Putting Names On Earmarks Could Become State Law

(Source: MIRS.news, Published 05/21/2025) The House rule requiring legislators to publicly put their name behind any budget earmarks would be put into state law and enforced in both chambers under Rep. Tom Kunse (R-Clare)'s HB 4420.

The House Appropriations Committee took up the measure Wednesday that requires all legislators to disclose the earmark's recipient, amount, purpose, location and more on a public website.

Any enhancement grant that doesn't undergo this process won't pass the House, regardless of whether the Senate or governor approve it. All House members are subject to the rule and the Senate Republican caucus has adopted a similar policy. Senators that have enhancement grant requests had to ask a House member to sponsor their request for it to be considered.

"When we are gone from Lansing, when we are not here, I want this level of transparency to continue. This is a good thing," Kunse said.

Minority Vice Chair Alabas Farhat (D-Dearborn) asked Kunse how much money went into developing the part of the House website where the request forms are uploaded, and if there have been any problems with the website.

"I don't believe the Secretary of State was in charge of the website," Kunse joked in response, referring to the Michigan Department of State's new campaign, committee and personal finance disclosure website that has left filers and viewers with heartburn.

He elaborated that while he's unsure how much money was spent on that web development, he'd be interested in getting the House Fiscal Agency involved to answer the question. Chair Ann Bollin (R-Brighton) said the project was done in-house, so Rep. Carol Glanville (D-Grand Rapids) pointed out that there should be conversations about whether an employee should be hired to handle the additional workload.

Currently, the form legislators fill out asks for the first and last name of the sponsoring legislator, who is the spending item's recipient and their physical address, intended location of the project, which House district the spending will benefit, its purpose, its amount, whether it's a local unit of government, non-profit or other and more.

Kunse said the bill will streamline the required form, and substitutes will be put before the committee before it is reported to the floor.