More Gov't Transparency Needed. #leadership. #changemakers.

 The debate and resulting legislative proposals in Michigan on transparency is healthy and very needed.  When the original FOIA law was passed in the 70s the exemptions for the legislature and the Governor's office were included in order to get enough votes in the legislature to pass the FOIA proposed law.  Four decades later it is time for a change that brings some sunshine into the legislature and the Executive  office.  In this age of technology and citizen distrust there is absolutely no logical or necessary reason to continue the exemption.  Obviously some exemptions for these branches of government need to be included-similar to those already in the current FOIA law for other government bodies.

While legislators are at it they should take a look at transparency in Michigan's public universities.  They have a loop hole created for them by the Michigan's Supreme Court regarding the language in the Michigan Constituion about university "formal sessions" versus "informal sessions".  Without amending the Constituion there might not be much that one can do about this.  However, the legislature could "encourage/require" more transparency like they did with language in the higher education budget bill on tuition restraint.  The universities howl about tuition restraint but it has now been in place for many, many years.  Worth some review by the legislature. 

 

http://bridgemi.com/2016/03/michigan-needs-more-government-transparency-in-light-of-flint/