Lansing Update publishes on Fridays when the Michigan Legislature is in session and chronicles legislative activity of interest to Michigan Catholic Conference. Join the Catholic Advocacy Network to receive Lansing Update in your inbox.
Lawmakers are considering policies to help all schools better prepare for emergencies and protect students. Find out more about these bills, which MCC supports, as well as about the newly released edition of MCC's Focus publication that addresses a top-of-mind issue for many Americans.
Fifty nonpublic school leaders across Michigan met with their state representatives and senators to directly advocate for nonpublic education as part of the annual Policy Day hosted by MANS and MCC. Also this week, the leadership transition in the Archdiocese of Detroit was made official with the installation of Archbishop Weisenburger.
The House passed a state budget for next year much earlier than usual. Read more about what it means in the context of the ongoing budget-setting process, as well as updates on bills of interest to MCC.
Retiring Archbishop Allen Vigneron, who has chaired the MCC Board for the past 16 years, was formally recognized by the board in his last meeting as chair. Plus, the Governor gives her latest State of the State and updates on legislation that MCC supports.
MCC welcomed a new Detroit archbishop this week, who will also chair the MCC board. Also, read a new comprehensive report on MCC’s advocacy activities over the past two years.
The Governor this week kicked off the initial step in the state budget process as her spending proposal was presented before the House and Senate Appropriations committees. Read more about where nonpublic schools and funding for mothers in need stand in this initial proposal.
This week marked both School Choice Week and Catholic Schools Week, which was also meant an opportunity for one high school senior to explain why Catholic education was the right choice for her. Plus, the Catholic bishops who serve in Michigan signed a joint pastoral note expressing their support and solidarity with immigrants.
The new legislative session is underway, which means MCC is again presenting its public policy platform to new lawmakers through its publication A Blueprint for the Common Good. Also this week, a time to pray for life as the March for Life takes place in Washington.
The final week of the legislative session saw both a surprising abrupt end to the House session this year and a marathon, 24 hour-plus Senate session that started Thursday and was still going as of today. Read what it all means for the legislation MCC was working on.
The end-of-the-year legislative push intensified as the state House and Senate took up hundreds of bills through multiple marathon sessions held around the clock. See what MCC staff are tracking and working on this week as lawmakers race to get bills through to the next chamber before time runs out.