Michigan Lawmakers Push for Earmark Transparency
Public scrutiny of legislative earmarks, particularly for economic development projects, has intensified. Following the signing of the state budget, Michigan lawmakers are now focusing on earmark transparency legislation.
A compromise during the budgetary process involved changing state Senate rules to require lawmakers to publicly list spending items they requested in the budget before voting on them. The Republican-led state House of Representatives had adopted a similar policy earlier in the year.
are making us closer to making this more transparent and so I’m excited about that.
Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Sarah Anthony (D-Lansing) sponsors a bill to put earmark reforms into state law, moving the budget process in the right direction.
Author's summary: Michigan lawmakers work on earmark transparency.
- Legislative earmarks face public scrutiny
- State Senate rules changed for transparency
- Bill to put earmark reforms into state law