State Rep. Timmy Beson today highlighted a recently unveiled Oversight Committee structure that will ensure state government is operating effectively and responsibly for people it represents.

The House is greatly expanding its oversight role for the 2025-26 legislative term with six planned Oversight subcommittees that will look at issues regarding the weaponization of state government, child welfare, corporate subsidies and state investments, public health, foreign influence, and more. The panels will have both Republican and Democrat representation.

“These committees will ensure public dollars are being best used for the public’s benefit, while also giving people a more detailed look at how decisions are made across multiple levels of state government,” said Beson, of Bay City. “Just in the past few years, we’ve seen hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars used to try and attract job providers to our state. We’ve seen taxpayer money used for severance agreements with state employees and we’ve seen last-minute rule changes from the Secretary of State for our elections process.

“People all over the state, including families I represent in Bay County, have had questions about those decisions and they feel like there’s very little accountability in government right now. When there’s very little accountability, people lose faith in the system. That has to change, and these committees will help get us there.”

Beson noted that new House rules for the 2025-26 legislative term will grant the House Oversight Committee subpoena power.

A 2020 report from the Coalition for Integrity ranked Michigan 48^th among 50 states for government ethics and transparency.

Beson is beginning his third term representing the 96^th House District, which includes the cities of Bay City and Essexville and the townships of Bangor, Beaver, Frankenlust, Fraser, Garfield, Hampton, Kawkawlin, Merritt, Monitor and Portsmouth.