2020 House Bill 5917

Make Open Records Law apply to state during declared emergency

Introduced in the House

May 24, 2020

Introduced by Rep. Ryan Berman (R-39)

To amend one of the two Michigan state of emergency laws by establishing that when a governor declares a state of emergency this does not relieve the executive branch from the requirements of and its duties under the state Freedom of Information Act. This bill amends the 1945 "Emergency Powers of the Governor Act," which puts no time limit on declared emergencies and does not require legislative consent keep one in effect. For most of the coronavirus epidemic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has based her authority to assume extraordinary emergency powers on this law; see also House Bill 5916.

Referred to the Committee on Government Operations