Whitmer Releases Michigan Sunshine Plan to Make State Government More Transparent, Accountable
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 23, 2018
Contact: 517–980–6190
Whitmer Releases Michigan Sunshine Plan to Make State Government More Transparent, Accountable
LANSING — Today, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Gretchen Whitmer released her Michigan Sunshine Plan to reform Michigan state government by making it more open, transparent and accountable to taxpayers.
Whitmer’s plan calls for: stricter rules, reporting, and enforcement for lobbying; reversing the Citizens United on steroids legislation that allows unlimited campaign spending; ending partisan gerrymandering and creating an Independent Redistricting Commission; and passing personal financial disclosure and conflict of interest laws for Michigan political candidates.
“Michigan’s next governor needs to be laser focused on getting things done that will actually make a difference in people’s lives right now, like fixing the roads, improving education and skills training, and making health care more affordable for families,” said Whitmer. “Our leaders should be beholden to the public they serve, not a political donor or party. My plan will rewrite the rules in Lansing to work for regular families again by making state government more open, transparent and accountable to Michigan taxpayers. It’s time to get it done so we can build a better Michigan for everyone.”
Click HERE to read the full plan.
Whitmer’s plan also includes:
- Tough new lobbying rules, including real-time expenditure reporting, and a 5-year “cooling off” period for former legislators, which will be the longest in the nation.
- Greater transparency requirements for the MEDC, including stronger accountability measures for job creation.
- Repealing the Emergency Manager law and restoring local elected government.
- Expanding the Freedom of Information Act to include the governor’s office and legislature.
- Strengthening the Open Meetings Act to provide for the live streaming of all state board and commission meetings.
- Prohibiting the use of personal email to do government business.
- Ending legislative referendum-proofing to ensure the integrity in our legislative process.
- Requiring greater transparency for campaign robocalls.
In a 2015 report by the Center for Public Integrity, Michigan received an F for state ethics and transparency laws, ranking dead last in the nation.
