Michigan lawmakers introduced several new bills proposing fundamental changes for lobbying disclosure and gift laws.

Senate Bill 963 requires lobbyists to file monthly reports instead of the current schedule of twice a year. The bill also includes a two-year revolving door ban for members of the Legislature.

House Bill 5926 amends the definition of lobbying to include partisan legislative employees in the list of covered officials.

House Bill 5927 implements a gift ban, prohibiting a public official or his or her immediate family member from directly or indirectly soliciting, agreeing to accept, or accepting anything of value from a lobbyist or lobbyist agent.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced a special election to fill a vacancy in the House of Representatives following the election of District 15 Rep. Abdullah Hammoud as mayor of Dearborn.

The special primary election will be held on March 1 and the general election will be held on May 3.

The Michigan Bureau of Elections posted the Lobby Registration Act 2022 Reporting Thresholds, which change every year in January to reflect the change in the consumer price index for Detroit.

The thresholds for individual lobbyist compensation and for employer expenditures on a single official increased from $650 to $675.

Exempt expenditures increased from $13 to $14.

The threshold for an employer making lobbying expenditures increased from $2,575 to $2,675 for any 12-month period.

The financial transaction threshold between a registered employer or lobbyist and a public official increased from $1,300 to $1,350.

The reporting threshold for travel and lodging reimbursements increased from $850 to $875.

Monthly food and beverage expenditures allowance for a public official increased from $64 to $66, while the $400 threshold for food and beverages purchased between January 1 and the end of the reporting period remains the same as last year.

Employee reimbursements increased from $26 to $27, and the general gift threshold also increased from $64 to $66.

Late filing fees increased from $26 a day up to a maximum of $780, to $27 with an $810 maximum.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced special elections to fill three vacancies in the Michigan House of Representatives following the election of District 36 Rep. Douglas Wozniak and District 74 Rep. Mark Huizenga to the Michigan State Senate, and the passing of District 43 Rep. Andrea Schroeder.

The special primary elections will be held on March 1, 2022, and the general elections will be held on May 3, 2022.

An election to fill the expected vacancy in District 15 due to Rep. Abdullah Hammoud’s election as mayor of Dearborn has not been called because Hammoud has not yet resigned.

The District 15 special election is expected to be held on the same dates of March 1 and May 3.

In the Sterling Heights, Michigan nonpartisan mayoral primary election incumbent Mayor Michael C. Taylor received the most votes and will face Ken Nelson in the Nov. 2 general election.

The City Council will also be elected on Nov. 2 when voters will choose from the 12 candidates receiving the most votes in the primary.

In Detroit’s nonpartisan mayoral primary election, incumbent Mayor Mike Duggan, seeking his third term, overwhelmingly won the day with Anthony Adams coming in second.

Duggan and Adams will vie for Mayor in the Nov. 2 general election.

Incumbent Janice M. Winfrey received the most votes and will face off against Denzel Anton McCampbell for City Clerk in the Nov. 2 election.

And Proposal P which would have added 47 new elected positions and 102 new appointed positions to the city’s government, was overwhelmingly rejected by voters.

Two special primaries were held yesterday to determine who would be on the ballot for the Nov. 2 special election to fill two vacant state senate seats.

For Michigan State Senate District 8, Democrat Martin Genter and Republican Douglas Wozniak won their respective special primary elections to fill the seat vacated by Sen. Pete Lucido.

They advance to the Nov. 2 special election with Andrew Kamal, who is running as an independent.

For Michigan State Senate District 28, Democrat Keith Courtade and Republican state Rep. Mark Huizenga won their respective special primary elections to fill the seat vacated by Sen. Peter MacGregor.

Republicans currently have a 20-16 majority in the Michigan State Senate.

Detroit District 7 Councilman Gabe Leland resigned after pleading guilty to misconduct in office.

Leland was indicted by a federal grand jury in October 2018 on bribery conspiracy and two counts of bribery.

Detroit’s council can, by a two-thirds vote, appoint a replacement to finish out Leland’s term that ends this year.

An appointee, not already certified for 2021 race, would have to run as a write-in candidate in the upcoming election for a chance to win a full four-year term starting in January 2022.

There are currently six candidates certified to run for District 7 Council seat in the August 3rd primary.

The Michigan House introduced 13 new bills proposing fundamental changes for lobbying and disclosure laws.

Changes proposed include requiring members of the Legislature and other public officials to file financial disclosure reports and prohibiting them from voting on bills if there is a conflict of interest.

Other proposals include a prohibition on lobbying by members of the Legislature, a two-year revolving door ban for members of the Legislature and other executive branch officials, and making lobbyists ineligible for civil appointments.

The proposed changes also include increasing fines for violations of the lobbyist gift ban and establishing ethics committees in the House and Senate with the power to accept complaints, investigate complaints, and make recommendations for disciplinary action.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced special elections to fill vacancies in Senate District 8 and 28.

The vacancy in Senate District 8 was caused by the election of Sen. Pete Lucido as the Macomb County Prosecutor.

In addition, the Senate District 28 vacancy was caused by Sen. Peter MacGregor’s election as the Kent County Treasurer.

Therefore, the special primary election will be held on August 3 and the general election will be held on November 2.

The Bureau of Elections posted the Lobby Registration Act 2021 Reporting Thresholds.

This changes every year in January to reflect the change in the consumer price index for Detroit.

The threshold for a lobbyist compensating a lobbyist agent or other employee increased from $2,525 to $2,575 for any 12-month period.

The financial transaction threshold between a registered lobbyist or lobbyist agent and a public official increased from $1,275 to $1,300.

Travel and lodging reimbursements increased from $825 to $850.

Food and beverage expenditures for a public official increased from $63 to $64 in any month.

Meanwhile, the $400 threshold for food and beverages purchased between January 1 and the end of the reporting period remains the same as last year.

Employee reimbursements increased from $25 to $26, and the general gift threshold also increased from $63 to $64.

Late filing fees increased from $25 a day up to a maximum of $750, to $26 and a $780 maximum.

The registration threshold of $650 for a lobbyist agent or a lobbyist’s expenditure on one public official during a 12-month period and exempt expenditures at $13, remain the same as last year.

Thursday’s legislative session was canceled and the Capitol in Lansing was closed due to an armed protest and death threats against Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

At the end of the Senate session on May 13, lawmakers simply adjourned until May 19 rather than call the next previously scheduled meeting.

The adjournment came in fear of a repeat of the events on April 30.

Armed protesters entered the Senate Chamber’s visitors gallery, standing above the members during the session.

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel issued an opinion on May 11 saying the State Capitol Commission could ban firearms.

The commission voted to study a ban this week, and on May 12, Sen. Dayna Polehanki proposed Senate Resolution 118 to ban firearms in the Capitol.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced today a special primary election will be held August 4.

The purpose will be to fill the vacant seat in House District 4 of former State Rep. Isaac Robinson, who died March 29.

The special election for the seat will be held with the general election on November 3.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer issued Executive Order 2020-27 on March 29 suspending rules under Michigan election law for elections on May 5.

Additionally, the Governor instructed local clerks, county clerks, and election administrators to immediately begin preparations to conduct the election primarily by mail.

The Department of State may assist with the mailing of absent voter ballot applications and preparation of postage-prepaid absent voter ballot return envelopes for the return of voted ballots.

Gov. Whitmer is encouraging all voters to vote by absentee ballot.

However, each jurisdiction must maintain at least one location on election day where any voter can appear in-person to receive and submit a ballot.