LANSING, Mich., Aug. 1, 2024 — The Michigan Supreme Court ruled that the Legislature adopting two citizen-initiated laws and amending them in the same session in 2018 was unconstitutional. The two proposals would have increased minimum wage and provided earned paid sick leave for Michigan workers. The laws will now take effect in their original forms in February. Following the ruling, state Rep. Kara Hope (D-Holt) issued the following statement:
“This Michigan Supreme Court decision rights an injustice to Michigan workers; it is a decisive win for the workers’ rights movement and democracy. The legislative Republican majority in 2018 ignored clear warnings that adopting and later amending the citizen-initiated laws was unconstitutional. The blame for this brazen ‘legislative mischief,’ as the court calls it, lies squarely with the Republicans who were in charge in 2018. The wage increase and paid leave laws will finally reflect the will of the people, and the court’s decision holds employers harmless as it only applies prospectively. More money in workers’ pockets means more income to spend in the local economy; this benefits business, workers and the community as a whole.”
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