MICHIGAN GOVERNOR-KIDNAPPING PLOT

Man in Gov. Whitmer kidnap plot: No one twisted our arms

Jurors in Grand Rapids, Michigan, are hearing from a second man who pleaded guilty in a scheme to kidnap Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. Kaleb Franks says the group was prepared to use a grenade launcher and machine gun against any resistance from Whitmer's security officers at her vacation home. Franks is testifying against four men who are on trial for conspiracy: Adam Fox, Barry Croft Jr., Daniel Harris and Brandon Caserta. Ty Garbin has finished his testimony. He also pleaded guilty and says there's “no question” the group wanted to kidnap Whitmer over her COVID-19 policies and their overall disgust with government.

INFRASTRUCTURE SPENDING

Michigan Legislature approves $4.8B infrastructure plan

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Michigan lawmakers have approved $4.8 billion in spending, mostly for infrastructure upgrades, with an influx of federal pandemic and other funds that will go toward water systems, roads, parks and other priorities including affordable housing. The supplemental budget plan, which Gov. Gretchen Whitmer will sign, has about $2 billion for drinking water and wastewater infrastructure — including by replacing lead pipes — dam repairs and the remediation of “forever chemicals” known as PFAS. The House and Senate approved the main bill 95-7 and 34-3 Thursday.

ROAD CLOSURE-SALAMANDER CROSSING

City of Marquette closing road nightly to save salamanders

MARQUETTE, Mich. (AP) — An Upper Peninsula city is closing a portion of a road to vehicular traffic every night to protect migrating salamanders. The city of Marquette is closing a portion of Peter White Drive in Presque Isle Park from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. daily until April 15 or until the migration is completed. The closures began on Monday. Road barricades will be placed and removed daily to prevent vehicular traffic in the migration area. Only foot traffic is permitted in the area. The migrating salamanders travel from the park interior to their breeding ponds.

REDISTRICTING COMMISSION-PAY

Michigan redistricting commission reverses 7% pay raise

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Facing backlash, Michigan’s redistricting panel have reversed course and ended a 7% pay raise the commissioners gave themselves a month ago. Commissioners voted last year to be paid $55,755 a year and, in February, approved an increase to nearly $60,000 on an 8-3 vote. They described it as a cost-of-living adjustment to account for high inflation. The commissioners voted 12-1 Thursday to return their pay to $39,825. They drew new congressional and legislative maps late last year but continue to meet as groups challenge the plans in court.

GYM-DOCTOR-SEXUAL ABUSE

Michigan law adds mandatory reporters after Nassar scandal

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Physical and occupational therapists, and athletic trainers are now required to report suspected child abuse or neglect under a new Michigan law that follows the Larry Nassar sexual abuse scandal. Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer this week signed the legislation. It comes more than four years after the former USA Gymnastics and Michigan State University sports doctor was sentenced to a virtual life sentence for his conviction on child pornography charges and sexually abusing athletes. Several athletes testified during victim impact statements in 2018 that over the course of Nassar’s more than two decades of sexual abuse they told adults what was happening, including athletic trainers, and it went unreported.

AP-US-UNIVERSITY-OF-MICHIGAN-SEXUAL-ABUSE

U. of Michigan agrees to settle students' sex-abuse lawsuit

The University of Michigan has reached an agreement to settle a lawsuit brought by students who sought to force changes in how the school protects the campus from sexual misconduct. The deal was filed in federal court on Thursday. As part of it, the Ann Arbor school will create and pay for a multidisciplinary standing committee designed to protect the university community from sexual abuse. The Coordinated Community Response Team will be comprised of about 30 members, including Title IX and campus sexual misconduct experts, students, community members and select members of the administration and faculty.

HEALTH CARE-INSURANCE APPROVALS

Michigan Legislature votes to speed health care approvals

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Michigan insurers that require health providers to get pre-approval to cover treatment would have to promptly respond to doctors’ requests or they would be automatically granted under legislation headed to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer for her expected signature. The bill received final approval Thursday. Advocates say the measure would speed delays in care and provide more transparency around the prior authorization process. Starting in June 2023, a non-urgent request would be deemed as granted unless an insurer acts to grant or deny it or requires additional information within nine days. The time limit would be seven days beginning in June 2024.

FORMER LAWMAKER-PROBE

House Democrats call for committee to investigate Chatfield

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — House Democrats are calling for the creation of a committee to investigate whether former Speaker Lee Chatfield committed financial improprieties while in office. Chatfield, a Republican who was speaker last term before leaving due to term limits, has been under scrutiny since his sister-in-law alleged he began sexually assaulting her when she was a minor. Democrats pointed Thursday to reports about his frequent travel and how his top government aides also ran a consulting firm that was paid handsomely by campaign and political action committees. Republican House Speaker Jason Wentworth opposes forming the panel, saying the police are investigating.

AP-US-HIGH-FROM-HEMP

High from hemp: States wrestle with chemically made THC

Marijuana regulators around the country face a vexing question: What place does chemically derived THC have in regulated adult-use or medical markets? THC is marijuana's most prominent high-inducing component, but it can be chemically created from CBD, another cannabis compound that is extracted from hemp plants. It's much cheaper to produce THC from less-regulated hemp than it is from heavily taxed and regulated marijuana plants. Licensed growers in legal-marijuana states say they've been following expensive regulations to participate in the industry, but now they're being undercut by THC derived from hemp. The 2018 federal Farm Bill authorized the growing of hemp, which is low-THC cannabis, nationwide.

INFRASTRUCTURE SPENDING

Michigan lawmakers, governor announce deal to spend $4.8B

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Michigan lawmakers have unveiled and begun passing a massive $4.8 billion spending plan, one that will upgrade long-neglected infrastructure including water pipes, dams, roads and parks. The legislation is the product of months of negotiations between the Republican-controlled Legislature and Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s administration over how to spend an unprecedented billions of discretionary pandemic funding and infrastructure aid that were enacted by Congress and President Joe Biden last year. The governor will sign the bills that legislators plan to approve Thursday, following an initial unanimous vote by the House budget committee late Wednesday night.

News from © The Associated Press, 2022