House Oversight Committee Vice Chair Matthew Bierlein today highlighted areas where the panel held state government accountable for the people over the past year.

“Trust in government is at record lows, and a big reason for that is people feel there isn’t a lot of transparency and accountability,” said Bierlein, of Vassar. “Oversight is a fundamental responsibility of the Michigan Legislature to ensure government is working as effectively and efficiently as possible for the people it is serving. We will continue to work for the people and provide them with answers and results. That is what hardworking taxpayers and families across our state deserve.”

The committee’s work has focused on:

Protecting children – The committee investigated serious failures within the state’s Department of Health and Human Services and Children’s Protective Services. Bierlein and the committee subpoenaed DHHS Director Elizabeth Hetel to examine the state’s response to child welfare emergencies and placement, as jarring evidence was presented showing that the state has fallen short. The committee also provided concerned parents with a platform and answers regarding updated health education standards from the Michigan Department of Education that incorporate politically charged and unproven ideologies into curricula.

Leadership failures within the Michigan State Police – As individuals heading the department received a vote of “no confidence” from 98.5% of MSP troopers and 90% of command officers in a poll conducted by the Michigan State Police Troopers Association in June, the committee conducted an investigation into allegations of misconduct involving favoritism in staff promotions, inappropriate salary bonuses, and overly restrictive policies that made it harder for troopers to do their jobs. One high-ranking MSP official, Lt. Col. Aimee Brimacombe, has announced her pending retirement from the department as the committee is preparing to release its final report regarding its investigation.

Ensuring elected officials are prioritizing the people over politics – The committee acted unanimously to subpoena Attorney General Dana Nessel for information on two issues that presented evidence of a conflict of interest. Bierlein and his colleagues also protected taxpayer dollars while delivering clarity regarding a campaign finance website championed by Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson that was supposed to promote greater transparency, but was instead riddled with costly delays and programming errors. The committee’s hearings on these website issues pushed for answers and critical information on refunds to the state, pausing additional payments for the system, and timelines for needed fixes to ensure tax dollars were no longer being squandered.

Reining in government overreach – Requests for documents were made regarding alarming reports of weaponization and abuses of power by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, which have wreaked havoc on pig farmers and game ranchers and curtailed livelihoods.

For the first time this legislative term, several new House Oversight subcommittees were established to focus on specific areas, like homeland security, child welfare, public health, issues with state assistance programs, and more. Bierlein chairs the House Oversight Subcommittee on Public Health and Food Security and also serves on the House Oversight Subcommittee on Corporate Subsidies and State Investments.

As part of this work, Bierlein shined a light on areas where Michigan’s mental health system should be shored up so people can get needed care, including the shortage of available beds in care facilities and a need for increased mental health services within the criminal justice system.

“On top of our work to hold state government accountable and look into issues impacting people and their families, many legislative ideas and solutions ultimately come from these hearings and the information that is gleaned from them,” said Bierlein, who sponsored multiple bills to improve mental health care in 2025. “This has been a wholesale approach to government oversight, and House Republicans are leading the way.”