February 17, 2025

Saluti Law Medi

Rule it with System

Michigan Supreme Court rules against Legislature in adopt, amend case

Michigan Supreme Court rules against Legislature in adopt, amend case

The Michigan Supreme Court ruled 4-3 on Wednesday the state Legislature lacked the authority to adopt and amend petition language for a pair of ballot initiatives in 2018 that aimed to increase the state’s minimum wage scale and expand earned sick time for workers.

Justices said the “adopt and amend” tactic is unconstitutional because the Legislature circumvented the petition initiative process in 2018. Under the opinion issued Wednesday, increases to Michigan’s standard minimum wage, tipped minimum wage and an expansion of the state’s earned sick time laws are slated to take effect in February.

“We hold that this decision to adopt the initiatives and then later amend them in the same legislative session (what has been referred to as “adopt-and-amend”) violated the people’s constitutionally guaranteed right to propose and enact laws through the initiative process,” justices wrote in a majority opinion.