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State Senator Pol Henke briefs Westland council on recent Michigan laws and pending bills
Summary
Senator Pol Henke told the Westland City Council about recent state legislation on earned sick time, minimum wage increases, changes to unemployment benefits, and elimination of certain statutes of limitations. She also described a set of bills being held by the state House speaker and potential litigation.
State Senator Pol Henke gave a legislative update to the Westland City Council at its March 17 meeting, summarizing several laws enacted by the Michigan Legislature and describing outstanding bills her caucus is trying to deliver to the governor.
Pol Henke told the council that new state law requires larger employers (10 or more employees) to provide 72 hours of earned sick time to full-time employees; smaller employers (fewer than 10 employees) must provide a minimum of 40 hours to full-time employees. She said the state minimum wage will rise to $15 per hour by 2027, phased in over time.
Pol Henke also described changes to unemployment benefits. She said the maximum weekly benefit will increase over time from $362 toward $614 and that the eligible claim period was increased to 26 weeks.
On criminal statutes, Pol Henke said the legislature eliminated the statute of limitations for certain sexual and physical criminal conduct in second and third degree offenses; she framed the change as allowing indictments "at any time regardless of the age of the alleged victim."
Pol Henke said she chaired a committee that heard testimony on some of these measures and that several items originated as ballot initiatives but were enacted by the legislature instead. She also described a separate set of roughly nine bills the new speaker of the Michigan House has withheld from enrollment and delivery to the governor; her caucus has filed suit to compel delivery and she said the matter may reach the Michigan Supreme Court.
Pol Henke concluded her remarks by noting upcoming local events where she would be available for constituents, including a town hall with Congresswoman Dingell and a coffee hour in Inkster. The council did not take action on the senator’s report; members of the public later continued to the council’s regular agenda.
