LANSING — State Rep. Donna Lasinski (D-Scio Township) praised the passage today of a bipartisan legislative package that would extend Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests to apply to the governor’s office and would create a similar Legislative Open Records Act to apply to the state Legislature.
“When I came to Lansing, I felt it was important that we work to restore the public’s trust in their state government, which is why I focused my first bill on making our government more transparent and accountable,” Lasinski said. “Today my colleagues on both sides of the aisle joined together in passing legislation that shines a light on the inner workings of their state government. Together, these bills represent a significant step toward holding our state’s elected officials accountable to the people we serve.”
Lasinski’s bill in the package, House Bill 4156, specifies how to separate exempt from non-exempt material in requested documents, and requires that non-exempt material be made available for review. It also directs the attorney general to counsel and advise a public body on the administration of the Legislative Open Records Act to the state Legislature.
“As an elected school board member, I was proud to conduct the business of governing in a fully transparent environment,” said Lasinski. “I look forward to working with our counterparts in the Senate to pass this important bill package and to legislating with my colleagues in a similarly open and transparent way.”
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