MICHIGAN, USA — Proposal 1, backed by Voters for Transparency and Term Limits, aims to add new term limit restrictions on state legislators and require specific public officials to disclose financial records annually.
The proposal was a legislative referral, which means that the Michigan legislature passed a referendum to put forth the constitutional amendment to a popular vote on the November ballot.
Proposal 1 has received support from various members of both the Democratic and Republican parties, pledging their support.
What is Proposal 1?
Proposal 1 will has two main focuses: Financial disclosure requirements for elected officials and changing term limits for Michigan legislators. Voters for Transparency and Term Limits shared their explanation of the proposal on their website:
"Require members of the legislature and the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State to disclose their finances. This proposal would bring Michigan in line with 48 states and Congress that currently require disclosures.
"Reduce term limits from 14 years to a combined 12 years, the limit on terms of service in the Michigan House of Representatives and Michigan Senate, but allow the entire 12 years to be served in either the House or Senate, which is currently not permitted."
Here is the ballot language:
This proposed constitutional amendment would:
- Require members of legislature, governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, and attorney general file annual public financial disclosure reports after 2023, including assets, liabilities, income sources, future employment agreements, gifts, travel reimbursements, and positions held in organizations except religious, social, and political organizations.
- Require legislature implement but not limit or restrict reporting requirements.
- Replace current term limits for state representatives and state senators with a 12-year total limit in any combination between house and senate, except a person elected to senate in 2022 may be elected the number of times allowed when that person became a candidate.
Should this proposal be adopted?
How would this change the Michigan legislature?
There are two key changes to the Michigan legislature proposed in this constitutional amendment: Restructuring term limits for legislators and requiring some public officials to disclose annual financial records.
Michigan legislators do currently have term limits when serving in either the Michigan House or Michigan Senate. The house term limit is set at three terms for a total of six years and the senate term limit is set at two terms for a total of eight years. People may serve up to the term limits in each chamber of the government.
The proposed amendment to the Michigan State Constitution would change term limits to encompass both the house and senate, restricting Michigan legislators to serve a total of 12 years between the chambers.
This change would allow for legislators to serve longer in each individual chamber of government, allowing for six two-year terms in the house and three four-year terms in the Senate. But at the same time, the total amount of time served as a Michigan legislator would be reduced from the current cap of 14 years between both house and senate to the 12 years proposed.
These new term limits would be required to be implemented by the legislature without any changes.
What are politicians saying about Proposal 1?
Governor Gretchen Whitmer has shown her support for the ballot proposal and currently voluntarily discloses her financial records.
Republican gubernatorial candidate Tudor Dixon signed a term limit pledge backed by the nonpartisan group, U.S. Term Limits. While in favor of term limits, the group calls Michigan's proposal a "The Scam Proposal."
The original author of the 1992 term limit legislation, Patrick Anderson, is also against Proposal 1.
"It would repeal the term limits that was adopted by the voters in 1992. And put on the ballot by citizens who circulated petitions, and the proposals being authorized and put in front of us by a legislature, not the citizens," Anderson said in an interview with NPR.
The former Republican Speaker of the Michigan House of Representatives, Jase Bolger, supports the constitutional amendment, tweeting "Yes on Prop 1: Adding financial disclosures, strengthening term limits... Nearly 81% of voters who read proposed ballot language for the Transparency and Term Limits Proposal voiced support for the measure."
The measure is also supported by dozens of groups in Michigan, including the Michigan Chamber of Commerce, Small Business Association of Michigan, the UAW and Business Leaders for Michigan.
What are other states' term limits and financial disclosure rules?
Michigan is currently one of 15 states that have term limits for their legislative representatives. If Proposal 1 passes, Michigan would become one of three states (alongside California and Oklahoma) that have a combined term limit of 12 years between both chambers.
Michigan and Idaho are currently the only two states in the United States that don't require any financial reporting of elected officials. If the proposal is passed, Michigan will be more in line with the rest of the country in regard to financial reporting.
To read the full proposal, click here.
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