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[Odoul]

http://www.freep.com/story/news/politics/2017/03/16/foia-michigan-house-transparency/99255878/

The sentiment was unanimous in the state House of Representatives on Thursday: The Legislature and governor's office should be subject to the Freedom of Information Act, which provides access to records.

Michigan is one of only two states in the nation that exempt the Legislature and governor from open-records laws and during Sunshine Week, which celebrates transparency in government, the 10-bill package passed 108-0.

"We shouldn’t be satisfied that 48 other states have figured out how to make transparency work," said state Rep. Jeremy Moss, D-Southfield. "We rank 50 out of 50 states by the Center of Public integrity. No one should boast that we run a transparent government."

But the House will be hard-pressed to get a consensus — or even a hearing — on the bills in the state Senate. Majority Leader Arlan Meekhof, R-West Olive, said he doesn't support the legislation and there is little appetite for the bills in the Senate.

Two members of his Republican caucus — Sens. Rick Jones of Grand Ledge and Tonya Schuitmaker of Lawton — have introduced similar bills, but Meekhof has assigned them to the Government Operations committee, which he chairs. It's a place where bills go to either be taken up quickly or die.

"I’m not planning any hearings on the bills," Meekhof said. "There’s not overwhelming support in the caucus. And there’s no support over here for (the House bills), either."

http://www.freep.com/story/opinion/columnists/brian-dickerson/2017/02/03/meekhoff-foia-michigan-legislature-bill/97396962/

Speaking to journalists from all over the state, the Republican Senate leader from West Olive was unrepentant.

"You guys are the only people who care about this," he said.

And if you want to get hear it straight from the horses ass

http://www.mlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2017/03/senate_leader_on_adding_to_ope.html

This state consistently produces just asscheek politicians.

 

[Wilsongt]

Michigan stays losing, I see.

 

[Escape Goat]

Unanimous? What? How is that possible?

 

[Volimar]

Unanimous? What? How is that possible?

Presumably many of them knew the bill would go nowhere, so they supported it to look good.

 

[The Llama]

My job is basically to respond to and (when necessary) litigate public records requests. It's a thankless, often miserable job.

That said, lol @ how legislatures always exclude themselves.

 

[Magwik]

No shit. If people had access to a lot of this stuff, they'd realize how badly they're getting fucked. Our state will never pull itself out of the hole that has been dug by the Republican leadership. I still cannot comprehend how Rick Snyder wasn't removed from office. Our Government local and national is a fucking joke.

 

[Korigama]

Michigan stays losing, I see.

All day, every day.

No shit. If people had access to a lot of this stuff, they'd realize how badly they're getting fucked. Our state will never pull itself out of the hole that has been dug by the Republican leadership. I still cannot comprehend how Rick Snyder wasn't removed from office. Our Government local and national is a fucking joke.

Mostly black people living in Flint is how he wasn't removed (very unlikely he would've gotten away with poisoning an entire town's water supply otherwise).

 

[Tenumi]

Michigan stays losing, I see.

I know... I'd get out of this state if I could, but... well, kinda stuck here.

...And Canada is just a short hop away, too...