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Executive Branch Ethics and Lobbying Restriction Act

This bill establishes a two-year post-office lobbying restriction for certain high-ranking executive branch officials in Michigan, specifically targeting former governors, lieutenant governors, and heads of principal state departments who take office on or after January 1, 2025. Under this legislation, these former officials are prohibited from engaging in lobbying activities that would require them to register as a lobbyist agent, which essentially means they cannot spend money on lobbying or receive compensation for lobbying-related expenses during the two years following their departure from office. The bill includes a penalty provision that makes violations a misdemeanor, with potential consequences of up to 90 days in jail, a fine of up to $1,000, or both. This law aims to prevent potential conflicts of interest and the improper use of insider knowledge or connections gained during public service by creating a "cooling off" period that limits former top-level executive branch officials' ability to immediately leverage their government experience for lobbying purposes.1