LANSING, Mich., June 7, 2022 — Today, the Michigan House Elections and Ethics Committee voted out House Bill 5254, which would ban the Secretary of State from receiving gifts of money or goods from non-governmental entities. Current law already prohibits any public officer or employee from receiving gifts of money or goods that would influence the manner in which they perform their duties. State Rep. Matt Koleszar (D-Plymouth), Democratic vice chair of the committee, issued the following statement on HB 5254:
“This legislation is a textbook wolf in sheep’s clothing. We all agree that we want government employees to be free from private influence. In fact, it’s already the law. So what is this legislation really about? It’s about limiting Michiganders’ opportunity to vote. If my colleagues on the other side of the aisle want to increase public funding to adequately support elections and make up for the loss of private donations, I’m ready to have that conversation. Until then, I will continue to fight against any piece of legislation that threatens to defund Michigan’s elections.”