Insider Intelligence

This week, the House Commerce and Trade Committee held a hearing on legislation ending the twice-annual time change in Michigan.  Representative Peter Lucido (R-Shelby Township) introduced House Bill 4011 in January, with the goal of keeping Michigan on daylight savings time year-round.  According to the bill sponsor, time changes are disruptive, make employees late to […]

Representative Jewell Jones (D-Inkster) was first elected to the Michigan House of Representatives in November 2016.  He represents the 11th House District in Wayne County, including Garden City, Inkster, and portions of the cities of Dearborn Heights, Livonia, and Westland.  Representative Jones is the youngest person ever elected to the Michigan House. Prior to being […]

This week, Representative Tom Cochran (D-Mason) and Representative Kristy Pagan (D-Canton) introduced legislation restoring, then increasing, the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC).  The EITC is a refundable tax credit available to low and middle-income individuals to offset taxes that are paid on wages.  In 2011, the EITC was reduced from 20% of the federal level […]

House Speaker Tom Leonard (R-DeWitt Township) announced that House Speaker Pro Tem Lee Chatfield (R-Levering) will lead the House Republican Campaign Committee (HRCC).  Additionally, he announced the remaining members of the team, which are as follows: Finance Co-Chairs Representative Thomas Albert (R-Lowell) Representative Gary Glenn (R-Midland) Representative Mary Whiteford (R-Casco Township) Recruitment Co-Chairs Representative Shane […]

Representative Kim LaSata (R-Bainbridge Township) was first elected to the Michigan House of Representatives in November 2016, representing the 79th House District in Berrien County. Prior to her election to the House, Representative LaSata was a fifth-grade teacher at Lake Michigan Catholic Schools.  She’s served as past president of Berrien County Guardianship Services, the Women’s’ […]

This week, House Democratic Leader Sam Singh (D-East Lansing), Representative Andy Schor (D-Lansing), and Representative Kim LaSata (R-Bainbridge Township) introduced legislation with the goal of preventing courtroom assaults.  Under the bills as introduced, “attempted assault” would be added to the section of law that criminalizes assault on personnel in courtrooms, it would increase the penalties […]

Representative Curt VanderWall (R-Ludington) was first elected to the House of Representatives in November 2016.  He represents the 101st House District, which includes the counties of Benzie, Leelanau, Manistee, and Mason. Representative VanderWall is the owner of Turf Care Mole Man in Ludington.  He’s served on the boards of Old Kent Bank, Mason County Growth […]

Following a long session day, the House of Representatives fell only a few votes short of passing a bill aimed at reducing the state’s income tax.  As originally introduced, the bill would have incrementally reduced the state’s income tax rate over the next forty years, until the rate was eliminated.  However, following debate and discussion, […]