Senate rules panel debates remote committee participation under Rule 9(a)
January 18, 2025 | Rules, SENATE, Committees, Legislative , Vermont
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The Senate Rules Committee considered a motion to approve committee meetings "pursuant to the requirements of Rule 9(a) along with participation as determined appropriately by the chair," a committee member said during the session. The proposal would align committee remote-participation procedures with the body’s Rule 9(a) standards and formalize that chairs may decide whether members may participate remotely.
The change matters because it clarifies how quorum and voting will be handled when members are remote. The Senate Secretary explained that, "under Rule 9(a) ... you could all be remote" during a state of emergency and that if the chair permits remote participation, remote members "count for the quorum. You count as voting." That explanation followed a question from a senator about whether a quorum must be physically present.
Supporters said the motion would codify the practice used in recent terms: applying Rule 9(a) standards for visibility and audio, requiring members to be in their districts when participating remotely where practicable, and leaving the final decision on remote participation to the committee chair. The committee member who moved the motion framed it as "effectuating SR3 by having the rules committee set the ground rules for the remote committees."
Committee members asked for clarification about chair discretion and parity. The Senate Secretary replied that the chair "has to treat everybody equally" when deciding whether to permit remote participation but that the chair may require in-person attendance if they choose. The discussion included a specific question about whether a quorum must be physically present; the secretary reiterated that under Rule 9(a) and during a state of emergency remote members may be counted toward quorum if the chair allows it.
The motion was moved and seconded and received discussion; a final recorded vote on that motion was not included in the transcript excerpt provided.
Next steps discussed included the rules committee drafting ground rules for remote committee meetings consistent with Rule 9(a) and SR3. No formal amendment language or implementation timeline beyond that drafting process was specified in the discussion.
The change matters because it clarifies how quorum and voting will be handled when members are remote. The Senate Secretary explained that, "under Rule 9(a) ... you could all be remote" during a state of emergency and that if the chair permits remote participation, remote members "count for the quorum. You count as voting." That explanation followed a question from a senator about whether a quorum must be physically present.
Supporters said the motion would codify the practice used in recent terms: applying Rule 9(a) standards for visibility and audio, requiring members to be in their districts when participating remotely where practicable, and leaving the final decision on remote participation to the committee chair. The committee member who moved the motion framed it as "effectuating SR3 by having the rules committee set the ground rules for the remote committees."
Committee members asked for clarification about chair discretion and parity. The Senate Secretary replied that the chair "has to treat everybody equally" when deciding whether to permit remote participation but that the chair may require in-person attendance if they choose. The discussion included a specific question about whether a quorum must be physically present; the secretary reiterated that under Rule 9(a) and during a state of emergency remote members may be counted toward quorum if the chair allows it.
The motion was moved and seconded and received discussion; a final recorded vote on that motion was not included in the transcript excerpt provided.
Next steps discussed included the rules committee drafting ground rules for remote committee meetings consistent with Rule 9(a) and SR3. No formal amendment language or implementation timeline beyond that drafting process was specified in the discussion.
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