LANSING — Conservative and right-leaning groups say they’re hoping for an uneventful lame duck session in the state Legislature, with a focus on a response to Michigan’s upcoming wage and sick time policy changes.
“We’re hopeful that this will be a quick lame duck, and that it really will be focused on fixing the earned sick time and minimum wage laws,” said Wendy Block, senior VP of business management for the Michigan Chamber.
“We believe it’s incumbent on lawmakers to come together in a bipartisan way before the end of the year to fix this, and to make sure it doesn’t turn into a huge mess in early 2025 and really impact Michigan’s economy,” she said.
Block says that pushing the issue until January would complicate the enactment of any policy changes, with the new requirements going into effect Feb. 21.
“By the time they’re basically ready to vote on this, the law will have gone into effect,” she said. “We just think that would be hugely disruptive, where you have one law going into effect and then the Legislature subsequently acting to put a different law in place. It just doesn’t really make sense for businesses or their workers.”
John Sellek of Save MI Tips says that lawmakers on both sides should prioritize a response to the upcoming changes, which many workers and business-owners say could lead to lower take-home pay and disruption for restaurants.
“If we learned anything from this last election, it’s that economics are what’s driving a lot of decision making right now,” he said. “This is an issue of economics and income for these workers.”
In 2025, once Republicans retake control of the House, advocates say they’re hoping for bipartisan action on issues like economic support for working families, expanding housing accessibility and increasing funding for road work.
“To go without new road funding is just not an option. That’s gotta get done,” Sellek said. “So I suspect we’re gonna see something there. I think we’re going to see a lot of talk about education policy. House Republicans ran on restoring spending to safety programs in our schools that were that were caught in the last few years.”
Republicans would still need to have any legislation approved by the Democratic-controlled Senate and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.
“As far as progress goes, divided government doesn’t have to mean gridlock — and voters selected divided government,” Sellek said.
For more on what liberal groups are expecting in the coming weeks, check here.