A controversial change to the state’s ballot petition signature gathering requirements moved one step closer to becoming law Wednesday. Two other Republican efforts fell short as lame duck session nears the finish line.

Michigan remains the 10th largest state in the nation, but slow population growth after a lost decade likely means the state will lose another congressional district after 2020.

Lawmakers passed bills Tuesday to conceal identities of donors to political nonprofits, assign letter grades to schools and change toxic waste standards, among other measures.

A controversial bill that will give grades to schools will likely become law, despite concerns about whether it meets federal guidelines.

State Superintendent Sheila Alles minced few words in a last-ditch effort to kill an A-to-F school grading system pushed by the legislature.

A lame-duck bill that would allow more Michigan communities to use bonds to pay for spiraling pension and retiree health care legacy costs is expected to soon reach Gov. Rick Snyder’s desk.

Industry groups cheer move to require state regulators to use federal standards to determine if sites are safe. Critics say those are looser and the measure would make cleanups less protective.

The Republican bill would largely prevent the incoming Democratic Secretary of State and Attorney General from accessing information about groups that influence elections.

‘If we don’t do something, we can kiss personal property rights goodbye,’ says sponsor of measure that would remove protections on at least 550,000 acres of wetlands. Critics disagree.

The term-limited Republican governor said he agreed with the GOP Legislature that the original laws passed earlier this year would harm economic progress in Michigan. Advocates for workers vowed a lawsuit.

The Michigan Legislature has one week left before its two-year term ends. A number of bills, including requiring public employee unions to vote to recertify and banning home growing of marijuana, died for lack of votes.

Republican Rick Snyder is the wild card in a full deck of GOP measures to rein in Democrats entering office, rollback environmental laws and other measures that drive progressives crazy. Will it impact his legacy?