State Representative Bill G. Schuette today said advancing plans, including one he has sponsored, will help safeguard Michigan’s residents, security and economy from various forms of foreign influence.

Schuette’s House Bill 4240, which received bipartisan support when passing the House, prohibits public bodies in the state from entering into constraining agreements with foreign entities of concern. The bill also requires public bodies to disclose gifts from these entities and any existing agreements. The proposal comes as companies with ties to foreign governments have looked to locate in Michigan, sometimes near sensitive sites.

“These bills position our state as a leader in working to uphold national interests and security,” Schuette said. “From my experience as an Intelligence Officer with the Defense Department, I know firsthand there are adversaries out there who are looking to steal our data and undermine our state and country where they can. I would monitor and evaluate how our nation’s enemies and their governments like China, Iran and North Korea attempted to gain influence, subvert sovereignty and gain control in many countries across the globe. Now, as a member of the state Legislature, I find it very unsettling that some of these same tactics are being used here in Michigan.

“Unfortunately, our laws have been slow to adapt to the potential threats these nations pose. We should expect our public officials to be vigilant about the influence hostile governments can have. These bills install transparency and commonsense safeguards to ensure that public bodies in Michigan are operating in the best interests of Michigan residents, not certain foreign actors.”

Other bills in the package would:

• Prevent foreign entities of concern from collecting sensitive information by blocking prohibited apps on government devices.

• Ensure public economic incentives are not awarded to foreign entities of concern.

• Protect the personal health information of Michigan residents by ensuring health care record technology is physically maintained in the U.S. or Canada.

• Protect the safety of Michiganders by preventing entities of concern from purchasing land and surveilling military bases and other critical infrastructure.

The bills in the package apply to all of the dangerous entities included on the federal watch list: The People’s Republic of China, the Russian Federation, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, the Republic of Cuba, the Venezuelan regime of Nicolas Maduro, and the Syrian Arab Republic.

House Bills 4233-35 and 4238-42, which contain the foreign influence plans, now move to the Senate for consideration.

PHOTO INFORMATION: State Representative Bill G. Schuette speaks on House Bill 4240 before the Michigan House on Tuesday, May 6 at the state Capitol.