LANSING, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — Wednesday, the Coalition to Close Lansing Loopholes held a press conference at the Michigan Capitol to announce efforts to reform Michigan’s lobbying laws.
According to an official press release, the goal of the organization is to have lobbying laws be more transparent and accountable.
“Michigan has some of the worst ethics and transparency rankings in the country, and a big part of that is because of loopholes in our lobbying and transparency laws. One of the main focuses of the Coalition to Close Lansing Loopholes is on reforming outdated state laws that have allowed lobbyists to run the show in Lansing,” executive director of Progress Michigan Lonnie Scott said. “Our communities deserve things like safe roads, clean water, and quality public schools—but for too long, corporate lobbyists have stood in the way of the progress Michiganders deserve. It’s time we took real steps to check their power.”
The goals of the coalition include:
- Banning gifts from lobbyists to lawmakers
- A mandatory cooling off period for elected officials leaving office before they can take a job as a lobbyist
- More stringent reporting requirements on lobbying activities not only from lobbyists, but from lawmakers as well
The press release also notes that part of the conference was the unveiling of a new mascot for the effort in the form of a walking pie chart that serves as a representation of how big businesses in Michigan are not paying their fair share in taxes to help pay for the state’s priorities like schools, roads, and clean water.
“We see lobbying and revenue reform as issues that are inextricably linked,” Scott added.“For too long, wealthy special interests and their lobbyists have run the show in Lansing, big business has spent untold millions on lobbying to make sure they could make untold billions without paying their fair share of taxes. It’s time for us to close those loopholes and create a system where the government works for all of us, not just the wealthy few and that exactly what the Coalition to Close Lansing Loopholes intends to do.”
The Michigan Nurses Association and Planned Parenthood Advocates of Michigan also joined in with the Coalition’s efforts.
