House Government Operations Chair Brian BeGole today led discussion and voted in favor of bipartisan bills that will ensure more transparency within state government.

House Bills 4052-53 prohibit legislators and legislative staff from entering into non-disclosure agreements involving the work they are doing within their official legislative capacity, while defining what constitutes a non-disclosure agreement.

“Elected officials must be accountable to the people they are serving,” said BeGole, of Antrim Township. “Too often we have seen non-disclosure agreements at various levels of state government, notably with administration officials after the governor’s COVID-19 response and when the state is using billions of taxpayer dollars to pursue large-scale business opportunities. Naturally, people see these types of arrangements that are impacting them and using their tax money and wonder what’s to hide? Why isn’t certain information being made available to the public? I feel this is a crucial step in providing additional transparency in state government given these recent trends, and our committee spoke very clearly in unified, bipartisan fashion that these bills are needed.”

HBs 4052-53 now move to the full House for consideration.

PHOTO INFORMATION: House Government Operations Chair Brian BeGole, of Antrim Township, speaks during testimony on House Bills 4052-53 on Thursday, Feb. 20.