LANSING, Mich. — Sen. Jim Runestad on Wednesday introduced legislation that would limit conflicts of interest between lawmakers and state department heads.
“If a sitting lawmaker serves as the chair of a committee and a direct relative serves as the director of the department within that committee’s purview, that surely creates a conflict of interest and muddies the waters,” said Runestad, R-White Lake. “These are the kinds of connections that cause people to become skeptical of government, and rightfully so.
“How can we trust that a close relationship between a committee chair and department head plays no role in policy or other decisions. You simply can’t — and that certainly applies when the individuals in question are immediate family members.”
Senate Bill 832 would prohibit a lawmaker from serving as the chair of a committee if an immediate family member of that legislator is the head of a state department. The bill serves as another measure in Runestad’s longstanding efforts to increase transparency within state government and improve the public’s trust.
“People are sick and tired of these kinds of shady relationships, which create conditions that are ripe for closed-door dealings — and I join their frustration,” Runestad said. “Michigan routinely ranks among the lowest states for transparency, and I have been fighting to improve that standing since I was first elected to the House well over a decade ago.
“I have introduced over 30 bills to increase transparency, and I will continue fighting to shine light on the darkness of state government until my very last minute as a state senator.”
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