MIRS Monday March 18, 2024

Last week, a Senate committee moved bills requiring the Governor and state legislators to respond to public records requests through Michigan's Freedom of Information Act.

Meanwhile, some House Democrats introduced still more transparency bills involving 501(c)4 or 527 accounts not regulated by Michigan's campaign finance laws. 

Executive Director Nick Pigeon of the Michigan Campaign Finance Network and Lisa McGraw, the public affairs manager of the Michigan Press Association, join the MIRS team to discuss the transparency proposals (1:34).

Also, Stephanie Jones, the founder of the Michigan Fertility Alliance, details why her organization supports legislation authorizing surrogacy contracts in the state. Currently, state statute views surrogate parentage contracts as void and unenforceable (29:23). 

MIRS was also joined by Director Julia Dale of Michigan's Unemployment Insurance Agency. She explains how a lack of resources makes it difficult to recover money lost to fraudulent claims made during the COVID-19 pandemic (49:12).