Rep. Greg Markkanen; audio on House passage of road commission flexibility legislation
Rep. Markkanen talks about House passage Thursday of his HB 4120, which extends from 15 to 30 years the time in which road commissions in Michigan can complete purchases. The idea for the legislation came from residents in Keweenaw County in Rep. Markkanen’s district.
Rep. Triston Cole, R-Mancelona; audio on distracted driving legislation
Rep. Cole talks about his HB 4198, which would prohibit digital communication on a cell phone while driving a vehicle. Current law prohibits reading, manually typing, or sending a text message. Rep. Cole says closing the loophole will lead to safer roads. The legislation is part of a three-bill bi-partisan package that is currently making…
Rep. Mary Whiteford, R-Casco Twp.; audio on Mental Health Month Resolution
Rep. Whiteford talks about her House Resolution declaring May as Mental Health Awareness Month in Michigan that was approved by the House on Wednesday. A nurse, Rep. Whiteford says every family and community are touched by mental health issues. ]
Rep. Ben Frederick, R-Owosso; audio on snow day legislation
Rep. Frederick talks about House passage Wednesday of an amended version of his snow day legislation, which will allow schools to not count closures during a governor-declared state of emergency against their allowed number of snow days. The bill now goes to the Senate for a second time in an effort to make sure…
Rep. Beau LaFave, R-Iron Mountain; audio on future of Line Five
Rep. LaFave comments Tuesday on the Attorney General’s pledge to shut down Line Five and says he will continue to fight for UP families.
Rep. Greg VanWoerkom, R-Muskegon County; audio on passage of 2020 Ag budget
Rep. VanWoerkom, the Chair of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture and Rural Development, talks about the panel reporting the ag spending plan to the full House Appropriations Committee on Tuesday, saying it focuses on innovation and restores research dollars that had been cut in the Governor’s proposal.
Speaker of the House Lee Chatfield discusses importance of accelerated House Transportation Committee meetings
Speaker of the House Lee Chatfield tells Capitol reporters this past week that the on-going, twice-weekly meetings of the House Transportation Committee have been very valuable to the debate about road improvements and have provided important information about road materials and construction.
Rep. Jack O’Malley, R-Lake Ann; audio on this week’s House Transportation Committee meetings
House Transportation Committee Chair Rep. Jack O’Malley talks about the two planned meetings this coming week of the Committee, where he says lawmakers will be asking questions of construction industry leaders about materials and costs. Rep. O’Malley says digging deeper into transportation policy could mean better Michigan roads for the future.
Speaker of the House Lee Chatfield, R-Levering; audio on House approval of criminal justice reform measures
Following a House session where the chamber approved a bi-partisan plan ending the state’s long-time practice of trying 17-year olds in the adult judicial system, and gave final approval to bi-partisan bills which require a criminal conviction before the government can take ownership of personal property through civil asset forfeiture, Speaker Chatfield tells the Capitol…
Rep. Roger Hauck, R-Union Twp.; audio on House passage of Raise the Age legislation
Rep. Hauck speaks on the House floor Thursday afternoon, prior to House passage of his legislation in a bi-partisan package of bills that would end the policy requiring all 17-year-olds to be treated as adults in Michigan’s criminal justice system. Including 17-year-olds in the juvenile system has been shown to reduce reoffending by 34 percent,…
Rep. Steven Johnson, R-Wayland; audio on final passage of wrongful conviction legislation
Rep. Johnson talks about Senate passage Thursday of his HB 4286, which ensures those who have been exonerated of a crime would receive the compensation due to them from the state. Rep. Johnson’s plan would benefit exonerated Michiganders such as Richard Phillips – who spent more than 45 years in prison after a wrongful conviction,…
Rep. Mike Mueller, R-Linden; audio on April as Autism Awareness Month
Rep. Mueller talks about April as Autism Awareness Month at the Capitol and links the issue to his own work with mental health reform. Rep. Mueller was joined at the Capitol Wednesday by Sgt. Dave Archer of the University of Michigan Department of Public Safety, a former colleague who now works to train law enforcement…
Rep. Bronna Kahle, R-Adrian; audio on local guests at Capitol during Autism Awareness Month
Rep. Kahle talks about April as Autism Awareness Month in Michigan and her guests at the Capitol Wednesday, Dave and Melissa Archer, the creators of Jasmynn’s Voice, which provides tablets to individuals and families living with autism.
Rep. Beau LaFave, R-Iron Mountain; audio on updated disabled parking sign
On Wednesday, when hundreds gathered at the state Capitol to raise awareness of disabilities, Rep. LaFave introduced legislation that would update the symbol on signs designating parking spots for the disabled in Michigan to employ the image of a more dynamic, active individual. The plan would also eliminate the use of the word “handicapped” from…
Rep. Bradley Slagh, R-Ottawa County; audio on House passage of speed limit legislation
Rep. Slagh talks about House passage Tuesday of his HB 4118, which restores to local governments the ability to set a 25 mile-per-hour speed limit in residential areas unless otherwise posted. Rep. Slagh says some ambiguity exists regarding residential limits in the speed limit legislation approved in 2016.
Rep. Jack O’Malley, R-Lake Ann; audio on intensive House Transportation Committee Hearings
House Transportation Committee Chair Jack O’Malley talks about the twice-weekly hearings on road issues he began this last week, and says committee members are getting answers to questions about toll roads and warranties.