MICHIGAN CAPITOL

Inside Lansing Politics

HomeBudgetCourtsEconomyEducationEnvironmentGovernmentLegislaturePolitics
Michigan Health

Michigan Health Officials Sound Alarm as Nitrous Oxide Emergencies More Than Triple Since 2019

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services says nitrous oxide related emergencies have jumped from 10 in 2019 to 47 in 2025, and expects the count to climb this year. Officials are urging parents to recognize the products and understand the risks.

Michigan Capitol·September 25, 2026·1 source cited
  • Michigan Education

    Whitmer Signs Eight Bipartisan Bills to Invest in Michigan Universities and Community Colleges

    Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed eight bipartisan bills that expand capital outlay project authorizations across Michigan's universities and community colleges and help balance the Fiscal Year 2027 budget without raising taxes. The measures unlock more than $1.3 billion in project authorizations across 27 higher education institutions.

    3d ago·Michigan Capitol·1 source
  • Michigan Economy

    Michigan Jobs Slip Statewide as Unemployment Hits 5%, but West Michigan Manufacturing Holds Strong

    Michigan lost 25,000 employed workers in August and its unemployment rate climbed to 5.0%, with manufacturing bearing the largest payroll losses. Yet West Michigan manufacturers continue to report strong conditions and shortages of skilled workers, underscoring a growing divide among the state's regional economies.

    September 20, 2026·Michigan Capitol·1 source
  • Michigan Courts

    Michigan Supreme Court Sends Oxford High School Shooter Case Back to Appeals Court

    The Michigan Supreme Court has ordered the Court of Appeals to review the life-without-parole sentence of Oxford High School shooter Ethan Crumbley, examining issues including ineffective counsel and whether his guilty plea waived his right to appeal.

    September 19, 2026·Michigan Capitol·1 source
  • Michigan Governor

    Whitmer announces first disbursement of Neighborhood Roads Fund

    Local agencies across Michigan are receiving their first payments from the Neighborhood Roads Fund, a key element of the state's new long-term road funding package worth nearly $2 billion annually.

    September 19, 2026·Michigan Capitol·1 source
  • Michigan Legislature

    Michigan Senate Passes Bills Adding Corrections Officers to State Police Pension Plan

    The Michigan Senate passed three bills 27-8 last week that would add Department of Corrections officers, conservation officers, and others to the State Police pension system. The measures aim to ease prison staffing shortages but face a difficult path in the House.

    September 19, 2026·Michigan Capitol·4 sources
  • Upper Peninsula

    U.P. Lawmakers Urge Legislature to Pass MDOC Officer Pension Bills

    Four Upper Peninsula state lawmakers are calling on the Michigan Legislature to move bills that would allow Department of Corrections officers and conservation officers to join the Department of State Police pension system. The bills passed the Senate 27-8 last week but face a hostile House.

    September 19, 2026·Michigan Capitol·3 sources
  • Northern Michigan

    MEDC to Cut 15 Percent of Its Workforce Amid Revenue Decline and Legislative Scrutiny

    The Michigan Economic Development Corporation announced it will eliminate up to 15 percent of its workforce through layoffs and unfilled positions, citing declining revenue and a reduced budget. The cuts come as the agency faces growing scrutiny over its grant programs and oversight.

    September 18, 2026·Michigan Capitol·4 sources
  • West Michigan

    A complete guide to what Michiganders will vote on this November

    The November 2026 midterm elections will decide a new governor, a new U.S. senator, every seat in the state legislature, the Michigan Supreme Court, and two statewide ballot measures. Here is everything Michiganders will see on the ballot this fall.

    September 18, 2026·Michigan Capitol·1 source
  • Southeast Michigan

    Two Michigan Bills Seek to Restrict E-Bike Use by Minors

    State lawmakers in Lansing introduced two bills that would add licensing, helmet, and age restrictions for teens riding e-bikes in Michigan. The measures follow a spate of local restrictions across Southeast Michigan municipalities.

    September 18, 2026·Michigan Capitol·3 sources
  • Michigan Budget

    Whitmer Announces First Disbursement of Neighborhood Roads Fund, Directing $240 Million to Local Projects

    Governor Whitmer announced Monday that local agencies across Michigan are receiving their first payments from the Neighborhood Roads Fund, the centerpiece of the state's new long-term road funding plan, with $240 million committed to local bridges, public transit, and rail grade separations.

    September 15, 2026·Michigan Capitol·1 source
  • Michigan Public Safety

    Michigan Sex Offender Registry Drops More Than 20,000 Names After Supreme Court Ruling

    Michigan's public sex offender registry has been cut by more than 20,000 names following a Sept. 9 Michigan Supreme Court decision that bars retroactive application of 2021 registration requirements to people whose offenses occurred before July 1, 2011.

    September 15, 2026·Michigan Capitol·2 sources
  • Michigan Legislature

    Michigan to test pay-per-mile road charge in 2027 pilot as gas tax revenue slips

    MDOT will spend $7.65 million and recruit 1,000 volunteer drivers to test a mileage-based fee that could eventually replace some or all of the state fuel tax.

    September 11, 2026·Michigan Capitol·3 sources
  • Michigan Legislature

    Whitmer Directs EGLE to Re-Review Line 5 Tunnel Permits After Michigan Supreme Court Ruling

    Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and EGLE Director Phil Roos announced Wednesday that state regulators will re-examine permits issued in July for Enbridge's proposed Line 5 tunnel beneath the Straits of Mackinac, following a Michigan Supreme Court decision that expanded the scope of environmental review required for major infrastructure projects.

    September 10, 2026·Michigan Capitol·5 sources
  • Michigan Legislature

    Corewell Health Announces $1.7 Billion Investment in New Hospital Towers in Grand Rapids and Troy

    Corewell Health says it will invest $1.7 billion in new hospital towers at Butterworth Hospital in Grand Rapids and Beaumont Troy Hospital, citing rising patient demand and both hospitals operating above 90% capacity.

    September 10, 2026·Michigan Capitol·1 source
  • Michigan Legislature

    Michigan third grade reading scores fall to 12-year low even as literacy reforms take hold

    New M-STEP results show just 38.2% of third graders in Michigan are proficient in English Language Arts, down from 38.9% the prior year. It is the lowest third grade reading proficiency in the 12-year history of the exam, according to data released by the Michigan Department of Education.

    September 10, 2026·Michigan Capitol·1 source
  • Michigan Legislature

    Michigan Jobs Up 0.3 Percent in Q1 as Saginaw Leads County Growth

    The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that Michigan employment rose 0.3 percent in the first quarter of 2026 to 4,357,500 jobs. Saginaw County posted the largest gain among the state's ten largest counties, while wage growth fell below the national average in six of them.

    September 9, 2026·Michigan Capitol·1 source
  • Michigan Legislature

    Michigan Supreme Court Rules 50-75 Year Juvenile Murder Sentence Unconstitutional

    The Michigan Supreme Court ruled that a 50-to-75 year sentence for a youthful offender convicted of second-degree murder is an unconstitutionally excessive de facto life sentence, in People v. Eads.

    September 9, 2026·Michigan Capitol·3 sources
  • Michigan Legislature

    Poll: Michigan voters approve of Gov. Whitmer with 51.5% backing ahead of November

    A new WDIV/Detroit News poll finds that 51.5% of Michigan voters approve of Governor Gretchen Whitmer's job performance, compared to 43.1% who disapprove, with the November 2026 general election approaching.

    September 9, 2026·Michigan Capitol·1 source
  • Michigan Legislature

    Michigan "Money Out of Politics" Proposal Survives Legal Challenge, Secures November Ballot

    The Michigan Supreme Court on Thursday declined to overturn the certification of Proposal 2, a ballot initiative that would ban political donations from DTE Energy, Consumers Energy, and companies with state contracts over $250,000. The measure, backed by Michiganders for Money Out of Politics, now heads to the November 3 ballot despite a lawsuit from the Michigan Chamber of Commerce and the Protect MI Free Speech committee.

    September 8, 2026·Michigan Capitol·4 sources
MichiganMICHIGAN CAPITOL

Covering Michigan state politics, legislation, and the decisions made inside the Capitol in Lansing.

Explore

All NewsAboutAuthorsContactRSS Feed

Policies

Editorial StandardsPrivacy PolicyTerms of Service

© 2026 Michigan Capitol. All rights reserved.

Lansing, Michigan