The Michigan Supreme Court on Dec. 20, 2021, ordered the Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission to release a recording of an October 2021 private meeting and to release memos that the Commission sought to keep under wraps. The Commission’s attorneys claimed the memos should be concealed because of attorney-client privilege. The Michigan Press Association and […]
Tag: Michigan
What’s required to unlock records? Often it’s opening a checkbook and hitting the open road
While much of the world runs on digital transactions, it takes an actual paper checkbook and a lot of travel to unlock open records in many small agencies and police departments. A Michigan editor, who is leading a reporting project into police responses at a music festival at which four people died, found herself driving […]
Four state heroes to be inducted into NFOIC’s Open Government Hall of Fame
GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA, Sept. 16, 2021 — Four “Heroes of the 50 States,” representing Florida, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, will be inducted Sept. 30 into the National Freedom of Information Coalition’s State Open Government Hall of Fame, as the Class of 2021. The inductees have backgrounds in law, journalism, and academia. The 2021 inductees are: Barbara […]
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News site examines dozens of transparency proposals swirling in Michigan
Dozens of government transparency and ethics bills are circulating in Michigan, the state that received an “F” grade and ranked 50th in the nation in a 2015 integrity investigation. Steve Delie, executive director of the Michigan Coalition for Open Government, told Michigan Advance that the state is stuck in “a culture of non-transparency.” In a […]
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Far from perfect, but ‘better than nothing,’ says Michigan coalition director of bill touted as a transparency measure
Unlike lawmakers in most states, Michigan legislators aren’t required to disclose their financial interests. A bipartisan bill would change that — kind of. The bill would require lawmakers to disclose their financial information to a legislative committee, which would be exempt from the state’s Open Meetings and Freedom of Information acts. Only if the committee […]
Michigan Supreme Court splits on whether records held by university library are public
The Michigan Supreme Court deadlocked April 9, 2021, on whether records possessed by a University of Michigan library are considered public, The Detroit News reported. The 3-3 ruling allows an immigration lawyer to move forward with a public records request for documents donated to the university by an anti-immigration activist. In 2010, Dr. John Tanton […]
Jane Briggs-Bunting, ‘fearless’ journalist and Michigan coalition founder, dies at 70
Jane Briggs-Bunting, a journalist, educator and First Amendment champion who co-founded the Michigan Coalition for Open Government, died Tuesday, March 23 at age 70. “Jane didn’t shy away from fights that needed to be fought,” former student Meg O’Brien told the Detroit Free Press. “She emphasized that journalism wasn’t a popularity contest and trained us […]
Michigan open government group names first executive director as Sunshine Week nears
LANSING, Mich. — The Michigan Coalition for Open Government (MiCOG) has selected Steve Delie as its first executive director, bringing on board an attorney who specializes in open government issues at the Mackinac Center for Public Policy to further MiCOG’s mission of making government more accountable to citizens. The appointment comes just before the start […]
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Michigan State Police launches new Transparency and Accountability webpage
Michigan State Police launched a new Transparency and Accountability webpage on Friday aimed to provide easy access to information about the administration and operation of the MSP. Information includes department policies, strategic plan, training requirements, recruiting and staffing numbers and use of force and traffic stop data. Additionally, Director Col. Joe Gasper said there will […]
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COVID-19 alters government transparency rules
WEST MICHIGAN — Public meetings — and public access to those meetings — look a little bit different in the middle of the global COVID-19 pandemic. In the greater Holland area, township trustees are reciting the Pledge of Allegiance together over the phone and logging on to video calls to take votes on water utility […]
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