LANSING, Mich. (AP) — The Latest on Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder's signing of minimum wage and paid sick leave laws (all times local):
4 p.m.
Democrats are blasting Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder for signing Republican-backed laws to significantly scale back citizen-initiated measures to raise the minimum wage and require paid sick leave for workers.
Rep. Christine Greig on Friday accused the governor of choosing to "rob" people of strong paychecks and good benefits. She calls his move "shameful."
The outgoing Republican governor says signing the bills was the "right policy" for Michigan residents as a whole. He contends a majority of workers will have paid medical leave and Michigan's minimum wage will stay in the top third of states nationally.
The new laws are sure to be challenged legally, because lawmakers have never before adopted citizen initiatives and then altered them in the same legislative session.
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3:10 p.m.
Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder has signed Republican-backed laws to significantly scale back citizen-initiated measures to raise the minimum wage and require paid sick leave for workers.
The term-limited Republican governor's move Friday is sure to prompt a lawsuit over an unprecedented strategy adopted by lame-duck lawmakers.
To prevent the minimum wage and sick time initiatives from going to voters, Republican lawmakers approved them in September so they could be altered after the election. The maneuver is praised by businesses as necessary to protect economic gains but is criticized as an unconstitutional attack on voters' will as Michigan and Wisconsin Republicans are trying to dilute the powers of incoming elected Democrats.
One law slows down a boost in Michigan's minimum wage. The other law exempts smaller businesses from having to provide earned sick days.
