A bill to amend 1976 PA 442, entitled “Freedom of information act,” by amending sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10, 10a, 10b, and 13 (MCL 15.231, 15.232, 15.233, 15.234, 15.235, 15.236, 15.240, 15.240a, 15.240b, and 15.243), section 1 as amended by 1997 PA 6, section 2 as amended by 2018 PA 68, section 3 as amended by 2018 PA 523, section 4 as amended by 2020 PA 38, section 5 as amended by 2020 PA 36, section 6 as amended by 1996 PA 553, section 10 as amended and sections 10a and 10b as added by 2014 PA 563, and section 13 as amended by 2021 PA 33, by designating sections 1 to 16 as part 1, and by adding part 2.
The bill updates definitions, clarifies FOIA coordinators' roles, and specifies the public bodies covered, excluding judiciary and legislative entities. The bill defines public records, outlines exemptions, and details the rights of individuals to request, inspect, and obtain records, including provisions for indigent individuals and subscription options. It mandates reasonable inspection opportunities, establishes request handling procedures, specifies fee conditions to ensure costs are limited to actual expenses, and introduces fee waivers or reductions. The legislation addresses penalties for non-compliance, appeal rights, and judicial review processes, incorporating provisions to protect personal privacy, law enforcement records, public safety, and educational directory information. It introduces the Legislative Open Records Act (LORA) for legislative transparency, mandates the use of the most economical means for making copies, and requires public bodies to establish clear procedures and guidelines for handling requests.
Introduced
by
Referred to the Committee on Elections and Ethics
