Transport Matters MP Rod Barton on Tuesday confirmed he will vote in favour of the Public Health and Wellbeing Amendment (Pandemic Management) Bill following negotiations with the government.
The legislation gives the premier and health minister the power to declare a pandemic and enforce restrictions, is set to replace the state of emergency which expires on December 15.
Mr Barton has negotiated six amendments, including the creation of a joint parliamentary committee that can review public health orders and recommend they be overruled by a majority of both houses of parliament.
A proposed aggravated offence, under which egregious restriction breaches could have been punishable by up to two years jail, has also been removed.
"This is a far better bill than what we had and we have curbed the powers of this government," Mr Barton told reporters outside parliament on Tuesday.
He said with the December 15 deadline fast approaching, a decision had to be made.
"We had two choices to think about; one, the government reintroduce a state of emergency - and I don't think that's palatable for anybody - or we go to a situation where we have no pandemic powers at all," Mr Barton said.
"Just think about the ramifications of what that would be for this state. You can imagine how quickly the borders would be shut to us from other states."
He said he met with several groups who held concerns about the bill and believed they would support the changes.
The Centre for Public Integrity, the Human Rights Law Centre, the Law Institute of Victoria and Liberty Victoria have welcomed the amendments.
Mr Barton rejected an opposition suggestion he had struck a backroom deal with the government in exchange for his support, arguing he did "what had to be done, which was right".
Sustainable Australia MP Clifford Hayes, who had also been in talks with the government, said he would not support the bill as he believed the changes did not go far enough to protect human rights and civil liberties.
He opposes the amendment permitting a disallowance vote of both houses, given the government currently holds an absolute majority, as well as the "absence of a clear plan to relieve mandates in a highly vaccinated population".
The bill has become a lightning rod for anti-lockdown and anti-vaccination groups, who have occupied the steps of state parliament for weeks in protest.
Mr Barton and his staff have received death threats and police were called to his office since he announced his support for the bill.
Reason Party MP Fiona Patten, who is also voting in favour of the bill and has received similar threats, condemned those who targeted Mr Barton.
"This is a democracy. These are elected members. How dare you threaten them with violence," she said.
Premier Daniel Andrews declined to comment on specific amendments to the bill, but said "these are extraordinary arrangements because a pandemic is an extraordinary thing."
With the support of Mr Barton, Ms Patten, Animal Justice MP Andy Meddick and Greens leader Samantha Ratnam, the bill is expected to pass the upper house.
The opposition will vote against the bill and has described the changes as "Mickey Mouse amendments".
Debate began at 3pm on Tuesday and is expected to run late into the night.
It is the last parliamentary sitting week of the year.
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