Plan gives public access to info from Legislature, governor’s office

State Rep. Daire Rendon (R-Lake City), left, and Rep. Vanessa Guerra (D-Saginaw) testify today before the House Government Operations Committee.

State Rep. Daire Rendon, in testimony today before the House Government Operations Committee, called for the approval of a comprehensive, bipartisan plan to increase the transparency of state government.

Rendon, of Lake City, said Michigan is one of a very few states that still exempts its governor, lieutenant governor and the Legislature from sunshine laws. Her solution would remove these exemptions.

“It’s well past time that we make state government more accountable to the people of Michigan,” Rendon said. “When elected state officials are forced to be completely open with the people they represent, our entire system of government will be stronger.”

The transparency plan will subject the governor and lieutenant governor to the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). The plan also creates a new law, called the Legislative Open Records Act (LORA), to hold state representatives and senators to the similar discloser rules without violating the Michigan Constitution.

Rendon said appeals under the FOIA law are routed through the court system, and the constitutional separation of powers prevents the judicial branch from interfering with legislative affairs. Instead, LORA creates a new, independent entity to which appeals concerning legislative record requests would be made.

“Other states that have simply subjected their legislators to FOIA have run into problems with laws that are unenforceable,” Rendon said. “Our solution ensures the appeals process is fair and independent while still complying with the state constitution.”

The plan, laid out in House Bills 4007-16, remains under consideration by the House Government Operations Committee.

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