Michigan House Bill HJRQ

Michigan 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 3/5/26
• Refer: 3/5/26

Caption

Public utilities: public service commission; election of members to the Michigan public service commission; provide for. Amends the state constitution by adding sec. 6a to art. IV.

Summary

House Joint Resolution Q proposes a constitutional amendment to replace Michigan’s appointed Public Service Commission with a nonpartisan elected commission beginning January 1, 2029. The measure would add section 6a to Article IV of the state constitution and place the commission in the legislative branch. It would preserve the commission’s existing powers, duties, and jurisdiction over public utilities, while changing how its members are selected. Under the proposal, commission members would be nominated by party conventions in a manner set by law, and candidates would have to be U.S. citizens, Michigan residents, and free of any financial interest in a regulated utility or other person under the commission’s authority. The resolution would not itself change utility regulation standards, but it would fundamentally alter the commission’s structure and selection process if approved by voters at the next general election.

Impact

If adopted, the resolution would amend the Michigan Constitution and abolish the current appointed Public Service Commission as of January 1, 2029, replacing it with an elected body. This would shift the commission from an appointed regulatory agency to a constitutionally established elected commission in the legislative branch, while leaving its substantive regulatory authority intact. The change would affect state election law, constitutional structure, and the governance of public utilities regulation, including oversight of electric, gas, water, and other regulated service providers.

Sentiment

The available record does not include committee testimony or recorded votes, so there is no direct evidence of debate or formal support/opposition in the provided materials. Based on the resolution’s text, the proposal appears to be framed as a structural reform intended to increase democratic accountability in utility regulation. Because it would move a technical regulatory body to an elected model, the measure would likely draw interest from both reform advocates and those concerned about politicizing utility oversight, but that sentiment is not documented in the supplied history.

Contention

The main point of contention is the proposal to make the Public Service Commission elected rather than appointed. Supporters would likely favor greater voter control and accountability, while opponents may argue that utility regulation requires expertise, independence, and insulation from partisan politics. Another possible issue is the nomination method by party conventions, which may conflict with the resolution’s description of the commission as nonpartisan and could raise concerns about how truly nonpartisan the election process would be. No specific named stakeholders or recorded objections are included in the provided context.