MIRS Articles Of Note

With the Michigan Chamber of Commerce on the losing end of several lame duck votes, Chamber Vice President Wendy Block said the Chamber wouldn't rule out a statewide petition drive.

The House Democratic caucus's ability to stay unified was tested Friday evening as the 56 members faced an agenda of 120 bills after their Republican colleagues walked out in protest.

Friday night, the House ended a high-intensity lame duck week at 10:44 p.m. Because of the Legislature's five-day rule, this week was essentially the last week for the Senate and House to move their bills into the other chamber in time to have them voted on next week.

Legislation known as “polluter pay,” bills designed to crack down on entities that pollute property and don't clean it up, passed the Senate shortly after 5 a.m. Friday morning, a win for environmentalists who have long sought the policy.

Michigan hotels would be banned from ramping up costs by more than 10 percent in an area hit by a declared state of emergency, under bills passed by Senate Democrats Thursday afternoon.