This week, the Michigan House voted to approve a proposal to put restrictions on campaign donations by public-backed utilities and large corporations. Named the Michiganders for Money out of Politics, the citizen-initiated law received more than half a million signatures on its petition.
The Proposal:
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- Bans political contributions from regulated utilities.
- Bans corporations that hold or seek state or local contracts over $250,000 from funding political campaigns.
Next Steps:
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- If the Michigan Senate votes to approve, it would become law.
- If the Senate doesn’t take action, it would be placed on this November’s general election ballot for Michigan voters.
- Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks (D-Grand Rapids) has publicly stated the chamber won’t hold a vote.
- If a citizen-initiated law is approved by the legislature, it could amend it with a simple majority vote. However, if approved by Michigan voters, it would require a two-thirds vote in the future to amend it.
