Michigan Senators Ed McBroom and Jeremy Moss have introduced new legislation aimed at integrating the Michigan Legislature and the executive office of the governor within the scope of the state’s Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). The proposed laws, if enacted, will enable residents to obtain a clearer insight into the workings of their state government.
“I am so glad to see these sunshine laws get a new dawn,” said McBroom, R-Waucedah Township. “Ever since I was first approached on this issue in 2011, with a bill both parties used for partisan gamesmanship, I have labored for the genuine article. While there is still much work to do and issues to work out, these bills — once adopted — can help rebuild the trust and faith our citizens need to have in their state government.” Michigan’s FOIA, established in 1976, is notably one of the few in the United States that does not apply to state legislators and the governor’s office, a situation that has previously led to the state receiving an ‘F’ grade from the Center for Public Integrity in terms of government integrity. The state’s lack of transparency was particularly highlighted as it ranked at the bottom in several categories, such as public access to information, and executive and legislative accountability.
The bipartisan efforts of Moss and McBroom, who have collaborated since their time together in the Michigan House in 2015, have been instrumental in pushing for legislative and gubernatorial transparency. Their continuous work across various sessions has culminated in the drafting of Senate Bills 669 and 670, which present a unified approach by including the Legislature under the existing FOIA, as opposed to previous initiatives that proposed separate open records acts for the state’s legislative bodies.
“The public is denied access to the records in the governor’s office and the state Legislature, and this lack of transparency laws breeds distrust in state government,” said Moss, D-Southfield, chair of the Senate Elections and Ethics Committee. “At a time when faith in government institutions is at a historic low — in Michigan and across the nation — it is critical for our state to shine greater light on the actions of officeholders. We must expand the Freedom of Information Act to include lawmakers and the governor.”
This fresh strategy comes after many years of stalled efforts in the Senate and includes contributions from the Senate majority leader’s office and the Senate Business Office, marking the first instance of their involvement in shaping such legislation.
