👋 Happy Sunday! A week from now, your state lawmakers will share something with your kids: They’ll both be on summer break.

• But first a budget needs to be passed next week, and this week was chock-full of other priorities before lawmakers leave.

Along with some big news from the Attorney General and in the courts, here’s a look at the past week in Lansing .

1. Cramming the calendar

As budget week looms, the Democratic majority was busy advancing dozens of bills through each chamber.

• Here are 5️⃣ you should know.

⚖️ Abuse protections: The House sent nine bills to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer that crack down on sex abusers in response to the Nassar and Anderson scandals.

• The main bills prohibit sexual contact under the pretext of medical treatment , plus stop docs from giving minors sensitive procedures except in certain circumstances.

🚫 Child marriage ban: Separate 10-bill packages passed the House and Senate to make 18 the legal age to marry.

• Michigan currently has no minimum marriage age , and advocates want to stop forced child marriage.

🦺 Work zone speeding: The House passed bills to put automated speeding cameras at work zones.

• Driving 10 miles per hour over the speed limit would earn you a warning or fine in the mail.

🍎 Food assistance: The House sent a bill to Whitmer to lift the asset test for families wanting SNAP benefits.

• Assets, currently capped at $15,000 per household, include cash on hand, checking and savings accounts, investments and property.
• Tests on income and expenses of all household members would remain.

➕ One more: Republicans sour over proposed tax on some Michigan sweets

2. ‘Crimes against our democracy’

Remember that petition signature scandal a year ago that knocked five governor candidates off the Republican primary ballot?

• Attorney General Dana Nessel on Thursday announced 79 charges among three people.

The breakdown: Willie Reed, Shawn Wilmoth and Jamie Wilmoth-Goodin face a mix of forgery, criminal enterprise and financial crime charges , all felonies that could put them in prison for decades.

• They allegedly charged campaigns $700,000 to collect signatures but submitted fake ones to the state.

🗣 These were “crimes against our democracy,” Nessel said , as candidates and voters “were deceived and subjected to fraud.”

The Wilmoths were arrested, but Reed is currently on the run . More people may be charged in the future, Nessel said.

➕ Also from the AG: 8 prison staffers charged with manslaughter, misconduct in Michigan inmate’s death

3. Endorsement deals for teen athletes?

College athletes have been able to profit from their names, images and likenesses (in so-called NIL deals ) for a couple years.

• High schoolers could join them soon.

The proposal: House Bill 4816 would let high school athletes sign contracts with businesses and market themselves through social media posts, product endorsements and more.

• Of 180,000 athletes , expect fewer than 25 to take advantage, said Michigan High School Athletic Association executive director Mark Uyl .

🗣 “The parameters and the money that’s out there, it’s going to be small amounts of money and it’s going to be for literally handfuls of kids,” Uyl said .

Regulations: Endorsing adult products like alcohol, tobacco, weapons and sports betting would not be allowed.

• Contracts must be approved by the MHSAA and the athlete’s parents .

➕ Also in the legislature: Michigan schools could soon start before Labor Day without waiver

4. The week ahead

Tonight: Former President Donald Trump speaks at an Oakland County GOP dinner at the state fair complex in Novi.

• Tickets are sold out, but MLive’s Simon Schuster will be there when Trump speaks sometime after 7:15 p.m.

🛬 It’s Trump’s first trip to Michigan since being indicted on state campaign finance charges and federal classified information charges.

• He was last in Michigan in October to rally for three statewide GOP candidates who ended up losing in November.

Next week: Budget bills come to the floor, with the legislature scheduled to meet Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday .

• Sources say to expect earlier starts and long evenings , with non-budget bills also planned to come up.
• One big priority to pass before summer break: Implementation of Prop 2′s election changes .

🚨 The budget must pass by July 1 , according to state law, but there are no consequences for missing this deadline.

• The hard-and-fast deadline for a budget is Oct. 1 – when the next fiscal year starts.

5. Story time!

The Michigan Capitol’s history and education office does occasional evening tours about specific topics.

• Here’s something I learned this week on a tour of the building’s grounds , courtesy of office engagement manager May Oyler.

🔁 Back in 1970 , lawmakers debated whether to turn more of the Capitol lawn into parking lots , which would have also meant taking out a beloved ginkgo tree .

• Now-former Rep. Joseph Patrick Swallow , R-Alpena, filed a resolution to stop it – and he wrote it in the form of a poem .

Good stuff, representative. Maybe a haiku will show up in the state budget next week.

More stories from MLive:

🏛 Ryan Kelley, former gubernatorial candidate, to plead guilty on Jan. 6 charge

💵 Michigan Supreme Court will rule on tactic that weakened minimum wage, sick leave initiatives

💍 How Michigan could reconsider a 2004 move to ban same-sex marriage

🏠 Section 8 renters in Michigan could see more protections against housing discrimination

🌈 Are LGBT book bans discriminatory? Michigan’s civil rights agency wants AG opinion.

Original Article