EXTEND HONORARIA BAN TO

ALL STATEWIDE ELECTIVE OFFICEHOLDERS

House Bill 6023

Sponsor:  Rep. Kate Segal

Committee:  Ethics and Elections

Complete to 9-21-10

A SUMMARY OF HOUSE BILL 6023 AS INTRODUCED 3-25-10

House Bill 6023 would amend the Michigan Campaign Finance Act (MCL 169.250) to ban the acceptance of honoraria for all statewide elective officeholders.  The bill would take effect 90 days after the date it is enacted into law.

Currently under the law, legislators are prohibited from accepting an honorarium.  The bill would retain this provision, but extend it to all state elective offices.

Further, now under the law, a person who knowingly violates this prohibition is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not more than $1,000, or imprisonment for not more than 90 days, or both.  The bill would extend this provision to all state elective offices.

FISCAL IMPACT:

House Bill 6023 would have an indeterminate, but likely negligible, fiscal impact on state and local government.  The bill amends the Michigan Campaign Finance Act to ban acceptance of honoraria for all statewide elective officeholders rather than just legislators.  Any fiscal impact would depend on the number of violations under the bill.  For any violation, the fine revenue collected would be dedicated to public libraries.

                                                                                           Legislative Analyst:   J. Hunault

                                                                                                  Fiscal Analyst:   Ben Gielczyk

■ This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan House staff for use by House members in their deliberations, and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.