From Michigan Coalition for Open Government: The Michigan Coalition for Open Government is proud to announce our new tax-exempt status.
We received notification on June 3, 2013, from the Small Business Clinic at Michigan State University’s Law College that our application has been approved by the IRS.
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Read More… from IRS approves MiCOG as tax-exempt organization
From Michigan Capitol Confidential: The Michigan Department of Education said the least expensive employee able to fulfill a specific Freedom of Information Act request has a total compensation of $116,917 a year.
In 2009, the Michigan State Police said in a FOIA response to the Mackinac Center for Public Policy that materials related to the spending of Homeland Security grants would cost $6.8 million.
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Read More… from Michigan government entities stymie FOIA requests to hide information
From The Detroit News: Under state law, the only time the public gets to peek inside the inner workings of the Governor’s Office is when its staffers send emails to employees of other state agencies, which are subject to the Freedom of Information Act.
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Read More… from Political insider: Gov’s staff emails have scent of ‘skunk works’
From Lansing State Journal: Michigan lawmakers say they’re trying to find middle ground between citizens, journalists, businesses and advocacy organizations who want easier, less costly access to public information and the local governments and law enforcement agencies that say transparency laws are too burdensome.
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Read More… from Freedom of Information bills go before Michigan House panel
From Midland Daily News:
An appeal of a Michigan Freedom of Information Act, submitted by the Midland Daily News to Midland County, will now proceed to the full board after the county’s Human Services Committee recommended denying the appeal.
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Read More… from Midland County Commission committee recommends board deny MDN FOIA appeal
From Michigan Radio:
It’s Sunshine Week, an annual push for open government and the public’s right to know stuff.
Democrats in the state House tied the introduction of a package of bills to Sunshine Week. The bills include a number of changes to Michigan’s laws and constitution regarding ethics, campaign finance, and elections.
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From mLive.com:
“For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.” — Luke 12: 48
Dear State Officeholder:
Please set aside the archaic sexism of the verse I’ve quoted to introduce this letter. Our world has evolved, I know, but I thought this bit of scripture was superbly eloquent in capturing much of the reason we’re observing Sunshine Week.
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From Detroit Free Press:
LANSING — Michigan’s top elections official wants to require political campaigns to report financial contributions within 48 hours after they receive them, one of several proposals aimed at giving voters nearly real-time information about the money behind the candidates.
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Read More… from Ruth Johnson offers Sunshine Week push for more election transparency in Michigan
From Detroit Free Press:
LANSING — When Nancy Prins sent the Michigan State Police a Freedom of Information Act request in July 2008, asking for police video of her May traffic stop, she was told it was not available because the department only keeps such videos for 30 days.
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From Sunshine Week:
Welcome to Sunshine Week, and no, I am not talking about the fickle weather in the state. I am talking about the public’s right and responsibility to keep an eye on what our government at the local, state and federal level are up to from our legislators to our bureaucrats, school boards, state universities, teachers, mayors, managers, department heads, council members, cops and others.
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