Business Corporation Election Spending & Corporate Powers

Current understanding

HB 6218 (103rd Legislature, 2026) would amend the Business Corporation Act (1972 PA 284) — specifically sections 261, 271, 821, 1012, and 1041 — and add section 261a to revoke the power of business corporations to spend money in elections or on ballot issues. The bill is tie-barred to HB 6216 (LLCs) and HB 6217 (nonprofits), forming a coordinated three-bill package covering all major Michigan business entity types. Status: introduced.

Evidence log

• 2026-04-30 — Businesses: business corporations; benefit corporations; authorize formation and establish duties of officers and directors. Amends and adds (See bill).: cross-connection with benefit-corporations: Both amend the Business Corporation Act — one to define benefit-corporation duties, the other addressing corporate election spending and powers. (novelty: 3)
• 2026-07-02 — Businesses: business corporations; power of corporations to spend in elections or ballot issues; revoke. Amends sec. 261, 271, 821, 1012 & 1041 of 1972 PA 284 (MCL 450.1261 et seq.) & adds sec. 261a. TIE BAR WITH: SB 1086’26, SB 1087’26: Senate companion SB 1085 introduced with identical Business Corporation Act amendments (secs. 261, 271, 821, 1012, 1041 + new 261a) revoking corporate election/ballot spending power; tie-barred to SB 1086 (LLCs) and SB 1087 (nonprofits), mirroring the House three-bill package. (novelty: 3)
• 2026-07-03 — Businesses: other; power of entities to spend in elections or ballot issues; revoke. Amends the state constitution by adding sec. 55 to art. IV.: Companion HJR Z introduced to add Art. IV, Sec. 55 to the state constitution revoking entity election/ballot spending power — parallels HB 6218’s statutory prohibition on business corporations at the constitutional level. (novelty: 3)
• 2026-07-03 — Individual income tax: credit; tax incentive for contributions made to certain ballot and candidate committees; provide for. Amends 1967 PA 281 (MCL 206.1 - 206.847) by adding sec. 281.: cross-connection with political-contribution-tax-credit: HB 6219’s individual tax credit for political contributions complements HB 6218’s revocation of business corporation election spending powers by redirecting campaign finance toward individual donors. (novelty: 3)
• 2026-07-03 — Businesses: business corporations; power of corporations to spend in elections or ballot issues; revoke. Amends secs. 261, 271, 821, 1012 & 1041 of 1972 PA 284 (MCL 450.1261 et. seq.) & adds sec. 261a. TIE BAR WITH: HB 6216’26, HB 6217’26: cross-connection with llc-election-spending-corporate-law: HB 6218 (business corporations) is tie-barred to HB 6216 (LLCs); parallel prohibitions on corporate election/ballot spending across entity types. (novelty: 3)

Open questions

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