News & Commentary

The ACLU of Michigan is tracking hundreds of legal cases and pieces of legislation that impact your civil liberties at any given moment, covering all concerns from free speech to government abuse. That's why we like to point out a few cases that made the news each week, to keep our members and supporters up to date on threats in your neighborhood.

Jacques: Michigan Laws Make Criminals of Us All (Detroit News) Because of Michigan's extensive penal code, however, many everyday activities can cross over into the crime category — putting too many innocent individuals at risk of committing a "crime." A report that came out last fall highlighted just how egregious the situation is in Michigan, and showed how this state's criminal code outpaces its Midwest neighbors.

State Departments Prepare to Extend Benefits to 323 Gay Couples Married in Michigan (Mlive) Jay Kaplan, a staff attorney for the ACLU of Michigan who worked on the marriage recognition case, said it is "hard to enumerate" all of the state benefits that those couples - whose marriages were already recognized by the federal government -- will now be entitled to. A lot of the new benefits are "practical things," said Kaplan, such as the ability to easily change a last name on a driver's license or qualify as a beneficiary on a spouse's state pension. (ALSO: Detroit Free Press, Detroit News)

Last week, a federal judge ruled that Michigan must recognize the marriages of more than 300 couples who legally wed after Michigan’s marriage ban was struck down in March.

While we’re certainly not shy at the ACLU of Michigan about making our voice heard, there are still many instances in which our work doesn’t always get widespread public recognition we hope for.

We did it! Together, we stopped the so-called Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA).

We just got word that the Senate may vote on the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) bill before session ends today. Some legislators are getting desperate, which is why they’re expected to sneak it into a deal on an unrelated bill.

Four religions were represented at my family’s Thanksgiving table last week. As I looked around the dining room, I was reminded that one of the things I’m most grateful for is that the Constitution protects not only the right to believe — or to not believe — but also the right to express ideas about faith.

This week will determine whether or not gay and transgender Michiganders are protected from discrimination.