Updates About Legislation

On July 19, Court of Claims Judge Douglas Shapiro ruled in Mothering Justice vs. Dana Nessel that the Legislature violated the Michigan Constitution when, in 2018, it amended two citizen initiatives. One initiative would raise the minimum wage to $12 per hour over a period of years with an inflation adjustment in place once the maximum was reached. It would also eliminate the lower tipped minimum wage. A separate initiative would allow employees to earn one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked up to a maximum of 72 hours per year.

Prior to the 2018 election, the Republican-led legislature took up and passed the two ballot proposals, thus preventing them from going before voters. After the election, the Legislature then voted to amend the ballot proposals, effectively limiting the pool of employers subject to the law to those with 50 or more employees and reducing the sick time hours that could be earned.

The judge ruled that nothing in the Michigan Constitution empowers the Legislature to adopt and amend an initiative petition in the same legislative session, and that doing so effectively undermines the ability of voters to decide.

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel and other groups like the AFL-CIO praised the order. While several groups from the business community, including the Michigan Chamber of Commerce and the Michigan Restaurant and Lodging Association, warned the ruling could have a crippling effect on employers and employees.

A stay is expected to be filed. Business groups may also choose to appeal.

In the early hours of July 1, the Michigan State Legislature passed House Bill 5783, the general omnibus appropriations bill for Fiscal Year 2023. In the general omnibus, the state appropriated $58.4 billion, with $33.3 billion of that being the Health and Human Services budget. The School Aid Fund budget, Senate Bill 845, allocated $22.1 billion, bringing the state’s total appropriations to a historic $76 billion. The Executive Office and Legislative leaders celebrated the passing of the budget before the statutory July 1 deadline.

While an over $2 billion supplemental spending measure for FY 21-22 accompanied the budget, approximately $7 billion remains on the table for future spending, with $3.8 billion in General Fund and $3.3 billion in School Aid Fund. Further discussions around tax cuts and other supplemental appropriations measures are expected in the late summer/early fall.

All FY 23 appropriations materials can be found here.

On Friday, June 10, Governor Whitmer signed House Bill 6012, legislation to, among other things, provide supplemental appropriations to Oxford High School following the devastating shooting that occurred on November 30, 2021.

Sponsored by Representative Pamela Hornberger (R-Chesterfield), a former public-school teacher, the funding aims to implement risk assessments to identify campus safety and determine where further investments are needed as well as ensure emergency plans and protocols are effective. A total of $14 million will be awarded to all schools for $2000 grants to complete comprehensive safety and security assessments. The bill also provides direct funding to Oxford Community Schools to hire mental health professionals, enhance security, and other student supports.