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State Democrats and Republicans Propose Changes to Voter-Approved Minimum Wage Hikes

Photo: Clara Hendrickson ~ USA TODAY NETWORK 

LANSING, Jan. 9, 2025 ~ During the first week in session, Democrats and Republicans are battling in the Michigan Legislature over how to change minimum wage hikes approved by voters set to take effect early this year.

On Feb. 21, the state’s minimum wage will increase from $10.56 an hour to over $12 an hour, eventually reaching $15 an hour by 2028, while also slowly phasing out the tipped minimum wage to match the regular minimum wage. State House Republicans however introduced bills Wednesday to not only uphold the state’s tipped minimum wage at $3.93 an hour, but also extend the amount of time it will take to reach $15. Democrats introduced a Senate bill that would maintain a separate tipped minimum wage, but increase it to 60% of the regular wage.


PODCAST:

Jan. 9, 2025 ~ State House Republicans and State Senate Democrats have both proposed legislation that would change upcoming laws on paid sick leave and minimum wage. Kevin Dietz, Lloyd Jackson, and Jamie Edmonds talk with State Rep. Joe Aragona (R-Clinton Township) about the push to change the voter-approved laws.


(CONTINUED) The laws currently set to take place were set in a 4-3 ruling from the Michigan Supreme Court last year, which reversed the changes made to the Michigan Paid Sick Leave and Michigan Minimum Wage Increase initiatives by Republican lawmakers in 2018. The laws were ballot initiatives that received enough signatures to be on the ballot that year, but the Republican-led legislature adopted the laws to later water them down in the lame-duck session, sparking outrage that the decision was unconstitutional.


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