Signed by Governor Gretchen Whitmer

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that requires public bodies that meet electronically to include 2-way communication that allows the public to participate, among other provisions.

Highlights:

• Requires all decisions of a public body to be made at a meeting open to the public (Sec. 3).

• Requires the public body to, for purposes of any meeting of any state legislative body at which a formal vote is taken, establish the following procedures to accommodate the absence of any member of the public body due to military duty, a medical condition, or a statewide or local state of emergency or state of disaster that would risk the personal health or safety of members of the public or the public body if the meeting were held in person, including (Sec. 3):

• Procedures by which the absent member may participate in, and vote on, business before the public body, including procedures that provide for both of the following:

• 2-way communication; and

• For each member of the body attending the meeting remotely, a public announcement at the outset of the meeting by the member that they are in fact attending the meeting remotely;

• Procedures by which the public is provided notice of the absence of the member and information about how to contact that member sufficiently in advance of a meeting of the public body to provide input on any business; and

• All deliberations of a public body constituting a quorum of its members must take place at a meeting open to the public, except for deliberating the merits of a case or for associations of insurers.

• Specifies that if the member is attending the meeting remotely for a purpose other than for military duty, the member’s announcement will further identify specifically the member’s physical location by stating the county, city, and state from where they are (Sec. 3).

Full Bill Text