The Michigan Senate is poised to pass bills that would make intimidating speech a felony punishable by up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine. Critics say the bills would criminalize speech protected by the First Amendment. House Bills 4474, 4475, 4476, and 4477 aim to prohibit hate crimes, institutional desecration and crime of ethnic intimidation. The House already passed the bills.

Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/michigan-in-focus/support

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Michigan’s record $82 billion budget for 2024 will add 899 government employees and will increase spending by about $8 billion – Republicans equate these measures to an unsustainable spending spree. Michigan’s 2022 budget was stuffed with $146M in pork barrel spending. This year, that number climbed closer to $1 billion, with taxpayers shelling out millions of dollars for splash pads, union grants, and solar panels.

Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/michigan-in-focus/support

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Michigan Department of Education is set to receive a 54% increase in funding in the 2023-24 budget despite lagging student test scores. The proposed budget increases funding for the MDE from $420.6 million in the current budget to $647.4 million in 2023-24. That’s a $226 million increase from the previous fiscal year.

Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/michigan-in-focus/support

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Michigan Governor Whitmer awarding $25 million in spending to hire school resource officers in Michigan schools reflects a shift in the Governor's tone around policing. Previously the Governor stated that she supported the spirit of defunding the police.

Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/michigan-in-focus/support

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Michigan House approved six bills to boost union membership that critics say would prioritize union politics before the quality of education. House Bill 4357 aims to allow school districts to deduct automatically union dues from teacher salaries. Rep. Brad Paquette, R-Niles, said if the bill becomes law, it could push teachers out of the profession. He said when he was starting as a teacher, he made $34,000 annually.

Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/michigan-in-focus/support

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Democratic Michigan State Senator Stephanie Chang introduces a bill in Michigan that would eliminate job performance from impacting pay raises for teachers. This proposed change would only impact a small portion of teachers in Michigan.

Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/michigan-in-focus/support

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Detroit’s school board approved a $1.1 billion budget for this school year that cut about $37 million in recurring costs and 300 positions to balance the budget. The board voted 6-1 to approve the budget, which includes eliminating over 300 positions to ratchet down spending but shifting many of those employees to another position. The cuts affect office administrators and school-based employees including assistant principals, college transition advisers, school culture facilitators, and para-educators. However, those positions could be funded at the school level.

Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/michigan-in-focus/support

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Wednesday signed into law three distracted driving bills requiring hands-free cellphone use. The bills provide exceptions such as hands-free use, emergency use, using a device’s navigation feature as long as the information isn’t entered by hand, or using a single button press, tap, or swipe to activate or deactivate a device or to select a name or phone number.

Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/michigan-in-focus/support

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

After a 10-year hiatus, the city of Detroit must resume its $149 million annual pension payment from its 2013 bankruptcy. Stephanie Davis, communications manager with the Office of the Chief Financial Officer, said the city will resume legacy pension payments by July 1 when fiscal year 2024 starts.

Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/michigan-in-focus/support

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A Michigan bill aims to allow a misdemeanor punishable by a $500 fine levied against those who send unsolicited naked pictures to people who don’t want them. If the bill passes both chambers and is signed into law, House Bill 4535 would apply to those 18 years or older who knowingly transmit electronically to another legal adult a sexually explicit video or image if the recipient doesn’t consent to receive the item.

Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/michigan-in-focus/support

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.