2020
- Released the MICOG Sunshine Agenda, calling for significant reforms to Michigan’s public records law.
- Established the Jane Briggs-Bunting Transparency in Government Award and recognized Jane Briggs-Bunting as the first recipient.
- Filed friend of the court brief with the Michigan Supreme Court in Bisio v. City of The Village of Clarkston, Docket No. 158240.
- Participated in Sunshine Week 2020.
2019
- Supported FOIA and LORA legislative reforms in House Government Operations Committee. Bills passed the Michigan House.
- Attended the NFOIC FOI Summit in Dallas.
- Participated in Sunshine Week 2019.
2018
- Attended the NFOIC annual FOIA Summit in Cincinnati and participated in discussions with FOI advocates.
- Appeared on FOIA panel with NFOIC at State Policy Network in Salt Lake City.
- Participated in Sunshine Week 2018.
2017
- Sent letter to House Competitiveness Committee to support House Bills 4148-57 (applying disclosure requirements to legislature and governor)
- Sent letter to House Oversight Committee in support of House Bill 4301 (disclosure of public employee salary information).
- Attended the NFOIC annual conference in Nashville and presented to FOI advocates three times.
- Released the Michigan Government Employee Salary Database, a joint project of MICOG, the Mackinac Center and the Michigan Press Association.
- MICOG board adopted a strategic plan.
2016
- Participated in national Sunshine Week, March 13-19, 2016; published op-eds by board members.
- Provided information and quotes to numerous media outlets including the Detroit Free Press, The Detroit News, Lansing State Journal, MLive.com, Bridge Magazine and others.
- Educated the public on the importance of access to government records after the Flint water crisis.
- Testified in the Government Oversight Committee of the Michigan House of Representatives regarding House Bills 5469-5478 (Legislative Open Records Act). The bills passed the House but died in the Senate.
- Filed amicus curiae brief with the U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit in Detroit Free Press v. U.S. Dept. of Justice, 829 F.3d 478 (2016) (disclosure of police booking photos).
- MICOG president served on the Futures Committee of the National Freedom of Information Coalition, a national organization that promotes government transparency.
2015
- Participated in national Sunshine Week.
- Attended NFOIC Summit October 9-10 in Denver and participated in discussions about national FOI trends.
2014
- SPJ Detroit gave a lifetime achievement award to Jane Briggs-Bunting, founder of the Michigan Coalition for Open Government, for her work to advance the cause of open government.
2013
- Submitted a letter to the House Judiciary Committee on HB 4694-4697 (mental health courts) and HB 4770 (waiting period on release of traffic accident reports).
- Participated in four town hall meetings to raise awareness Freedom of Information Act and Open Meetings Act. Panelists included MICOG, Michigan Press Association, Center for Michigan, ACLU and the Mackinac Center.
- MICOG founded in January 2013.