Latest news with #MichiganLegislature
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Thanedar gets second primary challenger as state Rep. Donavan McKinney launches U.S. House campaign
State Rep. Donavan McKinney says his residents have been severely impacted by power outages and poor energy reliability at an Aug. 10, 2023 event centered on climate and energy policy. | Kyle Davidson State Rep. Donavan McKinney (D-Detroit) announced Monday that he would mount a challenge to U.S. Rep. Shri Thanedar (D-Detroit) in the Democratic primary for Michigan's 13th Congressional District. McKinney, who noted that the 11th state House District he currently represents is one of the poorest in Michigan while the 13th Congressional District is among the poorest in the nation, said that he would bring working class representation to residents. 'I was born next to smokestacks. We moved 13 times as a kid. Sometimes it was an apartment, sometimes it was a family member's house. Sometimes it was even our own car. But wherever it was, my mom and grandma made sure it felt like home. I spent my life trying to get back to help the place and people I love. I've never forgotten my roots, or the true purpose of why I serve; to always put the people first,' McKinney said in his campaign launch video, adding that Thanedar has 'more in common with Donald Trump and Elon Musk than people like us.' Thanedar, who spent $10 million of his own funds seeking the governor's seat in 2018, served one term in the Michigan Legislature from 2021 through the end of 2022. He was elected to Congress for the first time that year, winning reelection in 2024. 'I bring the lived realities of the people of this district, lived realities that multimillionaires have no understanding of,' McKinney told the Michigan Advance ahead of his campaign's launch. 'I know our community's struggles because I've lived them — and that's why I understand just how urgent delivering monumental solutions to their monumental problems are.' He said he would focus on economic security, environmental justice, education, public transportation, workers' rights and more. McKinney isn't the first state lawmaker to launch a primary challenge against Thanedar. He joins a race that also features former state Sen. Adam Hollier (D-Detroit). 'I think the fact that there are multiple candidates in this race already just makes it crystal clear how fed up our community is with Shri, and how excited they are for representation that truly fights for us in Washington as hard as I have been fighting for us in Lansing,' McKinney said. 'I'm running because our community has been calling me over and over to stand up and fight for them in DC, and they want a fresh, new voice leading the biggest, baddest coalition to deliver for this community and that's exactly what we're going to do.' Thanedar has defended his constituent service record while in Congress, previously telling the Advance that since his election, his office has solved over 2,800 constituent cases, recovered nearly $3 million for constituents, received approval for $30 million in community projects, and sponsored and cosponsored 810 different bills. 'We have world class constituent communication, including a record 11 in-person town halls,' Thanedar said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Since the retirement of former U.S. Rep. Brenda Lawrence (D-Southfield) in 2022, neither of the two congressional districts that encompass Detroit have had a Black representative, an issue considered to be critical by leaders in the predominantly Black city. Both McKinney and Hollier are Black. Detroit elected its first Black U.S. representative, Charles Diggs Jr., in 1954, and consistently elected a Black representative up until 2022, when voters elected Thanedar, who immigrated from India, alongside Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Detroit), who is Palestinian American, to Michigan's 12th Congressional District. When asked what resources he plans to bring to a race against Thanedar, who he called 'Detroit's own Elon Musk,' McKinney told the Advance he was supported by an 'incredible coalition of elected officials, faith leaders, labor, community members, and more' and he was excited to grow that coalition between now and 2026. 'I'm not running because I'm a millionaire. I'm running because I'm not. I'm running because our community deserves to be able to sleep at night knowing they have a Representative in Congress who truly knows their struggles and truly fights for them every single day,' McKinney said. McKinney's campaign claimed the endorsement of a dozen Democratic state legislators on day one, including state Sens. Darrin Camilleri, Stephanie Chang, Veronica Klinefelt and Paul Wojno, and state Reps. Stephanie Young, Erin Byrnes, Kimberly Edwards, Alabas Farhat, Peter Herzberg, Tullio Liberati, Tonya Myers-Phillips and Veronica Paiz. McKinney plans to hold an official campaign launch event Monday evening at SAY Detroit Play at the Lipke Community Center in Detroit. Michigan Advance Editor Jon King contributed to this story.
Yahoo
21-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Michiganders registering to vote would have to prove citizenship under proposal
In recent years, Michigan voters have approved measures to expand access to the ballot box. But at the next election, voters could have the chance to adopt a proposal voting rights advocates fear would erect a barrier for legally eligible voters to cast a ballot by requiring proof of citizenship to participate in elections. Only U.S. citizens can legally vote in Michigan. Currently, those registering to vote do not need to prove their citizenship status. A constitutional amendment supported by GOP state lawmakers would change that by requiring those registering to vote to present documents to demonstrate their citizenship such as a U.S. passport or birth certificate. The state's elections panel recently cleared the way for organizers behind the effort to begin collecting voter signatures to land a spot on the 2026 ballot. Proponents argue a proof of citizenship requirement to vote would ensure any votes cast by noncitizens do not dilute the votes of U.S. citizens in Michigan. A Michigan Department of State review found 15 people who don't appear to be U.S. citizens voted in the 2024 election along with a previously identified case of a a Chinese national who allegedly registered to vote and cast a ballot in Ann Arbor in the last election. There are more than 8.1 million registered voters in Michigan, according to the Michigan Department of State. Opponents of the proposed constitutional amendment argue it could disenfranchise tens of thousands or even millions of voters who would pay a high price for stopping a rare occurrence in Michigan elections. The proposed constitutional amendment would also change Michigan's voter ID requirement, barring the small group of voters without an ID from confirming their identities to vote by signing an affidavit. It would create a new ID requirement for absentee voters. In order to appear on the ballot, proponents of the proof of citizenship amendment to the Michigan Constitution must collect at least 446,198 voter signatures. To take effect, the proposal must receive a majority vote. The campaign comes amid a national push with the U.S. House of Representatives' recent vote on a bill to require proof of citizenship to register to vote and a similar March executive order from President Donald Trump. Those registering to vote in Michigan must attest that they are a U.S. citizen under penalty of perjury punishable by a fine of up to $1,000, five years' imprisonment or both. If someone who is not qualified to vote casts a ballot or attempts to do so, that person is guilty of a felony under Michigan election law punishable by a fine of up to $2,000, four years' imprisonment, or both. State Rep. Bryan Posthumus, R-Rockford, introduced the constitutional amendment in the Michigan Legislature before the campaign launched to collect voter signatures to land a spot on the ballot. "This is a no-brainer. Only U.S. citizens should vote in our elections," he said in a Jan. 29 statement, the same day he proposed the amendment. "And people should have to show ID when voting to prove that they are who they say they are. That's just common sense." Opponents have pushed back by pointing out that voter fraud is a rare phenomenon. "So this is a solution in search of a problem especially because of the incredibly low numbers of non-citizens who we know from research and audits in other states are able to successfully register and cast ballots," said ACLU of Michigan Political Director Merissa Kovach. Starting in late 2026, the proposal would require those registering to vote in Michigan to verify their citizenship by providing documentary proof or having the Secretary of State verify that the person registering is a U.S. citizen. Posthumus told lawmakers during a hearing on the amendment that he hopes a nationwide database to verify citizenship will be available before the implementation of a proof of citizenship requirement. The proposal leaves future state lawmakers to decide the mechanics of the new proof of citizenship requirement, but documentary proof of citizenship might include a U.S. passport or a birth certificate. Married women who have changed their last name might need to present a marriage license along with a birth certificate. The proposed constitutional amendment would also require the Secretary of State to carry out an ongoing review of the state's file of registered voters to verify citizenship. If the Secretary of State receives information that someone registered to vote is not a U.S. citizen, they must send the individual a written notice giving them 60 days to verify their citizenship before cancelling their voter registration. Currently, Michigan voters without a photo ID have have the option to sign an affidavit to verify their identity to cast a ballot. State lawmakers passed Michigan's voter ID law in 1996. Most Democratic lawmakers at the time opposed the voter ID legislation, characterizing it as an attempt to suppress the vote. Legal challenges put its implementation on hold until the Michigan Supreme Court upheld the ID requirement in 2007. More than a decade later, voting rights advocates asked Michigan voters in 2022 to enshrine the affidavit option for voters without a photo ID in the state's constitution, a measure that passed with 60% support. The vote followed an attempt by Republican state lawmakers to pass legislation proposing stricter voter ID rules, which Gov. Gretchen Whitmer vetoed. States have a patchwork of voter ID laws, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Most states have some kind of voter ID system in place. Michigan is among the group of states that allow voters who don't present an ID at their polling location to cast a ballot without requiring any additional action from the voter to ensure their ballot counts, such as returning to an election office after voting to present an ID. The proposed constitutional amendment would require voters who sign an affidavit because they don't have a photo ID to cast a provisional ballot that would only count if the voter presents a photo ID on or before the 6th day after the election. Right now, election officials compare the signature on a voter's application for an absentee ballot and their absentee ballot with the signature on file to verify the absentee voter's identity. But the proposed constitutional amendment would add a new verification step. It would require Michigan voters requesting or returning an absentee ballot other than in person to provide an original copy of a photo ID, driver's license or state ID number or the last four digits of their Social Security number. Whitmer vetoed GOP legislation in 2021 that would have made a similar change to Michigan election law. Contact Clara Hendrickson at chendrickson@ or 313-296-5743. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan proof of citizenship campaign to vote advances
Yahoo
14-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Hollier slams Thanedar while announcing plans for a rematch in the 13th Congressional District
Former State Sen. Adam Hollier (D-Detroit) | Ken Coleman photo Former State Sen. Adam Hollier (D-Detroit) announced on Monday that he would once again seek to represent the state's 13th congressional district, throwing down the gauntlet against U.S. Rep. Shri Thanedar (D-Detroit). In his announcement, Hollier sharply criticized Thanedar, who is serving his second term in Congress. 'From housing to daycare to the rising costs of everything from groceries to the brakes on our cars, we're in a real crisis in this country,' said Hollier. 'We need bold solutions and leaders who won't back down in the face of this challenge. The last thing we need are more millionaires and billionaires like Elon Musk and Shri Thanedar who are only in it for themselves.' Thanedar, who spent $10 million of his own funds seeking the governor's seat in 2018, served one term in the Michigan Legislature from 2021 through the end of 2022. He was elected to Congress for the first time that year, winning reelection in 2024. Hollier served in the state Senate from 2018 through the end of 2022. He served as the Director of the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency from January to October of 2023. Hollier is also a team chief and paratrooper in the 412th Civil Affairs Battalion, Army Reserve. The two previously squared off in the 2022 Democratic primary, with Thanedar receiving 28.3% of the vote and Hollier receiving 23.5% of the vote. While Hollier sought to unseat Thanedar in 2024, he was disqualified from the primary after Thandedar challenged his petitions to appear on the ballot. In her review, Wayne County Clerk Cathy Garrett found only 863 of the 1,553 signatures he submitted were valid, leaving Hollier 137 signatures short of the 1,000 needed to qualify for the ballot. After he was disqualified from the ballot, Hollier said the circulator he'd brought on to collect signatures had let him down, but that as the leadership of the campaign fell to him, he must hold himself to a higher standard. In announcing his candidacy for 2026, Hollier amplified criticism of Thanedar, pointing to an investigation from the Detroit News which found Thanedar had spent $930,000 in taxpayer funds in 2024 TV, radio, billboards and other advertisements to promote himself as he faced challengers from several other Democrats heading into the primary election last year. 'It's absurd. While everyday Michiganders are struggling, Shri Thanedar is spending hundreds of thousands of their hard-earned tax dollars putting up self-portraits of himself all over the district,' Hollier said in a statement. 'That's something only Donald Trump would be proud of.' Thanedar told the News the ads were unrelated to his reelection campaign and were intended to generate calls from constituents who need help from the federal government. On Monday, Thanedar defended his record in a statement to the Michigan Advance. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX 'Since my election, we've solved over 2800 constituent cases, recovered nearly $3 million for constituents, gotten $30 million approved in community projects, and sponsored and cosponsored 810 different bills. We have world class constituent communication, including a record 11 in-person town halls,' Thanedar said before blasting Hollier for his previous failure to qualify for the ballot. 'Congressional candidates have the simple task of getting 1,000 qualified signatures to get on the ballot. Voters in the 13th District, 30% of whom are at or below poverty, have serious problems they need addressed. They are looking for someone competent and qualified, not someone who will hire his friends and disastrously fail to accomplish simple tasks,' Thanedar said. In his announcement, Hollier called for aggressive action from the federal and state government to build new affordable housing across the region and crack down on corporations gouging buyers and renters on housing costs. He also pledged to fight for investments to lower the costs of childcare and a repeal of President Donald Trump's tariff policies. If elected, Hollier also promised he would work to make it easier for Michiganders to start small businesses and cut taxes on the poor and the middle class. As one of the two U.S. representatives whose districts encompass Detroit, the race for the 13th District is considered vital for representation of the predominantly Black city. Detroit elected its first Black U.S. representative, Charles Diggs Jr., in 1954, and consistently elected a Black representative up until 2022, when voters elected Thanedar, who immigrated from India, alongside Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Detroit), who is Palestinian American, to Michigan's 12th Congressional District. While Hollier, who is Black, did not make the ballot in 2024, Thanedar's Democratic challengers included Lawyer Shakira Lynn Hawkins and Detroit City Council Member Mary Waters who are both African American. Republican Martell Bivings, who faced off against Thanedar in 2022 and 2024, is also Black.
Yahoo
27-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
'We can work through hard problems': Whitmer strikes bipartisan tone in annual speech
LANSING — While Gov. Gretchen Whitmer used her State of the State speech Wednesday night to lay out some new policies she wants lawmakers to send her way, she bookended her remarks with calls for unity amid a dramatically transformed political landscape in Washington, D.C. and Michigan. "I took an oath to serve the people of Michigan—and that means all of the people in Michigan. That's my commitment to you no matter who is in the White House or who's on the other side of the aisle in Lansing," Whitmer said. She described Michigan as a microcosm of the U.S., and said the state has the opportunity serve as a model for coming together to address shared challenges. "Our people are not as divided as our politics. I really believe that," Whitmer said toward the beginning of her address. Watch replay: Gov Gretchen Whitmer delivers State of the State Her message comes as she tries to find common ground with President Donald Trump's administration to the consternation of some Democrats. While Whitmer is no stranger to working with Republican lawmakers who controlled both chambers of the Michigan Legislature during her first four years in office, this legislative session marks the first time during her tenure she's had to work with a GOP-controlled Michigan House and a Democratic-led Michigan Senate. Before becoming governor, Whitmer spent 14 years in the Michigan Legislature serving in the minority. "That means this is my 21st State of the State — my God!" Whitmer said. Her voice sounded hoarse during the speech and Whitmer repeatedly cleared her throat, saying at one point she's recovering from a cold. She delivered her speech to a subdued chamber that saw few big applause lines compared to previous speeches. But Whitmer returned to a familiar refrain, emphasizing that she's willing to work with anyone, including Trump after she spent the last year campaigning against him. Whitmer said Trump's proposed 25% tariffs on goods imported from Canada and Mexico would damage Michigan's auto industry and applauded the pause on them. She also shared that she spoke with U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth Saturday in Washington, D.C. about supporting a fighter mission at Selfridge Air National Guard Base in Macomb County. She made no mention of the impact of federal layoffs and attempted federal funding freezes on Michigan orchestrated by Trump and his billionaire partner Elon Musk that could radically reshape the state's budget and public services. Turning back home, she made repeated pleas for political compromise on policies ranging from road funding to restricting students' cellphone use in schools. Whitmer celebrated legislation signed Friday changing Michigan's minimum wage and paid sick leave law to gradually raise — but not eliminate — the lower minimum wage for workers who receive customer tips and delay the implementation of new sick leave requirements for small businesses. House Speaker Matt Hall, R-Richland Township, told reporters Tuesday that the recent bipartisan work on the economic policies suggests Whitmer and lawmakers can work together to deliver a road funding solution and more. Whitmer echoed Hall in her speech. "These last few weeks showed us that we can work together to solve hard problems and deliver real solutions for Michigan," she said. Whitmer put forward the policy vision Wednesday night she wants lawmakers to help her deliver. She reiterated her calls for investments in building new housing to reduce housing costs. She said Michigan should join the other states that have consumer protections for medical debt without providing many specifics like whether she wants lawmakers to fund a debt relief program. She also called for expanding affordable child care without offering many details. However, Whitmer spoke extensively about how she wants to close a gender gap in education, promising an executive directive to increase men's enrollment in higher education and skills training programs. "In Michigan—men and women—want to protect and provide for their families, to be financially successful, and to be good role models. And that's why no matter who you are, we want to help you learn more and earn more," Whitmer said. In her first State of the State speech, Whitmer outlined her vision to increase the share of Michigan adults with a post-secondary credential to 60% by 2030 and announced the creation of Michigan Reconnect to provide a tuition-free path to obtaining an associate's degree or skill certificate. The share of adults with a post-secondary credential stood at 41% when Whitmer first took office and is just under 52% today, according to data from state departments. Whitmer returned to another one of her marquee demands: Fixing the roads. After Hall put forward a road funding plan last year promising no tax increases, Whitmer unveiled her own earlier this month calling for both new revenue and cuts. Her roads plan would ensure every cent Michigan drivers pay at the pump goes to roads, secure additional revenue from large corporations and technology companies, create a new wholesale tax for marijuana and cut some government spending. "Let's get back to the negotiating table in the coming days and weeks and find a long-term, bipartisan solution so we can fix more of those damn roads," Whitmer said. The governor promised executive action on permitting fees and occupational licensing but said she needs lawmakers' help to do more to streamline permitting and simplify the licensing process in Michigan. Whitmer also asked lawmakers to send legislation her way restricting students' phone use at school. While some districts have their own phone bans in place, there exists no statewide policy to limit students' phone use. Some states have already implemented policies tackling phone use in schools, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. In her budget proposal last month, Whitmer called for a new tax on vaping and non-tobacco nicotine products beginning next year. Under the proposal, revenue generated from the tax would support smoking and cancer prevention, youth public health programs and the Medicaid Benefits Trust Fund. "If we don't act smart on vapes, we risk our children's health and futures," Whitmer said Wednesday, highlighting her proposal. Whitmer delivered her annual policy address late this year. Governors typically deliver the speech in January. She said the change in timing this year was meant to accommodate lawmakers traveling to Trump's inauguration last month. In January, she delivered a speech at the Detroit Auto Show calling for a new jobs fund to bring more big factories and engineering and tech centers to the state and unveiled an $83.5 billion budget proposal. Whitmer at the White House: In Washington, D.C. Michigan's governor said she sought meeting with Trump Wednesday gave her another opportunity to add to her wish list, but she laid out one big demand. At a moment when she said bullying seems in vogue, Whitmer called on Michigan residents to show kindness. This story will be updated. Contact Clara Hendrickson at chendrickson@ or 313-296-5743. Contact Paul Egan: 517-372-8660 or pegan@ This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's State of the State calls for unity
Yahoo
26-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Far-right member, Democratic socialist come together to pass bills in Michigan House
Lawmakers in the Michigan House passed a pair of bills Tuesday prohibiting themselves from entering into nondisclosure agreements, a practice that has come under scrutiny following lawmakers agreeing to keep secret details of large economic development projects that could receive state funding. House Bill 4052 introduced by Republican state Rep. Steve Carra of Three Rivers would prohibit members of the Michigan Legislature and their legislative staff from entering into a nondisclosure agreement "regarding any work done in that member's legislative capacity." It passed 80-28 in the Michigan House with bipartisan support. House Bill 4053 introduced by Democratic state Rep. Dylan Wegela of Garden City defines a nondisclosure agreement as one prohibiting the public release or discussion of the contract's terms. Wegela's bill passed 91-17. "This legislation is simple," said Carra in a speech on the House floor Wednesday. Lawmakers have a duty, he said, to be transparent when weighing how to spend taxpayers' money. Carra — part of the far-right House Freedom Caucus — and Wegela — a Democratic socialist — have both blasted corporate subsidies championed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to lure companies to Michigan. State lawmakers and economic development officials have approved state funding to prepare large manufacturing sites and awarded grants to companies that create jobs in the state. In recent years, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation has shepherded deals with Ford and other companies to locate electric vehicle battery plant projects in Michigan. Carra and Wegela call the funding a corporate handout, and they teamed up on the nondisclosure legislation as a way to change the process the state uses to land deals with companies eyeing Michigan to locate or expand. "The current practice is that in order to learn about the full scope of a project legislators need to sign NDAs and then doing so traps legislators in a code of silence around said projects," Wegela said in a floor speech Wednesday. Michigan Policy: A guide to Michigan's new paid sick leave law Michigan Economic Development Corporation spokesperson Otie McKinley said the agency finds that those looking to invest in Michigan often require nondisclosure agreements to share financial and proprietary information. For years, lawmakers have called for greater transparency in the process used by Whitmer's administration for negotiating massive taxpayer-funded economic development deals, saying that by the time the projects come to them for a vote, they're little more than a rubber stamp. The bipartisan coalition that once supported Whitmer's economic development approach has fractured but competing plans for overhauling the current system failed to cross the finish line in the last legislative session. Contact Clara Hendrickson at chendrickson@ or 313-296-5743. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan bills would ban nondisclosure agreements in Lansing
