Insider Intelligence

After the November election, many pundits wrote story after story about the downfalls of divided government.  Currently, our national politics is the posterchild of how divided government can go wrong and that gave us little hope here in Michigan about what to expect heading into a divided state government.  With the Democratic governor looking to […]

Now that Michigan’s government is divided again, questions are starting to be asked about what tools the governor may have to get the Legislature to work on issues that are important to her.  For instance, can she prevent the Legislature from going on a spring or summer break, so they stay in Lansing and work?  […]

Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced the individuals that would succeed her in the event of a disaster under the Emergency Interim Succession Act. Under the Michigan constitution, the line of succession is as follows: lieutenant governor, the elected secretary of state, the elected attorney general, the president pro tempore of the Senate, and the speaker of […]

By now, you are well aware that the 2018 Lame Duck session was historic.  Over 400 bills were sent to the governor’s desk by the 99th Legislature.  Governor Rick Snyder made it a point to either sign or veto the bills that were sent to him.  No bills lingered in between his administration winding down […]

This week, Governor-elect Gretchen Whitmer announced key members of her transition team. Mark Bernstein will serve as Director of her Transition Office, leading the day-to-day operations. Also serving on the team are Awenate Cobbina as deputy director, JoAnne Huls as COO, Mark Burton as chief strategist, and Steve Liedel as general counsel. Also announced was […]

Governor Rick Snyder named Mark Van Port Fleet as director of the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT). Currently he serves as the senior chief deputy director for MDOT, where he has 38 years of experience. “Congratulations to Mark from the MLC team! With your decades of experience and expertise the department will be in great […]

The Michigan Community Service Commission announced that nominations are being sought for the annual Governor’s Service Awards. The awards are given to individuals, organizations, and businesses to acknowledge their commitment to serving their communities through volunteerism. The online application is available at www.michigan.gov/governorsserviceawards. Nominations must be submitted by January 15, 2019. The awards are presented […]

Last Friday, Governor Rick Snyder announced Jeremy Hendges will serve as interim director of the Department of Talent and Economic Development (TED), replacing Roger Curtis who left the department on September 30. Hendges has served as chief deputy director for TED since being appointed in March 2017. Prior to joining TED, he worked in the […]