Dear Neighbor,
Here is some information that I hope you will find helpful, including news and resources from your state government.
Bills Enacted to Cut Pay and Sick Time Benefits for Michigan Workers
Last week, I voted no on two bills that will significantly reduce minimum wage increases for tipped workers and worsen lessen sick leave policies in our state. Senate Bill 8 reduces the tipped wage credit to 50% of the minimum wage level over six years and House Bill 4002 reduces sick time protections for Michiganders.
In 2018, the Republican-led Legislature adopted citizen-initiated proposals to increase the state minimum wage, phase out the tipped wage credit for service workers, and allow employees to accumulate paid sick leave. This legislative maneuver ensured that the proposals could not go before voters as intended. In December of 2018, after the election, the Republicans substantially gutted these benefits. The groups who led efforts to get these proposals on the ballot sued. In July 2024, the Michigan Supreme Court decided that the 2018 Legislature acted unconstitutionally. House Republicans introduced House Bills 4001 (the House version of the minimum wage and tipped credit bill) and 4002 as their first pieces of legislation for 2025 to prevent the citizen-initiated versions of these laws from going into effect.
HB 4002 and SB 8 were signed into law on Friday. This means that the minimum wage will increase to $15 by 2027, and the tipped minimum wage will be set at 50 percent of the minimum wage by 2031. While I support increasing the minimum wage, tipped workers cannot be left behind. Employees working for an employer with 11 employees or more will receive 72 hours of paid sick leave annually. Those working for employers with 10 or less will receive 40 hours of paid sick leave, removing the additional 32 unpaid hours included in the Supreme Court ruling.
House Passes Legislation to Stop the “Revolving Door” of Government Officials to Lobbyists
Last week, the House passed legislation (House Bills 4062 – 4064) to create a two-year “cooling off” period before state legislators, the governor, lieutenant governor and state department heads can engage in lobbying after their service has ended. Without a required break between holding office and lobbying, a “revolving door” is created: former lawmakers are able to go straight from their service in the Capitol to the lucrative lobby corps, where they can advocate for the same special interests that previously had issues pending before the Legislature.
I sponsored similar legislation last term (House Bill 5586 of 2024), and I am glad to support this type of reform again. While there is a lot more work to be done to improve government transparency in Michigan, this package is a step in the right direction.
Upcoming Event: Coffee & Conversation at South Lansing Library
I’ll be holding my next Coffee & Conversation event on Monday, March 10, from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m., at the South Lansing Library, 3500 S. Cedar St., in Lansing. You can register for the event and share any questions or topics you would like covered here. See you then!
MI SOS Hosting Free Road to Restoration Clinic to Assist Residents in Getting Driving Privileges Restored
The Michigan Secretary of State will be hosting a Road to Restoration Clinic from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Tuesday, March 11, at Union Missionary Baptist Church, 500 S. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd., in Lansing. The free in-person clinic will give residents the opportunity to meet one-on-one with Michigan Department of State staff and volunteer attorneys to determine the steps necessary to reinstate their driver’s license. Register for the event at Michigan.gov/R2R.
Sincerely,
Kara Hope
State Representative
In Case You Missed It…
Annual Return Deadline for Sales, Use and Withholding Taxes is Feb. 28
All businesses with sales, use and withholding tax obligations must file their annual return by February 28. The Michigan Department of Treasury is encouraging eligible businesses to file electronically through Michigan Treasury Online. Taxpayers with less than $10 million in gross receipts and no allowable deductions or exemptions can take advantage of the Sales, Use and Withholding Taxes EZ Annual Return. This is available exclusively at Michigan Treasury Online.
Create a personal user profile to file at Michigan Treasury Online here. More information is available at michigan.gov/taxes.