The bill amends the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) in Michigan by establishing new requirements for public bodies to designate FOIA coordinators responsible for managing public records requests. It specifies that in counties without an executive form of government, the chairperson of the county board of commissioners will serve as the FOIA coordinator, while the speaker of the house and the senate majority leader will appoint coordinators for their respective chambers. The bill also outlines the responsibilities of these coordinators, including the authority to delegate tasks and the necessity to approve any denials of requests. Additionally, it revises the appeal process for denied requests, allowing individuals to appeal to designated representatives and establishing response timelines.

Moreover, the bill introduces new exemptions from public disclosure for certain records held by the executive office of the governor and lieutenant governor, as well as state legislative bodies. It specifies that records related to appointments, budget recommendations, and internal investigations may be exempt, while also protecting communications between legislators and constituents. The bill enhances the confidentiality of sensitive information, including cybersecurity plans and personal identifiers in civil actions related to sexual misconduct, and removes previous mandates for disclosure under certain circumstances. The enactment of this bill is contingent upon the passage of Senate Bill No. 1 of the 103rd Legislature and is set to take effect on January 1 of the first odd-numbered year following its enactment.

Statutes affected:
Senate Introduced Bill: 15.236
As Passed by the Senate: 15.236