§ 169.257Contributions, expenditures, or volunteer personal services; prohibitions;

communication referencing local ballot questions; violation as misdemeanor; penalty.
 Sec. 57.
    (1) A public body or a person acting for a public body shall not use or authorize the use of
 funds, personnel, office space, computer hardware or software, property, stationery, postage,
 vehicles, equipment, supplies, or other public resources to make a contribution or expenditure
 or provide volunteer personal services that are excluded from the definition of contribution
 under section 4(3)(a). This subsection does not apply to any of the following:
    (a) The expression of views by an elected or appointed public official who has policy
 making responsibilities.
    (b) Subject to subsection (2), the production or dissemination of factual information
 concerning issues relevant to the function of the public body.
    (c) The production or dissemination of debates, interviews, commentary, or information by
 a broadcasting station, newspaper, magazine, or other periodical or publication in the regular
 course of broadcasting or publication.
    (d) The use of a public facility owned or leased by, or on behalf of, a public body if any
 candidate or committee has an equal opportunity to use the public facility.
    (e) The use of a public facility owned or leased by, or on behalf of, a public body if that
 facility is primarily used as a family dwelling and is not used to conduct a fund-raising event.
    (f) An elected or appointed public official or an employee of a public body who, when not
 acting for a public body but is on the public official's or employee's personal time, is
 expressing the public official's or employee's personal views, is expending the public official's
 or employee's personal funds, or is providing the public official's or employee's personal
 volunteer services.


                                                                     Michigan Compiled Laws Complete Through PA 9 of 2026
Rendered Saturday, May 2, 2026                  Page 54 of 64                                Courtesy of legislature.mi.gov

    (g) If an individual who is contributing to a separate segregated fund affirmatively consents
 to the contribution, the use of public resources to establish and administer a payroll deduction
 plan to directly or indirectly collect a contribution to, or make an expenditure for, a
 committee. Affirmative consent does not expire until revoked by the individual who provides
 the affirmative consent.
    (2) Except for an election official in the performance of the election official's duties under
 the Michigan election law, 1954 PA 116, MCL 168.1 to 168.992, a public body, or a person
 acting for a public body, shall not, during the period 60 days before an election in which a
 local ballot question appears on a ballot, use public funds or resources for a communication by
 means of radio, television, mass mailing, or prerecorded telephone message if that
 communication references a local ballot question and is targeted to the relevant electorate
 where the local ballot question appears on the ballot.
    (3) A person that knowingly violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable, if
 the person is an individual, by imprisonment for not more than 1 year or a fine of not more
 than $1,000.00, or both, or if the person is not an individual, by 1 of the following, whichever
 is greater:
    (a) A fine of not more than $20,000.00.
    (b) A fine equal to the amount of the improper contribution or expenditure.