(WXMI) — Lawmakers both in the State House and State Senate have put forth several bill packages that would establish Michigan’s first collection of financial disclosure laws.
The legislation would officially make Proposal 1 state law, which voters approved with 66% of the vote last November.
Senators introduced their legislation Tuesday (SB 613-616), and the House followed suit with their own package Wednesday (HB 5248-5258).
Democratic State Rep. Phil Skaggs, who represents East Grand Rapids, tells us their bill package eliminates the spousal loophole, which is not included in the Senate version. In other words, spouses of elected officials and candidates would also be required to submit financial disclosure reports.
"We should not create laws that have gaping loopholes in them that really make a mockery of proposal one, and the clear desire of the vast majority of voters to have real disclosure from us," Rep. Skaggs said.
The newly proposed legislation would also impose harsher penalties for issuing false or unfinished reports compared to the Senate package.
The Senate’s bill package would fine up to $1,000 while the House’s would fine up to $10,000.
However, Representative Skaggs tells us the real penalty is not the monetary aspect.
“The penalty here really is the voters,” says Skaggs. “That's why we included candidates and these bills, even though they weren't directly referenced in the constitutional amendment that passed, because voters are at their strongest when they can hold us accountable during elections.”
Skaggs says the law would apply to the governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, attorney general and others, such as state representatives, senators, members of the Board of Education and university boards.
The law would also apply to any candidates running for those positions.
The bills haven’t been referred to a specific committee yet, but a Dec. 31 deadline is just around the corner. Otherwise, state residents may file complaints with the state supreme court.
