A legislative committee is moving ahead with measures to enact stricter ethics standards for Michigan lawmakers and the people who work for them.
The House Elections and Ethics Committee voted out bills to create a new bipartisan panel to rule on potential conflicts and to extend ethics rules to cover many of the Legislature’s top staffers.
Republican Representative Ann Bollin chairs the committee.
“It may not be perfect in many people’s minds, but it is moving ahead in a direction that I think is more transparent and that can hold those of us that are elected to office more accountable.”
The committee also heard testimony on a proposal would allow the House or the Senate to dock the pay of lawmakers for misconduct or excessive absences. The proposed amendment to the state Constitution would have to also be approved by voters.