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Committee adopts H‑2 substitute for HB 5585, requires disclosure of tickets and non‑family travel
Summary
The committee adopted an H‑2 substitute to House Bill 5585 requiring public officers to annually disclose tickets and travel paid for by non‑immediate‑family members and reported the bill to the House; sponsors emphasized transparency rather than bans on trainings or reimbursements.
Ashley Schoninger, legislative director for Representative Betsy Kofia, testified that House Bill 5585 would require public officers to annually disclose tickets for concerts, sporting events and other entertainment gifted by lobbyists or non‑immediate‑family members, and to disclose travel paid for by non‑immediate‑family members. Schoninger said the bill is "focused on transparency" and "does not ban travel and ticket payments by others."
The H‑2 substitute refines the definition of "immediate family" from the bill as introduced and adds disclosure requirements for conferences, trainings and meetings paid for by a lobbyist. Witnesses and staff told committee members that conferences and trainings intended for educational purposes would generally not be classified as gifts and could remain reimbursable under office allotments; however, such events paid for by lobbyists would be disclosed under the substitute.
Members asked whether disclosure requirements also change reimbursement practice. In response to Representative Ring's question about whether the bill affects reimbursements, Schoninger said plainly, "So this bill is all about the disclosure. So there are no additional, provisions about reimbursements." Committee members discussed scenarios such as foundations or organizations paying for travel for educational networking and sponsors said those instances would still be disclosed but not prohibited.
After discussion the committee adopted the H‑2 substitute for HB 5585 and then voted to report the bill with recommendation as the H‑2 substitute. The clerk's roll call was recorded with the committee result announced as 6 yays, 0 nays, 3 pass. The committee noted cards of support from Erin Shore (Michigan Department of State) and Logan Voorhe (Michigan League of Conservation Voters).
What happens next: HB 5585 moves toward the House floor with the H‑2 substitute in place; sponsors and staff said they will continue to refine the immediate‑family definition and related threshold language as the bill moves through the Legislature.
