The Michigan Senate has moved forward with a legislative package aimed at combating election disinformation and reforming the petition circulation process, receiving bipartisan support. Key measures include:
-
Senate Bill 529, 530, and 531: Sponsored by Democratic Senators Jeremy Moss and Jeff Irwin, these bills aim to ban the payment of petition circulators per signature and require circulators to provide factual summaries of ballot proposals to signers. They would also ensure that only one signature is counted if a person signs multiple times.
-
Senate Bill 533: Sponsored by Senator Mary Cavanagh, this bill prohibits false statements about elections, imposing penalties on those spreading election-related disinformation.
Supporters, including Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and Attorney General Dana Nessel, emphasized the importance of these reforms in maintaining voter trust and improving civic engagement in Michigan. While the Republican-controlled House has shown an interest in election integrity, it’s uncertain whether they will support this predominantly Democratic initiative. The package has been referred to respective House committees, but concerns remain about the potential stalling of Cavanagh’s bill.
Additionally, the Senate passed earmark transparency legislation requiring a 45-day review period before legislative earmarks can be voted on, with all measures passing unanimously.
