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. This week: Legislature Issues Final Approval of Education Budget Bill; Omnibus Budget Bill Sent to Governor's Desk; Governor Signs Driver's License Bills Into Law; Changes to Do-Not-Resuscitate Law Unanimously Clear Senate; USCCB President Comments on Asylum Policy for Domestic Violence Victims. Read more…

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. This week: Conference Committees Reach Agreement on 2018–2019 Budget Proposals; Sexual Assault Package Moves Forward to Full Senate; House Committee Approves Marriage Disregard Legislation With MCC Support; House Passes MCC-Opposed Healthy Michigan Work Requirement; School Safety Measures Debated in Michigan Legislature; Dual Enrollment Bill Moves to Full Senate; FOCUS: Promoting Religious Freedom Through Interfaith Dialogue; USCCB Applauds SCOTUS Decision in Masterpiece Cakeshop Case; U.S. Bishops Urge Administration to Keep Families Together. Read more…

The House Families, Children and Seniors Committee approved a measure today that would allow Family Independence Program (FIP) participants to retain their state benefit after marriage for a grace period of eighteen months. Michigan Catholic Conference has advocated for adoption of this common sense, bipartisan policy and urges the full House of Representatives to vote on Senate Bill 752 before summer recess. Read more…

Religious freedom is a cornerstone value for all Americans. Promoting Religious Freedom Through Interfaith Dialogue, June’s FOCUS, illustrates how collaborative efforts with individuals of other faiths can help to defend this important value. The FOCUS also highlights the comments given by Most Reverend Allen Vigneron, Archbishop of Detroit, at the November 7, 2017 Interfaith Religious Freedom Conference. Read more…

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. This week: USCCB: Separating Abortion from Title X Family Planning Program "Deeply Appreciated"; Driver's License Bills to be Sent to Governor's Desk; The Word from Lansing Column: Why Michigan Needs to Raise the Age; MCC Receives Four Bronze Tellys for Freedom to Serve Videos. Read more…

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. This week: Catholic Conference Applauds House Passage of Abuse Prevention Legislation; MCC Supports School Safety Bills, Which Continue Now to Senate; Catholic Press Association Honors MCC With First-Place Gabriel Award; Memorial Day Remembers Service Men and Women Across America. Read more…

Current law requires seventeen-year-olds in Michigan to be charged as adults if arrested, even for minor, non-violent crimes. Recognizing this policy does little to divert youth from crime and keep communities safe, a bipartisan group of lawmakers are seeking to transform the way juveniles are treated in the criminal justice system. Michigan Catholic Conference advocates for these “Raise the Age” measures to be enacted in the State Legislature, and the May edition of The Word from Lansing explains why. Read more…

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. This week: House Committee Continues Debate, MCC Urges Opposition to Civil Retroactivity; Catholic Conference Applauds AG's Decision on Mandate Appeal Revenue Estimating Conference: More Funding Available for the State; School Safety Measures Move Forward to Full Senate; Full House Approves Safe Delivery Device Bill; MCC Supports Energy Freedom Bills in Concept in House Committee. Read more…

The Catholic Press Association of the United States and Canada announced this week that Michigan Catholic Conference is among its first-place Gabriel Award winners for the short television feature “Hands of Service and Healing.” The one minute television advertisement features the work of Catholic Charities personnel to assist vulnerable persons, especially through the provision of fresh water and necessary services in the city of Flint. Read more…

Michigan Catholic Conference released the following comments after the Office of Attorney General announced yesterday it would appeal a Court of Claims ruling that prevents reimbursements to nonpublic schools for certain health and safety expenses. Read more…

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. This week: Opposition to Retroactive Legislation Continues to Grow; Stillborn Tax Exemption Unanimously Clears Senate Committee; MCC Testifies on Behalf of FIP Grace Period for Marriage Bill; School Safety Measures Pass House, Continue to Senate; House Families Committee Hears Testimony On Safe Delivery Device Bill; Happy Mother's Day from Michigan Catholic Conference. Read more…

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. This week: MCC and Diocesan Reps Testify on Behalf of Mandatory Reporting Bills; In Joint Letter, MCC and MANS Urge Immediate Appeal of Mandate Ruling; 2018–2019 Budget Proposals Continue to Conference Committees; House Approves Exemption on Wrongful Imprisonment Compensation; With Changes, House Committee Clears School Safety Package; MCC Opposes Medicaid Work Requirements in House Committee. Read more…