Michigan Public Radio Network

LANSING, MI (MPRN)--   Republicans in Lansing worked at a breakneck speed Tuesday to pass legislation that would allow politicians in Michigan to solicit campaign contributions on behalf of political action committees. 

The bills had their first House committee hearing Tuesday morning and were headed to the governor’s desk by the end of the day. They’d passed in the Senate late last week.

Lawmakers backing the legislation say they have to move quickly because the Secretary of State wants clarification on how much money can be given to certain types of Super PACs.  

LANSING, MI (MPRN)--   An unlikely alliance has formed to overhaul Michigan’s auto no-fault system. Speaker of the House Tom Leonard (R-DeWitt) and Detroit’s mayor Mike Duggan met Tuesday. They say the goal is to bring rate relief to all Michigan drivers. 

There’s no word yet on what the plan says about people with catastrophic injuries from car crashes. Right now Michigan is the only state in the US that provides unlimited medical benefits for people in those accidents.

LANSING, MI (MPRN)--   The state pipeline safety board met for the first time Monday since it was revealed that Enbridge’s Line 5 pipeline had lost some of its coating. 

The controversial pipeline sends oil and liquid natural gas under the Straits of Mackinac. The board was updated on the coating issue. But it’s waiting on a plan and repair schedule from Enbridge before deciding what to do next. 

The board did recommend state universities start a new study on the risks of the pipeline.

LANSING, MI (MPRN)--   A state board plans to review problems with Enbridge Energy’s Line Five oil and gas pipeline at a meeting Monday. 

The Michigan Pipeline Safety Advisory Board is expected to discuss what should be done after portions of a protective coating were accidentally removed from a stretch of the oil and gas pipe system that runs beneath the Straits of Mackinac.

Nick Assendelft is the safety board’s spokesman.

“I think the discussion will be on how to move forward with on that, and how to work with Enbridge to get those coatings repaired,” he says.

LANSING, MI (MPRN)--   Some Iraqi immigrants who are being detained while they fight deportation have gone on a hunger strike.

It’s not clear how many detainees are refusing to eat. Family members and the ACLU say it might be as many as 50. US Immigration and Customs Enforcement says seven detainees have been placed on medical watch after going without eating for 72 hours.

Many of the detainees are from metro Detroit and are being held at a federal facility in Youngstown, Ohio.

LANSING, MI (MPRN)--   Michigan’s energy chief says damage to the protective coating on an oil and gas pipeline that runs beneath the Straits of Mackinac was worse than initially reported. 

LANSING, MI (MPRN)--   Michigan won’t limit how much money corporations and unions can spend to influence elections in the state – under legislation that’s cleared the state senate. 

In 2010 the US Supreme Court said corporations and unions could spend as much money as they wanted on political campaigns.

Seven years later, Michigan lawmakers are putting that standard into state law.

LANSING, MI (MPRN)--   Lawmakers in Lansing are gearing up for a showdown over Michigan’s auto no-fault law. A group of Republicans and Democrats in the state House announced changes they plan to introduce.

They said their plan would make car insurance more affordable without limiting coverage.

The bipartisan group plans to introduce legislation that would, among other things, bar insurers from using factors like gender and zip code to set rates.

LANSING, MI (MPRN)--   Medical marijuana dispensaries need to close their doors or risk being denied a license – once the state starts issuing them.

On Tuesday the state’s licensing department gave the dispensaries a December 15th deadline. December 15th is also when the state board will start accepting applications for licenses.

Andrew Brisbo is with the Bureau of Medical Marijuana Regulation. He said three months should be long enough for patients to find alternatives.

LANSING, MI (MPRN)--   Michigan’s schools superintendent says he supports choice in education, but thinks the movement has also set back efforts to improve public schools in Michigan. 

Superintendent Brian Whiston appeared on the Michigan Public Television show “Off The Record.” He says charter schools overall don’t out-perform traditional public schools.