The bill amends the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) in Michigan by establishing clearer responsibilities for FOIA coordinators within public bodies, including cities, counties, and state departments. Each public body is required to designate a FOIA coordinator to manage public records requests, with specific provisions for counties without an executive form of government, where the chairperson of the county board of commissioners will serve in this role. The bill also mandates that the speaker of the house and the senate majority leader designate FOIA coordinators for their respective legislative bodies, and it allows these coordinators to delegate their responsibilities.

In addition to updating the roles of FOIA coordinators, the bill revises the appeal process for denied requests, introduces new exemptions for public record disclosure, and clarifies the handling of educational records to comply with federal privacy laws. It specifies that certain records related to the executive offices of the governor and lieutenant governor, as well as state legislative bodies, can be exempt from disclosure, particularly those concerning appointments, budget recommendations, and communications with constituents. The bill also emphasizes the need for expedited court hearings on FOIA actions and outlines conditions for awarding attorney fees and civil fines to individuals who prevail in such cases. 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