FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
News from Progress Michigan
February 7, 2024
Contact: Denzel McCampbell, (313) 400-0298, denzel@progressmichigan.org
Progress Michigan Statement on FOIA Reform Legislation
Reforming state’s FOIA laws is long overdue; opportunity to make legislation as bold as possible
LANSING, Mich. –– On Wednesday, the Michigan State Senate will hold a hearing on legislation to reform Michigan’s FOIA laws to include the executive offices of the Governor and Lieutenant Governor, along with the Michigan Legislature. As an organization that has advocated for FOIA reform and increased transparency in the state for nearly a decade, Progress Michigan released the following statement and it can be attributed to Sam Inglot, executive director:
“Michigan continues to rank worst in the country when it comes to ethics and transparency, with a big part of the problem being that Michigan is one of two states where the governor’s office and legislature is exempt from the Freedom of Information Act. Michiganders continue to make it clear that they want better ethics and transparency policies from our elected leaders and we are glad that legislation to change this will be taken up in the Michigan Senate.
“Senate Bills 669 and 670 are important first steps to get us to a state where we have robust and comprehensive transparency laws. We encourage Senators Moss and McBroom to work to include provisions in the bills that ensure public records are accessible in a timely and unburdensome manner so that real transparency is delivered.
“We look forward to these pieces of legislation moving through the legislative process and will continue to uplift needed aspects for comprehensive FOIA reform in Michigan.”
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