Insider Intelligence

This week, Michigan’s 21st Century Infrastructure Commission released their report outlining a long-term strategy to meet the state’s infrastructure needs.  The commission was created by Governor Rick Snyder through Executive Order, to review the state’s infrastructure and to study what needs to be improved upon and what the needs will be in the coming decades.  […]

This week, the House Local Government Committee reported a bill that requires local governments to submit to the Department of Treasury their summary annual report on their retirement system.  The requirement for submitting a report will only be made upon those whose actuarial accrued liability for retiree health or pension is less than 60% funded.  […]

This week, the Senate passed a package of legislation amending Michigan’s speed limit laws.  Most notably, the bill would increase the speed limit on certain freeways from 70 mph to 75 mph and would increase some trunk line highways from 55 mph to 65 mph.  The bills were amended from their House-passed version and have […]

The House and Senate are scheduled to hold their final week of session before the end of the two-year legislative term. On Wednesday, December 14, the Senate Economic Development and International Investment Committee is holding a hearing to consider the appointment of Roger Curtis as Director of the Department of Talent and Economic Development. The […]

The Senate moved forward with a proposal to reform public school employee’s pensions. House and Senate leadership announced changes to committee membership. The House Elections Committee reported legislation requiring photo ID to vote. Governor Snyder appointed Brock Swartzle to the Michigan Court of Appeals. Last week, there was a lot of movement surrounding the request […]

This week, the Senate Appropriations Committee reported three bills reforming pension plans for newly hired teachers.  The legislation would place school employees hired after July 1, 2017, into a 401k plan.  In the new plan, 4% of employee’s salary would go into the 401k, plus there would be an employer match of up to 3% […]

For the remainder of the legislative term, Speaker Kevin Cotter (R-Mount Pleasant) has made replacement committee assignments to fill the committee vacancies created by the resignation of former Representative Kurt Heise (R-Plymouth Township).  Below are the new assignments: Speaker-elect Representative Tom Leonard (R-DeWitt Townships), Chairman of the Criminal Justice Committee Representative Aric Nesbitt (R-Lawton), member […]

On Thursday, the House Elections Committee reported legislation making changes to the state’s voter laws.  Under the legislation, a voter must show photo identification when voting.  If they don’t have the identification whilst casting their ballot, they would be given a provisional ballot and must go to their local clerk within ten days to show […]