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FOIA bills pass House committee, may not make it much further

www.arlenmeekhof.com

Some Michigan lawmakers may be experiencing déjà vu over proposed changes to Michigan’s freedom of information laws. Legislation opening up the governor’s office and the state legislature to such requests died in the Senate last year.

After being voted out of committee, the bills have one more vote in the House before they are completely in the hands of an unsympathetic Senate leadership.

   Senate Majority Leader Arlan Meekhof says he will look at the bills – but he has criticized similar versions in the past and says he doesn’t think the legislation is necessary.

Democratic Representative Jeremy Moss is a bill sponsor. He says this is legislation citizens from both parties want.

“It’s ganna become irrelevant soon what I think or what any leader in the legislature might think if the citizens push this forward.”

  

Michigan is one of only two states that completely exempts the governor and legislature from freedom of information requests.