HJR U — Elections: primary; nomination process for secretary of state and attorney general; modify, and provide for gubernatorial appointment of regents, trustees, or board of governors for universities. Amends sec. 21, art. V & sec. 5, art. VIII of the state constitution.

SUBSTITUTE FOR HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION U MayA 21,joint 2026,resolution Introducedproposing an amendment to the state constitution of 1963, by Reps.amending section 5 of article VIII, to provide for gubernatorial appointment of the members of the governing boards of the University of Michigan, Michigan State University, and Wayne State University.

MarkkanenResolved by the Senate and TateHouse of Representatives of the state of Michigan, That the following amendment to the state constitution of 1963, to provide for gubernatorial appointment of the members of the governing boards of the University of Michigan, Michigan State University, and referredWayne State University, is proposed, agreed to, and submitted to Committeethe onpeople Governmentof Operations.the state:

A joint resolution proposing an amendment to the state constitution of 1963, by amending section 21 of article V and section 5 of article VIII, to modify the nominating process for the secretary of state and attorney general, to provide for gubernatorial appointment of the members of the governing boards of the University of Michigan, Michigan State University, and Wayne State University by and with the advice and consent of the senate, to limit the terms of university board members, and to establish STM H07246'26_HJRU_INTR_1 k6bosi certain eligibility requirements for membership on those university governing boards, including a requirement that the university boards be bipartisan.

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the state of Michigan, That the following amendment to the state constitution of 1963, to modify the nominating process for the secretary of state and attorney general, to provide for gubernatorial appointment of the members of the governing boards of the University of Michigan, Michigan State University, and Wayne State University by and with the advice and consent of the senate, to limit the terms of university board members, and to establish certain eligibility requirements for membership on those university governing boards, including a requirement that the university boards be bipartisan, is proposed, agreed to, and submitted to the people of the state:

ARTICLE V Sec.

21.

(1) The governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, and attorney general shall be elected for four-year terms at the general election in each alternate even-numbered year.

(2) The Except as otherwise provided in subsection (3), the lieutenant governor, secretary of state, and attorney general shall be nominated by party conventions in a manner prescribed by law.

In the general election one vote shall be cast jointly for the candidates for governor and lieutenant governor nominated by the same party.

(3) Beginning January 1, 2027, the secretary of state and attorney general shall be nominated by primary elections in the manner prescribed by law.

(4) Vacancies in the office of the secretary of state and STM H07246'26_HJRU_INTR_1 k6bosi 1 attorney general shall be filled by appointment by the governor.

(1) The regents of the University of Michigan and their successors in office shall constitute a body corporate known STM H07246'26 (H-2) nbjukp 1 as the Regents of the University of Michigan;

(3) Beginning December 31, 2026, the board of each institution includes nine members, with four members from each of the major political parties, and with one member who does not moreaffiliate thanwith fiveeither fromof the samemajor political party.parties and who is appointed by and serves at the pleasure of the governor.

ExceptThe asfour providedmembers infrom subsectionseach (4)of and (5), the governormajor shallpolitical appointparties bymust andbe withnominated theby advicean andindividual consentaffiliated ofwith thethat senatemajor memberspolitical forparty oneas fulldescribed termin ofsubdivisions eight(a) years.to (e).

AtExcept leastas oneprovided in subsections (4), (5), (6), and (7), the remaining eight members on the board of each STM H07246'26_HJRU_INTR_1H07246'26 k6bosi(H-2) nbjukp 1 memberinstitution shall serve one full term of eachoffice boardof musteight years and be appointed fromby athe listgovernor offrom threelists of nominees providedfor byeach theboard institution'sprovided alumnias association.follows:

At(a) leastThree onenominees memberprovided ofby the Boardspeaker of Trusteesthe house of Michiganrepresentatives. State University must have practical farming expertise.

Board(b) membersThree shallnominees complyprovided withby statethe ethicshouse laws.minority leader.

(4)(c) IfThree anominees vacancyprovided occurs on a board, the governor shall appoint an individual for the remainder of the unexpired term by and with the advicesenate andmajority consentleader. of the senate.

A(d) memberThree appointednominees toprovided fillby athe vacancysenate thatminority servesleader. less than four full years is eligible for appointment to one full eight-year term.

(5)(e) AllThree ofnominees theprovided followingby apply only to the firstchairperson membersof appointed to each boardof afterthe Decembermajor 30,political 2026:parties.

(4) The eight members of each board first appointed from the lists of nominees provided by the speaker of the house of representatives, the house minority leader, the senate majority leader, the senate minority leader, and the chairpersons of each of the major political parties shall serve terms of office as provided in subsection (6), with each staggered term including one member from each major political party.

(5) If a vacancy occurs on a board, the governor shall appoint from lists of nominees as described in subsection (3) an individual from the same major political party as the member who created the vacancy for the remainder of the unexpired term.

A member appointed to fill a vacancy who serves less than four full years is eligible for appointment to one full eight-year term.

(6) All of the following apply only to the first members appointed to each board after December 30, 2026:

(c) ThreeTwo must be appointed for terms ending December 31, 2032.

(e)STM H07246'26 (H-2) nbjukp 1 (7) The governor with a term expiring on January 1, 2027 shall appoint one board member under subdivisionsubsection (a),(6)(a), one board member under subdivisionsubsection (b),(6)(b), one board member under subdivisionsubsection (c),(6)(c), and one board member under subdivisionsubsection (d).(6)(d).

The governor with a term beginning on January 1, 2027 shall appoint the remaining 5four board members under subdivisionssubsection (a)(6)(a) to (d).(d), and shall appoint the board member who does not affiliate with either of the major political parties, as provided in subsection (3).

(8) The board members of each institution described in this section shall comply with all of the following:

(a) State ethics laws.

(b) State open meetings laws.

(c) State freedom of information laws.

(9) As used in this section, "major political parties" means the two political parties with the largest representation in the legislature.

Resolved further, That it is the intent of the legislature that when submitted to the people of the state at a special election to be held August 4, 2026, this amendment must be STM H07246'26_HJRU_INTR_1 k6bosi 1 presented with the following question:

"A PROPOSAL TO REQUIRE NOMINATION OF SECRETARY OF STATE AND ATTORNEY GENERAL AT PRIMARY ELECTIONS AND CREATE NEW BIPARTISAN AND TERM-LIMITED GOVERNING BOARDS FOR UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN, MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY, AND WAYNE STATE UNIVERSITY.

- AfterCreate 2026,new requireterm secretarylimited 9-member boards to replace current 8-member boards for the University of stateMichigan, Michigan State University, and attorneyWayne generalState nominationUniversity, atbringing primarymembers elections,under notSTM politicalH07246'26 party(H-2) conventions.nbjukp state ethics laws, state open meetings laws, and state freedom of information laws.

- CreateHave newthe termcurrent limitedgovernor 9-memberappoint boards4 tonew replaceboard currentmembers 8-member boards for theeach Universityuniversity ofand Michigan,the Michigannew Stategovernor University,elected andon WayneNovember State3, University,2026 bringingappoint membersthe underremaining stateboard ethicsmembers. laws.

- Prohibit more than 5 members per board from 1 political party.

- Require alumni association nomination of 1 member per board and 1 MSU board member with practical farming experience.

- Have current governor appoint 4 new board members for each university, new governor elected on November 3, 2026 appoint the remainder, with the appointments subject to senate advice and consent.

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