State Rep. Betsy Coffia (D-Traverse City), speaks at the BRITE Act press conference that was held on March 13, 2024, at the House Office Building in Lansing.

LANSING, Mich., Sept. 25, 2024 — A bill part of the Bring Reforms in Integrity, Transparency and Ethics (BRITE) Act package, which state Rep. Betsy Coffia (D-Traverse City) is a lead sponsor on, passed out of the House today. House Bill 5583, sponsored by state Rep. Erin Byrnes (D-Dearborn), would amend the Michigan Campaign Finance Act to allow the Secretary of State to apply to Ingham County Circuit Court for injunctive relief for alleged violations of the act. This will allow the Secretary of State to act in real-time on campaign finance violations and abuses.

“I am delighted to see this bill take another step forward, passing the house,” Coffia said, sponsor of another bill in the package, House Bill 5585. “By passing this bill, we are strengthening our state’s ethics and transparency. I am hopeful that other bills in the package be passed so that Michigan can have a brighter tomorrow.”

HB 5583 is part of a seven-bill package known as the BRITE Act, which aims to close Michigan’s many loopholes in transparency and oversight laws. Other bills in the package are:

  • HBs 5580 and 5582 would require that 527 and 501(c)(4) nonprofits that are affiliated with state officials and candidate committees register their accounts with the Secretary of State.
  • HB 5581 and HB 5584 would limit the value of permissible gifts for public officials and update which officials and employees are “lobbyable”.
  • HB 5585 would require public officials to disclose a list of all tickets they received for concerts, sporting events and other entertainment that are gifted by another person, as well as require state officials to disclose travel that is paid for by non-lobbyists.
  • HB 5586 prohibits the governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, secretary of state or a state senator or representative from engaging in certain lobbying activities for one year after the last date of their term of office.

“By passing the BRITE Act, we will ensure that our state is more ethical and transparent,” Coffia continued. “I will continue advocating for the passage of the full BRITE Act. We must continue to bring our state out of the shadows and into the light.”

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