State Rep. Sarah Lightner and the Michigan House on Wednesday adopted historic reforms to ensure transparency, accountability, and public benefit in all legislatively directed spending initiatives.

House Resolution 14 is aimed at restoring taxpayer trust and ensuring hard-earned dollars are spent wisely. It is part of House Republicans’ renewed focus on fiscal responsibility and government accountability in the 2025-26 legislative session.

“People are sick and tired of political insiders cutting backroom deals and wasting taxpayer money,” said Lightner, R-Springport. “This resolution ensures state spending is transparent, responsible, and focused on projects that truly serve Michigan families — not the personal wish lists of a select few.”

Recent state budgets have included billions in earmarked projects. These projects often lacked transparency, leaving taxpayers in the dark about their purpose and benefit. Several have even been linked to mismanagement and questionable spending.

One glaring example came in 2022, when an ally of Gov. Whitmer secured a $20 million earmark for a newly created company. This taxpayer money was misused on personal luxuries, including a $4,500 coffee maker, an $11,000 first-class international plane ticket, and hundreds of thousands of dollars in excessive salaries and legal fees.

House Resolution 14 lays out new rules for legislatively directed spending initiatives to prevent similar abuses:

• No earmarks for for-profit businesses. Projects will be limited to public bodies and eligible non-profits.

• Greater accountability for sponsors. Each funding request must include detailed information, including the sponsor and co-sponsors, the intended recipient’s name and location, the requested amount, the project’s purpose, an explanation of public benefit, project timeline, and other key details of the project.

• Stricter non-profit eligibility. Organizations must be established in Michigan for at least three full years and maintain a physical office in the state for at least one year.

• Conflict-of-interest protections. Sponsors must certify they have no conflicts of interest with the recipient. Family members and staff of the sponsor should not serve on the non-profit’s board or be employed by the organization.

• Greater transparency throughout the process. Funding requests must be submitted to the House Business Office at least 14 days before consideration and made publicly available online by May 1 for 2025 and April 1 in future years.

The resolution was adopted with unanimous bipartisan support.

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