It could really happen, after what seems an eternity of effort: Lawmakers may finally subject themselves and the governor to records disclosure requirements.

Michigan’s Freedom of Information Act has been on the books since the Watergate era, forcing local governments, school districts and state agencies to hand over most documents when requested by the public. That requirement has led to a lot of wrongs being made right by exposing wrongdoing to public scrutiny and has acted as a sort of guardrail, helping to keep government officials honest because they know the public could be watching.

However, unlike all but one other state, Michigan’s disclosure requirements exempt the Legislature and the governor’s office, allowing the most powerful people in the state to keep their documents secret.

For at least a decade, some lawmakers have tried to change that, introducing bills to subject lawmakers and the governor to disclosure requirements. But for at least a decade, those efforts have failed to advance, allowing legislators and the state’s chief executive to keep keeping secrets.

Now, however, bills that would require those officials to release documents asked for by the public have passed the state Senate and last week got the OK from a state House committee, leaving only the full House and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s signature to at long last make those requirements law.

The bills advancing in the state House aren’t perfect. They allow lawmakers and the governor to keep secret their communications with constituents, for example.

But they’re a great leap forward toward government transparency for Michigan, requiring lawmakers and the governor to hand over communications with lobbyists, for example.

We urge the full state House to act swiftly in this lame duck session to send the bills to Whitmer’s desk, and we urge Whitmer to sign them and fulfill a promise she made during her first campaign for governor six years ago.

Let’s finally get this done, folks.

— The Alpena News