Others said the bill is unnecessary, including two of the state's largest public-employee unions, the Michigan Education Association and the United Auto Workers' Local 6000.

If approved, the bill would amend Michigan's Public Employment Relations Act to require annual union reporting according to spending categories. The reports would be filed with the Michigan Department of Consumer and Industry Services. Also, the reports would be subject to an independent audit.

Currently, public unions aren't required to file an annual financial report. Unions in the private sector must file an LM-2 with the U.S. Department of Labor.

Gosselin introduced the bill Jan. 24 and said a hearing could be held by the end of this month.

"This is a bill that's time has come," he said. "Companies have to disclose where their money goes, politicians have to disclose where they receive money from and where they spend it, so why are unions let off the hook?"

Karen Schulz, communications consultant for the Lansing-based MEA, said unions file plenty of forms and provide reports on where dues are spent.

"This bill is not necessary," said Schulz, whose union represents about 162,000 people. "Already labor unions like the MEA have to file a number of financial-disclosure statements."

Financial data is available on tax returns and campaign-finance reports, she said.