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 responsible for managing public records requests, with specific provisions for counties lacking an executive form of government and designated individuals for the House of Representatives and the Senate. The bill allows FOIA coordinators to delegate their responsibilities and revises the appeal process for denied requests, enabling individuals to appeal to designated representatives of the legislative bodies. It also sets a timeline for responses to appeals and outlines the judicial review process for public records access.

Furthermore, the bill introduces new exemptions from disclosure, particularly for the executive offices of the governor and lieutenant governor, as well as state legislative public bodies. These exemptions cover records related to appointments, budget recommendations, and communications with constituents, while also protecting the identities of individuals involved in civil actions related to sexual misconduct and information that could jeopardize cybersecurity or the safety of public officials. The bill modifies existing language on educational records to ensure compliance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act and clarifies that it does not permit withholding information required by law to be made public. The enactment of this bill is contingent upon the passage of Senate Bill No. 1 of the 103rd Legislature.

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