HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
COMMITTEE ON ELECTIONS
REP. PENELOPE TSERNOGLOU
CHAIR
COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES
Tuesday, October 3, 2023
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 September 26, 2023. There
being no objection, the motion prevailed by unanimous consent.
The Chair laid HB 4981 before the committee:
HB 4981
(Rep. BeGole)
A bill to amend 1954 PA 116, entitled "Michigan
election law," by amending section 191 (MCL
168.191), as amended by 2018 PA 120.
Representative Begole testified in support of HB 4981. Questions and discussion followed.
Dan Pfannes, representing the Michigan Sheriffs' Association, testified in support of HB
4981. Questions and discussion followed.
Sherriff Anthony Wickersham, representing the Macomb County Sheriff's Office, testified in
support of HB 4981.
The following person submitted a card with a neutral position on HB 4981, but did not wish
to speak:
Sheri Ritchie, representing Pure Integrity Michigan Elections, Michigan Fair Elections,
StandUp Michigan, and the Freedom Alliance.
The following person submitted a card in opposition to HB 4981, but did not wish to speak:
Darlene Hennessy, representing the Election Integrity Network, Rescue MI, and
Michigan Fair Elections.
The Chair laid HB 4983, HB 4984, HB 4985 and HB 4986 before the committee:
HB 4983
(Rep. Tsernoglou)
A bill to amend 1954 PA 116, entitled "Michigan
election law," by amending sections 493a, 500a,
501, 509o, 509q, and 509r (MCL 168.493a,
168.500a, 168.501, 168.509o, 168.509q, and
168.509r), section 493a as added by 2018 PA 603,
sections 500a, 501, and 509r as amended by 2018
PA 125, section 509o as amended by 2022 PA 195,
and section 509q as amended by 2020 PA 302, and
by adding section 493b.
HB 4984
(Rep. Skaggs)
A bill to amend 1949 PA 300, entitled "Michigan
vehicle code," by amending section 307 (MCL
257.307), as amended by 2020 PA 376.
HB 4985
(Rep. Dievendorf)
A bill to amend 1972 PA 222, entitled "An act to
provide for an official personal identification card;
to provide for its form, issuance and use; to
regulate the use and disclosure of information
obtained from the card; to prescribe the powers
and duties of the secretary of state; to prescribe
fees; to prescribe certain penalties for violations;
and to provide an appropriation for certain
purposes," by amending section 1 (MCL 28.291),
as amended by 2021 PA 105.
HB 4986
(Rep. Wilson)
A bill to amend 2008 PA 23, entitled "Enhanced
driver license and enhanced official state personal
identification card act," by amending section 5
(MCL 28.305), as amended by 2021 PA 106.
The following people submitted a card in support of HB 4983, but did not wish to speak:
Eric Welsby, representing Detroit Disability Power.
Secure Democracy.
The following people submitted a card in opposition to HB 4983, HB 4984, HB 4985 and HB
4986, but did not wish to speak:
Darlene Hennessy, representing the Election Integrity Network, Rescue MI, and
Michigan Fair Elections.
Sheri Ritchie, representing Pure Integrity Michigan Elections, Michigan Fair Elections,
StandUp Michigan, and the Freedom Alliance.
Representative Wegela moved to adopt substitute (H-1) to HB 4983. 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 4983 with recommendation, as substitute (H-1).
The motion prevailed 6-2-0:
FAVORABLE ROLL CALL
Yeas: Reps. Tsernoglou, Wegela, Hope, Koleszar, Byrnes, Churches.
Nays: Reps. Smit, DeBoyer.
Pass: None.
Representative Koleszar moved to adopt substitute (H-1) to HB 4984. The motion prevailed
6-2-0:
FAVORABLE ROLL CALL
Yeas: Reps. Tsernoglou, Wegela, Hope, Koleszar, Byrnes, Churches.
Nays: Reps. Smit, DeBoyer.
Pass: None.
Representative Byrnes moved to report out HB 4984 with recommendation, as substitute (H-
1). The motion prevailed 6-2-0:
FAVORABLE ROLL CALL
Yeas: Reps. Tsernoglou, Wegela, Hope, Koleszar, Byrnes, Churches.
Nays: Reps. Smit, DeBoyer.
Pass: None.
Representative Churches moved to adopt substitute (H-1) to HB 4985. The motion prevailed
6-2-0:
FAVORABLE ROLL CALL
Yeas: Reps. Tsernoglou, Wegela, Hope, Koleszar, Byrnes, Churches.
Nays: Reps. Smit, DeBoyer.
Pass: None.
Representative Wegela moved to report out HB 4985 with recommendation, as substitute (H-
1). 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 adopt substitute (H-1) to HB 4986. The motion prevailed 6-2-
0:
FAVORABLE ROLL CALL
Yeas: Reps. Tsernoglou, Wegela, Hope, Koleszar, Byrnes, Churches.
Nays: Reps. Smit, DeBoyer.
Pass: None.
Representative Koleszar moved to report out HB 4986 with recommendation, as substitute
(H-1). The motion prevailed 6-2-0:
FAVORABLE ROLL CALL
Yeas: Reps. Tsernoglou, Wegela, Hope, Koleszar, Byrnes, Churches.
Nays: Reps. Smit, DeBoyer.
Pass: None.
There being no further business before the committee, Chair Tsernoglou adjourned the
meeting at 11:07 AM.
Representative Penelope Tsernoglou, Chair
Edward Sleeper
Committee Clerk
esleeper@house.mi.gov