News & Resources

$1.8B-Plus in Fee Program Extensions, Fee Increases in Budget Implementation Bills

The Senate was scheduled to vote on more than $1.8 billion worth in both continued and some elevated fees, administered across various departments, last Wednesday.

A magnifying glass hovers over the word 'strike'

September 26, 2023

Biden Picketing with UAW Tuesday as Strike Expands

President Joe Biden announced Friday he will join the picket line and “stand in solidarity” with the men and women of the UAW “as they fight for a fair share of the value they helped create.”

One dollar bills on a table with blocks on them spelling minimum wage

September 26, 2023

‘Death Star’ Repeal Moves To Senate Floor

The Senate Labor Committee approved legislation Thursday permitting local governments to set minimum wage rates and benefit mandates higher than the statewide standard, undoing an 8-year-old Snyder-era preemption nicknamed the "Death Star" law.

September 19, 2023

UAW Rally Draws Fain, Bernie Sanders, MI Dems Side with Strikers

When UAW Vice President Chuck Browning asked hundreds of demonstrators what they were going to get as part of the union's unprecedented strike of the Big Three Automakers, they chanted back "our shit."

September 19, 2023

Senate Dems Move 100% Clean Date to 2040 in New Proposal

Senate Democrats are changing their "Clean Energy Future Plan" to have utilities develop a "100% clean energy standard" by 2040 instead of the 2035 deadline that was originally proposed.

September 12, 2023

Childcare Issues Costs Michigan Economy $2.8B

A report from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation points to childcare as a means of getting working parents to return to the job market and pointed to the importance to businesses.

The United States Capitol building in Washington, D.C.

September 12, 2023

Rogers Announces for U.S. Senate, Asked About Carpetbagger Label

Former U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers formally announced his candidacy for the U.S. Senate Wednesday morning, giving Republicans arguably their first big-named candidate in a race that has slowly ballooned with potential candidates.

Image of an overhead road sign with the words "More Clean Energy Ahead" printed on it

September 5, 2023

McCann: ‘Clean Energy Future Plan’ Will Be Coming Early

Work continues on legislation obligating utility providers to show progress toward shutting down all coal-fired plants by 2030 and achieving a 100% clean energy standard by 2035.

Image of the capitol building in Lansing, Michigan

September 5, 2023

Legislative Leaders Say They’ll Work First, Then Adjourn

Asked when legislators will be adjourning for the year, amid predictions that Democratic leadership will leave Lansing early to assure their new presidential primary date goes into effect, Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks (D-Grand Rapids) said "as …

Photo of the Michigan State Capitol at dusk.

August 30, 2023

Whitmer Lays Out What’s Next

Article courtesy MIRS News for SBAM’s Lansing Watchdog newsletter Editor’s Note: SBAM will be closely watching all issues with the potential to impact Michigan small businesses. Of particular interest is […]

Image of Michigan's capitol building in Lansing

August 30, 2023

Lawsuit Filed To Keep Income Tax Rate At 4.05%

Article courtesy MIRS News, for SBAM’s Lansing Watchdog newsletter Note: For SBAM’s insight into this income tax lawsuit, watch our Small Business Briefing from August 28, 2023. A coalition of […]

Image of automobiles moving through an assembly line

August 22, 2023

UAW Strike Could Cause $5B in Economic Losses; Peters Stands with Labor

A strike on Detroit’s Big Three automakers by 143,000 United Auto Workers (UAW) members could result in a total economic loss of more than $5 billion in 10 days, according to a new analysis released …

Image of someone typing at a keyboard with overlaid graphics of a lock

August 22, 2023

5 Data Privacy Reforms Making Headlines in State Legislatures

When it comes to how state governments are implementing privacy policy, some experts anticipate that artificial intelligence, privacy protection for children using technology and potential data broker regulations could be the top issues.

August 15, 2023

What Happens to State Budgets if 4.05% Tax Rate Stays Put?

When asked whether the Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 budget would sustain a permanent income tax rollback, the Senate Appropriations Chair Sarah Anthony (D-Lansing) said she thinks it will be dealt with "when it comes."

Image of the words 'sales tax' on a piece of paper

August 15, 2023

6 Years in the Making: Sales, Use Tax Rules Update Pass JCAR

Mostly technical updates to Michigan's general sales and use tax received Joint Committee on Administrative Rules (JCAR) approval Thursday, after the exhausted updates have taken Treasury officials six years to complete.

August 8, 2023

Supremes: No-Fault Reforms Don’t Apply Retroactively

Michigan's 2019 no-fault auto insurance reforms do not apply retroactively, the Michigan Supreme Court held Monday meaning the cost-cutting restraints put in the law do not apply to those catastrophically injured before 2019.

Image of a person completing a slip-and-fall injury report