HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolutions - 2024.04.11 - 41132
April 11, 2024
RESOLUTION #2024-3983 _ 24-18
Sponsored By: Kristen Nelson
Board of Commissioners - Support for the Senate Bills 669-670 to Expand the Application of
the Freedom of Information Act to the Michigan Legislature, the Governor and the Lieutenant
Governor
Chair and Members of the Board:
WHEREAS enacted in 1976, Michigan’s Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) law is nearly alone in the
nation in carving out state lawmakers and the governor’s office from being subject to records
requests; and
WHEREAS this exemption contributed to the 2015 report from the Center for Public Integrity which
gave Michigan an F in government integrity, and the state ranked dead last — failing 10 out of 13
categories, including public access to information, executive accountability, and legislative
accountability; and
WHEREAS last year, State Sen. Jeremy Moss (D) and Sen. Ed McBroom (R) introduced Senate Bills
669-670 to help bring greater transparency to state government; and
WHEREAS this legislation would require the Michigan Legislature and executive office of the
governor to comply with the state’s existing FOIA law — providing Michiganders with greater ability to
learn about and understand the decisions of their state government; and
WHEREAS Senate Bills 669-670 differ from past efforts by including the Legislature in FOIA, instead
of creating a separate open records act for the State House and Senate; and
WHEREAS this new approach, following years of Senate inaction, was refined by the bill sponsors
with input for the very first time from the office of the Majority Leader and Senate Business Office; and
WHEREAS the bills propose several unique exemptions for the governor's office, which would not be
required to disclose records related to executive office security, internal investigations, prisoner
commutation decisions, initial budget recommendations and pending appointment or firing decisions;
and
WHEREAS furthermore, neither the governor nor lawmakers would be required to disclose
communications with constituents, unless those constituents were registered lobbyists.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Oakland County Board of Commissioners supports
Senate Bills 669-670 to expand the application of the Freedom of Information Act to the Michigan
Legislature, the governor and the lieutenant governor.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Board recognizes that all persons are entitled to full and
complete information as to a public body’s fulfillment of statutory functions and concerning the inner
working of government in general.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Oakland County Clerk/Register of Deeds is requested to
forward copies of this adopted resolution to the Governor of the State of Michigan, the State Senate
Majority and Minority leaders, the State House Speaker and Minority Leader, the members of the
Oakland County delegation to the Michigan Legislature, and the Board of Commissioners's legislative
lobbyist.
Chair, the following Commissioners are sponsoring the foregoing Resolution: Kristen Nelson.
Date: April 13, 2024
David Woodward, Commissioner
Date: April 16, 2024
Lisa Brown, County Clerk / Register of Deeds
COMMITTEE TRACKING
2024-03-14 Full Board - Refer to Legislative Affairs & Government Operations
2024-04-02 Legislative Affairs & Government Operations - Recommend to Board
2024-04-11 Full Board - Adopt
Motioned by Commissioner Michael Gingell seconded by Commissioner Penny Luebs to adopt the
attached Resolution: Support for the Senate Bills 669-670 to Expand the Application of the Freedom
of Information Act to the Michigan Legislature, the Governor and the Lieutenant Governor.
Yes: David Woodward, Michael Spisz, Michael Gingell, Penny Luebs, Kristen Nelson, Christine
Long, Robert Hoffman, Philip Weipert, Gwen Markham, Angela Powell, Marcia Gershenson,
Yolanda Smith Charles, Charles Cavell, Brendan Johnson, Ajay Raman, Ann Erickson Gault,
Linnie Taylor (17)
No: None (0)
Abstain: None (0)
Absent: Karen Joliat, William Miller III (2)
Passed
ATTACHMENTS
None
STATE OF MICHIGAN)
COUNTY OF OAKLAND)
I, Lisa Brown, Clerk of the County of Oakland, do hereby certify that the foregoing resolution is a true
and accurate copy of a resolution adopted by the Oakland County Board of Commissioners on April
11, 2024, with the original record thereof now remaining in my office.
In Testimony Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of the Circuit Court at
Pontiac, Michigan on Thursday, April 11, 2024.
Lisa Brown, Oakland County Clerk / Register of Deeds