This afternoon the House Oversight Committee heard testimony on House Bill 5599, legislation that would exempt elected officials from the requirement to pay a fee for information obtained under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) if the information is obtained in furtherance of their duties as elected officials.

The League is opposed to this legislation as it is a slippery slope for potential FOIA abuse. It also sets a precedent for waiving fees for other purposes. The committee did not vote on the legislation.

Samantha Harkins is the Director of State Affairs for the League handling municipal finance issues.  She can be reached at sharkins@mml.org or 517-908-0306.