(Source: MIRS.news, Published 02/20/2025) Three bills that require legislators or executive officials from registering as a lobbyist for two years after leaving office and ban sitting legislators from registering as lobbyists in other states passed the House on Thursday with more than 90 votes each. 

The idea of a beckoning, wide-open door tempting a legislator to behave differently toward the end of their term in hopes of landing a cushy lobbying job has long been discussed in Lansing.  

Rep. Mark Tisdel (R-Rochester)’s HB 4062 and Rep. David Martin (R-Davison)’s HB 4063 hope to curb that enthusiasm over the course of a two-year pause between the two jobs. That way, a legislator is less likely to be influenced while they are in office by a job opportunity they have lined up, and they wouldn’t be lobbying on an issue they were very recently legislating on. 

Michigan’s current law does ban an immediate transition to becoming a lobbyist if the legislator resigned before their term was up, and that shot clock starts from the day their term was supposed to end, not when they resigned. However, there are no such guardrails for legislators whose terms expire.  

The two bills and Rep. Jerry Neyer (R-Shepherd)’s HB 4064 are part of Speaker Matt Hall (R-Richland Township)’s Ethics, Accountability and Transparency (HEAT) plan that the House Republicans have been enacting through House Resolutions, House Rule changes and passing bills. 

“We have an opportunity to show Michigan’s voters that the Legislature is not simply a stepping stone for career advancement . . . thank you Madam Speaker, I urge a no vote,” Tisdel said in a floor speech about his own legislation, which was received with confusion and laughter. “I was thinking of last term.” 

The Republicans were in the minority last term and voted “no” on most bills out of habit.