State Rep. David W. Martin (R-Davison) today introduced a bill to curb hostile foreign influence in Michigan. House Bill 4236 would prohibit specified hostile foreign powers and their controlled entities from entering into public contracts with Michigan state departments.

Entities controlled by 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 would be barred from state contracts.

“It’s a matter of national security and public safety that we keep our nation’s adversaries out of our state contracts,” Martin said. “Many contractors with the state have access to critical infrastructure and personal identifiable information. It’s of public interest to make sure those with access to these resources are trustworthy, dependable, and most importantly, not a threat to our communities.”

This bill is part of a larger package introduced by House Republicans this week which seeks to deter America’s enemies from gaining ground in Michigan.

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.

Martin’s bill comes after several years of foreign influence threatened public security within the U.S. and Michigan, including the controversy surrounding the Chinese-controlled Gotion battery plant and state incentives it was set to receive. In 2023, Chinese nationals were charged by the federal government for spying on U.S. troops at Camp Grayling during an exercise and in 2013, Chinese military hackers gained access gained access to U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs databases containing personal identifying information of millions of U.S. veterans. Martin, an Air Force veteran, said his bill and the rest of the package would be essential for keeping foreign threats at bay.

“We’ve seen a number of threats the past several years that certainly need to be addressed,” Martin said. “We need to take steps as lawmakers that protect our residents, as well as the men and women who wear the uniform. I hope all my fellow legislators will join me in safeguarding public safety and upholding our oaths.”

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