ED MCBROOM

State Sen. Ed McBroom's legislation would put into use an assessment standard called “highest and best use" in place of "dark store theory."

The Michigan Senate Oversight committee is requesting an investigation into the Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC), as it claims the department has been an inadequate partner in finding solutions for the many problems facing Michigan’s correction officers and inmates. During the Wednesday hearing, committee members heard testimony from Pamela Drew, a former MDOC officer who now advocates on behalf of Michigan’s corrections staff. She said, statewide, correction’s officers “have pretty much given up” and are “running out the door” because of the poor circumstances which they have to work under. Drew, who retired in 2015, was able to provide the committee with much needed insight into the experience of a correction’s officer. McBroom said it’s a difficult task for correction’s staff to speak up about the conditions they experience at work as sharing personal frustrations may jeopardize their jobs.

A music video shot behind bars at the Macomb Correctional Facility results from two cellmates getting together, hoping to make a hit.

OAG staff presented the new findings from a follow-up investigation into July 2017 and June 2020 audits of the Women’s Huron Valley Correctional Facility during a Tuesday, Nov. 29, Senate Oversight Committee meeting. The first instance in which the prison failed to comply surrounds the facility’s ability to conduct search and pat-down protocols for all facility employees. The prison’s second failure to comply stems from its health care services, where it was found that Huron Valley had not conducted 28% of required chronic care condition healthcare assessments in a timely manner. Of those assessments, the investigation found that the prison’s healthcare services did not complete 14% in a timely manner, ranging from 36 days to 197 days late. As of June 2022, the Women’s Huron Valley Correctional Facility had 476 employees and housed approximately 1,600 prisoners.

GRAND RAPIDS, MI – Ed McBroom looked out at the crowd and recalled the story of Daniel. Even while the Christian prophet suffered in captivity in Babylon, the Bible tells, Daniel didn’t compromise his faith. Despite immense pressure to conform by a “maniacal” king, McBroom said, Daniel picked his battles and stood for what he knew to be true “at great peril to himself.”

Gretchen Whitmer has declared a state of emergency for Menominee County to assist in the response to a large paper mill fire. Residents of both the city of Menominee and the city of Marinette, Wisconsin were advised to shelter in place due to smoke-related hazards. Despite local efforts, Menominee needs additional state support to combat the fire, officials said, promoting the designation from the Gov. Local jurisdictions have also incurred substantial costs in connection with fire suppression and other clean-up efforts, officials said. “The governor’s declaration will be immensely helpful because without this assistance the City of Menominee would not be able to sustain the financial burden from this catastrophic event,” Brett Botbyl, Menominee City Manager told WLUC-TV.

The House and Senate convened for the first time since July this week and lawmakers are split along party lines as to how that time has best been spent. The Michigan Senate had a full legislative agenda for Sept. 20 – the first session day back in Lansing since July, 1. The day ran with committee meetings from the morning until late afternoon, and a slew of bills were heard during a four-hour long session. Sen. Ed McBroom, R-Vulcan, felt his week back in the legislature was productive, but that there is a lot more that he’d like to see done. The end of the state’s fiscal year is Sept. 30, meaning lawmakers must finish balancing the budget by or before that date.

LANSING, MI — All schools and childcare centers in Michigan would be required to filter drinking water for contaminants like lead under legislation which passed by the state senate this week by a large bipartisan margin. Senate Bills 184 and 185, introduced in February 2021 by state Sens. The bills direct schools and childcare centers to develop a drinking water safety plan, install filtered bottle-filling stations and faucets, shut off any water outlet that’s not filtered and post signage near a water outlet indicating whether it’s safe for human consumption. “No amount of lead is safe for children,” said Charlotte Jameson, chief policy officer for the Michigan Environmental Council. We commend the Michigan Senate for recognizing these dangers and supporting the best solution to them.

Michigan lawmakers trying to pass legislation that would allow farmers to drive their equipment across the Mackinac Bridge are butting heads with the administration in charge of its operation. SB 1014 and SB 1078 would authorize the Mackinac Bridge Authority to allow farming equipment of all kinds to be driven across the Mackinac Bridge— farm tractors, self-propelled application-type vehicles, farm wagons and any similar equipment used to transport products necessary for agricultural production could cross under the proposal. At its July 21 meeting, the Mackinac Bridge Authority board passed a motion opposing the bills, citing concerns regarding traffic safety and equipment regulations. James Lake is a communications representative for the Michigan Department of Transportation which works with the Mackinac Bridge Authority. Bills sponsor Senator Ed McBroom, R-Vulcan, said it’s been “incredibly frustrating” working with the Mackinac Bridge Authority to try to pass this legislation.

On June 30, the Republican-led Michigan Senate approved a resolution to oppose the wilderness designation that was authored by Sen. Ed McBroom, R-Vulcan. In this case, the land is already federally owned and advocates argue that a wilderness designation would benefit local areas by drawing visitors who want to hike in remote, scenic settings. The effort began after 2019 legislation named for late Congressman John Dingell designated more than 1.3 million new wilderness acres nationwide, expanded the National Parks system and protected land near Yellowstone from mining. Under a wilderness designation, certain activities beyond timber harvesting or mineral extraction are restricted. Keep the UP Wild needs a Congressional champion to advance the wilderness designation.

The committee even entered a 2021 investigation by a state Senate committee that found no evidence of widespread fraud. SB 714, sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey, R-Clarklake, would earmark $565.5 million in mostly federal funding to help reform Michigan’s mental health systems. “Our state’s mental health system is failing patients, their families, health care providers, and taxpayers,” Shirkey said in a statement following the vote. “Everyone in our state should have access to quality mental health services regardless of their means or where they live. Today, we’ve taken a critical step toward making sure they do.”Among the items funded are $100 million of infrastructure grants for pediatric inpatient services; $50 million for community mental health services integration readiness; $35 million for the expansion of mental health services; and $25 million for the clinical integration fund.

As claims of fraud swirled after the 2020 election, McBroom’s Senate Oversight Committee began a series of hearings to investigate. Ex-President Trump and his allies, however, still insist widespread, result-altering election fraud in Michigan and other key states Joe Biden won. “And not long ago, the committee demanded that I come before them in a public, formal hearing in Washington, D.C., under oath” to discuss the Michigan report. “Michigan is a sovereign state whose legislature cannot simply be called to heel by the U.S. Congress,” McBroom said of his refusal to the committee’s request. Although McBroom refused to testify, U.S. Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., entered the Michigan report into the Jan. 6 committee’s record.

While candidates backed by the former president are expected to win primaries, some Republicans say the election falsehoods animating their campaigns will alienate general election voters and diminish the party while corroding trust in democracy.

Senate Joint Resolution O would amend Michigan’s constitution to create a permanent, bicameral, bipartisan oversight committee. Our current system of legislative oversight relies mostly on politics and the personal preference of committee chairs,” Irwin said in a press release. Our plan puts accountability and the public interest first.”The joint oversight committee would receive and request audits from the auditor general, the executive branch and any other sources. “Only a few legislative committee members demonstrate knowledge and familiarity with state government programs that they are responsible for monitoring. Irwin and McBroom would create a legislative oversight system, similar to 11 other states, that balances party membership on its oversight committees.

LANSING, MI — Michigan senators on Tuesday approved a six-month suspension to the state’s 27-cent-per-gallon gas tax. Related: Michigan’s gas tax went up on Jan. 1, ranks among nation’s highestSuspending the gas tax over the proposed period of time would cost the state an estimated $725 million that lawmakers are proposing could be offset with existing surplus revenue. The state’s gas tax largely pays for its maintenance of roads and bridges. The changes ranged from everything from $250 gas tax relief checks, to changes to auto insurance and drug company laws. Read more:Michigan Republicans propose temporary state gas tax suspensionMichigan’s gas tax went up on Jan. 1, ranks among nation’s highestGas prices are nearing record highs – here’s the last time they topped $4 per gallon

The state’s prisons are short-staffed by 770 employees — a vacancy rate that’s grown from 10.1% in 2020 to and 13.2% in 2022.

LANSING, MI — Michigan lawmakers received an eye-opener to the severity of an unabated ecological crisis occurring in the Kalamazoo River while reviewing legislation this week that would expand the state’s authority to compel a cleanup when natural resources are being harmed. “If it was my river, I’d be pissed,” said Bumstead, who sits on the Muskegon River Watershed Assembly board. The drawdown, which started without sediment controls, was initiated so the dam could conduct “emergency” spillway gate repairs on a dam it acquired in 2017. It’s decimated,” said Ryan Baker, president of the Kalamazoo River Alliance, a nonprofit group that formed around the issue, who testified before the senate panel with a slideshow of photos. Sanders said a lack of cooperation from Eagle Creek has complicated the situation, which falls outside the scope of existing state dam regulations.

“Government participation should include everyone in our state who wants to serve, not just those who are fortunate enough not to have disabilities,” Nessel said. Legislatively, Democrats have been pushing their Republican colleagues to act on legislation that would allow local boards to reinstate remote participation in public meetings across Michigan. Read more: Democrats push to allow local boards to meet virtually again as COVID surges in MichiganNone of the legislation introduced by Democrats that would allow virtual participation at local boards has made it to a committee hearing for advancement, and there’s been no indication from Republicans that it’s coming. The lack of remote participation options has already been affecting local boards. READ MORE FROM MLIVE:Elected officials ask for help as COVID-19 changes vote outcomes in Kalamazoo CountyDemocrats push to allow local boards to meet virtually again as COVID surges in Michigan

While the auditor general hasn’t accused MDHHS or Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s administration of intentionally misrepresenting the number of nursing home deaths, Republicans have painted their nursing home policies as a failure. Auditor General Doug Ringler acknowledged his staff identified some of the issues that existed, but stood by the report’s findings amid skepticism from Democrats and Hertel. Much of Thursday’s hearing revolved around the proper definitions for long-term care facilities. Between Jan. 1, 2020 and July 2, 2021, MDHHS counted 5,675 COVID-19 deaths linked to licensed long-term care facilities.

“These staff shortages are making life immeasurably worse for inmates," said Sen. Jeff Irwin, D-Ann Arbor.

WASHTENAW COUNTY, MI – A state lawmaker hearing allegations of extreme staffing shortages and deteriorating prison conditions at the state’s only women’s prison wants a governmental hearing on the matter. Sen. Jeff Irwin (D-Ann Arbor) announced his office sent a letter Wednesday, Jan. 5 to Sen. Ed McBroom (R-Vulcan), the chair of the Senate Oversight Committee, requesting a hearing on allegations that Michigan Department of Corrections personnel at the Women’s Huron Valley Correctional Facility are being forced to work overtime at the facility, carry out mandatory 24-hour shifts, and individual officers are being left alone to carry out various responsibilities that require two or more people for safety and accountability reasons.

LANSING, MI — Lawmakers are trying to make things easier for northern Michigan farmers by letting them drive farming equipment across the Mackinac Bridge. Beau LaFave, R-Iron Mountain, would allow farming equipment of all kinds to be driven across the Mighty Mac. The Michigan Department of Transportation cited safety concerns in its opposition to the legislation, as did the Mackinac Bridge Authority. Mackinac Bridge Authority Director Kim Nowack pushed back against McBroom’s point that the bridge should regularly allow tractors to pass since they are allowed during an antique tractor show. Mackinac Bridge has a speed limit of 45 miles per hour and 60 miles per hour immediately north of the bridge.

A recent closed session held by Michigan’s redistricting commission to discuss legal memos kept secret from the public should not have happened, Attorney General Dana Nessel said in a Monday opinion. “Accordingly, it would be ‘repugnant’ to the Constitution to go into a closed session to discuss a memorandum that is not confidential and must ultimately be published,” she wrote. Here’s howFacing time crunch, Michigan redistricting commission cuts back on public hearingsDraft maps for new Michigan legislative districts currently favor Republicans, analysis showsMichigan’s redistricting commission promised transparency. Michigan Supreme Court rejects redistricting commission’s request for more time to redraw political mapsMichigan’s redistricting commission wants to see your ideal political maps. Despite concerns about partisan ties, Michigan redistricting commission hires law firm to defend maps

Related: Before making changes to political maps, Michigan’s redistricting commission retreats behind closed doorsMany observers questioned whether the commission even has the constitutional authority to do so. Related: Legal questions abound, but Michigan redistricting commission has 9 mapsDuring a Wednesday press conference, Commission Chair Rebecca Szetela, an independent, and Vice Chair M.C. Here’s howFacing time crunch, Michigan redistricting commission cuts back on public hearingsDraft maps for new Michigan legislative districts currently favor Republicans, analysis showsMichigan’s redistricting commission promised transparency. Michigan Supreme Court rejects redistricting commission’s request for more time to redraw political mapsMichigan’s redistricting commission wants to see your ideal political maps. Despite concerns about partisan ties, Michigan redistricting commission hires law firm to defend maps

LANSING, MI — The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) has posted 11,000 pages of documents related to the Benton Harbor water crisis online in response to public records requests and a Republican legislative oversight probe. “This gap should serve as an important point of reflection and discussion for officials and stakeholders at all levels of government.”The document disclosure follows an escalation in federal involvement in Benton Harbor. EGLE issued a separate but related legal violation notice to Benton Harbor on Tuesday, directing the city to survey the conditions of its water distribution system. The governor has also faced criticism from local advocates in Benton Harbor who say the situation did not receive an urgent response until they petitioned for help. A similar document dump occurred in February 2016 during the escalating Flint water crisis, when former Gov.

Lawmakers from both parties are asking Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel to investigate after a meeting of the Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission held a closed session.

Two Michigan lawmakers are asking Attorney General Dana Nessel to weigh in on whether the Michigan Independent Redistricting Commission’s decision to meet behind closed doors was constitutional. “It seemed to me...that they were assuming that if they said those magic words, that anything was okay in closed session,” Irwin said. “I just think that there are significantly greater limitations on what they can do in closed session.”Related: Michigan’s redistricting commission promised transparency. Here’s howFacing time crunch, Michigan redistricting commission cuts back on public hearingsDraft maps for new Michigan legislative districts currently favor Republicans, analysis showsMichigan’s redistricting commission promised transparency. Despite concerns about partisan ties, Michigan redistricting commission hires law firm to defend maps

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said she visited Benton Harbor on Tuesday to listen to residents who have been urged to use bottled water because of elevated levels of lead in their tap water.

Gretchen Whitmer’s administration related to the way state regulators handled escalating concerns with lead contamination in Benton Harbor municipal water. As of Monday, the state says it has delivered more than 47,000 cases of free bottled water to Benton Harbor. Benton Harbor water began catching regulatory attention in 2018 when the city’s 90th percentile lead testing began showing exceedances of the action level of 15 parts-per-billion (ppb). Berrien County also began providing free tap faucet filters and replacement cartridges for Benton Harbor residents in 2019. Benton Harbor was under control of a state-appointed emergency financial manager from 2010 to 2016.

Here are this morning's top stories.

An internal committee of the Michigan Republican Party is set to vote on a pair of resolutions on Saturday censuring two members of Congress who supported the Jan. 6 commission and calling for the resignation of a state senator who authored an election report stating that former President Donald Trump lost the 2020 election.

Here are this morning's top stories.

Michigan's attorney general has opened an investigation after a Republican-led state legislative panel said people are making baseless allegations about 2020 presidential election results in a northern Michigan county to raise money or...

Michigan's attorney general has opened an investigation after a Republican-led state legislative panel said people are making baseless allegations about 2020 presidential election results in a northern Michigan county to raise money or...

Michigan’s attorney general is investigating after a Republican-led state legislative committee said people are making baseless allegations about 2020 presidential election results in a northern Michigan county to raise money or publicity for their own ends.

Michigan's attorney general has opened an investigation after a Republican-led state legislative panel said people are making baseless allegations about 2020 presidential election results in a northern Michigan county to raise money or publicity for their own ends. Lynsey Mukomel, spokeswoman for Democrat Dana Nessel, said Thursday that the department accepted the request from GOP state Sen. Ed McBroom, of Vulcan, and the Senate Oversight Committee he chairs. Election night results in rural Antrim County, which has roughly 23,000 residents, initially erroneously showed a local victory for Joe Biden over then-President Donald Trump.

A Michigan Republican spent eight months searching for evidence of election fraud, but all he found was lies.

LANSING, MI — Former President Donald Trump took aim at two Republican Michigan lawmakers in a statement issued Thursday after a report led by Sen. Ed McBroom, R-Vulcan, debunked several false claims surrounding the results of the 2020 election. Trump’s email hit the inboxes of his supporters one day after a Michigan Senate committee unveiled a report Wednesday morning that found no evidence of systematic voter fraud in the 2020 general election. It’s not the first time the former president has put a spotlight on Shirkey following disagreements over the the November election. Benson has argued that partisan groups pushing for an audit shouldn’t have access to secure election materials. There has never been doubt among Democrats about the legitimacy of the election, who say the Republican push for changes to election laws is being justified by Trump and his supporters’ false claims of election fraud.

After nearly eight months of GOP state lawmakers questioning the 2020 presidential election results, the Senate Oversight Committee this week released a 35-page report concluding that there...

Michigan GOP investigation finds no voter fraud evidence, slams 'demonstrably false theories'

LANSING, MI — A Republican-led Michigan Senate committee unveiled a report Wednesday morning which found no evidence of widespread or systematic voter fraud in the 2020 general election, but said that “continued investigation” into the issue is possible should other details emerge. The Michigan Bureau of Elections conducted statewide audits and released a report in April, which made a similar conclusion. “This Committee found no evidence of widespread or systematic fraud in Michigan’s prosecution of the 2020 election. McBroom said he is keeping a close eye on the forensic audit happening in Arizona, and left the door open to further investigation in Michigan if “genuine issues” come up there. The report is released in the midst of Michigan Republican lawmakers pushing bills to expand voter ID requirements.

The report blasts "lies" and "outright deception" that formed the basis of many claims of election malfeasance in the state.

Michigan Senate Republicans who investigated the state's presidential election say there was no widespread or systemic fraud.

A Michigan panel that advises the state on wolf hunting and management policies would be limited exclusively to Upper Peninsula residents under a bill that passed the state Senate this week. Under Senate Bill 486, sponsored by Sen. Ed McBroom, R-Vulcan, members of the state’s Wolf Management Advisory Council would have to be residents of the Upper Peninsula to participate. Currently, the council’s member makeup includes one person each representing conservation organizations, hunting organizations, animal advocacy organizations, agricultural interests and tribal government. “How would Belle Isle feel if the board that oversees that was all people from the Upper Peninsula?”If wolves were to be found in the Lower Peninsula, the proposed membership requirements would allow Lower Peninsula residents to participate so long as a majority of members still lived in the Upper Peninsula. Legislative Democrats opposed the bill, which passed the Senate along partisan lines in a 19-16 vote.

Part of a package of bills aimed at making first-time drunken-driving convictions eligible for expungement advanced in the Michigan Legislature this week. Senate Bill 400, sponsored by Sen. Ed McBroom, R-Vulcan, would require a person with a first-time OWI offense on their record to wait five years before applying to set aside the conviction. The House legislation in the package, House Bills 4219, 4220, 4308 and 4309, are still pending in the Senate after clearing the Senate Judiciary and Public Safety Committee. A similar effort to loop first-time OWI offenses into the state’s expungement policy also sponsored by McBroom cleared both chambers of the Legislature last session, although Gov. Read more:Whitmer pocket vetoes first-time DUI expungement bill with little explanationMichigan House renews bipartisan push for first-time drunken driving expungementMichigan House approves drunken driving expungement for first-time offenders

The Senate Election Committee unanimously approved substitutes to two bills during a May 26 hearing. The first addressed a bill requiring absentee ballot applications to be submitted with a photocopy of personal identification, while the other prevents Benson’s office from mass-mailing absentee applications. Johnson criticized Benson before the 2020 General Election for mailing absentee ballot applications to everyone in the Qualified Voter File. These substitutes are the newest tweaks to Senate election bills, which Democrats and liberal activists lambasted as “voter suppression” tactics upon their introduction. In the bill’s current form, absentee voters could submit their ballots to their clerk’s offices in person after 5 p.m.

Sen. Ed McBroom, R-Vulcan, strongly condemned Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson's characterization of election bills.

Oversight Chairman Ed McBroom said he had requested documents from the Department of Health and Human Services on March 2 but hadn't received any.

Senate Appropriations Chairman Jim Stamas, R-Midland, compared the policy to the state's Wrongful Imprisonment Compensation Act.

He was referring to the spillage of 843,000 gallons of Enbridge oil into the Kalamazoo River back in 2010. Those amendments failed, so the Senate budget bill requires school districts at least 549 hours and 90 days of in-person instruction once the 2022 semester hits. Other Senate budget bills passed Wednesday include:$217 million for the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs. $760 million for the Michigan State Police. The hard deadline to get a state budget signed into law is Sept. 30, as the next fiscal year takes effect Oct. 1.

While Whitmer would likely veto the language from the Senate, the move could imperil jobs at the DNR if Michigan loses lawsuits around Line 5.

Michigan is facing mounting opposition to its efforts to shut down Enbridge’s Line 5 oil pipeline, but the governor is showing no signs of surrender. Gretchen Whitmer on the eve of the the shutdown deadline issued a letter to Enbridge Vice President Vern Yu. Canadian supporters argue a shutdown of Line 5 would impact fuel supplies and jobs in Ontario and Quebec. “Enbridge has taken procedural maneuvers to delay that by removing the case to federal court that does not have jurisdiction over the state’s claims. Michigan and Enbridge attorneys are currently engaged in mediation efforts to reach an acceptable compromise.

LANSING, MI - This week in Lansing was more about molding legislation than passing bills, at least on major topics. Both chambers made moves to further clarify key initiatives, with budget talks picking up in the House and Senate and amendments made to Senate Republican election bills. During a May 5 hearing of the Senate Election Committee, Sen. Ed McBroom, R-Vulcan, amended his Senate Bill 286, which would close drop boxes at 5 p.m. on Election Day, or three hours before polls close. Lawmakers approved Senate Bill 335, sponsored by Sen. Jim Runestad, R-White Lake, with a vote of 21-15. The House also passed House Bill 4728, sponsored by Rep. Ann Bollin, R-Brighton.

Dr. Wendell Anthony, president of the Detroit branch of the NAACP, led an April 13 rally alongside Mayor Mike Duggan and the Michigan Legislative Black Caucus to oppose voting measures introduced by the state Senate last month. Senate Bills 273 through 311 cover a range of proposed changes, but opponents have focused on various controls to the absentee ballot process. Senate Bill 285 , sponsored by Sen. Lana Theis of Brighton, which would require absentee ballot applicants to attach a photocopy of a personal ID when submitting applications to local clerks. One of the package’s lead sponsors is Sen. Ed McBroom, R-Vulcan, who points to Senate Bill 286 as a counter to that point. The Senate will start hearings on the 39 bill package Wednesday afternoon, April 14 in the Senate Election Committee.

Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson declined to appear in front of the state’s Senate Oversight Committee on election matters, saying she feared the spread of misinformation.

Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson turned down a second request to testify before the state Senate Oversight Committee, citing concerns that ongoing hearings and a recent package of Republican-backed election bills could undermine faith in the state’s election system. In a letter sent to Benson this week, Oversight Committee Chair Ed McBroom, R-Vulcan, said he’d like to hear from Benson directly about the state’s handling of the 2020 election in addition to Elections Director Jonathan Brader, whom the department offered up in Benson’s stead in his initial request. Calling her previous decision not to testify “disappointing and perplexing,” especially in light of Benson’s recent testimony to a Congressional committee, McBroom wrote that her presence before the committee would help members complete its ongoing inquiry into the state’s election system in the aftermath of the 2020 election. Several bills in the package are a direct rebuke of actions Benson took during the 2020 elections, including barring the Secretary of State from mailing unsolicited absentee ballot applications to voters. Another bill would prevent government agencies from pre-paying postage costs on ballot envelopes, which some local clerks did during the last election cycle.

LANSING, MI - Senate Republicans say a package of bills introduced this week would make it “easier to vote, harder to cheat” in Michigan elections. Many of the Senate bills specifically target the policies of Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, a Democrat. Read more: Michigan Senate GOP debuts election reforms critical of Secretary of State’s handling of November election‘Dead on arrival’Whitmer made it known hours after the Senate bills were introduced that she’s loading up on ink for future vetoes. Democrats are focusing the majority of their criticism of Senate bills 273 through 311 on the absentee ballot measures. His previous comments shine a light on the aims of the Republican election bills, Inglot said.

LANSING, MI - Michigan Senate Republicans debuted a series of election reform bills to address criticisms of the state’s handling of the November general election. One less combative bill it Senate Bill 283, sponsored by Sen. Kim LaSata, R-Bainbridge Twp. Senate Bill 273 , sponsored by Johnson, would require video surveillance on absentee ballot drop-box containers, as well as further certification measures. Senate Bill 278 , sponsored by Sen. Michael McDonald, R-Macomb Twp., also directs ballots from collection boxes directly to the local clerk. Senate Bill 294 would prohibit precincts from having more than two election challengers in one party versus just one from the other.

The Michigan Senate passed a three-bill package that allows riders to not wear helmets if a doctor deems the person cannot wear one for physical or medical reasons. Sponsored by Sen. Ed McBroom, R-Vulcan, the bills passed on partisan lines during session on Wednesday, March 17. Senate Bill 211, which passed 19-16, does the same thing for snowmobilers. Senate Bill 209 passed 20-15 and would remove the physician from civil liability if the driver gets hurt. “The constituent asked me why if somebody could get a doctor’s prescription to not have to wear a seatbelt, couldn’t he get a prescription not to wear a helmet,” McBroom said.

Gretchen Whitmer refused to sign a bill that would have let an estimated 200,000 one-time drunken drivers ask a judge to set aside their conviction, despite the measure's broad bipartisan support in the Michigan Legislature. The Democrat took no action on the expungement legislation Monday, allowing it to die when a 14-day review period expired. Michigan currently does not allow someone to petition a court to set aside a conviction for operating a vehicle while intoxicated. In Michigan, an expungement — or set aside — clears the public record of a conviction so it does not appear in a background check. People with a DUI on their record can be greatly hampered in their careers, McBroom said, especially those who need a commercial driver's license.

LANSING, Mich. – The Michigan State House and Senate Oversight Committees will be in session Saturday to discuss the ballot counting process. Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel was in Oakland County Friday asserting that there are claims that need to be addressed. READ: Michigan House Speaker says GOP will launch vote counting inquiryREAD: Republican National Committee chair calls for investigation into Michigan ballot-counting processREAD: Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson disputes claims by Republican National Committee chair on Michigan’s ballot counting processIssues included complaints about the counting process at the TCF Center. There were also questions on why Antrim County had flipped votes for incumbent President Donald Trump and challenger Joe Biden. Every vote that was cast was counted accurately and there is a paper ballot backup," said Rochester Hills city clerk Tina Barton.