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Curt VanderWall
VanderWall introduces transparency legislation.
#101stDistrict.
LANSING — State Rep. Curt VanderWall of Ludington today introduced legislation to make Michigan’s state government more transparent. VanderWall is representative for the 101st House District, which includes Mason, Manistee, Benzie, and Leelanau counties.
His legislation is part of a greater bill, House Bill 4150, package to make the governor and lieutenant governor subject to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and create a similar disclosure requirement for state representatives and senators called the Legislative Open Records Act (LORA).
“Since my campaign I’ve talked about my commitment to ensuring that we hold government officials more accountable by providing more information to taxpayers,” VanderWall said. “The people of Michigan deserve to know how their money is being used so we are making that information readily and easily accessible.”
The bill package does make accommodations for some records, among them letters to and from people in the district, human resources files, and ongoing legislative investigations or lawsuits.
VanderWall said the House has committed itself to being steadfast in their transparency this term by putting more information into the people’s hands.
“Last month we were pleased to announce that the Michigan House of Representatives website now includes the salary information for all representatives and staff members,” VanderWall said.
He went on to say that Michigan is one of just two states wherein the public records disclosure does not apply to the Legislature and the governor’s office.
“It’s time for that to change,” he said.
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