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.
Leaders of nonpublic schools from across Michigan were in Lansing this week to meet with dozens of lawmakers to advocate for state support of nonpublic schools, including restoration of previously funded items for school safety and robotics programs. Also, the Senate unfortunately voted to send the MCC-opposed surrogacy legislation to the Governor. Read more in this week’s Lansing Update.
This week, MCC spoke in support of the Legislature advancing limits on payday lending, but against lawmakers voting to support compensated surrogacy contracts. At the heart of both issues, MCC’s advocacy aims are the same: To protect the poor and vulnerable of our state. Read more in this week’s Lansing Update.
Just months after Pope Francis issued a call for a global ban on surrogacy, Michigan lawmakers resumed consideration of legalizing commercialized, compensated surrogacy contracts in this state, which would make Michigan an international outlier. Learn why MCC testified against this legislation and why it’s harmful for the vulnerable women who become surrogates in this week’s Lansing Update.
MCC advocates testified before lawmakers this week for legislation to cap interest on predatory payday loans as well as against legislation that would remove the promise of confidentiality for birth mothers who chose adoption. Read about the implications of these issues and why the Church in Michigan is speaking to them in this week’s Lansing Update.
MCC supported policies this week that ranged from improving foster care education, to protecting mobile home residents from unjust rent increases, to improving access to driver’s licenses. Plus, gun legislation backed by MCC has now taken effect in Michigan, but work remains to promote awareness of gun safety and prevent the loss of life. Read more in this week’s Lansing Update.
In the Governor’s budget announced this week, MCC took note of a number of funding increases for programs that help the most poor and vulnerable, while also expressing concern over cuts to funds nonpublic schools had previously been granted. Read more about the start of the conversation for the next state budget in this week’s Lansing Update.
MCC took the opportunity to urge policymakers to keep families in mind as the Governor delivered policy proposals in her State of the State address this week. To find out more about what family-first policies that MCC is pushing for adoption, read this week’s Lansing Update.
This week is an important one when it comes to advocating for human life and education, with the March for Life taking place today and National School Choice Week happening next week. Read more, including news about a possible increase to the federal Child Tax Credit, in this week’s Lansing Update.
As the calendar turns, the Michigan Legislature is preparing to return to regular session. Read this week’s Lansing Update for a preview of possible upcoming policy issues that MCC will be monitoring this year.
This week marks part two in MCC’s Top 10 list of public policy moments from 2023, from a Catholic perspective. Find out what made the list and catch up on the year that was in this Lansing Update.
