HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
COMMITTEE ON ELECTIONS
REP. PENELOPE TSERNOGLOU
CHAIR
COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES
Tuesday, November 12, 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.
Absent: Rep. DeBoyer.
Excused: None.
Representative Koleszar moved to adopt the meeting minutes from June 18, 2024. There
being no objection, the motion prevailed by unanimous consent.
The Chair laid HB 5816, HB 6052, HB 6053, HB 6054 and HB 6055 before the committee:
HB 5816
(Rep. Tsernoglou)
A bill to amend 1909 PA 279, entitled "The home
rule city act," by amending section 18 (MCL
117.18).
HB 6052
(Rep. Tsernoglou)
A bill to amend 1954 PA 116, entitled "Michigan
election law," by amending sections 570, 795b,
and 797a (MCL 168.570, 168.795b, and
168.797a), as amended by 2023 PA 81.
HB 6053
(Rep. Tsernoglou)
A bill to amend 1969 PA 161, entitled "An act to
regulate the filing of certain actions involving
elections," by amending section 1 (MCL
691.1031).
HB 6054
(Rep. Tsernoglou)
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
2024 PA 75.
HB 6055
(Rep. Tsernoglou)
A bill to amend 1954 PA 116, entitled "Michigan
election law," by amending sections 305, 497,
523b, 662, 664, 668b, 720d, 720e, 720f, 720g,
720j, 759, 759a, 759e, 761d, 764c, 765a, 768,
798b, 805, 807, 813, and 829 (MCL 168.305,
168.497, 168.523b, 168.662, 168.664, 168.668b,
168.720d, 168.720e, 168.720f, 168.720g,
168.720j, 168.759, 168.759a, 168.759e, 168.761d,
168.764c, 168.765a, 168.768, 168.798b, 168.805,
168.807, 168.813, and 168.829), section 305 as
amended by 2010 PA 334, section 497 as amended
by 2023 PA 184, sections 523b, 720d, 720e, 720f,
and 720g as added and sections 662, 668b, 765a,
768, 798b, and 805 as amended by 2023 PA 81,
section 720j as amended by 2023 PA 259, section
759 as amended by 2023 PA 270, section 759a as
amended by 2023 PA 193, section 759e as added
by 2023 PA 86, section 761d as amended by 2023
PA 85, section 764c as amended by 2023 PA 84,
and sections 813 and 829 as amended by 2018 PA
603.
At 10:46 AM, the Chair laid the committee at ease.
At 10:47 AM, Majority Vice Chair Wegela called the committee back to order.
Chair Tsernoglou, joined by Erin Schor, gave testimony on HB 5816. Questions and
discussion followed.
Erin Schor, representing the Michigan Department of State, joined to testify in support of HB
5816.
Chris Swope, the Lansing City Clerk, joined to testify in support of HB 5816.
Chair Tsernoglou, joined by Erin Schor, gave testimony on HB 6052. Questions and
discussion followed.
At 10:53 AM, Majority Vice Chair Wegela laid the committee at ease.
At 10:54 AM, Majority Vice Chair Wegela called the committee back to order.
Chair Tsernoglou, joined by Erin Schor, gave testimony on HB 6053. Questions and
discussion followed.
Chair Tsernoglou, joined by Erin Schor, gave testimony on HB 6054 and HB 6055. Questions
and discussion followed.
Melanie Macy, representing Promote the Vote, joined to testify in support of HB 6052, HB
6054, and HB 6055.
At 11:08 AM, Majority Vice Chair Wegela laid the committee at ease.
At 11:11 AM, Chair Tsernoglou called the committee back to order.
Representative Bollin testified in opposition to HB 5816, HB 6052, HB 6053, HB 6054, and
HB 6055. Questions and discussion followed.
Sheree Ritchie, representing Pure Integrity Michigan Elections, Michigan Fair Elections,
Stand Up Michigan, Freedom Alliance Project, and Mid-Michigan Women for Conservative
Values, testified in opposition to HB 5816, HB 6052, HB 6053, and HB 6055.
Sheree Ritchie, representing Pure Integrity Michigan Elections, Michigan Fair Elections,
Stand Up Michigan, Freedom Alliance Project, and Mid-Michigan Women for Conservative
Values, testified with a neutral position on HB 6045.
The following people submitted a card in support of HB 5816, but did not wish to speak:
Kim Murphy-Kovalick, representing Voters Not Politicians
Dave Hodgkins, representing the Michigan Municipal League
The following people submitted a card in support of HB 6052, HB 6053, HB 6054, and HB
6055, but did not wish to speak:
Kim Murphy-Kovalick, representing Voters Not Politicians
Merissa Kovach, representing the American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan
Representative Wegela moved to adopt substitute (H-1) to HB 5816. The motion prevailed 6-
0-1:
FAVORABLE ROLL CALL
Yeas: Reps. Tsernoglou, Wegela, Hope, Koleszar, Byrnes, Churches.
Nays: None.
Pass: Rep. Smit.
Representative Tsernoglou offered the following amendment to HB 5816 (H-1):
1. Amend page 3, line 20, after the first "the" by striking out "adoption of the proposition to
revise," and inserting "first meeting of the charter commission,".
Representative Hope moved to adopt the amendment to HB 5816 (H-1). The motion
prevailed 6-0-1:
FAVORABLE ROLL CALL
Yeas: Reps. Tsernoglou, Wegela, Hope, Koleszar, Byrnes, Churches.
Nays: None.
Pass: Rep. Smit.
Representative Koleszar moved to report HB 5816 as amended, as substitute (H-2). The
motion prevailed 6-0-1:
FAVORABLE ROLL CALL
Yeas: Reps. Tsernoglou, Wegela, Hope, Koleszar, Byrnes, Churches.
Nays: None.
Pass: Rep. Smit.
Representative Byrnes moved to report out HB 6052 with recommendation. The motion
prevailed 6-1-0:
FAVORABLE ROLL CALL
Yeas: Reps. Tsernoglou, Wegela, Hope, Koleszar, Byrnes, Churches.
Nays: Rep. Smit.
Pass: None.
Representative Churches moved to adopt substitute (H-1) to HB 6053. The motion prevailed
6-1-0:
FAVORABLE ROLL CALL
Yeas: Reps. Tsernoglou, Wegela, Hope, Koleszar, Byrnes, Churches.
Nays: Rep. Smit.
Pass: None.
Representative Wegela moved to report out HB 6053 with recommendation, as substitute (H-
1). The motion prevailed 6-1-0:
FAVORABLE ROLL CALL
Yeas: Reps. Tsernoglou, Wegela, Hope, Koleszar, Byrnes, Churches.
Nays: Rep. Smit.
Pass: None.
Representative Hope moved to report out HB 6054 with recommendation. The motion
prevailed 6-1-0:
FAVORABLE ROLL CALL
Yeas: Reps. Tsernoglou, Wegela, Hope, Koleszar, Byrnes, Churches.
Nays: Rep. Smit.
Pass: None.
Representative Byrnes moved to report out HB 6055 with recommendation. The motion
prevailed 6-1-0:
FAVORABLE ROLL CALL
Yeas: Reps. Tsernoglou, Wegela, Hope, Koleszar, Byrnes, Churches.
Nays: Rep. Smit.
Pass: None.
There being no further business before the committee, Chair Tsernoglou adjourned the
meeting at 11:30 AM.
Representative Penelope Tsernoglou, Chair
Hazel Campbell-Crawley
Committee Clerk
hcrawley@house.mi.gov