New: Whitmer to put out ‘what’s subsequent’ for Michigan in Aug. 30 speech

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer will ship a speech saying her coverage priorities for Michigan on Aug. 30.

Whitmer’s workplace introduced Thursday that on the finish of the month, because the legislature returns for session from summer time recess, the governor will define her priorities for the autumn to “transfer Michigan ahead” and broaden alternatives within the state.

To date this yr, Whitmer has signed over 100 payments into legislation from the brand new Democratic-majority Legislature. In a press release from her workplace Thursday, she stated she seems ahead to ending the yr out sturdy with continued partnership with the Legislature.

Whitmer indicators LGBTQ+ non-discrimination invoice into legislation alongside civil rights pioneer Mel Larsen

“This yr, we received a heck of loads executed to place a reimbursement in folks’s pockets, energy our financial improvement efforts, and make report investments in training, housing, workforce packages and a lot extra,” Whitmer stated. “In just a few weeks, I stay up for outlining coverage priorities for the autumn within the What’s Subsequent Tackle. I’m keen to debate how we are able to proceed reducing prices, rising our financial system, and serving to anybody ‘make it’ in Michigan.”

This comes after Whitmer this week signed the $57.4 billion common authorities funds for Fiscal Yr 2024. Earlier, in July, she authorized the $24.3 billion Faculty Support funds. The following fiscal yr begins Oct. 1. 

To date this yr, Whitmer has signed a wide range of coverage payments, a lot of that are Democratic priorities which have taken a number of legislative classes to make it to the governor’s desk for approval.

Michigan’s Civil Rights legal guidelines have been amended to embrace protections in opposition to discrimination for LGBTQ+ Michiganders in March, after the inclusion failed to maneuver ahead within the GOP-led Legislature for years. 

Whitmer additionally signed into legislation a number of payments that have been advocated for by survivors of disgraced Olympic Gymnastics and Michigan State College physician Larry Nassar. After the world heard the tales of sexual abuse by the physician from survivors lawmakers for years launched and reintroduced payments to fight sexual violence within the state, with some elemnts being signed into legislation and a few being left behind. There are nonetheless elements of the laws, generally generally known as the “Nassar payments” which can be making their approach by means of the Legislature.

Whitmer additionally signed laws she has stated makes good on the desire of the folks within the 2022 election the place Michiganders authorized proposals to amend the state’s election legal guidelines and set up the state constitutional proper to an abortion. In April, Whitmer repealed the state’s 1931 legislation on the books that banned abortion. 

In July, she signed into legislation early voting provisions, in addition to measles aimed to make voting with absentee ballots extra accessible. And Whitmer signed in March a repeal of the anti-union Proper to Work legislation, which had been signed by her GOP predecessor, former Gov. Rick Snyder, in 2012.