Despite federal statistics indicating that the practice of payday lending places low-income residents in the way of financial harm, the Michigan House Committee on Regulatory Reform passed legislation this morning that expands payday lending in the state by allowing consumers to borrow additional money at unreasonable rates. Opposing the legislation, MCC said the following: “It is our hope that if this legislation moves further through the process it can be amended to include a more reasonable interest rate and an honest evaluation of someone’s ability to repay the loan.” Read more…

Governor Whitmer and Superintendent of Public Instruction Dr. Michael Rice are mischaracterizing provisions of the Michigan Constitution to prevent the state from reimbursing nonpublic schools for complying with mandated health and safety requirements, Michigan Catholic Conference stated in response to a legal brief from the governor’s office. “The days are becoming numbered for public officials to rely on a discriminatory provision of the constitution that treats nonpublic schools as second-class institutions,” MCC said. 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 Supports Tax Credit for Donations to Food Banks and Homeless Shelters; DEADLINE IS THURSDAY: Only One Week Remains to Sign the Petition Drive to End Dismemberment Abortion! 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: REMINDER: Help the Petition Drive to End Dismemberment Abortion Finish Strong in December; TAKE ACTION: Urge Congress to Oppose Budget Amendment Enriching Global Abortion Providers; School Safety Building Code Change Approved by House; November is Adoption Awareness Month; The Word from Lansing: Safe Delivery Law Saves Michigan Newborns; Legislature on Break Until December 3; Happy Thanksgiving! Read more…

At least 241 babies have been saved in this state over the past two decades, thanks to Michigan’s Safe Delivery of Newborns Law. Public Act 232 of 2000 allows for parents to surrender anonymously and voluntarily their newborn child—up to three days old—to an emergency service provider without fear of legal charges. Michigan enacted the Safe Delivery Law, with the support of Michigan Catholic Conference (MCC) and Right to Life of Michigan, to protect newborns from being abandoned or otherwise harmed Read more…

On Friday, November 1, 2019, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services proposed a rule change that will ensure faith-based adoption and foster care agencies are neither discriminated against nor excluded from federal funding due to their religious mission. The proposed rule change reconsiders a 2016 rule that penalized faith-based entities for adhering to their religious teaching and placing children with a married mother and father. 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: Pro-Abortion Advocates Propose Eliminating All Restrictions in Michigan; Raise the Age Legislation Signed into Law; Michigan Catholic Conference Supports Driver's License Bills. Read more…

Currently, Michigan law requires all 17-year-olds to be charged automatically as an adult, regardless of the crime that has been committed. With the governor’s signature of the ‘Raise the Age’ bill package, Michigan joins 46 other states in the country that gives a judge the discretion to charge a 17-year-old as an adult based on the severity of the crime. “Michigan has just enacted good policy that will allow youths who commit lesser crimes to receive necessary resources at the juvenile court level,” MCC said in a statement. 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: REMINDER: Petition Drive to End Dismemberment Abortion Continues; Gun Free Zone Elimination Bills Move Forward; School Safety Building Code Change Before Full House; Dual Enrollment Bills Head to Senate; MCC Welcomes Legal Opinion in Faith-Based Adoption Case. Read more…

Until recently, seventeen-year-olds arrested in this state had no option to receive juvenile justice services, even for first-time, non-violent offenses. Newly enacted “Raise the Age” laws, however, change the way these individuals are treated in Michigan’s criminal justice system. The Word from Lansing column for October reflects on the bipartisan measures, MCC’s advocacy in support of the package, and the importance of continued reform. 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: REMINDER: Petition Drive to End Dismemberment Abortion Continues; Raise the Age Legislation Moves on to Governor Whitmer; MCC Opposes Legislation to Expand Payday Lending; MCC Opposes Near Elimination of Gun Free Zones; MCC Supports School Safety Building Code Change. 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: Post Budget Fallout: Week One; Raise the Age Packages Approaching Finish Line; Senate Committee Approves Forensic Science Commission Bills; Dual Enrollment Legislation Moves Forward; REMINDER: Petition Drive to End Dismemberment Abortion Continues Throughout Respect Life Month. Read more…