Insider Intelligence

This week, both the House and Senate moved legislation expanding open records laws to include the legislature and executive office. Michigan is one of a few states that exempts them from these types of laws. This is the latest effort to include the legislature and executive office in open records laws, attempts in prior legislative […]

Members of the Senate Republican caucus introduced a 39-bill package making reforms to the state’s election laws. The package covers a wide range of election related issues including the processes before, during, and after an election; ballot security in drop boxes; management of the state’s Qualified. Voter File; poll challenger training; and post-election audits. Some […]

Governor Gretchen Whitmer has made two appointments on Circuit Courts in Michigan. Cori E. Barkman has been appointed to the 29th Circuit Court of Clinton and Gratiot Counties. Prior to her appointment, she served as First Assistant Attorney General in the Department of Corrections Division. Previously, she served as an administrative law judge at the […]

The Native American Heritage Fund (NAHF) announced the 2021 grant schedule for eligible K-12 schools, colleges, universities, and local unit of government throughout Michigan. Funding is available to defray the costs of projects that promote positive relationships and accurate information about the history and role of Michigan’s Indian tribes and Native Americans. Projects may include […]

The authority for public bodies to hold virtual meetings, without reason, is set to expire next week, on March 31. The allowance to hold virtual meetings came in response to the pandemic and was passed by the legislature and signed into law last December. Under Michigan’s Open Meetings Act, public bodies must operate in a […]

Bethany Wicksall has been named deputy director for the state budget office (SBO) for Michigan. Prior to that, she served as legislative liaison and external affairs with SBO. Before joining the SBO, she worked in both the House and Senate Fiscal Agencies for 18 years. The SCO is responsible for coordinating all aspects of the […]

The House and Senate begin their annual two-week spring break. The next scheduled session day is Tuesday, April 13.

Next week, the legislature will be heading into its annual two-week in-district work period. Around the capitol you may hear staff, members, or lobbyists refer to it as “legislative spring break”. And while it overlaps with spring break for schools, for most legislators this is an important and busy time for them in their legislative […]