Michigan Supreme Court to hear arguments on 'adopt-and-amend'

The Michigan Supreme Court hears arguments on Thursday, over whether lawmakers violated the state Constitution when they used the "adopt-and-amend" tactic on a 2018 minimum wage initiative. (Carlos Osorio/AP)

Michigan Supreme Court justices are set to hear arguments Thursday morning in a case involving a controversial legislative bait-and-switch tactic known as "adopt-and-amend."

The "adopt" part involves lawmakers taking advantage of a provision in the state constitution that allows the Legislature to adopt ballot initiative language into law before it has a chance to go before voters. The initiative then comes off the ballot, since it no longer needs a vote on Election Day — it's already law.