Coffia, Byrnes Introduce House Legislation to Subject Governor, Legislature to Freedom of Information Act

Legislation allows public to request records from Michigan lawmakers and governor’s office, helping restore trust in state government officials

LANSING, Mich., August 26, 2026 — Today, state Reps. Betsy Coffia (D-Traverse City) and Erin Byrnes (D-Dearborn) introduced Senate-backed legislation to help bring greater transparency to state government. The legislation, House Bills 6299-6300, would require the Michigan Legislature and governor’s office to comply with the state’s existing Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) law, providing Michiganders with greater ability to learn about and understand the decisions of their state government.

“After serving two terms on the Grand Traverse County Commission, where I was subject to FOIA and was FOIA-ed many times, I find it shocking that Michigan remains one of only two states in the country that still exempt the governor’s office and state legislature from FOIA requirements,” Coffia said. “It is long overdue that we expand FOIA to include those of us who are responsible for passing laws that over 10 million people must live by and overseeing a state budget of over $80 billion in taxpayer funds.”

Enacted in 1976, Michigan’s FOIA law remains one of the few in the nation that exempts state lawmakers and the governor’s office from being subject to public records requests. In the National Center for Public Integrity’s 2015 report, Michigan received an “F” grade and ranked dead last in the nation in government integrity. Michigan failed in 10 of 13 categories, including public access to information, executive accountability and legislative accountability.

“I have long advocated for ethics in government,” Byrnes said. “Michigan continues to rank as one of the worst states in the country for government integrity and transparency, so it is obvious that something must change. These bills would bring greater transparency to the legislature and help keep Michiganders informed about how decisions are made in Lansing. This is about being transparent and accountable to those we serve — it’s something every elected official should support. I am proud to be a vocal supporter on this issue.”

The bills mirror Senate Bills 1 and 2 of 2025, introduced by state Sens. Jeremy Moss (D-Southfield) and Ed McBroom (R-Waucedah Twp.), respectively. The bills were passed by the Senate with overwhelming bipartisan support (33-2) at the beginning of the term, but have languished in the House Government Operations Committee since January 2025.

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