Michigan Extends Deadline for Financial Disclosure Amid Website Issues
In an effort to resolve ongoing technical issues, Governor Gretchen Whitmer has enacted legislation granting Michigan officials an additional month to submit their asset and financial disclosure reports. This decision aims to prevent a widespread violation that would have occurred due to the original filing deadline.
Governor Whitmer emphasized the significance of transparency in governance, stating, “Michiganders deserve to know how their government is working for them.” She expressed satisfaction in approving Senate Bills 99 and 100, which she believes will reduce bureaucratic obstacles and enhance public service transparency.
The disclosure reports are mandated by a 2022 amendment to Michigan’s constitution, requiring legislative and gubernatorial action to implement the provision. However, persistent technical difficulties have hampered compliance with the deadline and public access to this crucial information.
Senator Jonathan Lindsey criticized the ongoing adjustments to the disclosure forms, attributing the delay to the Secretary of State’s office and its management of the filing system. “Let’s not forget as we’re (passing the bills to push back the filing deadline) that the reason we have to is because Secretary of State (Jocelyn) Benson could not read the law, she could not understand the law and she could not manage a department to implement the law and run a basic website that allowed us to plug in the information,” he remarked.
Despite these challenges, the Secretary of State’s office indicated that efforts are being made to ensure the system’s readiness by the new deadline. A spokesperson highlighted ongoing work “nights and weekends” to address these issues.
With the new law, the deadline is extended to June 13, specifying a standard form and permitting email submissions during this transition period. Senator Jeremy Moss, a proponent of the bill and chair of the Senate Elections and Ethics Committee, stressed the importance of a functional system. “Ultimately, we want this to be accessible,” Moss said, emphasizing both the ease of reporting for legislators and public access.
Moss underscored the necessity of transparency, allowing the public to scrutinize potential conflicts of interest. “So that if somebody introduces a bill you can easily go into this database, this publicly available database, look up the lawmaker and say, hey, this person is introducing this bill, but they’ve got a financial interest to introduce this bill,” Moss explained.
However, Benson’s office voiced concerns that the new legislation might compromise transparency. “Specifically, these bills do not require officials to describe the value of their assets, investments, and liabilities,” said Angela Benander, Chief Communications Officer at the Department of State, adding, “Michigan is behind nearly every other state in requiring transparency from lawmakers and public officials. We should be doing everything we can to make our state a leader for government transparency and accountability.”
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