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: Pope Appoints Bishop Raica to Shepherd Diocese of Birmingham; Governor Issues Three Week Stay-at-Home Order; Holy Week Liturgical Updates; Webcast Services Available; U.S. Senate and House Approve $2 Trillion in Coronavirus Relief; For Encyclical's 25th Anniversary, "Walking with Moms in Need" Begins; The Word from Lansing: Payday Lending and the Cycle of Poverty; 2020 Census Efforts Begin—Fill Out Your Response. Read more…

A bill before state lawmakers would allow payday lenders to offer $2,500 loans, up from the $600 limit. During this difficult time of the Coronavirus outbreak, MCC remains concerned about HB 5097, which would trap struggling Michiganders in a cycle of debt. The Word from Lansing highlights issues with expanding payday lending, as well as the importance of focusing on alternatives that improve financial literacy. 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 Liturgy Updates, Resources in Light of Coronavirus; State Legislature Approves $125 Million to Combat Virus; Education Supplemental Budget Awaits Further Action; USCCB Raises Considerations for Federal Coronavirus Support; 2020 Census: It is Time to Be Counted! 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: Supplemental Includes Funding for Trafficking Victims, Nonpublic Schools; Funding Allocated to Combat Coronavirus in Michigan, Schools to Close; Resolution Declares Pornography a Public Health Crisis; Public Policy Day Highlights Critical Education Issues; 2020 Census: It's Critical, Convenient, and Confidential. 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 Approves Stillbirth Certificate Fee Waiver Bill; Detroit Auxiliary Bishop Offers Senate Invocation; The Word from Lansing: 2020 Census—Counting Our Communities; U.S. Supreme Court Considers Louisiana Abortion Case; Action Alerts: Contact Legislators Today Regarding Payday Lending and Abortion Measures. 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: Action Still Needed to Stop Payday Lending Expansion Bill; Elder Abuse Prevention Package Clears Michigan House; 2020 Census: Your Answers Are Confidential; Alert! Michigan's U.S. Senators Vote Against Pro-Life Legislation; Michigan Presidential Primary is March 10. 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: Action Alert! Help MCC Urge Opposition to Payday Lending Expansion; Marijuana Warning Label Bill Becomes Law; Legislature Approves School Safety Device Measure; 2020 Census: Dates to Know. Read more…

Beginning in March, individuals across the country will participate in a national census. The 2020 Census will set Michigan’s representation in the U.S. House of Representatives, guide emergency preparedness planning, and determine how much federal funding is allocated to communities for the next decade. The Word from Lansing column for February highlights the upcoming Census and the importance of being counted. 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: School Safety Device Bill Close to Final Adoption; House Next to Consider Elder Abuse Legislation; MCC Supports Energy Freedom Package; 2020 Census: Count Begins in March. 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 Responds to Governor's Budget Recommendations; New Faithful Citizenship Resources Available This Election Season; With Bipartisan Support, Marijuana Warning Label Bills Await Governor's Signature; Committee Approves Measure to Assist Stillborn Families. Read more…

In a joint presentation to lawmakers, Governor Gretchen Whitmer presented her executive recommendations for the upcoming 2020–21 state budget. While MCC appreciates the governor’s inclusion of funding that fights opioid abuse and addiction, supports elder care and foster care, and maintains the state’s shared time program, concerns remain about the governor’s disregard of nonpublic schools. Additionally, MCC applauded the proposal’s efforts to support vulnerable women during and after pregnancy but also called for further clarification about the plan’s intent regarding “reproductive health care.” Read more…

Every ten years, the United States conducts a nationwide census, or count, of its population. The 2020 Census will begin in mid-March, and all individuals living in the country as of April 1, 2020 are invited to respond by phone, by mail, and for the first time ever, online. This edition of FOCUS addresses the significance of the 2020 Census—including its impact on legislative representation and the distribution of federal funding—and encourages efforts to ensure all Michiganders are counted. Read more…