Public employees and officers: other; due date for public officer financial disclosure report; modify. Amends sec. 5 of 2023 PA 281 (MCL 15.705).
Summary
SB 814 amends Michigan’s Public Officers Financial Disclosure Act to change the annual filing deadline for public officer financial disclosure reports. Under current law in the bill text, reports are generally due by May 15 each year; beginning after May 15, 2027, the deadline would move up to April 15. The bill also preserves the rule that the deadline does not apply to someone who was only a public officer on the first day of the calendar year.
The bill also keeps in place the requirement that, if the secretary of state notifies a filer of errors or omissions, the public officer must correct the report or file the missing report within 9 business days. In addition, SB 814 sets a special one-time deadline for the 2024 reporting period, requiring those disclosures to be filed by June 13, 2025.
Impact
The bill directly amends section 5 of 2023 PA 281, codified at MCL 15.705, by accelerating the annual financial disclosure filing deadline for public officers and establishing a transitional deadline for the 2024 reporting cycle. Its practical effect is to require earlier submission of disclosure reports starting in 2027, which may affect filing schedules for state and local public officers subject to the act and the Department responsible for receiving the reports. The bill does not change who must file, but it changes when filings are due and reinforces the correction timeline after notice from the secretary of state.
Sentiment
The available voting history suggests the bill was generally well received and not highly controversial. It was reported favorably out of committee without amendment by a 6-0 vote and then passed the Senate 29-4 on third reading, indicating broad support with a small minority in opposition. No committee transcript excerpts were provided, so there is no recorded debate to indicate broader public or legislative concerns beyond the vote totals.
Contention
The main point of potential contention is the earlier filing deadline itself. Supporters likely view the change as improving timeliness and transparency in public financial disclosures, while opponents may be concerned about the administrative burden of moving the deadline from May 15 to April 15, especially for officials who need additional time to gather financial information. The bill text does not show disputes over coverage or enforcement, and the absence of amendments suggests the disagreement, if any, was limited to the timing change rather than the disclosure requirement as a whole.