Michigan lawmakers push bipartisan ethics reform package

(The Center Square) – Michigan’s lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are pushing to reform a wide range of ethics and transparency rules, deeming it a “top priority” in the next month.

A 2015 study by The Center for Public Integrity ranked Michigan last in the nation for legislative accountability.

“When you get outside of the small Lansing and Capitol community and tell people back home how their state government operates, you really see how bizarre some of our rules are and why so many people are losing their faith in government,” House Speaker Jason Wentworth, R-Clare, said in a statement.

“We must do better and hold ourselves to a higher standard,” Wentworth continued. “We must listen to the people who sent us here and understand why they are losing faith. That is why ethics reform has been one of my top priorities, and why we are all working together now to raise the bar in state government and make our entire system more open, honest and accountable to the people we serve.”

Some bills have already been introduced, including expanding the Freedom of Information Act to include Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and lawmakers. Another change would require a two-thirds vote for legislation passed during lame duck session — the end of session when some are about to exit their seat— because many people feel outgoing lawmakers can’t be held accountable for their votes, including for controversial bills.

Rep. Pamela Hornberger, R-Chesterfield Township, sponsored HB 4001 to prohibit lawmakers from voting on legislation that could personally benefit themselves or family members.

“The people are asked too often to simply trust that elected officials are acting in the public interest and holding themselves accountable. That’s a failed, unacceptable system,” House Minority Leader Donna Lasinski, D-Scio Twp, said in a statement.

“These reforms represent meaningful, if incremental, steps that will help restore citizens’ faith in our government by increasing transparency and demanding high ethical standards from public servants,” Lasinski added. “It’s long past time to stop talking about reform in Lansing and start taking action. I look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to see that these reforms become law.”

Other proposed reforms, which were developed over two years in consultation with the group Voters Not Politicians, include:

New penalties for illegal giftsLobbying disclosuresNew penalties for legislators who fail to show up for the job or act unethicallyFinancial disclosures for lawmakers and state officersClosing the “revolving door” for legislators and heads of departmentsPermanent, equally bipartisan ethics committees in the Legislature to investigate public complaints and ensure compliance.

“For too long, Michigan has lacked even basic laws that give voters the information we need to know how politicians make decisions and whether they are serving our interests,” Nancy Wang, the executive director of Voters Not Politicians, said in a statement.

“That’s why for two years, Voters Not Politicians has worked with the leaders of both parties to build support for a comprehensive package of ethics, transparency, and accountability reforms,” Wang said. “We expect and encourage our legislators to work together in a bipartisan manner to pass these reforms into law as swiftly as possible. These bills won’t solve all of the problems in Lansing, but they will be an important first step to put us on the right track to ensure our politicians are accountable to us.”

The reforms announced will be introduced later this week and discussed in committee beginning next week.

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