House committee adopts substitutes for two school-board ballot bills; both reported out

The House Committee on Election Integrity adopted substitutes and reported two bills affecting school-board elections and candidacy rules to the full House.

On House Bill 4,588, the committee adopted substitute H-1 and then voted 6-3 to report the bill with recommendation. Representative Fox moved to adopt the substitute; Representative Hoadley moved to report the bill after the substitute was adopted. The clerk recorded six yes votes and three no votes; the motion prevailed.

According to the committee, the substitute for HB 4,588 “will simply provide a primary for school board candidates.” The committee read public comment cards on the item: Katie Kavanaugh from Alchemist Public School Board was recorded as opposing the bill; Annie Monorec representing Calhoun ISD was recorded as supporting it. Bill Zagman from the Michigan Association of Municipal Clerks was recorded as opposing the substitute for HB 4,588.

House Bill 4,861 was also considered with a substitute offered by Representative Outman. The substitute was adopted unanimously on the roll call (9-0), and Representative Alexander moved to report HB 4,861 with recommendation as substituted; the committee voted 9-0 to report it. The record indicates the substitute “will simply clarify the language that a nonpartisan candidate does not need a state political” designation; the transcript cuts off and does not specify the remainder of that phrasing or the exact statutory language being amended.

A committee member also announced an intention to offer a floor amendment on a related bill by Representative Wolford to make partisan affiliation optional for candidates; the speaker was not identified by name in the transcript.

Both bills were reported with recommendation and will move to the next stage in the House. The transcript indicates the committee did not take live testimony on these bills during the meeting; only public-comment cards were read into the record.