Integrity and Sovereignty Act

MICHIGAN INTEGRITY AND SOVEREIGNTY ACT

A bill to restore integrity, transparency, and accountability in Michigan government; to require full financial disclosure by public officials; to ban revolving-door lobbying; to create an independent anti-corruption commission; to impose sunset reviews and regulatory reductions on state agencies; to prohibit foreign and undisclosed dark-money influence in elections; to restrict ideological overreach and foreign-adversary influence in public institutions; to strengthen election security; to protect taxpayer interests through structural reforms; and to provide for related matters.

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

Section 1. Short Title.

This act shall be known and may be cited as the “Michigan Integrity, Transparency, and Anti-Corruption Act” or the “Michigan Integrity and Sovereignty Act.”

Section 2. Legislative Findings.

The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:

(a) Decades of entrenched corruption, wasteful spending, special-interest influence, and unaccountable bureaucratic power have undermined public trust and harmed Michigan families.

(b) Full financial transparency, strict limits on revolving-door lobbying, independent investigation of public corruption, and regular audits are essential to restore integrity.

(c) Automatic sunset clauses, zero-based budgeting, and regulatory reduction are necessary to restrain bureaucratic overreach.

(d) Foreign nationals, foreign-influenced entities, and undisclosed dark money must not be permitted to influence Michigan elections or ballot initiatives.

(e) Public institutions must remain free of funding or partnerships that advance adversarial foreign influence or ideologies incompatible with constitutional governance.

(f) Secure elections, public-employee neutrality, and structural taxpayer protections are fundamental to constitutional self-government.

(g) All provisions of this act shall be applied consistent with the Constitution of the United States, the Constitution of the State of Michigan, due process, and the rule of law.

Section 3. Public Official Integrity and Financial Disclosure.

(1) Every elected state official, high-level appointee, and their immediate family members shall file comprehensive financial-disclosure statements covering assets, income, gifts, liabilities, and potential conflicts of interest. Disclosures shall be filed electronically and made available in real time on a public website maintained by the Secretary of State or designated ethics body.

(2) Legislators and other covered officials are prohibited from trading individual stocks or securities using non-public information obtained in the course of official duties.

(3) Willful failure to disclose or false disclosure constitutes a violation subject to civil penalties, removal proceedings where applicable, and referral for criminal prosecution.

Section 4. Revolving-Door Ban.

No former state legislator, elected official, or high-level appointee may lobby their former agency, chamber, or colleagues for a period of five years after leaving office. Violations shall result in substantial civil fines, permanent lobbying disqualification, and potential criminal penalties for knowing violations.

Section 5. Independent Anti-Corruption Commission.

(1) There is established a bipartisan Independent Anti-Corruption Commission with subpoena power to investigate public corruption, no-bid contracts, misuse of taxpayer funds, and related misconduct.

(2) Every state agency shall undergo a comprehensive performance and financial audit at least once every two years.

(3) The Commission shall refer credible evidence of criminal conduct to the Attorney General or appropriate prosecuting authority and shall publish annual public reports on investigations completed, funds recovered, and recommendations.

Section 6. Whistleblower Protection and Rewards.

State employees and private citizens who report waste, fraud, abuse, or corruption in good faith are protected from retaliation. A reward fund, financed by recovered funds, shall provide monetary awards for verified reports that result in substantial recoveries or successful prosecutions.

Section 7. Ban on Foreign and Dark-Money Influence.

(1) Foreign nationals, foreign governments, and foreign-influenced entities are prohibited from contributing to state candidate campaigns, political parties, or ballot-initiative committees.

(2) Organizations organized under section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code and similar entities that engage in Michigan electioneering or ballot-initiative activity shall disclose all donors above a modest threshold. Undisclosed “dark money” contributions are prohibited.

(3) Violations shall result in forfeiture of funds, civil penalties, and potential criminal referral.

Section 8. Sunset Review, Zero-Based Budgeting, and Regulatory Reduction.

(1) Every state agency and major program shall be subject to automatic sunset every six years unless the Legislature affirmatively reauthorizes it.

(2) Departments shall prepare zero-based budget justifications for each funding cycle.

(3) For every new regulation proposed, two existing regulations of comparable scope shall be identified for elimination, subject to legislative review. Major rules shall require independent cost-benefit analysis and extended public-comment periods.

(4) Agencies may not promulgate rules with the force of law without explicit statutory authorization. The Joint Committee on Administrative Rules is strengthened to enforce this limitation.

(5) Programs that fail annual performance and outcome benchmarks shall be subject to automatic defunding or privatization recommendations.

Section 9. Data Privacy and Surveillance Limits.

State agencies shall collect only the minimum citizen data necessary for statutory functions and shall not share such data with federal or private entities absent legal authority and appropriate safeguards. Warrantless surveillance of Michigan residents by state agencies is prohibited.

Section 10. Defense Against Ideological and Foreign-Adversary Influence.

(1) No state funds shall support curricula or programs that promote Marxist, communist, or totalitarian ideologies, or that divide citizens by race, class, or identity as official doctrine. Public education shall include robust instruction in constitutional principles, American history, and civics.

(2) State contracts, investments, and partnerships with entities linked to the Chinese Communist Party or other designated foreign adversaries are prohibited. Universities, nonprofits, and political entities receiving foreign funding shall fully disclose such funding.

(3) State employees are prohibited from using official time, resources, or positions to advocate partisan or ideological causes. Hatch Act-style restrictions are strengthened at the state level.

Section 11. Election Integrity and Security.

(1) Voters shall present photographic identification to vote. Same-day registration shall be subject to strict verification. Non-citizen voting is prohibited. Automatic voter registration tied solely to government-benefit applications is prohibited.

(2) Elections shall use paper ballots as the official record, subject to risk-limiting audits. Real-time chain-of-custody tracking shall be required. Electronic voting machines that produce no voter-verifiable paper record are prohibited for official tabulation.

(3) The Secretary of State and county clerks shall implement these standards and report compliance annually.

Section 12. Structural Taxpayer and Governance Reforms.

(1) The Legislature expresses support for a constitutional amendment requiring a supermajority vote for tax increases and automatic taxpayer refunds or rate reductions when revenues significantly exceed spending targets.

(2) Lifetime term limits for state legislators and constitutional officers are established as provided by law. New public employees shall be enrolled in defined-contribution retirement plans.

(3) State mandates on local governments shall be fully funded. Counties and townships are authorized to opt out of certain non-critical state regulations as prescribed by statute.

(4) Law enforcement, sheriffs, and prosecutors shall be fully funded. Cashless bail for serious offenses is restricted. Truth-in-sentencing principles are restored.

Section 13. Implementation, Metrics, and Reporting.

(1) The Independent Anti-Corruption Commission and relevant agencies shall publish annual public reports on corruption cases investigated or prosecuted, regulations eliminated, dollars saved or recovered, and indicators of public trust.

(2) The Attorney General and Governor are directed to enforce existing anti-corruption statutes vigorously and to prioritize audits of high-risk agencies.

Section 14. Severability.

If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act and the application of its provisions to other persons or circumstances shall not be affected.

Section 15. Effective Date.

This act takes effect 90 days after enactment. Disclosure requirements, the Independent Anti-Corruption Commission, and initial sunset and audit schedules shall be operational within 180 days.

Enacting Section.

This act is ordered to take immediate effect.

Michigan First. Integrity First. Liberty First.

Save Michigan Now.