LANSING (WKZO-AM) — The Republicans in the House and Senate have approved election reforms that Democrats say will make it easier for candidates to enjoy to the kind of free-wheeling corporate spending, dark money, and secret political action committees now available in national politics.
Senate leadership locked its members into the Capitol chambers utilizing rarely-used rules to limit debate on amendments, and pushed the matter through last night.
Rep. Jon Hoadley, D-Kalamazoo, said he was handed a 53-page bill, expanded from a 13-page Senate version, just before the vote and his peers were never given a chance to read it.
“The bill, from what we can tell, changes a whole bunch of election laws,” Hoadley said. “So, it makes it harder for voters to know who’s paying to go do the campaigning.”
He also said one measure eliminates the requirement for disclaimers on robocalls.
“If you start getting undisclosed robocalls, you can thank Republicans in the House for rushing through that bill in the middle of the night,” Hoadley said.
It would also ban cities and school boards from mentioning having ballot items in publications.
– John McNeill
