Michigan House lawmakers want to make it easier for people to obtain records from the governor and the Legislature. But they've pushed this rock up the hill before, only to see their efforts ignored in the Senate.
A bipartisan group of lawmakers in the House hope this legislative session is different. On Thursday, the House Oversight Committee reviewed 10 bills that would expand Michigan's open records law so that the highest elected leaders in the state would need to turn over some records when requested.
Chairman Steven Johnson, R-Wayland, and other lawmakers pointed to recent revelations about confidentiality agreements and payments between former state government officials and the office of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer as evidence the reforms are needed now more than ever.