LANSING – In a move to hold lawmakers to higher standards, State Representatives Fred Miller (D-Mount Clemens) and Frank Accavitti (D-Eastpointe) today passed reforms strengthening campaign finance rules that ensure greater public accountability of elected officials.
"We restore integrity to government by bringing common-sense reforms to campaign finance laws and by making elected officials more accountable to citizens," said Miller, the lead sponsor of the bill. "Michigan residents deserve this 'good government' plan that establishes strong penalties for violations of the public trust."
The comprehensive plan amending the Michigan Campaign Finance Act includes:
- Prohibiting a campaign committee from paying a salary to a candidate, which in essence bars candidates from paying themselves. A violation could be punished by a fine up to $10,000.
- Expanding the ban that prohibits a legislator from receiving an honorarium to include all state elected officials.
- Requiring quarterly campaign finance filings so the public knows, in a timely way, who is paying for a candidate's election campaign.
- Requiring that the people or organizations behind automated political phone calls, which are known as "robocalls," to disclose their identities at the beginning of a call.
In addition, the plan takes partisan politics out of the administration of the Campaign Finance Act by turning responsibilities over to the state's Director of Elections. This currently falls to the Secretary of State, a partisan elected official.
"This reform package is about protecting the public's right to know," Accavitti said. "Citizens need to have faith that their elected officials serve them, and not special interests."