LANSING — Today Senate Bill 353 passed the House on a nearly party-line vote, which would ban local governments from enacting ordinances that protect working Michiganders from unfair employment questions designed to discriminate or limit the salary potential of new employees. In response, state Rep. Fred Durhal III (D-Detroit) issued the following statement.

“Michiganders want better wages and the opportunity to build a better life for themselves and their families. Senate Bill 353 does the opposite, leaving working people behind as it rigs the rules against them and their families. It doesn’t have to be that way. Local governments across the state have developed their own rules to create opportunity for people trying to better themselves or make a fresh start. Yet instead of supporting that innovation and building an economy that gives everyone more freedom to succeed in life, Republicans pushed through Senate Bill 353 which would leave Michiganders stuck where they are. That’s not what my neighbors sent me here to do. I’m going to keep fighting against those who want to rig the rules so that we can instead build opportunity for all.”