LANSING – State Representative Robert Jones (D-Kalamazoo) today voted in support of sweeping ethics reforms designed to restore integrity to the State House and Michigan residents' confidence in government.
"There is no place for corruption in the Michigan House," Jones said. "This package will assure that Michigan's citizens are represented by lawmakers without hidden agendas and who focus on making good public policy that benefits our citizens – not partaking in unethical practices."
The five-point plan that passed the House will:
- Require elected officials, appointed officials and statewide candidates to disclose their financial assets.
- Prohibit lawmakers from becoming lobbyists for one year after leaving office.
- Prohibit a legislator from voting on a bill when a substantial conflict of interest is present.
- Prohibit lawmakers from applying for or accepting grants from the state while the legislator is in office.
- Require the people or organizations behind automated political phone calls – also known as "robocalls" – to disclose their identities at the beginning of a call.
"Today's vote not only restores ethics to the House, it restores our citizens' confidence in state government," Jones said. "Earlier this year, House Democrats said that we would restore ethics to the House, and this package does just that."