Gift Made with Intent to Influence
(4) A public officer or employee shall not solicit or accept a gift or loan of money, goods, services, or other thing of value for the benefit of a person or organization, other than the state, which tends to influence the manner in which the public officer or employee or another public officer or employee performs official duties.
Mich. Comp. Laws Ann. § 15.342(4).
Extra Compensation for Official Duties
(4) A public official, other than an individual who is appointed or elected to a board or commission and is not an ex officio member or prohibited by law from having other employment, shall not accept compensation or reimbursement, other than from the state, for personally engaging in lobbying. A person who violates this subsection is guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be punished by a fine of not more than $1,000.00, or imprisoned for not more than 90 days, or both.
Mich. Comp. Laws Serv. § 4.421(4).
Gift Regardless of Giver Status
No current state statute or regulation falls under the category of “Gift Regardless of Giver’s Status.”
Gift from Lobbyist or Regulated Entity
(2) A lobbyist or lobbyist agent or anyone acting on behalf of a lobbyist or lobbyist agent shall not give a gift or loan, other than a loan made in the normal course of business by an institution as defined in section 5 of Act No. 319 of the Public Acts of 1969, as amended, a national bank, a branch bank, an insurance company issuing a loan or receiving a mortgage in the normal course of business, a premium finance company, a mortgage company, a small loan company, a state or federal credit union, a savings and loan association chartered by this state or the federal government, or a licensee as defined by Act No. 27 of the Public Acts of the Extra Session of 1950, as amended. For the purpose of this section, a preferential interest rate shall not be given solely on the basis of the credit applicant being a public official or a member of the public official’s immediate family. A person who gives a gift in violation of this subsection is guilty of a misdemeanor if the value of the gift is $3,000.00 or less, and shall be punished by a fine of not more than $5,000.00, or imprisoned for not more than 90 days, or both, and if the person is other than an individual the person shall be fined not more than $10,000.00. A person who knowingly gives a gift in violation of this subsection and the value of the gift is more than $3,000.00 is guilty of a felony and if the person is an individual shall be punished by a fine of not more than $10,000.00, or imprisoned for not more than 3 years, or both, and if the person is other than an individual shall be punished by a fine of not more than $25,000.00.
Mich. Comp. Laws Serv. § 4.421(2).
Definitions and Exceptions
Gift Defined and Definition Exceptions
(1) “Gift” means a payment, advance, forbearance, or the rendering or deposit of money, services, or anything of value, the value of which exceeds $25.00, as adjusted under section 19a, in any 1-month period, unless consideration of equal or greater value is received therefor. Gift includes a payment, advance, forbearance, or the rendering or deposit of money, services, or anything of value to aid the defense of an official in the legislative branch or an official in the executive branch against a legal action not directly related to the governmental duties of the official. Gift does not include the following:
- (a) A campaign contribution otherwise reported as required by the Michigan campaign finance act, 1976 PA 388, MCL 169.201 to 169.282.
- (b) A loan made in the normal course of business by an institution as defined in chapter 1 of the banking code of 1999, 1999 PA 276, MCL 487.11101 to 487.11203, a national bank, a branch bank, an insurance company issuing a loan or receiving a mortgage in the normal course of business, a premium finance company, a mortgage company, a small loan company, a state or federal credit union, a savings and loan association chartered by this state or the federal government, or a licensee as defined by the motor vehicle sales finance act, 1950 (Ex Sess) PA 27, MCL 492.101 to 492.141.
- (c) A gift received from a member of the person’s immediate family, a relative of a spouse, a relative within the seventh degree of consanguinity as computed by the civil law method, or from the spouse of the relative.
- (d) A breakfast, luncheon, dinner, or other refreshment consisting of food and beverage provided for immediate consumption.
- (e) A contribution to a legal defense fund that is registered with the secretary of state under the legal defense fund act and whose purpose is to defend an elected official against any criminal, civil, or administrative action, that arises directly out of the conduct of the elected official’s governmental duties.
Mich. Comp. Laws Ann. § 4.414(1) (Note: 2021 threshold was $64.00.).
Notes/Resources
Resource(s)
State Ethics Act – Standards of Conduct for Public Officers and Employees
The Michigan Lobby Registration Act – 2022 Reporting Thresholds, Fees and Penalties