LANSING, Mich. — State Sen. Jim Runestad on Wednesday supported the passage of Senate Bills 1 and 2 to expand Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) provisions to include the legislative and executive branches while also urging for continued work to ensure greater government transparency in Michigan.
“Michigan consistently ranks among the worst states for government transparency — and while these bills are a step in the right direction, the devil is always in the details,” said Runestad, R-White Lake. “I remain concerned about the many wide and vague exemptions allowed for in these bills and the potential for partisan interference in FOIA compliance. Still, cracking open the blinds to let in a sliver of light is better than allowing total darkness to continue as the status quo. We still have a lot more work ahead of us to fully open up the windows and doors so the light of transparency can truly shine in our state.”
Runestad voiced his concerns during debate on the Senate floor, pressing his fellow lawmakers that “our work here is not done.”
Runestad has been a “pile driver” in the fight for government sunshine for years, introducing more than 30 transparency bills during his time in the Legislature, including:
- SB 785 of 2024 to create an office of FOIA ombudsman with subpoena power and the ability to request records from state and local government offices.
- SBs 786 and 787 of 2024 to expand FOIA and Open Meetings Act (OMA) laws to include the taxpayer-funded Detroit Institute of Arts and Detroit Zoo.
- SBs 319 and 320 of 2023 to require budget appropriations transparency.
- SBs 297 and 298 of 2023 to establish public elections for Michigan Public Service Commission board members.
- SB 296 of 2023 to require lobby reporting for utility companies.
- SB 257 of 2023 regarding video recordings of court proceedings.
- SB 222 of 2023 to establish a cooling-off period for legislators before lobbying.
- SB 221 of 2023 to prohibit spouses of sitting lawmakers from lobbying.
- SB 53 of 2023 to provide greater Children’s Protective Services transparency.
- SBs 1128, 1129 and 1130 of 2022 regarding video recordings of child interviews in CPS cases.
- SB 788 of 2021 to require a candidate to establish a separate account for recall purposes.
- SBs 275 and 336 of 2021 regarding video recordings of court proceedings.
- SB 244, now Public Act 36 of 2021, requiring proof of service verification.
- SB 21 of 2021 to establish a cooling-off period for legislators before lobbying.
- SB 828 of 2020 to require the attorney general to report contingency fee contracts with private attorneys.
- SBs 824 and 825 of 2020 to expand FOIA and OMA requirements for certain art institute service providers and zoological institutions.
- SB 619 of 2019 and SB 790 of 2020 regarding video recordings of court proceedings.
- SB 57 of 2019 to establish a cooling-off period for legislators before lobbying.
- House Bills 6572 and 6573, now PAs 521 and 522 of 2018, allowing the Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards to obtain officer records.
- HB 4527 of 2017 to amend certain legislator lobbying provisions.
- HB 6007 of 2016 to amend certain legislator lobbying provisions.
- HB 4890 of 2015 to expand FOIA to certain art institute service providers.