LANSING, MI -- Supporters of a ballot initiative to regulate how lobbyists interact with lawmakers hope to start collecting signatures by the March 10 presidential primary following approval from a state board.

Michigan’s State Board of Canvassers voted to approve a 100-word summary of the initiative backed by the Coalition to Close Lansing Loopholes, which allows the group to begin printing and circulating petitions for signature gathering. The Coalition to Close Lansing Loopholes was formed by progressive nonprofit Progress Michigan, a group of volunteers called Michiganders for Fair and Transparent Elections and other parties that have yet to be disclosed.

Read the full ballot initiative here. The approved summary language reads:

“A proposal to amend the Michigan Constitution by adding Article 3, Section 9 to prohibit lobbyists and clients from giving gifts to state government public officials and their immediate families; prohibit the governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, secretary of state, and members of the Michigan Legislature from working as lobbyists for 2 years after leaving office; prohibit lobbyist compensation contingent on the result of lobbying; require lobbyists and public officials to disclose all attempts to influence official actions of public officials; require any person to disclose public communications encouraging others to influence official actions of public officials; and require secretary of state implementation.”

The proposal aims to change the Michigan Constitution to make lobbying efforts more transparent and curb the influence lobbyists have on the legislative process, said Progress Michigan Executive Director Lonnie Scott. Though Scott came short of calling the behavior of lobbyists and lawmakers corrupt, he referenced a Michigan Campaign Finance Network report that found lobbyists supplied half a million dollars worth of food and drinks for state officeholders during the first half of 2019.

“There’s a lot of talk right now about who is really pulling the strings here and so if you want to want to consider that corruption, that certainly could be the case," Scott said. "But we think that this actually takes away some of the lobbyist influence and puts that power back with the people. The people of Michigan should be driving the legislative agenda here and right now that’s not what’s happening.”

Attorney and former Michigan Democratic Party Chairman Mark Brewer served as the petitioners’ legal counsel. He said, if enacted, the ballot proposal “will require a change in culture in this city and this government," but said similar proposals have been successfully implemented in other states.

“Michigan has the worst lobbying laws and ethics laws across the country," Brewer said. "This will bring Michigan into conformity with the rest of the country.”

Other public officials covered under the proposal include university presidents, the highest-ranking employee in the office of each state senator and representative, members of state boards and commissions, heads of principal departments, and executive branch staff exempt from civil service.

The proposal also requires Michigan residents who make paid public communications on legislative issues to file a report with the Secretary of State. This does not apply to constituents who communicate with their legislators.

The inclusion of people who aren’t lobbyists or public officials caused some disagreement among the Board of State Canvassers Wednesday. The board unanimously approved the petition summary after making several revisions to the original language presented.

Republicans on the board said the ballot summary language should be revised to alert the general public that they would be affected too. Two additional drafts were created after Republicans expressed concerns that the language didn’t reflect how the proposal regulates the speech of Michigan residents.

“This goes beyond regulating lobbyists, don’t you think the public should know that?” said Republican board member Aaron Van Langevelde.

Republican board member Norm Shinkle also questioned whether the proposal is overly broad, saying it would apply to many obscure state boards and commissions.

Brewer argued Michiganders have a right to know whenever a lobbyist tries to contact a public official.

Board members said the language changes reflect how difficult it was to reduce a nearly 8,500-word proposal to just 100 words.

The measures would put Michigan in line with other states in some respects, Scott said, and ahead of other states in requiring interactions between lawmakers and lobbyists be disclosed. Sections of the ballot initiative were modeled after other states, he said.

Ohio is among several states that ban lawmakers from accepting gifts, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. In Michigan, lawmakers can accept gifts of $25 or less and lobbyists are allowed to pay for meals, as well.

Scott said the signature collecting process will start within the next few weeks.

To get on the ballot in 2020, a petition needs to gather 425,059 signatures. All signatures must be collected 180 days before the petition is filed with the office of the secretary of state.

Scott said the group will likely pay signature-gatherers for this effort. He previously said the group expected to spend more than $1 million on the campaign because he anticipates a lot of opposition.

“We have had an overwhelming amount of support from folks contacting us, asking how they can get petitions to get started, so we expect that to start soon,” Scott said.

The Coalition to Close Lansing Loopholes joins other groups trying to get various measures on the ballot in 2020, including two abortion-related ballot initiatives and one to expand the state’s civil rights act to cover sexual orientation and gender identity.