DISCLOSE AUTOMATED TELEPHONE CALLS

House Bill 5172 (Substitute H-2)

Sponsor:  Rep. Lorence Wenke

Committee:  House Oversight, Elections, and Ethics

Complete to 5-18-05

A SUMMARY OF HOUSE BILL 5172 AS REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE

House Bill 5172 would amend the Michigan Campaign Finance Act to require the disclosure of those making automated telephone calls related to candidates or elections, and prohibit such calls after 9 p.m. and before 9 a.m.

Under the bill, an automated telephonic communication to an elector that related to an election, a candidate, or a ballot question would be required to clearly state the identity of the person paying for the communication. 

Further, a person that was not a committee that made a communication would have to provide all of the following information to the secretary of state:  the identity of the person making the communication; the address and telephone number where the person making the communication could be contacted during ordinary business hours; and, the name of the person paying for the communication.

The bill specifies this information would have to be provided for each month in which a communication was made, and filed with the secretary of state on or before the 15^th day of the following month.  The secretary of state would then be required to make the information public.

A person who knowingly violated this requirement would be guilty of a misdemeanor, and would be punished by a fine of not more than $1,000.

MCL 169.206

           

FISCAL IMPACT:

A fiscal analysis is in process.

                                                                                           Legislative Analyst:   J. Hunault

                                                                                                  Fiscal Analyst:   Robin Risko

■ This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan House staff for use by House members in their deliberations, and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.