New Michigan Laws Going Into Effect This Month – What You Need to Know

Several new laws will be going into effect in Michigan later this month, with significant changes to gun control, labor laws, and environmental protection. Here's what you need to know.

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Michigan's new minimum wage has already gone into effect, raising the state's minimum hourly pay rate by nearly a quarter. That increase took effect on January 1, 2024.

New Michigan Laws Going Into Effect in February

The balance of Michigtan's new laws will take effect on February 13, 2024, which is 90 days after the legislature's final session of 2023.

Michigan's Prevailing Wage Act

Michigan's Prevailing Wage Act (repealed in 2018) will be restored, meaning that contractors hired by the state of Michigan will be required to pay their employees union wages.

Michigan Will No Longer be a 'Right to Work' State

Michigan became a 'Right to Work' state in 2012, and after more than a decade, that legislation is being repealed.

This means that workers in unionized workplaces will no longer be able to opt out of paying union dues. Experts believe that this move will strengthen unions in Michigan, therefore protecting more workers' rights and giving unionized workers more job security.

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Three New Michigan Gun Laws

Gun owners will be required to lock their weapons up under Michigan's new Safe Storage Law.

Anyone purchasing a firearm at a gun show or through a private sale will need to pass a background check.

Michigan's Red Flag law is intended to disarm those with a propensity for violence who may have mental health problems or a history of threatening others.

Elliot-Larsen Act Expansion

The expansion of the Elliot-Larsen Act will provide protection for members of the LGBTQ+ community from discrimination based on sexual orientation or identity. This act will provide protection when it comes to employment, housing, education, and access to accommodation.

Michigan Teen Pre-Registration

This new law will allow 16-year-old students to pre-register to vote to be ready to cast their ballots once they turn 18.

Third-Grad Reading Law Repealed

Under Michigan's 2016 Third-Grade Reading Law, schools were required to hold students back if they were deemed more than one year behind in reading and writing development.

Under the new law, schools will not be required to hold students back but will provide parents with intervention options.

Bold Energy Plan

In 2024, the Michigan Public Service Commission will begin planning large-scale solar power projects in an effort to meet the 2040 deadline for our state to produce all of its energy from clean sources.

This list was originally compiled by Detroit's WJBK-TV. For more details on any law taking effect in Michigan in 2024, follow this link.