Michigan Proposal 1: limiting term limits and requiring financial disclosures

DETROIT (FOX 2) - With less than two weeks before Michiganders head to vote across the state, one of which is proposal 1, which would limit the number of years an elected official can serve in the state House and Senate plus would make a change to requiring financial disclosures. So what does that mean, exactly?

Record numbers of Michigan voters have already submitted their ballots ahead of Election Day. But millions will still head to their polls in person on Nov. 8. Included among them are three proposals but the first one is the one getting the least amount of publicity.

The first proposal on everyone's ballot will be Proposal 1, which would amend Michigan's constitution regarding term limits and financial disclosures.

What does Proposal 1 say?

When you get your ballot and prepare to fill it out, you'll come across the three proposals. The first one is Proposal 22-1 and reads as follows.

Proposal 22-1 A Proposal To Amend The State Constitution To Require Annual Public Financial Disclosure Reports By Legislators And Other State Officers And Change State Legislator Term Limit To 12 Total Years In Legislature

This proposed constitutional amendment would:

Require members of legislature, governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, and attorney general file annual public financial disclosure reports after 2023, including assets, liabilities, income sources, future employment agreements, gifts, travel reimbursements, and positions held in organizations except religious, social, and political organizations.
Require legislature implement but not limit or restrict reporting requirements.
Replace current term limits for state representatives and state senators with a 12-year total limit in any combination between house and senate, except a person elected to senate in 2022 may be elected the number of times allowed when that person became a candidate.

Should this proposal be adopted?

You can either then vote yes or no.

What would change if Proposal 1 is passed?

If Proposal 1 is passed by Michigan voters, it would require all state elected officials - Governor, Lt. Gov, legislature members, Secretary of State, and Attorney General - to file annual financial disclosures starting in 2024. This includes all assets, income sources, gifts, and roles held in organizations.

It would also limit how long someone can serve at the state level. If someone is elected, they would be allowed to serve in either the state Senate or House for a maximum of 12 years: six two-year House terms, three four-year Senate terms or a combination.

Currently, the limit in Michigan is at 14 years and includes three two-year House terms and two four-year Senate terms.

Explaining Proposals 1, 2 and 3 on ballot; Is EV push ill-advised?

In part one we break down what each Proposal on the ballot means for the Nov. 8 election. In part two we'll look at the electric vehicle push and whether it is too much, too soon.

Who is behind Proposal 1?

The proposal was put together with a bipartisan coalition of business, labor and political leaders who launched a ballot initiative in March.

Among the supporters is Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, the former CEO of the Michigan chamber of commerce Rich Studley, the former president of the state AFLCIO Mark Gafney, and the former GOP speaker of the Michigan House, Jase Bolger.