Our governor’s office and state lawmakers are still exempt from the Freedom of Information Act while virtually every other state makes those communications, including texts and emails, available to the public. At least three former lawmakers who cast votes in December have taken lucrative lobbying jobs, textbook examples of the “revolving door” problem that is banned in many states. Without new ethics laws, our lawmakers will ignore conflicts of interest and cast votes on many issues that will enrich themselves or their family, with no accountability. Last year, legislation to address these and other matters was introduced in the House, but the bills never made it through the Senate to the governor’s desk. Fortunately, there is renewed interest in addressing these issues from key House and Senate leaders, including House Speaker Jason Wentworth (R-Clare) and Sens. Jeremy Moss (D-Southfield) and Ed McBroom (R-Vulcan), longtime proponents of more openness through expansion of open records laws in our state.