By Mike Kruzman / news@whmi.com

A local legislator has announced a plan that would require increased transparency from elected leaders.

Republican State Representative Ann Bollin of Brighton Township is the Chair of the Michigan House Elections and Ethics Committee. This week she announced her plan for greater transparency and protections available under the Freedom of Information Act, or FOIA.

Bollin’s plan contains several measures that focus on ethics, such as no longer allowing lobbyists to sponsor travel or lodging for legislators, and banning a political candidate’s immediate family from receiving payments from campaign accounts. Lobbyists would also be required to disclose money spent on partisan legislative staff, and require that detailed descriptions of campaign expenditures and disbursements be available to the public on the Secretary of State’s website. Bollin’s plan would additionally streamline the process for FOIA requests.

This week is Sunshine Week which promotes open and transparent government. Bollin said, in a release from her office, that she can’t think of a better time to announce a plan to strengthen these laws and make elected leaders and government workers more transparent and accountable to the people.

House Bills 5921 to 5929 will now be referred to the House committees on Oversight and Elections and Ethics.