LANSING — Today, the House of Representatives voted on the One Fair Wage and MI Time to Care citizen ballot initiatives, which would increase the minimum wage and guarantee paid sick leave for all, respectively. The proposals passed. In response, state Rep. Tenisha Yancey (D-Harper Woods) issued the following statement:
“Securing stronger paychecks and good benefits for working families is something I have fought for since day one. The hundreds of thousands of Michiganders who signed the petitions for these initiatives are with me in that fight. However, I could not in good conscience vote for proposals now that I know Republicans intend to gut later on, in effect silencing the voices of Michigan voters. I can’t think if any other reason that republicans would choose to take this ballot initiative up besides the fact they won’t need as many votes to amend it and control it later. Now that the initiatives have passed it is my intention to hold my colleagues accountable to leaving the proposals whole and unstriped, and not allow for the initiatives to be gutted and rob the people of Michigan of stronger paychecks and good benefits.”