State Rep. Joseph Pavlov last week voted in favor of a bill to bring meetings of the Michigan Natural Resources Commission online to help more residents be able to watch the discussions and follow decisions made by the state.

House Bill 4822 would require the Natural Resources Commission to live-stream its public meetings, post links to those streams at least 24 hours in advance and maintain a searchable online archive of past meetings for anyone to view later.

“It’s important that Michiganders can see how the state makes decisions about our public lands, wildlife, and outdoor traditions,” Pavlov said. “Requiring live streams and an archive of NRC meetings helps hunters, anglers and small businesses stay informed without having to travel to Lansing.”

The Michigan House passed the bill on December 9 by a 99-1 vote, and it now awaits further action in the state Senate.