HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
COMMITTEE ON ELECTIONS
REP. PENELOPE TSERNOGLOU
CHAIR
COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES
Tuesday, May 14, 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 DeBoyer moved to adopt the meeting minutes from March 19, 2024. There
being no objection, the motion prevailed by unanimous consent.
The Chair laid SB 603 and SB 604 before the committee:
SB 603
(Sen. Chang)
A bill to amend 1954 PA 116, entitled "Michigan
election law," by amending sections 2, 822, 825,
827, 828, 842, 861, 862, 863, 865, 866, 867, 868,
869, 870, 871, 873, 874, 875, 876, 878, 879, 880,
880a, 881, 882, 883, 884, 887, 888, 889, 890, and
892 (MCL 168.2, 168.822, 168.825, 168.827,
168.828, 168.842, 168.861, 168.862, 168.863,
168.865, 168.866, 168.867, 168.868, 168.869,
168.870, 168.871, 168.873, 168.874, 168.875,
168.876, 168.878, 168.879, 168.880, 168.880a,
168.881, 168.882, 168.883, 168.884, 168.887,
168.888, 168.889, 168.890, and 168.892), section
2 as amended by 2023 PA 87, sections 822, 842,
and 882 as amended by 2023 PA 269, sections 862
and 879 as amended by 2018 PA 128, section 863
as amended by 2012 PA 586, sections 866 and 868
as amended by 2013 PA 51, sections 867 and 881
as amended by 2018 PA 130, section 871 as
amended by 2012 PA 272, and sections 874, 875,
and 890 as amended by 1995 PA 261, and by
adding sections 861a and 883a; and to repeal acts
and parts of acts.
SB 604
(Sen. Moss)
A bill to amend 1927 PA 175, entitled "The code
of criminal procedure," by amending section 11d
of chapter XVII (MCL 777.11d), as amended by
2023 PA 266.
Senator Chang and Senator Moss testified in support of SB 603 and SB 604. Questions and
discussion followed.
Erica Peresman, representing Promote the Vote, testified in support of SB 603 and SB 604.
Chris Thomas, the Former Director of Michigan State Elections, testified in support of SB
603 and SB 604.
Kate Riley, representing the Wayne County Board of Canvassers, testified in opposition to SB
603 and SB 604.
Joe Rozell, representing Oakland County, testified in support of SB 603 and SB 604.
Scott Urbanowski, representing himself, testified with a neutral position on SB 603 and SB
604.
The following person submitted a card in support of SB 603, but did not wish to speak:
Kelsey Rogers, representing the Campaign Legal Center.
The following people submitted a card in support of SB 603 and SB 604, but did not wish to
speak:
Janice Winfrey, representing the City of Detroit.
Bill Zaagman, representing the Michigan Association of County Clerks, and the
Michigan Association of Municipal Clerks.
Mary Pollock, representing the American Association of University Women of Michigan.
Logan Vorce, representing the Michigan League of Conservation Voters.
Judy Karandjeff, representing the League of Women Voters.
The following person submitted a card in opposition to SB 603 and SB 604, but did not wish
to speak:
Sheree Ritchie, representing Pure Integrity Michigan Elections, Michigan Fair Elections,
Stand Up Michigan, and the Freedom Alliance.
The Chair laid HB 5699, HB 5700, HB 5701 and HB 5702 before the committee:
HB 5699
(Rep. Tsernoglou)
A bill to amend 1954 PA 116, entitled "Michigan
election law," by amending sections 362 and 370
(MCL 168.362 and 168.370), section 362 as
amended by 1980 PA 112 and section 370 as
amended by 2022 PA 104.
HB 5700
(Rep. Paiz)
A bill to amend 1909 PA 279, entitled "The home
rule city act," (MCL 117.1 to 117.38) by adding
section 3c.
HB 5701
(Rep. Koleszar)
A bill to amend 1895 PA 3, entitled "The general
law village act," by amending sections 4, 5, and 13
of chapter II and section 3 of chapter V (MCL
62.4, 62.5, 62.13, and 65.3), sections 4 and 5 of
chapter II and section 3 of chapter V as amended
by 2012 PA 551 and section 13 of chapter II as
amended by 2003 PA 305.
HB 5702
(Rep. MacDonell)
A bill to amend 1909 PA 278, entitled "The home
rule village act," (MCL 78.1 to 78.28) by adding
section 24e.
At 11:44 AM, the Chair laid the committee at ease.
At 11:45 AM, Majority Vice Chair Wegela called the committee back to order.
Representative Tsernoglou and Lisa Brown, the Oakland County Clerk and Register of
Deeds, testified in support of HB 5699, HB 5700, HB 5701 and HB 5702. Questions and
discussion followed.
At 11:52 AM, Majority Vice Chair Wegela laid the committee at ease.
At 11:53 AM, the Chair called the committee back to order.
Scott Urbanowski, representing himself, testified with a neutral position on HB 5699, HB
5700, HB 5701 and HB 5702.
The following person submitted a card with a neutral position on HB 5699, but did not wish
to speak:
Mike Batterbee, representing the Michigan Townships Association.
The following person submitted a card with a neutral position on HB 5699, HB 5700, HB
5701 and HB 5702, but did not wish to speak:
Dave Hodgkins, representing the Michigan Municipal League.
The following people submitted a card in support of HB 5699, HB 5700, HB 5701 and HB
5702, but did not wish to speak:
Erin Schor, representing the Michigan Department of State.
Bill Zaagman, representing the Michigan Association of County Clerks, and the
Michigan Association of Municipal Clerks.
The following person submitted a card in opposition to HB 5699, HB 5700, HB 5701 and HB
5702, but did not wish to speak:
Sheree Ritchie, representing the Pure Integrity Michigan Elections, Michigan Fair
Elections, Stand Up Michigan and the Freedom Alliance.
Representative Byrnes moved to report out HB 5699 with recommendation. The motion
prevailed 6-0-2:
FAVORABLE ROLL CALL
Yeas: Reps. Tsernoglou, Wegela, Hope, Koleszar, Byrnes, Churches.
Nays: None.
Pass: Reps. Smit, DeBoyer.
Representative Hope moved to report out HB 5700 with recommendation. The motion
prevailed 6-0-2:
FAVORABLE ROLL CALL
Yeas: Reps. Tsernoglou, Wegela, Hope, Koleszar, Byrnes, Churches.
Nays: None.
Pass: Reps. Smit, DeBoyer.
Representative Churches moved to report out HB 5701 with recommendation. The motion
prevailed 6-0-2:
FAVORABLE ROLL CALL
Yeas: Reps. Tsernoglou, Wegela, Hope, Koleszar, Byrnes, Churches.
Nays: None.
Pass: Reps. Smit, DeBoyer.
Representative Wegela moved to report out HB 5702 with recommendation. The motion
prevailed 6-0-2:
FAVORABLE ROLL CALL
Yeas: Reps. Tsernoglou, Wegela, Hope, Koleszar, Byrnes, Churches.
Nays: None.
Pass: Reps. Smit, DeBoyer.
The committee returned to consideration of SB 603 and SB 604.
Erin Schor and Adam Fracassi, representing the Michigan Department of State, testified in
support of SB 603 and SB 604. Questions and discussion followed.
There being no further business before the committee, Chair Tsernoglou adjourned the
meeting at 12:00 PM.
Representative Penelope Tsernoglou, Chair
Edward Sleeper
Committee Clerk
esleeper@house.mi.gov