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Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
New Michigan laws take effect April 2: Car seats, parental surrogacy and more
A slew of new Michigan laws signed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and passed by state lawmakers in the last legislative session take effect Wednesday, impacting a range of policies from unemployment benefits to gun regulations. Lawmakers voted on the bills during the previous legislative session when Democrats controlled both the Michigan House of Representatives and the Michigan Senate. But the new laws didn't kick in right away because they didn't receive the Republican support needed to take effect immediately. Here's a look at some of Michigan's new laws kicking in: Michigan has new car seat regulations for child passengers: Infants to 2-year-olds: Rear-facing car seats must be used by children until they turn two years old or until they reach the weight or height limit of the manufacturer. 2 to 5-year-olds: Forward-facing car seats with an internal harness must be used by children until they turn 5 years old or until they reach the weight or height limit of the manufacturer. 5 to 8-year-olds: A belt-positioning child booster seat with a lap-and-shoulder safety belt must be used until a child reaches four feet nine inches or turns 8 years old. Children under 13 years old: All children younger than 13 years old must ride in the rear seat if the car has one available. Children placed in a rear-facing car seat can only ride in the front seat if the airbag is disabled. A new Michigan law brings an end to the state's prohibition on paid surrogacy agreements. Michigan's ban previously stood out as a national outlier and dates back to 1988. Surrogate parenting, a means of assisted reproduction, refers to the process in which a woman will carry a pregnancy and deliver a child for another family. Parental surrogacy has been taking place in Michigan in the years since the ban on compensated surrogacy agreements was put in place, but parents and surrogates said during committee testimony on the bills signed by Whitmer in 2024 that the practice was difficult, forcing parents to go through lengthy adoption processes for their own biological children. The new law requires those entering a surrogate agreement to be at least 21 years old, complete consultations with medical and mental health professionals and secure independent legal representation, which supporters say will protect carriers. Unemployment benefits expanded in Michigan for the first time since 2002. The maximum weekly benefit increased from $362 to $446 Wednesday. It will increase to $530 in 2026 and $614 in 2027. The maximum number of weeks for receiving benefits will also expand from 20 to 26. The Unemployment Insurance Agency said in a press release it will review claims filed between Jan. 1 and April 2 "on a case-by-case basis" to determine those eligible for higher payments. In 2011, Whitmer's Republican predecessor — Gov. Rick Snyder — signed legislation cutting the maximum number of weeks unemployed people could claim benefits from 26 to 20 weeks. Until the new law took effect Wednesday to restore 26 weeks of unemployment benefits, Michigan was one of a dozen states offering unemployed workers fewer than 26 weeks of unemployment insurance, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. Michigan law now bans the open carry of firearms at Election Day polling locations, early voting centers, clerks' offices and absentee ballot drop boxes. It allows possession of a firearm at those locations for peace officers, individuals permitted to possess firearms on private property, those licensed to carry a concealed pistol and those transporting firearms. The law also bars firearms at locations where election workers count absentee ballots, with the lone exception for law enforcement officers. Separately, Michigan law now requires the complete destruction of firearms turned over to Michigan State Police through gun buyback programs that aim to curb gun violence. Lawmakers introduced the legislation after an investigation by The New York Times found that the Michigan State Police was the biggest client of a company that destroyed only some parts of firearms through buyback programs and sold the rest, enabling a secondary firearms market. State law now bans what's known as the "gay and trans panic defense" in criminal cases. Specifically, Michigan prohibits using sexual orientation or gender identity as evidence to "demonstrate reasonable provocation," to "show that an act was committed in a heat of passion" or to "support a defense of reduced mental capacity." Including Michigan, 20 states and Washington D.C. currently ban gay and trans panic defense, according to the Movement Advance Project, a think tank that researches LGBTQ+ issues. Advocates for banning gay and trans panic defense say prohibiting the practice will make Michigan more welcoming for LGBTQ+ residents. Although a majority of Republican lawmakers voted against the measure, four Republican senators joined Democrats in voting yes on the legislation, which was signed into law by Whitmer in July. Michigan Politics: Veterans, unions, top Michigan Dems gather to protest Trump VA order in Ann Arbor Michigan lawmakers voted along partisan lines last year to create a central database within the state's Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO) for youth work permits, a shift away from previous law, which placed responsibility on schools to issue the permits. Supporters say by having LEO issue work permits, the state can better track when minors are working and ensure Michigan's child labor laws are not being violated. Along with having LEO issue and track work permits, Michigan's updated child labor law also modifies the hours minors under 16 years old can work, including barring them from working outside the hours of 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. from the period after Labor Day through May 31. Beginning June 1 and ending Labor Day, minors under 16 can work shifts falling between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m. Contact Clara Hendrickson at chendrickson@ or 313-296-5743. Contact Arpan Lobo: alobo@ This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: New Michigan car seat law, others take effect today
CBS News
28-03-2025
- Business
- CBS News
Michigan unemployment benefits to increase as much as $84 a week for new claims
Michigan workers who file unemployment claims starting April 2 will see noticeably higher benefit amounts and a longer claim period as compared to recent limits, based on a new law that is taking effect. This effort marks the first increase in the weekly maximum benefits in over 20 years, according to Friday's announcement from the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity. The new law also extends the number of weeks someone is eligible to request benefits on a claim from the current maximum 20 weeks to a maximum 26 weeks. "The increases in benefits and weeks will put extra money into the pockets of thousands of Michiganders at a time when they need it the most," Jason Palmer, director of the Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency said, citing a spinoff impact to local businesses as unemployed workers spend the benefit funds. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed the bill into law in December, but the Michigan legislature did not permit immediate implementation. As a result, the earliest date the changes could take effect is April 2. Each person's weekly benefit is calculated based on eligibility at the date of filing. The increase pushes the maximum weekly benefit up by $84 a week from the existing $362 a week to $446 a week for the remainder of 2025. The maximum weekly benefit will then go to $530 in 2026 and $614 in 2027. In addition, the amount for each dependent claimed in an unemployment benefits case will go from the current $6 a week to $12.66 for the remainder of 2025. The dependent benefit will be $19.33 each in 2026 and $26 each in 2027. Those receiving unemployment benefits can claim up to five dependents when they file a claim. Those amounts do include taxes, as recipients can choose whether to take taxes out at the time of unemployment checks are issued or settle at tax time. Further adjustments starting in 2028 will be automatic, based on the national Consumer Price Index. That being said, there are some special rules that apply to anyone who started a Michigan unemployment claim between Jan. 1 and April 2. The state labor department explained that the Unemployment Insurance Agency will review active claims that were filed between Jan. 1 and April 2, and make retroactive determinations to see who would otherwise have been eligible for more money during that time. If someone is eligible for a retroactive increase, the Unemployment Insurance Agency will pay out that difference. There will be no retroactive change to the number of benefit weeks that someone can file for. The new 26-week range only applies to new claims filed April 2 or later. Those who are receiving unemployment benefits or applying for the first time should check their Michigan Web Account Manager (MiWAM) account regularly for updates and to make sure their address and bank account information is current.
CBS News
11-03-2025
- Business
- CBS News
Michigan Employment Insurance Agency rolls out help for laid off federal workers
Some federal workers in Michigan are suddenly without a job after the Trump administration's recent job cuts. The administration's decision to slash jobs has prompted state agencies like Michigan's Unemployment Insurance Agency to develop resources for workers to land their next gig. February was a rough month for federal job cuts. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 10,000 federal jobs were cut. "We have seen an uptick in the number of claims filed by federal workers," said Jason Palmer, director of Michigan's Unemployment Insurance Agency. Palmer says that since many of the federal workforce layoffs happened recently, there isn't an official count of how many were lost here in Michigan. "We wanted to get ahead of any large layoffs and have some resources available," said Palmer. The UIA has rolled out a website specifically for federal workers on the job hunt. "There's some specific resources for the federal workers, like what specific forms they might need. Then the website goes on to help them connect with workforce development, help with the job search through the Michigan Works office, and a bunch of resources not only for the unemployment side but also getting back to work," Palmer said. Palmer suggests workers beginning the unemployment process visit the website and the Unemployment Roadmap. "[That] gives a really easy-to-follow six-step process on filing your unemployment insurance claim," Palmer said. Palmer encourages federal workers to utilize the resources on the website and consider state government jobs. "There's a lot of really skilled folks here in these federal jobs, so we might have something that they could do in the state, and we'd encourage them to look at those jobs as well," Palmer said.
Yahoo
30-01-2025
- General
- Yahoo
108-year-old Detroiter read the Free Press daily until her final weeks, family says
For as long as her family can recall, Helen Arneida Dickerson began each morning with a cup of coffee and the Detroit Free Press in hand, intently flipping through its pages. A devoted mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother — Helen died in her Detroit home on Jan. 16, 2025, nearly two weeks after her 108th birthday. "She literally stopped reading the paper within weeks of her passing," said her granddaughter, Rebecca Dickerson-Mosley. "She was the most healthy 108-year-old person that I'm aware of. She was very, very smart and loved to watch game shows, which kept her sharp." Born in Pennsylvania in 1917, Helen made Detroit her home in the mid-1940s, where she spent most of her life, her family told the Free Press. She was married to Thomas Dickerson Sr., one of Detroit's first Black police officers, who died in 2015. "My grandfather made sure she was able to be cared for in her own home until the day she passed away," Dickerson-Mosley said. "He made sure, even when he was gone, that she would have the means to provide for herself." "He pampered her," added Thomas Dickerson Jr., Helen's only son and Dickerson-Mosely's father. "She never even pumped her own gas." Please say a prayer for my family. My 108 year old grandmother has transitioned. She lived such a wonderful life filled... Posted by Rebecca Dickerson Mosley on Thursday, January 16, 2025 Helen remained under the care of her daughter, Linda Dickerson, and her son, Thomas Jr., until her final breath. Although she was long retired, Helen worked for the Unemployment Insurance Agency when it was still known as the Michigan Employment Security Commission. Her family said she had an affinity for the job, helping people find employment. In her free time, she was a passionate piano player and an active member of a Detroit bridge club, where she played until the COVID-19 pandemic hit, according to her family. In her younger years, she traveled across the country to compete in bridge tournaments. Music, however, remained a constant in her life. Despite developing neuropathy in her fingers, she continued to play the piano whenever she had the chance. "She was very faithful and loved to play her gospel music on the piano. My aunt and father would always pull out the piano for her and she'd play for us. Just a couple months ago, she was playing for some visitors from church," Dickerson-Mosley said. "She tried to teach me how to play, too. I learned a little something, but I wasn't disciplined enough." Helen lived through two world wars, the Great Depression, the civil rights movement—including the Detroit uprising—and, more recently, the COVID-19 pandemic, all with quiet strength. "People in her age group processed trauma silently," her granddaughter said. "Unfortunately, we have never heard her speak about ... what it was like for her." More: Iconic images by legendary Free Press photographer Tony Spina capture Michigan history But even at 108, Helen remained aware of her loved ones until her final days. "Up until my last visit with her, around Christmas, she was able to say, 'Hey, Becky,'" said Dickerson-Mosley, who lives in South Carolina but visited her grandmother at least two to three times a year. Helen is survived by two of her three children, two grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. Her eldest daughter, Anita Dickerson, died last year at age 88. Funeral services were held last Thursday at Greater Grace Temple in Detroit, with arrangements entrusted to O. H. Pye, III Funeral Home. More: Detroit City Councilman Fred Durhal III announces run for mayor Nour Rahal is a trending and breaking news reporter. Email her: nrahal@ Follow her on Twitter @nrahal1. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Lifelong Detroit Free Press reader, Helen Dickerson, dies at 108
