Michigan Senate Moves Toward Greater Budget Transparency
In a move aimed at enhancing transparency in the allocation of state funds, the Michigan Senate has passed a new bill mandating that lawmakers disclose their budgetary requests at least 10 days before a vote. This legislation, which demands a public hearing on such requests, passed with a 31-5 majority.
The proposed bipartisan bill, which can be reviewed here, also sets restrictions on funding allocations to for-profit entities, while imposing strict conditions on nonprofits, including a requirement regarding their operational history.
Despite these measures, some lawmakers argue the bill falls short. State Senator Lana Theis (R-Brighton) voiced her concerns, insisting that the timeframe for public disclosure should be extended beyond 10 days. “I don’t understand why we’re going to limit it to a timeframe when the public would then be unable to understand fully where the government money is going in advance of it being ordered,” she stated during her address to the Senate.
Another advocate for increased transparency, State Senator Jeremy Moss (D-Southfield), acknowledged the bill as a step forward but emphasized the need for broader reforms. Highlighting Michigan’s lagging transparency laws, Moss remarked, “We are not only out of the mainstream compared to what residents of other states can do and achieve and understand and disclose. We are out of the universe by being only one of two states that do not allow our residents to have that same access to the inner workings of government.”
The bill now heads to the state House of Representatives, where it faces uncertainty. The House, led by Republicans, has yet to address similar open records legislation passed by the Senate.
Republican leaders, including House Appropriations Committee Chair Ann Bollin (R-Brighton), have expressed reservations. In a press statement, Bollin emphasized, “If the Senate isn’t willing to allow at least 90 days of public scrutiny for earmarks, then I’m perfectly fine not including any earmarks in the budget. We can fund important priorities without hiding pet projects in the fine print.”
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