Michigan House Passes Right To Work

The Senate is still considering a similar bill

Republicans in the House voted through legislation this afternoon to make Michigan the 24th state with a right-to-work law, while the Senate continued debate on a similar, but separate, bill.

The House vote fell mostly along party lines, 58-52, with all Democrats and some Republicans opposing it. Democratic House floor leader Kate Segal, D-Battle Creek, said she would ask to reconsider the vote during the next day of session, but that decision will be up to Speaker Jase Bolger, R-Marshall.

Prior to the vote, the 46-member Democratic caucus walked out of the chamber in protest to the Capitol not being opened to the public, despite an injunction by an Ingham County Court judge. Democrats retreated to their caucus room and the hallway behind the chamber, before leaving the Capitol in an attempt to escort the public inside. Several Democrats said they were locked out temporarily, which initially prevented them from casting their votes. The legislators and the public were ultimately let back in the building around 4:30 p.m.