14 Oct
2020
14 Oct
'20
11:32 a.m.
Amendments to Open Meetings Act Pass Senate and House, Head to Governor's Desk October 14, 2020 [image of marquee showing senators votes on SB1108]Late yesterday afternoon, the Michigan House of Representatives passed SB 1108, allowing local governments (including libraries) to continue to meet electronically, under specific circumstances and for a limited period, protecting the safety of the public and public officials while ensuring public participation and transparency for meetings. Late yesterday evening, the Michigan Senate took up a concurrence vote to support it moving immediately to Governor Whitmer's desk for signature. The bill which updates Section 3 of the Michigan Open Meetings Act, will deem electronic meetings that took place since March 18, 2020, valid if the public body complied with requirements contained in the bill, and allow virtual meetings to continue until December 31, 2020, for any circumstance. >From January 1, 2021, to December 31, 2021 only, any member of a public body could meet electronically due to three reasons: * Military duty (current law) * Medical condition defined as an illness, injury, disability, or other health-related condition substantiated in writing by a medical provider (without disclosure of private medical information or diagnosis) * Statewide or local state of emergency declared that would risk the personal health/safety of the public or members of the public body Here is a link to the Senate concurred bill that has gone to the Governor's desk (we expect this to pass quickly): http://www.legislature.mi.gov/documents/2019-2020/billconcurred/Senate/pdf/2020-SCB-1108.pdf Rachel Ash Membership and Communications Director Michigan Library Association 3410 Belle Chase Way, Suite 100 Lansing, MI 48911 Phone: (517) 394-2774 ext. 225 milibraries.org rfash@milibraries.org<mailto:rfash@milibraries.org> Follow MLA on Facebook<https://www.facebook.com/MichiganLibraryAssociation> and Twitter<https://twitter.com/mlaoffice>!