Lawsuit Filed on Legislative Changes to Campaign Finance Law

Liz Gullett

Lawsuit Filed on Legislative Changes to Campaign Finance Law

Jan 29, 2016

This week, a group of local government and schools officials filed a lawsuit in federal court stating that the provisions of Public Act 269 of 2015 are unconstitutional and the law should be rejected. Signed into law only weeks ago, some claim that the changes ban elected and appointed public and school officials from providing factual information to voters about local ballot measures sixty days prior to an election. When Governor Rick Snyder signed the bill into law, he agreed with the concerns of local officials regarding this aspect of the law and called on the legislature to pass legislation clarifying the legislative intent. However, a legislative fix is not occurring quickly enough according to the group behind the law suit, and locals are already facing challenges addressing local measures on the upcoming March election ballot. Listed as defendants are both the State of Michigan and the Secretary of State Ruth Johnson. The lawsuit has been sent before Judge John O’Meara of the United States District Court, Eastern District of Michigan.

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