The Michigan House today approved state Rep. Luke Meerman’s plan to require the audio recording of every meeting of a state licensing board, state commission panel or state rule-making board.

Under the state’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. The act does not, however, require the recording of a meeting of a public body that is a state licensing board, commission panel, or rule-making board.

“This legislation helps hold government more accountable,” Meerman said. “Promoting openness and transparency in government ensures responsible decision-making from members of state boards and commissions.”

The measure states that the 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
• A digital or analog broadcast capable of being recorded

The plan now moves to the Senate for further consideration.