The Indiana House of Representatives recently passed State Rep. Ben Smaltz's (R-Auburn) legislation that would provide more government transparency to Hoosiers by requiring public meetings be livestreamed and archived.

Smaltz's bill would require executive and fiscal bodies of state and local agencies, and school boards, to livestream their meetings on publicly accessible platforms, and archive the recordings with links to agendas and minutes. Smaller government entities would have until July 2024 to comply.

"Hoosiers deserve to know what their government is doing with their tax dollars," Smaltz said. "Not everyone has the ability to attend public meetings in person, so having the ability to watch online anytime provides a higher level of transparency and that also boosts accountability."

To maintain records of meetings, Smaltz's legislation would require each public agency to make recordings available to the public for at least 90 days after the meeting date. Governing bodies could also utilize free livestreaming on social media platforms or host it on their existing websites. Additionally, any technological failures during a livestream, like a loss of internet service, would not invalidate actions taken at any public meeting.

"Our ability to record public meetings and provide access to information is easier than ever," Smaltz said. "All levels of government should want to demonstrate and be accountable to what they're doing for their communities."

House Bill 1167 now heads to the Indiana Senate for consideration.