Michigan Legislature

LANSING - As soon as it became apparent earlier this month that Michigan had a $791-million budget surplus, talks of tax relief became rampant in the state Legislature. And that talk turned to action Wednesday when the Senate Finance committee voted 5-2 to reduce the state income tax from 4.25% to 3.9% by 2017.

LANSING, MI -- A group seeking to " restore Michigan's part-time Legislature" by amending the state Constitution has turned its petition language in to the Bureau of Elections for review. If the petitions are approved in form, committee chair Norm Kammeraad said the group will try to collect up to 400,000 signatures by June with hopes of placing the proposal on the November ballot.

Michigan lawmakers are scrapping to find a consensus to combat an epidemic of precious metals theft, a situation that frustrates law enforcement officials, victims and area recycling yards. At the center of the controversy is a behind-the-scenes battle over establishing more regulations and waiting periods before a scrap metal sale can be completed.

LANSING - With an estimated state budget surplus of nearly $1 billion expected over the next three years, Republicans in the Legislature are placing some sort of tax break at the top of their 2014 agenda, Speaker of the House Jase Bolger, R-Marshall, said Thursday.

Medicaid health coverage for the poor is scheduled to expand to 470,000 more Michiganians this year because of new laws passed last year that also resulted in hunters stalking wolves for the first time in 48 years and indigent criminal defendants being entitled to better representation.