Michigan Legislature

The Ford School's Jeff Morenoff advocated for legislation that would reduce long sentences for incarcerated people in Michigan. In an opinion piece published in the Detroit Free Press, Morenoff explained that Michigan's average prison sentence...

Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s call for new cell phone restrictions in schools led Michigan legislators to reintroduce House Bill 4141.  In a new opinion piece for Bridge Michigan, Ford School Professor Brian Jacob and Justin E Heinze, associate...

“The Michigan Supreme Court enforced a basic democratic principle — that the people have a reserved power to vote on an initiative that qualifies for the ballot if the Legislature will not let it go into effect,” the Ford School's Sam Bagenstos...

The Ford School of Public Policy’s Science, Technology, and Public Policy Program (STPP) is poised to create a new pathway for early career scientists and engineers to learn about, develop, and aid state-level policy making. A $100,00 planning and...

For the past two decades, lobbyists have spent over $6 million influencing Michigan lawmakers. The Detroit Free Press turned to Ford School's Joe Schwarz and Richard Hall for insights on the lobbying process within the legislature and its impacts on...

Ford School professor, Justin Wolfers, explained the benefits of the phase in period for the raised Michigan minimum wage, saying that this period is "so businesses have a long time to adapt.” Wolfers also said, “perhaps businesses have a bit of...

Over half of Michigan local officials currently rate their jurisdiction’s overall relationship with the State government as just fair or even poor, while 34% of local officials say it is either good or excellent. It is an important relationship...