(L-R) State Reps. Julie Brixie (D-Meridian Twp.), Jason Morgan (D-Ann Arbor), Erin Byrnes (D-Dearborn), and Kara Hope (D-Holt), discuss the reintroduction of the BRITE Act. March 18, 2025. Screenshot
Michigan House Democrats used Sunshine Week, which acknowledges the importance of transparency in government, to re-introduce a package of bills they say will provide needed accountability to the finances of elected officials.
The bills, called the Bringing Reforms in Integrity, Transparency and Ethics – or BRITE – Act, failed to get through the House last year during the lame duck session. Regardless, several of the bills’ sponsors laid out their renewed effort at a news conference Tuesday in Lansing, saying the package would improve accountability by stopping election and campaign finance law violations in real-time, while also curtailing the influence of lobbying and financial interests on the legislative process.
“Right now, the system is being abused by those who have the resources to manipulate it for their gain, and by those willing to trade influence to receive them. They can benefit by buying access, funding attacks, and drowning out the voices of the people, all while keeping their identities secret,” said state Rep. Jason Morgan (D-Ann Arbor). “When voters don’t know who’s behind the money, they don’t know who their elected officials really work for. That is a betrayal of public trust. And the people are sick of a system where money drives and voters take the back seat.”
Among other things, the proposed bills would allow the state’s Bureau of Elections to apply for a court to intervene if a campaign finance complaint is filed, and if there is evidence that a violation has or is continuing to occur.
Speaking in support of the package last year, Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, whose office operates the Bureau of Elections, said that it would provide “real-time campaign finance enforcement authority…rather than wait for a months-long process to play out.”
It would also require organizations with connections to a candidate, elected official or family member of an elected official, to register with the Secretary of State’s office if they wish to claim tax-exempt status.
Other elements of the legislation would require the disclosure of donors during political campaigns, require legislative staffto report gifts and expenditures made by lobbyists, and “prohibit the governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, secretary of state, or a state senator or representative from engaging in certain lobbying activities for one year after the last date of their term of office.”
Last year’s package failed to make it through the Legislature despite Democrats having majorities in both the House and Senate, and with Republicans now in control of the House, Speaker Matt Hall (R-Richland Twp.) has put forth his own Ethics, Accountability and Transparency – or HEAT – plan that includes new rules for legislative spending initiative requests and legislation barring state lawmakers and their staff from entering into nondisclosure agreements.
However, state Rep. Julie Brixie (D-Meridian Township) said that didn’t go nearly far enough.
“Republican leadership has been talking about their HEAT plan…to create a more transparent open government, but it’s pretty chilly here today in Michigan,” said Brixie. “They claim the HEAT plan will bring greater transparency, but they’re neglecting campaign finance reform and basic accountability measures such as FOIA.”
Brixie said what sets the BRITE package apart is it requires elected officials and candidates to report so-called “dark money” contributions and expenses such as those from 527(a) accounts, defined as being organized for the purpose of influencing an issue, policy, appointment or election, and 501(c)(4) groups, which are social welfare organizations that can engage in some political activity as long as it’s not their primary purpose.
“Over the years we’ve learned of many instances of inappropriate uses of 501(c)(4) accounts by electeds or their staff, but there are dozens, if not hundreds of dark money accounts that we know nothing about. Most dark money account holders are not breaking the law, but the public still deserves to know who is behind election spending,” said Brixie.
The most prominent example involves former Michigan House Speaker Lee Chatfield (R-Levering) and his wife Stephanie, who were charged in an embezzlement probe linked to their political nonprofit. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, a Democrat, alleges the pair engaged in financial misconduct including passing off personal expenses such as dry cleaning and haircuts as legitimate expenditures as well as a bill from a strip club. A judge is currently deciding whether they should stand trial.
Rep. Erin Byrnes (D-Dearborn) said that given the public’s desire to see the system cleaned up, this should be an issue that transcends the political divide.
“We do know that there are members of the House and the Senate as well who are committed to ethics and transparency on both sides of the aisle,” said Byrnes. “That’s something that’s really important. So, we are looking for support from members of both parties, and we know that Speaker Hall has talked a lot about ethics and transparency and I certainly hope that whatever plan he has for those measures includes representatives from both sides of the aisle and we’re looking forward to working with everyone in the house to get these passed.”
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