Campaign Finance Fix Reported from Committee

Liz Gullett

Feb 05, 2016

This week, the House Elections Committee reported legislation aimed at finding a solution to concerns raised by local governments and the education community after Governor Rick Snyder signed campaign finance changes into law last month. The bill would allow local governments and schools to use mailers and media ads regarding ballot proposals, as long as they remain factual and don’t advocate for or against the proposal when public funds are being used. This fix is aimed at alleviating the concerns of local entities who believed that under the newly signed law, they are barred from any communications regarding a ballot proposal sixty days prior to an election. However, some associations remain concerned due to the ambiguity that would be created with the term “neutral.” The bill as reported by the committee also removes the restriction on communication regarding a ballot proposal sixty days prior to an election. The bill has been sent to the House floor for further consideration.

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