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Southwest Michigan Today: Wednesday September 5, 2018

State Capitol - file photo. Photo by Cheyna Roth, Michigan Public Radio Network
Cheyna Roth
/
Michigan Public Radio Network
The Michigan Capitol building in Lansing where the State House recently passed a proposal that would allow residents to formally reject discriminatory language in housing deeds.

Democrats in the state Legislature call for action on PFAS's. Charter School groups object to proposed new rules on counting students in charter schools. A northern Michigan lawmaker pays a fine for bringing his gun to an airport. 

(MPRN) Michigan’s Democratic lawmakers are demanding the state Legislature take action on contaminated groundwater found across the state. The Legislature is back from its summer break this week, with its first day of voting Wednesday. Democrats say now is the time to strengthen PFAS water quality standards. PFAS are a man-made family of chemicals that have been used in things like fire-fighting foam. They’ve been popping up in groundwater in communities around the state. Republicans say they have been working on the PFAS problem. Representative Laura Cox chairs the House Appropriations Committee. She said she’s had meetings with scientists and experts and included money to help with PFAS in the state’s budget.

(Michigan Radio) Charter school groups and state lawmakers are complaining about how the Michigan Department of Education plans to count students enrolling in cyber schools. A Department spokesman says according to the law an online school can’t enroll a student if there are less than eleven hundred hours left in the school year. Non-traditional schools fear a change in the way the department counts students for state funding purposes may discourage online schools from enrolling new students after the school year begins.

(Interlochen Public Radio) One of Michigan’s top Republican lawmakers has been fined for bringing an unregistered gun to the airport. Lee Chatfield was caught with the gun at the Pellston Regional Airport in July. Chatfield admitted responsibility and paid a $250 fine in Emmet County. Now, it’s up to the TSA to decide if they’ll fine him as well. The Emmet County prosecutor has said he will not file criminal charges in this case.