The group behind the successful ballot drive to create an independent commission for drawing Michigan’s political maps has met with lawmakers to discuss possible changes to term limit laws and other government reforms.
Voters Not Politicians ran the 2018 Proposal 2 campaign to create an independent redistricting commission, and the group announced it was considering backing another ballot initiative earlier this year. The group has since met with House Speaker Lee Chatfield, R-Levering, Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey, R-Clark Lake, and others to discuss Michigan’s term limit laws.
The discussions, first reported by the political newsletter MIRS, are preliminary, according to a Voters Not Politicians spokesperson, and have also included mention of other ethics reforms, like opening the legislature and governor to FOIA, ending the so-called “revolving door” of lawmakers becoming lobbyists.
“We have spoken with many groups, including some lawmakers, who could move these reforms forward, and we will consider taking them to the ballot should that be necessary,” Voters Not Politicians Executive Director Nancy Wang said in a statement Tuesday afternoon.
In May, Shirkey said at the Mackinac Policy Conference that he’s interested in extending or repealing term limits for Michigan lawmakers, which are among the strictest in the nation.
“Term limits are a problem in Michigan, and I’m planning on thinking about this and processing it until I come up with a suggestion or a solution," he said at the conference, according to a Michigan Radio report. "I don’t have a solution right now. I just know it’s a problem.”
Shirkey spokesperson Amber McCann said he’s willing to discuss changes to term limits with any interested party.
“The majority leader has not endorsed, nor is he pursuing, a specific proposal,” she said. “He is simply engaged in discussions with other parties that are interested in the issue.”
In a statement, Chatfield said he’s proud to be working in a bipartisan way with anyone willing to come present ideas for improving state government and making elected officials more accountable to the people, although he noted not much is finalized yet.
“The people of Michigan are demanding greater accountability and transparency from their state government,” he said. “We are listening to them and delivering results.”
Voters Not Politicians has also brought up the idea to the Michigan Chamber of Commerce - a group that staunchly opposed the redistricting commission initiative and challenged it in court.
Michigan Chamber President and CEO Rich Studley said Tuesday chamber officials attended a meeting with several groups on preliminary term limit discussions, and noted the chamber is open to the possibility of partnering with both traditional and non-traditional allies on the issue.
“We’ve often been a part of larger, more diverse coalitions,” he said.
Any change to Michigan’s term limit laws would have to be approved at the ballot box.
A constitutional amendment passed by Michigan voters in 1992 caps lawmakers’ service at three two-year terms in the House and two four-year terms in the Senate, or 14 years total if the lawmaker is elected to serve in both chambers.