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Bill

SR 21

A resolution to designate March 25, 2025, as Equal Pay Day.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Rosemary Bayer and 5 co-sponsors

Designates March 25, 2025 as Equal Pay Day to raise awareness of persistent gender pay gaps (especially for women of color); ceremonial, no new rights or rules.

ADOPTED
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Bill Summary · SR 21

SR 21 — Designating March 25, 2025 as “Equal Pay Day” (Senate Resolution)

Status: Adopted (Senate) — Adopted March 19, 2025
Type: Senate resolution (ceremonial, non‑binding)
Primary sponsor: Senator Mary Cavanagh; co-sponsors listed in the enrolled resolution include Senators Bayer, Chang, Geiss, McMorrow, and Santana.

Purpose and intent

SR 21 formally designates March 25, 2025, as “Equal Pay Day.” The resolution’s intent is to raise public awareness about persistent pay and wealth disparities affecting women — especially women of color — and to encourage Michigan residents to recognize the value of women’s contributions to the workforce and economy.

Key findings cited in the resolution

  • It has been 62 years since the 1963 Equal Pay Act; pay gaps persist despite subsequent civil‑rights laws.
  • Using 2019 U.S. Census median earnings for full‑time, year‑round workers, women on average earned about $0.82 for every $1.00 earned by men.
  • Wage gaps are larger for Black, Native American, Latina, and some Asian American and Pacific Islander women.
  • Over a career, wage disparities reduce retirement savings, Social Security benefits, and pensions; the resolution cites women owning only $0.32 for every $1.00 owned by men.
  • The COVID‑19 pandemic exacerbated disparities: Michigan labor‑force participation among women fell by nearly 6% versus less than 1% for men.

What the resolution does (Key provisions)

  • Officially designates March 25, 2025 as Equal Pay Day for the legislative body that adopted it.
  • Encourages Michigan’s citizens to recognize the full value of women’s skills and contributions to the labor force.
  • Serves as a public statement to highlight pay equity issues; it does not create new legal rights, funding, or regulatory obligations.

Who is affected

  • Directly: symbolic recognition for women workers and advocacy organizations focused on pay equity.
  • Indirectly: employers, policymakers, labor and community groups — the resolution aims to inform public discussion and may be used to promote local awareness events or policy proposals addressing pay gaps.

Procedural/timeline notes

  • Introduced and adopted by the Senate in March 2025 (adopted March 19, 2025, per enrolled resolution).
  • As a simple/adopted Senate resolution, it is ceremonial only and carries no enforcement mechanism; it may be used to encourage outreach, education, and future legislative or administrative action on pay equity.

Potential impact

SR 21 primarily functions as an awareness and advocacy tool: it elevates pay equity as a public priority in Michigan, may catalyze events or informational campaigns on March 25, 2025 (Equal Pay Day), and can provide political cover or momentum for subsequent policy proposals addressing wage gaps.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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