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Wednesday, November 29, 2023

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Home health, hospice nurses in OR call for union contract agreement; MS ranks low among states for long-term care services, supports; and a look at how adopting children changed the lives of two Texas women.

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Former Vice President Mike Pence reportedly tells investigators more details about efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election, Republican presidential hopeful Nikki Haley wins the endorsement of a powerful Koch brothers' network and a Senate committee targets judicial activists known to lavish gifts upon Supreme Court justices.

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Congress has iced the long-awaited Farm Bill, but farmer advocates argue some portions are urgent, the Hoosier State is reaping big rewards from wind and solar, and opponents speak out about a planned road through Alaska's Brooks Range a dream destination for hunters and angler.

Michigan voting rights advocates push for lifting language, other barriers

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Thursday, October 19, 2023   

Michigan lawmakers are set to consider a new Voting Rights Act for the state by next week.

Introduced in June, Senate Bills 401, 402, 403 and 404 aim to counter voter suppression, safeguard voting rights and ensure future access to the ballot.

Paula Bowman, co-president of the Michigan chapter of the League of Women Voters, noted the diminishing influence of the national Voting Rights Act and anticipated strengths in Michigan's voting protections.

"It will expand protections for voters who don't speak English as their primary language," Bowman pointed out. "It will allow them to read the ballot in a language that helps them make the best decision possible in the ballot box."

The state's version of the Voting Rights Act builds upon the 2022 Promote the Vote ballot measure. The combined efforts aim to provide voters with protections, irrespective of their race, physical abilities or language spoken, during the 2024 elections.

Brett Edkins, managing director of policy and political affairs for the group Stand Up America, said there are a lot of extreme politicians in Michigan who have worked hard to overturn elections and throw up barriers to voting.

"Michigan's democracy remains under very real threat," Edkins contended. "But the Michigan Voting Rights Act is an opportunity to protect the freedom to vote of every eligible Michigander for years to come and ensure that Michigan is a national leader on democracy and voting rights."

The proposed Michigan Voting Rights Act is envisioned as the most comprehensive array of protections in Michigan's history, encompassing all voters, including Black, brown, new American and individuals with disabilities. It draws from best practices found in state voting rights acts throughout the country.

Disclosure: The League of Women Voters contributes to our fund for reporting on Civic Engagement. If you would like to help support news in the public interest, click here.


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By some estimates, more than 15 million people covered through the ACA exchanges nationally, and 20 million insured by the Medicaid expansion would lose coverage if the Affordable Care Act was repealed. (Fizkes/Adobe Stock)

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