HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
COMMITTEE ON ELECTIONS
REP. PENELOPE TSERNOGLOU
CHAIR
COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES
Tuesday, March 19, 2024
10:30 AM
Room 327, House Office Building
The House Committee on Elections was called to order by Chair Tsernoglou.
The Chair requested attendance be called:
Present: Reps. Tsernoglou, Wegela, Hope, Koleszar, Byrnes, Churches, Smit, DeBoyer.
Absent: None.
Excused: None.
Representative Smit moved to adopt the meeting minutes from March 12, 2024. There being
no objection, the motion prevailed by unanimous consent.
The Chair laid HB 5550 and HB 5551 before the committee:
HB 5550
(Rep. Tsernoglou)
A bill to amend 1954 PA 116, entitled "Michigan
election law," by amending sections 951a and 952
(MCL 168.951a and 168.952), as amended by
2018 PA 190.
HB 5551
(Rep. Arbit)
A bill to amend 1954 PA 116, entitled "Michigan
election law," by amending sections 22c and 24b
(MCL 168.22c and 168.24b), section 22c as added
by 1995 PA 261.
The following person submitted a card in opposition to HB 5550 and HB 5551, but did not
wish to speak:
Sheree Ritchie, representing Pure Integrity Michigan Elections, Michigan Fair Elections,
Stand Up Michigan, The Freedom Alliance, and Mid-Michigan Women for Conservative
Values.
Representative DeBoyer offered the following amendments to HB 5551:
1. Amend page 1, line 4, after "if" by striking out the balance of the subsection and
inserting a comma and "within the immediately preceding 20 years, the individual was
convicted of a felony involving dishonesty, deceit, fraud, or a breach of the public trust
and the conviction was related to the individual's official capacity while the individual
was holding any elective office or position of employment in local, state, or federal
government.".
2. Amend page 2, line 5, by striking out all of subsection (4).".
3. Amend page 3, line 3, after "if" by striking out the balance of the subsection and
inserting a comma and "within the immediately preceding 20 years, the individual was
convicted of a felony involving dishonesty, deceit, fraud, or a breach of the public trust
and the conviction was related to the individual's official capacity while the individual
was holding any elective office or position of employment in local, state, or federal
government.".
Representative DeBoyer moved to adopt the amendments to HB 5551. The motion did not
prevail 2-6-0:
UNFAVORABLE ROLL CALL
Yeas: Reps. Smit, DeBoyer.
Nays: Reps. Tsernoglou, Wegela, Hope, Koleszar, Byrnes, Churches.
Pass: None.
Representative Smit moved to adopt substitute (H-2) to HB 5551. The motion did not prevail
2-4-2:
UNFAVORABLE ROLL CALL
Yeas: Reps. Smit, DeBoyer.
Nays: Reps. Tsernoglou, Wegela, Hope, Byrnes.
Pass: Reps. Koleszar, Churches.
Representative Wegela moved to report out HB 5550 with recommendation. The motion
prevailed 6-2-0:
FAVORABLE ROLL CALL
Yeas: Reps. Tsernoglou, Wegela, Hope, Koleszar, Byrnes, Churches.
Nays: Reps. Smit, DeBoyer.
Pass: None.
Representative Hope moved to report out HB 5551 with recommendation. The motion
prevailed 6-2-0:
FAVORABLE ROLL CALL
Yeas: Reps. Tsernoglou, Wegela, Hope, Koleszar, Byrnes, Churches.
Nays: Reps. Smit, DeBoyer.
Pass: None.
The Chair laid before the committee the presentation from the Board of State Canvassers.
Mary Ellen Gurewitz, Richard Houskamp, Jeannette Bradshaw, and Anthony Daunt,
representing the Board of State Canvassers, presented to the committee. Questions and
discussion followed.
There being no further business before the committee, Chair Tsernoglou adjourned the
meeting at 11:52 AM.
Representative Penelope Tsernoglou, Chair
Edward Sleeper
Committee Clerk
esleeper@house.mi.gov