There’s an issue in Lansing that’s becoming more urgent by the day, because it could be the difference over whether thousands of Michiganders are still able to see their doctors by the end of the month or not.

It has to do with an agreement called the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact, which lets doctors work across state lines, that is set to expire at the end of March.

Today, The ’Gander’s Kyle Kaminski has more on the frustrating details over the stalled bill that lawmakers agree on, but aren’t signing off on.

Plus: Dearborn’s mayor says his city is testing solutions to Michigan’s biggest problems.

GOP-led proof-of-citizenship voting bill advances (Michigan Advance): A bill that would require proof of US citizenship to register to vote is moving through the Michigan legislature after a party-line committee vote. While Republicans say it strengthens election integrity, Democrats warn it would create barriers for eligible voters. It’s unlikely to pass the Democratic-led Senate.

Man behind 2022 primary signature fraud scheme sentenced to prison (The Detroit News): One of the men behind a major Michigan signature fraud scheme tied to the 2022 primary has been sentenced to prison. A Macomb County judge sentenced Shawn Wilmoth to 4 to 20 years after a jury found he submitted forged signatures that kept several candidates off the ballot.

Michigan House passes Kratom ban (Freep): Michigan House lawmakers passed a bill on March 18 to ban the sale of kratom, an herbal extract used for pain relief and opioid addiction. The substance is widely sold in tobacco and vape stores, but is on the DEA’s Drug and Chemical of Concern list due to its risks and abuse potential.

(The ‘Gander TikTok)

There’s a weird problem unfolding in Lansing right now and if our state lawmakers don’t fix it soon, thousands of doctors could suddenly lose the ability to practice medicine in Michigan.

It’s not because they did anything wrong or because their licenses have expired, it’s because the state legislature just can’t seem to sign off on a bill that everyone already agrees on.

Here’s the deal: About 8,000 doctors in Michigan rely on something called the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact to practice medicine in Michigan. It’s basically a system that lets doctors practice in multiple states without going through weeks or months of paperwork. Michigan joined in 2019 and, since then, thousands of doctors have used it to practice medicine here, but the state’s participation in the program expires March 28th.

Unless lawmakers renew it before then, those licenses could suddenly lapse overnight. That means some doctors could suddenly stop seeing their patients, at least temporarily.

Here’s the strange part: Nobody actually opposes renewing the compact. The legislation has already passed both chambers of the legislature with overwhelming bipartisan support, but each bill is now stuck in committee in the opposite chamber with Republicans and Democrats blaming each other for the delay.

“Healthcare doesn’t pause for paperwork,” said Dr. Emily Hurst, former Michigan Osteopathic Association president. “If Michigan’s membership expires at the end of March, we risk immediate disruption to more than 100,000 patient appointments each day.”

So what? If lawmakers don’t resolve this gridlock in the next few weeks, thousands of doctors could lose their ability to practice in Michigan. The fix exists. The votes are there. Lansing just has to do its job.

Get the full details from political correspondent Kyle Kaminski in this edition of “so what, Michigan?“

Dearborn is growing faster than most cities in Michigan. That’s forcing Mayor Abdullah Hammoud to rethink housing, public safety, and how the city funds major projects. (Abdullah Hammoud/Facebook)

By Kyle Kaminski

Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud says his city is dealing with many of the same pressures facing other communities across Michigan—rising housing costs, aging infrastructure, tight municipal budgets, and increasingly heated national politics.

But he also believes Dearborn offers a glimpse of how cities might respond.

“Dearborn is an important city to the overall Michigan ecosystem,” Hammoud told The ’Gander in a recent interview. “Dearborn is at the forefront of a lot of innovation and a lot of potential solutions to many of the problems cities face across the state and across the country.”

Fresh off a landslide re-election, Hammoud is a few months into his second term leading the Detroit suburb of roughly 110,000 residents—and drawing attention beyond city limits.

Dearborn is home to Ford Motor Co.’s massive headquarters campus, as well as the Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village—one of Michigan’s most visited tourist destinations. The city is also far younger and growing much faster than just about every other community in the state.

At 35, Hammoud is already one of the youngest mayors of a major Michigan city. 

His administration has secured hundreds of millions of dollars in outside funding, expanded affordable housing development, and pushed community-based policing strategies—moves that have put Dearborn on the radar of policymakers and political observers across the state.

Local news is essential for democracy.

Our reporting cuts through false narratives, documents what’s actually happening in our communities, and provides voters with the clear, factual information they need—especially when the stakes are high.

By Abby Deatrick

Welcome to your weekly roundup of Michigan political events, protests, rallies, advocacy opportunities, and ways to take action statewide.

📅 Friday (March 20)

Red, Wine, & Blue: Spring into Sign Making, (Troy, 12-2 p.m.) — Make “No Kings” protest signs ahead of the National Day of Action on March 28. Materials will be provided.

Attorney General Dana Nessel and State Senator Rosemary Bayer: Data Center Town Hall, (Northville, 6 p.m.) — A town hall discussion on data centers and their impact on Michigan communities.

📅 Saturday (March 21)

Michigan League of Conservation Voters: Grounds for Change: Flyering for Earth Day, (Royal Oak, 11 a.m-1:30 p.m.) — A gathering with Michigan LCV volunteers interested in climate issues to learn about upcoming events. After the event, attendees are invited to join others passing out flyers for local businesses for Oakland County Earth Day.

MoveOn: No Kings Sign-Making Party, (Lansing, 1-3 p.m.) — Make “No Kings” protest signs ahead of the National Day of Action on March 28.

📅 Sunday (March 22)

Indivisible: No Kings 3.0 Sign Making Party, (Clinton Township, 1-5 p.m.) — Make “No Kings” protest signs ahead of the National Day of Action on March 28.

Michigan United Action: Money Out of Politics Orientation, (Virtual, 6:30-8 p.m.) — Learn how to get involved with the ballot initiative to get money out of politics.

📣 Have an event to add? Email Abigail Deatrick, The ’Gander’s state organizing coordinator, with details. Please send submissions at least one week before the event.

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Thanks for reading. This newsletter was written by Karel Vega with stories from Kyle Kaminski and Abby Deatrick. It was edited by Brook Bolen.

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