Insider Intelligence

In order to improve the juvenile residential facility system and better serve Michigan’s youth, Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed an executive order creating an advisory committee. The Michigan Juvenile Residential Facilities Advisory Committee will be housed within the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and will work across state government to implement evidence-based practices […]

Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed an executive order creating a task force to review the state of forensic science in Michigan and provide policy recommendations to the governor on improvements by December 31, 2021. The review includes methodology improvements, processes to address misconduct, and procedures to update stakeholders on developments in forensic science. The task force […]

On Thursday, Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed an executive order closing indoor serve at establishments with on-premises retail liquor licenses that earn more than 70% of their gross receipts from alcohol sales. Regions 6 and 8, which include the Upper Peninsula and much of northern Michigan, are excluded from the order.  Additionally, bars statewide can continue […]

On Thursday, the House adopted a resolution allowing Speaker Lee Chatfield (R-Levering) to take legal action to challenge Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s authority and actions in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. According to their resolution, Governor Whitmer’s need to declare the states of emergency and disaster are over as of May 1 because the legislature did […]

As Michigan continues to strive to be the leader in mobility, Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed two measures that she hopes will further help the state achieve that goal. First, she signed Executive Directive 2020-1, which directs the creation of the Michigan Office of Future Mobility and Electrification and the designation of a Chief Mobility Officer […]

This week, Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed Executive Order 2019-19 creating the Michigan Poverty Task Force. Housed with the Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity, the task force will be comprised of directors or the directors’ designees from a number of state departments and agencies. They will convene their first meeting in January 2020 and will […]

After the legislature blocked her previous Executive Order (EO) restructuring environmental oversight, Governor Gretchen Whitmer issued a new EO this week. Under EO 2019-6, the Department of Environmental Quality will become the Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy. The department will focus on improving the quality of Michigan’s air, land, and water, and protecting […]

The Senate followed the House’s lead by voting to reject an Executive Order (EO) changing environmental oversight in Michigan. On a party line vote, the Senate adopted a House Concurrent Resolution that blocks Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s EO making changes within the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). Announced last week, Executive Order 2019-2 would restructure DEQ […]