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FOIA Clarification and Expansion Act

This bill amends Michigan's Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) to clarify and expand provisions related to public records disclosure, with a particular focus on the legislative and executive branches. The bill requires all public bodies, including cities, counties, state departments, the state legislature, and the governor's office, to designate a specific FOIA coordinator responsible for processing public record requests. It provides more detailed guidelines for how public bodies can appeal or challenge FOIA requests, including specifying that appeals for state legislative bodies must be directed to designated individuals in the House of Representatives or Senate. The bill also significantly expands exemptions for the executive and legislative branches, allowing them to withhold records related to appointments, internal investigations, constituent communications, security concerns, and records created or held for less than 30 days. Additionally, the bill clarifies that these new exemptions do not limit the constitutional privileges and immunities of the legislative branch. The changes aim to provide more clarity and flexibility in how public bodies handle information requests while maintaining certain protections for sensitive governmental communications and processes. The bill will take effect on January 1 of the first odd-numbered year that begins at least 6 months after its enactment, and is contingent on the passage of a related Senate Bill.1