State Rep. Parker Fairbairn, in the interest of governmental transparency and access, on Wednesday introduced legislation to require the Michigan Natural Resources Commission (NRC) to livestream commission meetings and to make past meetings available in a searchable archive on its website.

“The Natural Resources Commission has exclusive authority to regulate hunting, trapping and sportfishing in Michigan, and the discussions they hold and the votes that they take have a direct impact on some of Michigan’s most cherished traditions – not to mention an $11 billion sector of the state’s annual economy and the 170,000 jobs it supports,” said Fairbairn, R-Harbor Springs. “A public body with this much power and influence needs to be much more easily accessible to the public.”

House Bill 4822, sponsored by Fairbairn and cosponsored by dozens of his northern Michigan colleagues, would require the NRC to broadcast all public meetings live, publish a link for viewing the broadcast not less than 24 hours in advance, and make all past meetings available in an archive that is searchable by date and subject matter on its website.

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