Rick Snyder

LANSING, Mich. (AP) - Gov. Rick Snyder has signed into law abortion regulations supporters say protect women but opponents denounce as a backdoor assault on the right to terminate pregnancy. The Republican governor who has said he opposes abortion signed the contentious measures Friday that passed the Legislature this month. It requires facilities where at least 120 abortions are performed annually to obtain a state license as a freestanding outpatient surgical facility.

LANSING, Mich. (AP) - Democratic lawmakers have introduced more legislation to raise Michigan's minimum wage to $10 an hour over three years. The current state minimum wage is $7.40 per hour. The main sponsors of the legislation announced Thursday are Democratic Reps. John Switalksi of Warren and Rashida Tlaib of Detroit. They say raising the minimum wage would narrow income inequality and give residents "a chance at a better life. " A similar bill was introduced by Senate Democrats in February.

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — The debate about how much money to put into Michigan's tax credit program for films and movies is escalating. Republican Gov. Rick Snyder wants to end many tax exemptions and would cap Michigan's film incentive program at $25 million. There currently is no cap on the film credit program. Republicans on a House subcommittee approved a bill Wednesday that would eliminate the $25 million that Snyder proposed setting aside for the film credits.

NILES, Mich. (AP) — Gov. Rick Snyder has ordered U.S. flags to be lowered to half-staff on Friday in honor of a 23-year-old Navy medic from Niles who was killed while on patrol in Afghanistan's Helmand province. The military says 23-year-old Benjamin D. Rast of Niles died April 6. He was assigned as a hospitalman to the 1st Battalion, 23rd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division. Visitation for Rast has been scheduled for 4-8 p.m. Friday in Niles at the Brandywine High School gym in Niles.

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder has signed a bill that temporarily continues federal jobless benefits while cutting six weeks of state-level unemployment benefits for new filers starting in 2012. The measure reduces state jobless benefits from 26 weeks to 20 weeks as of January. It also allows up to 150,000 Michigan residents to continue receiving extended federal unemployment benefits they otherwise would lose by year's end. Michigan's two Democratic U.S. senators and six Democratic congressmen sent a letter to the Republican governor Monday asking him to veto the bill because it permanently reduces Michigan's benefits below other states.

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — The Michigan Film Office says the HBO series "Hung" has been approved for tax incentive worth about $1 million for the show's third season. The film office said in a release Tuesday that the series was awarded the incentive based on about $2.6 million of projected in-state expenditures. The series is set in suburban Detroit and is partially shot in the area. Gov. Rick Snyder has proposed setting an annual $25 million cap on the tax credits, which currently are unlimited.

LANSING, Mich. (AP) - Gov. Rick Snyder says he's pleased Michigan ranked No. 2 in the first-ever Bloomberg Economic Evaluation of States. The Republican told reporters Wednesday in a conference call that the ranking will help sell the state worldwide as a good place to do business. Bloomberg says Michigan came in second "thanks in part to the effect of the auto bailout" under President Barack Obama. The rankings take into effect a number of factors going back to 2008, when Democrat Jennifer Granholm was governor.

SUPERIOR TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) - The Rev. Al Sharpton, U.S. Rep. John Conyers and others say they plan a demonstration outside Gov. Rick Snyder's gated community to protest what they say is a racially biased law that makes it easier for Michigan to take over financially struggling communities and school districts. The protest is scheduled Monday afternoon on Martin Luther King Day near Snyder's home in Washtenaw County's Superior Township, near Ann Arbor. The protesters say they plan to march to a gatehouse outside the private subdivision that includes Snyder's home.

LANSING, Mich. (AP) - The latest attempt by Michigan lawmakers to repeal the state's law requiring use of helmets by motorcycle riders has passed the state House. The measure approved by a 69-39 vote Wednesday returns to the Senate. If the Senate approves the House-backed changes, the legislation would be sent to Gov. Rick Snyder. It's unclear what Snyder will do if the bill reaches his desk. The bill would allow riders 21 or older to go without helmets if they meet certain insurance and experience conditions.

LANSING, Mich. (AP) - The Michigan Legislature has passed legislation requiring every state public school classroom to have a U.S. flag and schools provide an opportunity for students to recite the Pledge of Allegiance. The Senate on Thursday approved the measure related to reciting the pledge that was passed last week by the House. That bill and the previously passed flag legislation go to Gov. Rick Snyder for his signature. Many students already recite the pledge but there is no required opportunity to do so. The bill specifies no student would be compelled to say it. Some lawmakers have been concerned that cash-strapped schools can't afford the flags and the proposal thwarts local control.

LANSING, Mich. (AP) - Democratic lawmakers have introduced more legislation to raise Michigan's minimum wage to $10 an hour over three years. The current state minimum wage is $7.40 per hour. The main sponsors of the legislation announced Thursday are Democratic Reps. John Switalksi of Warren and Rashida Tlaib of Detroit. They say raising the minimum wage would narrow income inequality and give residents "a chance at a better life. " A similar bill was introduced by Senate Democrats in February.

LANSING, Mich. (AP) - Michigan is halting the use of the "Pure Michigan" logo in ads touting the state's new right-to-work law. A Michigan Economic Development Corp. official told lawmakers Thursday that the agency is re-evaluating the use of the award-winning tourism logo in economic development ads. The state has been using the brand to market economic development for more than a year. But the decision to refer to the right-to-work law and Pure Michigan in a January ad in the Wall Street Journal struck a nerve with Democrats and others.

LANSING, Mich. (AP) - The Michigan Department of Community Health plans to lay out a new educational campaign to combat obesity in the nation's fifth heaviest state. Officials including health department Director James Haverman will unveil the campaign Wednesday at the Capitol. Gov. Rick Snyder asked the department to examine the problem of obesity and in June it released the Michigan Health and Wellness 4 x 4 Plan. The campaign is the result of that plan. Last year, the department reported more than 30 percent of children from 10 to 17 were overweight or obese.

LANSING, Mich. (AP) - Critics of Gov. Rick Snyder's call for more money to fix Michigan's ailing roads and bridges are pointing to the state's highway weight limit as the problem. The Detroit Free Press reports ( http://on.freep.com/140jruA ) Tuesday that Michigan has the highest maximum truck weight in the nation at 164,000 pounds. In his third State of the State address last week, Gov. Snyder asked lawmakers for an additional $1.2 billion a year to fund Michigan's transportation system.

LANSING, Mich. (AP) - Gov. Rick Snyder has signed into law abortion regulations supporters say protect women but opponents denounce as a backdoor assault on the right to terminate pregnancy. The Republican governor who has said he opposes abortion signed the contentious measures Friday that passed the Legislature this month. It requires facilities where at least 120 abortions are performed annually to obtain a state license as a freestanding outpatient surgical facility.

LANSING, Mich. (AP) - A bill awaiting Gov. Rick Snyder's signature would require voters to declare their citizenship before getting a ballot. The measure was passed by the Republican-controlled Michigan Legislature during its final session that spanned two days and ended early Friday morning. Snyder, a Republican, vetoed similar legislation this summer. The new bill would require voters to sign a statement affirming their citizenship, address and birth date. Absentee ballot applications would include a warning that voters must be a U.S. citizen.

LANSING, Mich. (AP) - A judge has upheld most aspects of a new law requiring Michigan public school employees to pay more for their pensions. MLive.com reports ( http://bit.ly/YdT1pa ) Ingham County Circuit Judge Rosemarie Aquilina on Thursday rejected broader challenges from teachers unions that the law is rife with unconstitutional provisions and contract violations. Her ruling mostly supports arguments from Republicans including Gov. Rick Snyder. An appeal is likely.

LANSING, Mich. (AP) - The Michigan Legislature has passed legislation requiring every state public school classroom to have a U.S. flag and schools provide an opportunity for students to recite the Pledge of Allegiance. The Senate on Thursday approved the measure related to reciting the pledge that was passed last week by the House. That bill and the previously passed flag legislation go to Gov. Rick Snyder for his signature. Many students already recite the pledge but there is no required opportunity to do so. The bill specifies no student would be compelled to say it. Some lawmakers have been concerned that cash-strapped schools can't afford the flags and the proposal thwarts local control.

LANSING, Mich. (AP) - Officials in Michigan are working to submit anti-bullying policies that are required by Wednesday in public school districts and charter schools statewide. Gov. Rick Snyder in December signed legislation giving schools six months to put such policies into place. Many school districts already had anti-bullying policies, but until the law passed, districts weren't required to spell out what steps would be taken to deal with bullying and discourage it. The Detroit Free Press reports ( http://on.freep.com/JNFRr2 )

A request for federal disaster help has been made for farmers in Michigan counties who face substantial crop losses from extreme weather conditions. Gov. Rick Snyder made the request to USDA secretary Tom Vilsack on behalf of farmers in 72 counties in Michigan's upper and lower peninsulas. In southwest lower Michgian, fruit farmers were especially hard hit by an extremely warm spring, followed by freezing temperatures. Local counties included in Snyder's help request are Berrien, Cass, St. Joseph and Van Buren.