A bill to expand the Open Meetings Act was signed into law by Governor Gretchen Whitmer on Monday.
The bipartisan legislation requires public meetings of state licensing boards, state commission panels, and state rule-making boards to record meetings to allow for the capture of sound, such as an audio-only recording, a video recording with sound and picture, or a broadcast that is capable of being recorded.
The bill was introduced about a year ago by Representative Luke Meerman, a Republican from Coopersville. While the Open Meetings Act makes state and local government meetings open to public attendance, the expansion of the law requires the governing bodies to at least make an audio recording that records the entire meeting, including public comments, and makes the recording available to anyone who makes a request.
The bill was opposed by some state government agencies but passed with limited opposition in both chambers of the legislature.
Whitmer said the law would “will help Michiganders have more confidence in their public bodies”.
Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland
