LANSING – State Representatives Fred Miller (D-Mount Clemens), Lisa Wojno (D-Warren), Frank Accavitti (D-Eastpointe) and Steve Bieda (D-Warren) today voted in support of a bipartisan plan to restore integrity to the Legislature and state government by requiring elected and appointed officials, as well as statewide candidates, to disclose their financial assets.
"It is an important responsibility and a great privilege to serve the public, and our elected officials should be held to the highest standards," Miller said. "Michigan citizens deserve an open government – a government that works for them, not for special interests. This plan puts citizens first."
A 2004 state-by-state survey by the Center for Public Integrity gave Michigan a failing grade – scoring 0 out of 100 points on a survey of personal financial disclosure regulations for state legislators. The Center for Public Integrity is a non-partisan, Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit organization that studies government ethics issues. Michigan consistently receives the lowest score in the Center's ranking of state disclosure laws.
"This plan will make state government more accountable to citizens," Wojno said. "Many states have these types of full financial disclosure laws, and Michigan took an important step today toward restoring integrity to our own government."
The proposal is part of a package that aims to strengthen integrity in the House.
"I'm proud that this legislation received such bipartisan support," Bieda said. "Democrats and Republicans came together to boost government accountability and restore integrity."
On March 1, the House passed a bill in that package that ends the revolving door policy between lawmakers and lobbyists by prohibiting lawmakers from becoming lobbyists for a year after leaving office. The package also includes bills that will ban state lawmakers from receiving state grants and clarify what constitutes a conflict of interest.
"The government works for the public," Accavitti said. "To make sure this happens with the utmost integrity, it's key that citizens know whether money is influencing the political process."