We all would be forgiven if we overlooked a few important items when first perusing Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s proposed $74 billion state spending plan for the coming year.

The record-setting budget proposal — which drew near immediate criticism for its girth — includes billions for everything from education to infrastructure. And many Michiganders likely would agree upon many of the priorities it sets, even if they disagree on the number of zeroes tacked onto each budget line.

But there is one spending segment that likely will receive far to little attention for its importance: the courts. More specifically, a line allocating $175 million for a new, uniform, digital statewide court records management system.

That single line is one of the most important developments in years for how our court system operates. It also, if court officials follow through with a second phase to implement public access to the system, could be a pivotal development for public access to our courts.

For those not familiar, court records in Michigan are a melange of antiquated paper and computers that vary wildly from county to county and court to court.

Take the Grand Traverse region for example. Grand Traverse County the 86th District Court has an online interface where folks can search cases and find some basic information about scheduling and judges’ decisions. Sure, the digital records system is effectively inaccessible through a number of modern internet browsers, but at least it’s online. That’s more than we can say for courts in many areas of our state.

In fact, in our own region, someone seeking even basic records from court cases in Kalkaska or Benzie counties must drive to those courthouses during business hours to buy copies.

It’s a disappointing reality for what otherwise could be considered one of the most transparent segments of our government. In the vast majority of cases, most records filed with the courts are public documents and can be obtained or inspected by anyone, for any reason.

And the vast majority of hearings occur either in open, public courtrooms or during livestreamed hearings in the COVID-19 era.

That’s why the inaccessibility created by the state’s hodgepodge of a records system is so frustrating for both those who are familiar with it, and those who find themselves needing access to it for the first time. For those inside the system, and policymakers who oversee it, the disjointed records make sound data collection and analysis statewide nearly impossible.

Worse, it makes obtaining even simple court records an onerous undertaking for ordinary people who work day jobs or don’t live near the requisite courthouse.

That’s why we find a budget allocation a hopeful sign for public access to court records.

“By connecting courts and creating a common platform to manage case files, data collection will be less time-consuming, more accurate, and available in real time to generate reports and drive decision-making,” said Michigan Supreme Court Chief Justice Bridget M. McCormack in a Wednesday statement. “By working together on one system, waste and duplication of efforts will be eliminated and courts will be more efficient.”

We only hope future allocations — after officials implement uniform statewide internal records — evolve the system to provide robust public access, the kind that removes barriers between taxpayers and court records generated by the system they fund.

After all, our courts are the most transparent branch of Michigan government.