LANSING, Mich. — State Reps. Betsy Coffia, D-Traverse City, and Erin Byrnes, D-Dearborn, introduced legislation this month to make Michigan's lawmakers and the governor's office subject to the state's Freedom of Information Act, a move they say would close a transparency gap that has persisted for decades.
House Bills 6299 and 6300 would require the Michigan Legislature and the governor's office to comply with the state's existing FOIA law, enacted in 1976. Under the current statute, the public cannot request records from state legislators or the executive branch, a carve-out that leaves Michigan among only a handful of states that still shield its lawmaking body and top elected office from public records requests.
Coffia, who served two terms on the Grand Traverse County Commission where she said she was "FOIA-ed many times," called the exemption "shocking."
"It is long overdue that we expand FOIA to include those of us who are responsible for passing laws that over 10 million people must live by and overseeing a state budget of over $80 billion in taxpayer funds," Coffia said in a statement announcing the bills.
Byrnes, who has repeatedly championed government ethics, framed the measures as a basic accountability step.
"Michigan continues to rank as one of the worst states in the country for government integrity and transparency, so it is obvious that something must change," Byrnes said. "This is about being transparent and accountable to those we serve."
The bills mirror Senate Bills 1 and 2 of 2025, introduced by Sen. Jeremy Moss, D-Southfield, and Sen. Ed McBroom, R-Waucedah Township. That Senate package passed with broad bipartisan support, 33-2, early in the term. But the legislation has stalled in the House Government Operations Committee since January 2025, and the bills had no scheduled hearing as of last month.
The transparency gap has long drawn criticism from watchdog groups. In the National Center for Public Integrity's 2015 report, Michigan received an "F" grade and ranked last in the nation in government integrity, failing in 10 of 13 categories, including public access to information, executive accountability, and legislative accountability.
A legislative tracker shows the companion bills remain in committee, with their most recent action logged on September 1. Coffia has publicly urged House leadership to schedule a hearing and bring the measures to a vote, arguing the measure has already cleared the Senate and should face a floor test.
Critics of the status quo argue that exempting the two branches most responsible for writing law and spending taxpayer money undermines public trust. Supporters of the bills contend that opening the records would not burden government but would simply make Michigan consistent with the majority of states that already hold their legislatures and executives to the same transparency standards.
The fight over the bills lands as the state enters a pivotal election year, with the governor's seat up for grabs and both parties emphasizing themes of government reform and spending discipline. Whether the House will move the measures before the November 3 election remains to be seen.