Murphy seeks Legislature to increase organ donors

In an effort to increase organ donation in Michigan, Rep. Michael Murphy, D-Lansing, reintroduced a pair of bills to amend the state's public health codes.

The suggested changes would grant patient advocates legal power to make an anatomical gift and allow for a driver's license or state-issued identification card to be a valid document of gift.

"There have been situations when a person's expressed desire to make an organ or tissue donation was not adhered to because of a family member's refusal to do so," Murphy said in a written statement.

Donations have also been called off because the patient advocate's legal authority end when the potential donor dies, he said.

The Health Policy Committee is currently reviewing the bills.

Land use council formed to discuss urban sprawl

Concerned with the effects of urban sprawl on Michigan's natural resources, Gov. Jennifer Granholm announced the formation of a bipartisan Michigan Land Use Leadership Council last week.

A number of leaders in the Legislature have endorsed the council, including Senate Majority Leader Ken Sikkema, R-Wyoming, and House Democratic Leader Dianne Byrum, D-Onondaga. Granholm said she is pleased to see bipartisan support for such an important issue.

The council will offer the governor and the Legislature recommendations to reduce the damage to Michigan's environment and economy by land use trends.

Local, state elections may soon allow vote-by-mail

Sen. Liz Brater, D-Ann Arbor, introduced a bill Thursday that would allow Michigan voters to vote by mail in local and statewide elections.

Rather than voters going to the polls to cast ballots on Election Day, the mail voting process would automatically mail ballots to every registered voter. Voters then mail their ballot to the designated elections office to be counted.

The process would allow for voters to have more time to review ballots, which could result in more aware and educated voters.

Vote-by-mail has had consistent success in Oregon since the '90s. Oregon's voter turnout was substantially higher than Michigan's in the 2002 general election, reaching 69.1 percent compared to Michigan's 47.3 percent.