The Senate approved changes opponents say gut the bills 26-12.
LANSING, MI – The Michigan Senate on Wednesday made changes to the paid sick time and minimum wage laws over the objections of Democratic lawmakers and the groups who spearheaded the initiatives.
In September, the Republican-led legislature adopted the measures instead of letting them go to the ballot. Doing so meant they could come back and amend them with a simple majority, instead of the two-thirds vote it would have taken to make changes passed at the ballot box.
The Senate made big changes to both measures in a quick-moving process on Wednesday, approving major changes in an 8:15 a.m. Senate Government Operations Committee and passing the bills on the floor before 1 p.m.
The full chamber approved the changes Wednesday over the objections of Democrats like Sen. Curtis Hertel, D-East Lansing.
« I will not support a blatant violation of our democracy, a violation of our constitution, » Hertel said.
He said the lawmakers were essentially ripping democracy away from the people in contradiction to the constitutional provisions allowing citizens to seek legislative initiatives.
