's budget proposal.

Ballot campaign will seek to ban utility monopolies, state contractors from political spending

Rick Pluta

A ballot campaign planning to launch soon would ask voters to ban political donations from committees affiliated with utility monopolies and public contractors.

Lansing running up against self-imposed education budget deadline

Sarah Cwiek

That self-imposed deadline is Tuesday — but the proposed education budgets passed by the Republican-led House and Democratic-led Senate are extremely different.

The proposed tunnel, roughly four miles long, would be under the Straits of Mackinac not far from the Mackinac Bridge.

Line 5 lawsuit jurisdiction case heading to U.S. Supreme Court

Colin Jackson

The case began when Michigan sued in state court to partially shut down Line 5. It got moved to federal court at the request of the Canadian pipeline operator Enbridge.

two empty voting booths in a school gymnasium

Next steps for ballot measures after state canvassers meeting

Colin Jackson

A ballot campaign to create ranked choice voting in Michigan could start collecting signatures within the coming months. That's after clearing a step at a state elections board Friday.

In response to GOP subpoena, SOS Benson files legal brief arguing she is a political target

Rick Pluta

After a Republican subpoena, Democratic Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson files a legal brief in the Michigan Court of Claims arguing she is a political target. Plus, Michigan U.S. Senator Elissa Slotkin offers a centrist remedy for Democrats’ doldrums and the latest on state budget negotiations.

Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, seated, wearing purple, gestures as she testifies before a state House committee.

Benson says House GOP subpoena is political, not oversight

Rick Pluta

In a new legal filing, Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson says a Republican-led legislative committee is abusing its power to subpoena her office and is asking a judge to refuse to enforce it.