Secretary of State offices looking to expand appointments.

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and Democratic lawmakers want $25 million to hire more staff and pay overtime to expand appointments and hours at branch offices facing a backlog of transactions due to the coronavirus pandemic. The spending, if approved by the Republican-controlled Legislature, would add 500,000 appointment slots from July through September, the end of the fiscal year. The funds would come from federal COVID-19 relief aid. The backlog was caused by a 13-month grace period for driver’s license and ID renewals in the pandemic. Republicans appear unlikely to allocate additional funding unless Benson again allow walk-in visits.