MEMBERS:
SEN. PAUL WOJNO, MAJORITY VICE CHAIR
SEN. SYLVIA SANTANA
SEN. MALLORY MCMORROW
SEN. STEPHANIE CHANG
SEN. RUTH JOHNSON, MINORITY VICE CHAIR
SEN. EDWARD MCBROOM
THE SENATE
COMMITTEE ON ELECTIONS AND ETHICS
SENATOR JEREMY MOSS
CHAIR
132 CAPITOL BUILDING
P.O. BOX 30036
LANSING, MICHIGAN 48909-7536
PHONE: (517) 373-7888
FAX: (517) 373-2983
COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES
December 4, 2024
A meeting of the Senate Committee on Elections and Ethics was scheduled for Wednesday, December 4, 2024,
at 3:15 p.m., in the 1100 Room of the Binsfeld Office Building.
The agenda summary is as follows:
1. Testimony and Reported SB 494 (S-4) (Sen. Santana) with recommendation.
2. Testimony and Reported SB 835 (S-2) ( Chang) with recommendation.
3. Testimony and Reported regarding SB 1108 (S-2) (Sen. Moss), SB 1109 (S-1) (Sen. Moss), SB 1110
(S-1) (Sen. Irwin) with recommendation .
4. Testimony and Reported HB 5571 (Rep. Penelope Tsernoglou) with recommendation.
5. Testimony and Reported HB 5572 (Rep. Donavan McKinney) with recommendation.
6. Testimony and Reported HB 5573 (Rep. Jason Morgan) with recommendation.
7. Testimony and Reported HB 5574 (Rep. Joey Andrews) with recommendation.
8. Testimony and Reported HB 5575 (Rep. Jasper Martus) with recommendation.
9. Testimony and Reported HB 5576 (Rep. Jaime Churches) with recommendation.
The Chair called the meeting to order at 3:18 p.m.. He instructed the Clerk to call the roll. At that time, the
following members were present: Chair Moss, Sen.(s) Wojno, Santana, McMorrow, Chang and Johnson, a
quorum was present.
The Chair entertained a motion by Sen. Wojno to adopt the meeting minutes from November 13, 2024. Without
objection, the minutes were adopted.
The Chair invited Senator Santana to explain SB 494 and S-4 Substitute. Member questions followed.
The Chair entertained a motion by Sen. Santana to adopt the (S-4) version of SB 494. The vote was as follows:
Yeas: Chair Moss, Sen.(s) Wojno, Santana, McMorrow, and Chang.
Nays: Sen.(s) Johnson.
The motion prevailed and the (S-4) was adopted.
The Chair invited the following individuals to present testimony regarding SB 494 and (S-4):
Paula Bowman, League of Women Voters of Michigan – Support
Denise Hartsough, League of Women Voters of Michigan – Support
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Tony Gant, Voting Access for All Coalition – Support
Melanie Macey, Promote the Vote – Support
Sheri Ritchie, Pure Integrity MI Elections, MI Fair Elections Institute, Stand Up Michigan – Opposition
Erion Schor, MDOS – Support
Kim Murphy-Kovalick, Voters Not Politicians – Support
Merissa Kovach, ACLU of Michigan – Support
Lora Current, Heritage Action for America – Opposition
Charmie Gholson, Citizens for Prison Reform – Support
The Chair entertained a motion by Sen. Santana to report the (S-4) version of SB 494 to the floor with
recommendation that it pass. The vote was as follows:
Yeas: Chair Moss, Sen.(s) Wojno, Santana, McMorrow, and Chang.
Nays: Sen.(s) Johnson.
Pass: Sen.(s) McBroom.
The motion prevailed and the bill was reported.
The Chair entertained a motion by Sen. Chang to adopt the (S-2) version of SB 835. The vote was as follows:
Yeas: Chair Moss, Sen.(s) Wojno, Santana, McMorrow, and Chang.
Nays: Sen.(s) Johnson.
The motion prevailed and the (S-2) was adopted.
The Chair entertained a motion by Sen. Chang to report the (S-2) version of SB 835 to the floor with
recommendation that it pass. The vote was as follows:
Yeas: Chair Moss, Sen.(s) Wojno, Santana, McMorrow, and Chang.
Nays: Sen.(s) Johnson.
The motion prevailed and the bill was reported.
The Chair invited the following individuals to present testimony regarding SB 835 and (S-2):
Merissa Kovach, ACLU of Michigan – Support
Sheri Ritchie, Pure Integrity Mich. Elections; Michigan Fair Elections Institute, Stand Up Michigan. –
Opposition
Kim Murphy-Kovalick, Voters Not Politicians – Support
Melanie Macey, Promote the Vote – Support
Erin Schor, Michigan Department of State – Support
Amanda Zack, Director of Policy Secure Democracy – Support
Chair Moss passed the gavel to the Majority Vice Chair Wojno, who invited Chair Moss and Senator Irwin to
explain Senate Bills 1108, 1109, 1110 and substitutes. Member questions followed.
The Chair invited the following individuals to present testimony regarding SB 1108, (S-2), SB 1109, (S-1), SB
1110 and (S-1):
Sheri Ritchie, Pure Integrity MI Elections: SB 1108 – Neutral, SB 1109 – Opposed, SB 1110 – Neutral
The Chair read the cards of those individuals not wishing to testify before the committee regarding SB 1108, (S-
2), SB 1109, (S-1), SB 1110 and (S-1):
Aaron VanLangevelde, Department of Attorney General – Support
Melanie Macey, Promote the Vote – SB 1108 and SB 1110 – Support, SB 1109 - Opposed
Merissa Kovach, ACLU of Michigan – SB 1108 – Neutral, SB 1109 – Opposed, SB 1110 - Support
Erin Schor, MDOS – Support
Kim Murphy-Kovalick, Voters Not Politicians – Support SB 1108 and SB 1110
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The Chair entertained a motion by Sen. Santana to adopt the (S-2) version of SB 1108. The vote was as follows:
Yeas: Chair Moss, Sen.(s) Wojno, Santana, McMorrow, Chang, and Johnson.
Nays: None
The motion prevailed and the (S-2) was adopted.
The Chair entertained a motion by Sen. Wojno to report the (S-2) version of SB 1108 to the floor with
recommendation that it pass. The vote was as follows:
Yeas: Chair Moss, Sen.(s) Wojno, Santana, McMorrow, and Chang.
Nays: Sen.(s) Johnson.
The motion prevailed and the bill was reported.
The Chair entertained a motion by Sen. McMorrow to adopt the (S-1) version of SB 1109. The vote was as
follows:
Yeas: Chair Moss, Sen.(s) Wojno, Santana, McMorrow, Chang, and Johnson.
Nays: None
The motion prevailed and the (S-1) was adopted.
The Chair entertained a motion by Sen. Santana to report the (S-1) version of SB 1109 to the floor with
recommendation that it pass. The vote was as follows:
Yeas: Chair Moss, Sen.(s) Wojno, Santana, McMorrow, and Chang.
Nays: Sen.(s) Johnson.
The motion prevailed and the bill was reported.
The Chair entertained a motion by Sen. Santana to adopt the (S-1) version of SB 1110. The vote was as follows:
Yeas: Chair Moss, Sen.(s) Wojno, Santana, McMorrow, and Chang.
Nays: None
Pass: Sen.(s) Johnson.
The motion prevailed and the (S-1) was adopted.
The Chair entertained a motion by Sen. McMorrow to report the (S-1) version of SB 1110 to the floor with
recommendation that it pass. The vote was as follows:
Yeas: Chair Moss, Sen.(s) Wojno, Santana, McMorrow, and Chang.
Nays: None
Pass: Sen.(s) Johnson.
The motion prevailed and the bill was reported.
The Chair invited State Representative Tsernoglou to explain House Bills 5571; 5572; 5573; 5574; 5575; and
5576. Member questions followed.
The Chair invited the following individuals to present testimony regarding HB 5571, HB 5572, HB 5573, HB
5574, HB 5575 and HB 5576:
Melanie Macey, Promote the Vote – Support
Sheri Ritchie, Pure Integrity Michigan Elections; Michigan Fair Elections Institute – Opposition
Board of State Canvassers Chair Mary Ellen Gurewitz – Support
Board of State Canvassers Vice Chair Richard Houskamp – Support
Board of State of Canvassers Members Jeannette Bradshaw – Support
The Chair read the cards of those individuals not wishing to testify before the committee regarding HB 5571,
HB 5572, HB 5573, HB 5574, HB 5575 and HB 5576:
Lora Current, Heritage Action for America – Opposition
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Merissa Kovach, ACLU of Michigan – Support
Kim Murphy-Kovalick, Voters Not Politicians – Support
Erin Schor, MDOS – Support
Melanie Macey, Promote the Vote – Support
The Chair entertained a motion by Sen. Wojno to report HB 5571 to the floor with recommendation that it pass.
The vote was as follows:
Yeas: Chair Moss, Sen.(s) Wojno, Santana, McMorrow, and Chang.
Nays: Sen.(s) Johnson.
The motion prevailed and the bill was reported.
The Chair entertained a motion by Sen. Santana to report HB 5572 to the floor with recommendation that it
pass. The vote was as follows:
Yeas: Chair Moss, Sen.(s) Wojno, Santana, McMorrow, and Chang.
Nays: Sen.(s) Johnson.
The motion prevailed and the bill was reported.
The Chair entertained a motion by Sen. McMorrow to report HB 5573 to the floor with recommendation that it
pass. The vote was as follows:
Yeas: Chair Moss, Sen.(s) Wojno, Santana, McMorrow, and Chang.
Nays: Sen.(s) Johnson.
The motion prevailed and the bill was reported.
The Chair entertained a motion by Sen. Chang to report HB 5574 to the floor with recommendation that it pass.
The vote was as follows:
Yeas: Chair Moss, Sen.(s) Wojno, Santana, McMorrow, and Chang.
Nays: Sen.(s) Johnson.
The motion prevailed and the bill was reported.
The Chair entertained a motion by Sen. Wojno to report HB 5575 to the floor with recommendation that it pass.
The vote was as follows:
Yeas: Chair Moss, Sen.(s) Wojno, Santana, McMorrow, and Chang.
Nays: Sen.(s) Johnson.
The motion prevailed and the bill was reported.
The Chair entertained a motion by Sen. Santana to report HB 5576 to the floor with recommendation that it
pass. The vote was as follows:
Yeas: Chair Moss, Sen.(s) Wojno, Santana, McMorrow, and Chang.
Nays: Sen.(s) Johnson.
The motion prevailed and the bill was reported.
The Chair entertained a motion by Sen. Johnson to excuse absent members from the meeting. Without
objection, Sen. McBroom was excused from the meeting.
There being no further business before the committee, the Chair moved to adjourn the committee. Without
objection, the committee was adjourned at 4:15 p.m.
Date Adopted by Committee: December 11, 2024
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