Dear Friends:

Thank you for the opportunity to serve you and provide updates about what is going on at Michigan’s Capitol.

I am the state senator for the 18th District – covering all of Barry County and parts of Allegan, Calhoun, Kalamazoo, Kent and Ionia counties. Please feel free to contact me with any issues related to state government at [email protected], or by calling 517-373-1734 (toll-free at 855-347-8018).

Sincerely,

Thomas Albert
State Senator

A recent Michigan Supreme Court ruling related to minimum wage and mandatory paid sick leave will affect many workers and businesses across the state. It arguably would have the most negative consequences for the restaurant industry — likely resulting in layoffs, closings and higher menu prices.

The court decision relates to what many call the “adopt and amend” case. In September 2018, the Legislature adopted citizen-initiated legislation related to minimum wage increases and paid sick leave. A few months later, the Legislature amended the proposal. The Supreme Court last month ruled this was unconstitutional and laid out a timeline for implementing several changes.

Right now, minimum wage in Michigan is $10.33 per hour. An exception to this rule is for tipped-wage employees — 38% of their wages currently comes from their employer and the rest they make up on tips. Restaurant servers often make more than minimum wage under this system.

The court ruled that the tip credit should be phased out beginning next year and ending in 2029. This means employers would have to pay servers the full minimum wage, which in 2029 could top $15 an hour depending upon inflationary adjustments — up from the $3.93 an hour that restaurants themselves currently pay tipped employees. Many restaurants and servers say this will be a disaster for the industry, and they fear thousands of employees could lose their jobs. It’s also likely that menu prices will be substantially higher and customer tipping patterns will change.

I am working on a legislative proposal that would keep Michigan’s tipped wage structure in place. It has worked well for decades, and we cannot let this court decision upend an entire industry. I am hopeful Republicans and Democrats can come together and avoid this disaster before court-ordered changes start being implemented early next year.

Last month, the Natural Resources Commission met and adopted some new deer hunting regulations. While most of the changes don’t take effect until after the 2024 season ends, there are some noteworthy rules for the upcoming season including early 2025.

There will be an extended antlerless deer season for parts of the Lower Peninsula, running from Jan. 2-12, 2025. This includes all counties in the 18th Senate District. The NRC also approved the use of any legal firearm in the northern half of the Lower Peninsula during muzzleloader season.

Baiting regulations remain unchanged from 2023. Antler point restrictions, with the exception of Deer Management Unit 122 in the Upper Peninsula, also remain unchanged. A summary of the updates that apply to the fall 2024 hunting season can be found here.

The much larger concern, in my opinion, is looking ahead to the 2025 season. The NRC voted to dramatically change the youth hunt in 2025 and restrict it to antlerless deer only. This change — which would affect both the Liberty and Independence hunts — would reduce interest in hunting and the overall deer harvest.

I am working on legislation designed to stop this change from taking effect in 2025. I do not believe the NRC, which is an unelected board appointed by the governor, should have such unilateral power in the first place.

Our nation’s immigration policies affect local communities and make every state a “border state” in some ways. Securing our borders and enforcing our laws are an important part of maintaining public safety.

Border policy is a federal matter, but state policies are important in addressing the consequences of illegal immigration if those federal policies fail. I recently introduced legislation — Senate Bills 968 and 969 — to strengthen Michigan’s policies.

State and local law enforcement officials would be required to make reasonable efforts to determine the immigration status of individuals before releasing them from jail. Local and state officers also would participate in federal training aimed at assisting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement efforts, and grants would be provided to support these training efforts in Michigan.

OK2SAY is Michigan’s nationally recognized prevention-based student safety reporting system. The program allows students to confidentially report threatening behavior and empowers students to prevent violence and make their schools safer.

According to the OK2SAY 2023 Annual Report, more than 50,000 tips have been reported since the program was launched in 2014. In 2023, a total of 9,686 tips were reported involving such issues as bullying, threats of suicide, drugs, and sexual assault or misconduct.

Anyone can report tips on criminal activities or potential harm directed at students, school employees, or schools. The hotline is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year by phone, text, email or through the OK2SAY mobile app. Tips can be reported by:

More information is available online, including resources for schools, age-appropriate presentations, and resources for students who need additional support.