New Law Expands on Michigan's Open Meetings Act

Governor Whitmer recently signed House Bill 4705, which expands the Open Meetings Act to require certain public bodies to create and maintain audio recordings of their meetings, expanding transparency and accountability.

What is the Open Meetings Act?

Under Michigan’s Open Meetings Act, the right to attend a public meeting includes the right to tape-record, videotape, broadcast live on radio, and telecast live on television the proceedings of a public body at the public meeting. A board may establish reasonable regulations governing the recording to minimize any disruption to the hearing, but it may not prohibit such coverage.

Prior to the passage of the bill, the Open Meeting Act did not require the recording of a meeting of a public body that is a state licensing board, commission panel, or rule-making board.

What does the new law require?

The measure provides that state meetings must be recorded in a manner that allows for the capture of sound in any of the following formats:

• A sound-only recording;
• A video recording with sound and picture; or
• A digital or analog broadcast that is capable of being recorded.

Help is available

The municipal attorneys at O’Reilly Rancilio are available to answer your questions regarding the Open Meetings Act. For more information, call 586-726-1000 or visit our website.