Detroit Today: The push by some Michigan lawmakers for more transparency in Lansing

Michigan remains one of only two states in the country where lawmakers and the governor are wholly exempt from public records requests. This is partly why Michigan has ranked near the bottom of national rankings for transparency in its government.

But a lot has been changing in Lansing, and that may soon change, too. One idea in discussion is an expansion of public records requests for Michigan state lawmakers.

Governor Whitmer, during her campaign for office, said she would expand Freedom of Information Act laws to the executive branch.

“We don’t have any access, FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) access, public records access to the legislature or the governor’s office, which is really the areas that we most need to look into.” — Rachel Louise Just, journalist

Listen: Why public records requests should be applied to the governor’s office and state lawmakers.

Guests

Rachel Louise Just is the statewide political reporter for Channel 3, WWMT TV, which is based in Kalamazoo. She says expanding FOIA access to the governor’s office and legislative branch is a priority for Michigan lawmakers.

“We don’t have any access,” says Just, “FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) access, public records access to the legislature or the governor’s office, which is really the areas that we most need to look into.”

Nick Pigeon is the executive director of the Michigan Campaign Finance Network. He says most other states allow its citizens to request public records from state lawmakers.

“We are one of two states without a public official financial disclosure law,” says Pigeon, “which is something that’s changing due to the passage of prop one in 2022.”