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Act 388 of 1976
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MICHIGAN CAMPAIGN FINANCE ACT

Act 388 of 1976

AN ACT to regulate political activity; to regulate campaign financing; to restrict campaign contributions and expenditures; to require campaign statements and reports; to regulate anonymous contributions; to regulate campaign advertising and literature; to provide for segregated funds for political purposes; to provide for the use of public funds for political purposes; to create certain funds; to provide for reversion, retention, or refunding of unexpended balances in certain funds; to require other statements and reports; to regulate acceptance of certain gifts, payments, and reimbursements; to prescribe the powers and duties of certain state departments and state and local officials and employees; to provide appropriations; to prescribe penalties and provide remedies; and to repeal certain acts and parts of acts.


History: 1976, Act 388, Imd. Eff. Dec. 30, 1976 ;-- Am. 1994, Act 117, Eff. Apr. 1, 1995 ;-- Am. 1994, Act 385, Eff. Jan. 1, 1995




The People of the State of Michigan enact:

DocumentTypeDescription
Section 169.201SectionShort title; meanings of words and phrases.
Section 169.202SectionDefinitions; A, B.
Section 169.203SectionDefinitions; C.
Section 169.204Section"Contribution" defined.
Section 169.205SectionDefinitions; D, E.
Section 169.206Section"Expenditure" defined.
Section 169.207SectionDefinitions; F to H.
Section 169.208SectionDefinitions; H, I.
Section 169.209SectionDefinitions; I to L.
Section 169.210SectionDefinitions; M to N.
Section 169.211SectionDefinitions; P.
Section 169.212SectionDefinitions; Q to S.
Section 169.215SectionDuties of secretary of state; declaratory ruling and interpretive statement; filing, contents, and form of complaint; investigations; referral of matter to attorney general; posting of complaint, response, or rebuttal statement on website; informal methods of conference, conciliation, or persuasion; conciliation agreement as bar to further action; enforcement of criminal penalty; hearing; order; judicial review; civil fine and other sanctions; waiver of campaign statement filing; duties of county clerk.
Section 169.216SectionStatement or report; public inspection; reproduction; copy; prohibited use; preservation; disposal; late filing fee; compliance; notice; corrections; report of errors or omissions; deadline for filing.
Section 169.217SectionPayment of late filing fee; disposition of late filing fees and copying charges; unpaid filing fee; exceptions.
Section 169.218SectionElectronic filing and internet disclosure system.
Section 169.218aSectionElectronic filing and internet disclosure system; adoption by county clerk.
Section 169.220SectionIndividual not considered candidate; individual receiving votes by write-in method as candidate.
Section 169.221SectionCandidate committee or committee other than candidate committee; treasurer; service of process; official depository for contributions; secondary depositories; requirements for accepting contributions or making expenditures; vacancy in office of treasurer; authorizing expenditure; contributions or expenditures considered received or made by candidate committee; reporting contributions; commingling prohibited; violation; penalty.
Section 169.221aSectionExpenditure for incidental expense by candidate committee; legal costs; violation as misdemeanor; penalty.
Section 169.222SectionDuties of committee treasurer or other designated individual; preservation and inspection of committee records; violation; civil fine.
Section 169.223SectionRules for withdrawal of funds; limitation on single expenditure from petty cash fund; violation; civil fine.
Section 169.224SectionStatement of organization; time for filing; late filing fee; violation as misdemeanor; penalty; contents of statement; name of sponsor; amendment; statement as to receipts or expenditures; filing statement indicating dissolution of committee; exception; political committee considered as independent expenditure committee.
Section 169.224aSectionHouse political party caucus committee; senate political party caucus committee; limitation; dissolution of independent committees; exception.
Section 169.224bSectionIndependent expenditure committee; creation; filing of campaign statements; contributions; violation of subsection (4) as felony; penalty.
Section 169.224cSectionDefeat of independent nature of independent expenditure; punishment; exception.
Section 169.225SectionCampaign statement; filing; period covered.
Section 169.225aSectionRepealed. 1999, Act 237, Eff. Mar. 10, 2000.
Section 169.226SectionCampaign statement of committee other than political party committee; contents; report; list of expenditures; bundled contribution; separate segregated fund reporting requirements.
Section 169.228SectionInterest; loans; certified statement to accompany campaign statement reporting certain contributions; applicability of subsection (3).
Section 169.229SectionCampaign statement filed by political party committee; contents; identification of expenditure; designation of contribution to candidate committee or ballot question committee; designation of independent expenditure; apportionment of expenditure; list of expenditures.
Section 169.230SectionContributions prohibited under MCL 432.207b.
Section 169.231SectionContributions or expenditures controlled by another person; bundled contribution.
Section 169.232SectionReport of late contributions; late filing fee; subsection (5) retroactive to January 1, 2010; “late contribution” defined.
Section 169.233SectionCampaign statements; filing schedule; report on expenditures; form; late filing fee; violation as misdemeanor; penalty; prohibitions; filing incomplete or inaccurate statement or report; civil fine; failure to file campaign statements; violation as felony; seizure and forfeiture of money; inventory statement of money seized; notice; hearing; decision; appeal; commencement of action.
Section 169.233aSectionInformation to be included with contribution.
Section 169.234SectionCampaign statement of ballot question committee; filing schedule; late filing fees; failure to file statement as misdemeanor; penalty; filing incomplete or inaccurate statement or report; civil fine.
Section 169.235SectionAdditional campaign statement; filing; deadline; period covered; waiver; exception; late filing fees; receipts or expenditures subjecting committee to campaign filing requirements; failure to file as misdemeanor; penalty; filing incomplete or inaccurate statement or report; civil fine.
Section 169.236SectionFiling copies of campaign statements with secretary of state and county clerks; availability to public.
Section 169.237SectionCampaign statement; signing; verification.
Section 169.238SectionCampaign statement; period covered.
Section 169.241SectionSingle contribution of $20.00 or expenditure of $50.00; written instrument, credit card, or debit card; anonymous contribution; contribution in name of another; violations; penalties.
Section 169.242SectionAcceptance of contribution by intermediary or agent; disclosure; requirements as to certain contributions; requirements as to contribution from person other than committee; out-of-state contributions made on automatic basis; violations; penalties.
Section 169.243SectionExpenditure by agent or independent contractor; requirements; violation; penalty.
Section 169.244SectionProhibited contributions or expenditures; delivery or return of contribution; joint fund-raiser; violation as misdemeanor; penalty.
Section 169.244aSectionExpenditure for late filing fee; financial disclosure reports.
Section 169.245SectionTransfer of unexpended funds; funds transferred not considered qualifying contribution; disbursement of funds ineligible for transfer.
Section 169.246SectionAdjustments to dollar value floor and contribution limits; "consumer price index" defined.
Section 169.247SectionPrinted matter or radio or television paid advertisement having reference to election, candidate, or ballot question; name and address; identification or disclaimer; size and placement; rules; exemption; statement that payment made "with regulated funds"; communication exempted under section 6(2)(j); violation as misdemeanor; penalty; prerecorded telephone message; artificial intelligence.
Section 169.249SectionRepealed. 1999, Act 224, Eff. Mar. 10, 2000.
Section 169.250SectionAcceptance of honorarium by legislator prohibited; violation as misdemeanor; penalty.
Section 169.251SectionIndependent expenditure of $100.01 or more; report; forwarding copies to filing officers; late filing fees; violation as misdemeanor.
Section 169.252SectionLimitations on contributions to candidate committee; contribution from candidate's immediate family; contribution for particular election cycle; violation as misdemeanor; penalty; contributions made by political or independent committees established by corporation, joint stock company, domestic dependent sovereign, or labor organization; bundled contributions.
Section 169.252aSectionContribution to house political party caucus committee or senate political party caucus committee; limitation; violation as misdemeanor; penalty.
Section 169.253SectionContribution or expenditure by dependent minor.
Section 169.254SectionContributions, expenditures, or volunteer personal services by corporation, joint stock company, domestic dependent sovereign, or labor organization; contribution to ballot question committee or independent expenditure committee; independent expenditures as to ballot questions; violation; penalty.
Section 169.255SectionSegregated fund for political purposes; establishment by connected organization; limitations; solicitation of contributions; prohibited practices; contribution to separate segregated fund; disproportionate in-kind contributions for prizes; violation; penalty; exception; definitions.
Section 169.256SectionOrdinance or resolution.
Section 169.257SectionContributions, expenditures, or volunteer personal services; prohibitions; communication referencing local ballot questions; violation as misdemeanor; penalty.
Section 169.259SectionUse of artificial intelligence; political advertisements; requirements; disclosure; violations; civil fines; exceptions; "qualified political advertisement" defined.
Section 169.261SectionState campaign fund; creation; administration; tax designation; appropriation; distribution of money; transfer to general fund.
Section 169.262SectionCandidates eligible to receive moneys; moneys to be spent and reported by candidate committee; filing statement of organization as condition to receiving moneys from state campaign fund; exemption from MCL 169.261 to 169.271.
Section 169.263SectionRecord of candidate's certified statements of qualifying contributions; contents of statement; notice of qualification to receive moneys; application for moneys; determination of amount; forwarding information and application to state treasurer; issuance of warrant.
Section 169.264SectionPayments to candidates in primary election; requirements; return of funds.
Section 169.265SectionNominees entitled to receive funds.
Section 169.266SectionApplication of funds against qualified campaign expenditures; “qualified campaign expenditure” defined; separate account for funds received; payment of qualified expenditures; disposition of unexpended balance; use of payment for expenditures in subsequent election prohibited; violation; penalty.
Section 169.267SectionLimitations on expenditures; exceptions; violation as misdemeanor; penalty; prohibitions.
Section 169.268SectionDebt limitation; violation; penalty; prohibitions.
Section 169.269SectionLimitations on contributions for election cycle; "immediate family" defined; determination of election cycle beginning and ending; notices; violation as misdemeanor; penalty; bundled contributions.
Section 169.270SectionReporting contribution or expenditure controlled or directed by another person.
Section 169.271SectionProhibited contributions; violation; penalty.
Section 169.281SectionRepeal of MCL 168.901 to 168.929; effective date.
Section 169.282SectionApplication of penalty provisions; payment of late filing fee; expenditure of $200.00 or more as contribution to ballot question committee; penalty or late filing fee; effective date of MCL 169.235.
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