Updates About Lower Court Rulings

The U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon has issued an order extending the grace period for implementing new SNAP benefits distribution rules. This extension prevents the federal government from imposing financial penalties on states and allows SNAP programs to continue operating as the case moves forward. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel joined 21 other state attorneys general in the lawsuit back in November.

See related news on the latest SNAP benefits here:

AG DANA NESSEL LEADS DUAL LEGAL FIGHTS OVER FEDERAL SNAP AND HOUSING ROLLBACKS

FEDERAL JUDGE ORDERS PARTIAL SNAP PAYMENTS AMID ONGOING SHUTDOWN

GOVERNOR, MICHIGAN LEGISLATURE SEEK TO PROVIDE SNAP FUNDING

Recently, the United States Supreme Court (SCOTUS) refused to hear Kim Davis v. David Ermold, where Davis had hoped the Court would overturn a lower court’s decision awarding damages to a same sex couple that Davis refused to issue a marriage license to while working as a court clerk. Davis also requested that the Court overturn Obergefell v. Hodges, the Supreme Court case that established marriage equality for same-sex couples.

Among those celebrating the decision was Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, who is the state’s first openly LGBTQ+ individual elected to a statewide office. In a statement released shortly after the Court announced they would not be taking on the case, Nessel expressed relief but gave a warning: this is only a battle won, and to secure lasting victory against other efforts to overturn Obergefell, Michigan must change the state Constitution to protect marriage equality.

Recently, the Michigan Court of Appeals ruled that the nine remaining bills from the 2023-2024 legislature must be sent to Governor Whitmer for a signing decision. The court upheld that the state Constitution requires presentation of the bills and ordered the House to abide by the ruling. The court ruled that while the Michigan Constitution does not set a strict schedule for the House to present a bill, the Constitution does state that once passed the mandatory next step for a bill passed by both chambers is to be presented in front of the governor.

House Speaker Matt Hall (R-Richland Township) had refused to present the bills, arguing that the current House was unable to do so because they were passed under a former Legislature. One of the nine bills now set for presentment is one that would require governments to pay more of their employees’ health insurance premiums.