Michigan High Court Hears Arguments On Legality Of Minimum Wage, Sick Laws

LANSING (CBS DETROIT/AP) — The Michigan Supreme Court is considering the legality of Republican lawmakers' unprecedented maneuver to significantly scale back minimum wage increases and paid sick leave requirements that began as ballot drives.

Justices heard arguments Wednesday.

Solicitor General Fadwa Hammoud said the Legislature's 2018 strategy — known as adopt-and-amend — was "outright" unconstitutional and a "slap in the face to the people." A lawyer for the House and Senate said nothing in the state constitution prevents the tactic.

To prevent the measures from going to the electorate in November, after which they would have been much harder to change if voters had passed them, Republican legislators approved them in September so they could be made more business-friendly after the election with simple majority votes and the signature of then-Gov. Rick Snyder.

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