Yue Stella Yu

The governor will ask the Michigan Supreme Court Thursday to declare abortion protected under the state constitution and invalidate a 1931 law that make abortion a crime if the U.S. Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade.

The moderate is one of four Republicans to announce their departures after supporting impeachment. Upton was set to face a fellow Republican because of redistricting.

With his “reputation on the line,” President Donald Trump returned to Michigan to tout GOP attorney general hopeful Matt DePerno and secretary of state choice Kristina Karamo, who he wants the party to endorse this month.

At least seven people gave the maximum $7,150 to Leonard’s campaign for attorney general. But under Michigan law they were allowed to give many thousands more to his leadership PACs, which passed money to his campaign, a tactic experts say violates the spirit of campaign limits.

The ballot proposal would replace the current legislative term limits — six years in the House and eight years in the Senate — with a 12-year overall cap in the Legislature. Whether that strengthens or weakens term limits is a matter of perspective.

The renewed ethics push would ban junkets and relatives on payroll and comes on the heels of allegations that the former House speaker misused political funds and traveled frequently.

Republicans seek to give poll watchers breaks, require the Secretary of State to be more vigilant about removing inactive voters from the rolls. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s veto pen is ready.

A coalition of education advocacy groups is fighting Let MI Kids Learn, a ballot initiative backed by the former U.S. Secretary of Education that would establish a voucher-like program for private education.

Republicans muster the votes — but not a super-majority — to freeze Michigan’s gas tax for six months. Now, momentum is coalescing instead on suspending the 6 percent sales tax on gas.

Michigan House Republicans approved a series of proposals Thursday that would tighten voting rules and restrict ballot access. A veto from Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer may be next.

Republicans want to suspend the state’s 27-cent-per-gallon gas tax for six months, a relief for drivers but that would cost the state $770 million. Some Democrats want to halt the 6-percent sales tax on gasoline instead.

The state joins others in signaling it intends to pull pension investments over the Ukraine invasion. Some caveats and hurdles remain before that actually happens.

The House passes a $2.5 billion plan to trim income tax rates, offer more relief to seniors. Democrats blast the plan as irresponsible.

The group said it is seeking to bring financial transparency for those in public office while allowing lawmakers to stay in a single legislative chamber for up to 12 years, rather than jumping between the House and Senate.

Michigan House Republicans have proposed lowering the income tax rate for workers and retirees — a plan that could cost the state roughly $2 billion per year.

If approved by voters in November, the initiative would slash the maximum interest rate a payday lender can charge annually.

Lansing has tax cut fever. Republicans want to reduce income tax rates as part of a $2 billion tax cut. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer also is proposing her own cuts.

Almost 90 percent of all funding fueling fights over Michigan’s ballot measures comes from ‘dark money’ groups that are not required to disclose their donors.

Gretchen Whitmer’s $74 billion budget would be by far the largest in state history. But problems with roads, schools, infrastructure and broadband have been years in the making and became worse in the pandemic.

The Democratic governor took advantage of a little-known ruling that exempted officeholders facing recall from campaign contribution limits.