NEWS RELEASE
SENATOR JOHN DAMOOSE
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LANSING, Mich. — State Sen. John Damoose, R-Harbor Springs, issued the following statement after the Senate voted to send reforms to the impending sick leave law and legislation to preserve Michigan’s tip credit to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer:
“We had months and months and months to do this, yet here we are at the eleventh hour rushing to get this done. Issues of this magnitude deserve significant consideration, and Democratic leadership kicking the can down the road not only pushed this issue to the last minute, but it also sent a message to the people who asked their lawmakers to do something that their concerns weren’t a top priority.
“I was happy to see the tip credit get the attention it deserved late last week, but business owners, by and large, are far more concerned with what the overbearing sick leave changes would have meant for them. Because of that, I made my position clear: I would not support any proposals without a reform to the sick time law. Business owners in my district made their concerns abundantly clear and my vote was going to reflect that.
“While I am disappointed with the timeline of these changes, we were able to finalize a bipartisan agreement that brought everyone to the table. The deal wasn’t perfect, but what I can guarantee is that the solution we reached is far better than what would have happened had the Legislature chosen not to act.
“I’ll be patiently waiting for the governor’s signature this evening. I hope she chooses to join the bipartisan deal and do her part to prevent the economic devastation these new laws would have undoubtedly caused.”
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