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HB 4062

Public employees and officers: ethics; former members of the legislature; prohibit from engaging in certain lobbying activities for a period of time. Amends sec. 6a of 1978 PA 472 (MCL 4.416a).

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Greg Alexander and 18 co-sponsors

Michigan bars former state legislators from lobbying for a set period after leaving office to reduce conflicts of interest and government credibility risks.

bill ordered enrolled
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Bill Summary · HB 4062

Legislative bill overview

HB 4062 amends Michigan's ethics law to impose a cooling-off period restricting former state legislators from engaging in lobbying activities after they leave office. The bill modifies Section 6a of the 1978 Public Officers' Ethics Act to establish timeframes during which ex-lawmakers cannot lobby the legislature or state agencies they previously served in.

Why this is important

This addresses the "revolving door" problem where legislators leverage institutional knowledge and relationships immediately after leaving office to influence policy decisions. Such restrictions aim to reduce conflicts of interest, prevent the appearance of quid pro quo arrangements, and preserve public confidence in government decision-making by creating temporal distance between public service and private lobbying.

Potential points of contention

  • Duration uncertainty: The bill's specific cooling-off period length is not detailed in available information, making it unclear whether the timeframe is 6 months, 1 year, or longer—shorter periods may be ineffective while longer ones raise free speech and livelihood concerns
  • Scope limitations: The restriction may only apply to direct lobbying of the legislature itself, potentially leaving loopholes for indirect influence through consulting, advisory roles, or lobbying specific agencies
  • Competitive disadvantage: Former legislators would face restrictions other professionals don't, potentially creating fairness questions about whether this unfairly prevents certain citizens from employment while allowing private citizens with prior government experience to lobby freely

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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