Here we are on the brink of a new year.

While we're all preoccupied with what our hopes and goals are for 2023, there are a couple of new laws coming in 2023 that you may have forgotten about. Now, these laws may or may not affect you personally, but, overall, they're bringing positive changes.

Here are the two new major laws taking effect in Michigan in 2023:


1. Automatic Expungement of Records

According to Michigan.gov, as of April 2023, and moving forward, an automated system for expunging convictions will be implemented. That means that those looking to expunge their records won't have to file an application.

The outlines given by Michigan.gov are as follows:

  • Up to two felony convictions will automatically be expunged the later of 10 years after sentencing or the person's release from custody.
  • Up to four misdemeanors will automatically be expunged seven years after sentencing.

There is a list of convictions that will not be eligible for automatic expungement. Those include:

  • assaultive offenses
  • serious misdemeanors
  • convictions that involve a minor, a vulnerable adult, injury or serious impairment of a person, death of a person

And more. See the full list here.

What Does Expungement Actually Do? 

Some may wonder why a person would need their record expunged. The main benefit of expunging a record has to do with employment.

To be clear, expungement is not equivalent to a pardon which shows the crime never happened. Instead, an expungement takes a prior guilty or no contest plea and replaces it with a not guilty plea and dismissal of the case.

With a dismissed criminal case on their record, versus a guilty plea, a person is more employable, can rejoin society as they say, and continue to provide for both themselves and those who might depend on them. Read more here.

2. Increase of the Minimum Wage

I swear I can hear Tom Cruise shouting, "Show me the money!"

While this increase might not be enough to make Tom Cruise shout, there is an increase of the minimum wage set to take place on January 1st of 2023. As of right now, the wage will raise from $9.87 an hour to $10.10 an hour. See what I mean? Not a huge change.

This is a decision that actually goes back to 2018 when legislation was introduced to increase the minimum wage to $12 an hour by 2022 with tipped workers getting at least 80% of the standard minimum wage.

While the legislation was adopted, it was later amended by the Legislature to lower the threshold and, instead, raise the minimum wage to $12.05 an hour by 2030 with tipped workers getting only 38% of the standard minimum wage.

This ruling was appealed but the Court of Claims ordered the stay of this decision until February of 2023.

So, depending on the resolution of the appeal, we may (or may not) see the minimum wage increase even more in 2023. Read more here.

Those are at least two major laws taking effect in 2023 in the state of Michigan. If you'd like to know more about local ordinances and laws taking effect, make sure to contact your town's branch of government.

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