Representative Bob Lynn, chair of the House Judiciary Committee, opened the committee’s organizational meeting and asked members to introduce themselves, review a contact sheet and confirm communications preferences.

Lynn advised members that hearing days do not require a quorum but executive sessions do. “When we have executive sessions, however, then we do need a quorum,” he said, and asked members who cannot attend an executive session to notify the committee leadership so a substitute can be arranged.

Lynn described the committee’s adopted notice policy allowing executive sessions on any bill that has had a hearing that day when the published notice contains that possibility. He said he will generally use that authority cautiously — calling exec sessions when either everyone is present or there is a clear, noncontroversial consensus, and may use straw votes to test the room.

On scheduling, the chair surveyed members and said he will generally avoid starting at 9 a.m.; meetings will usually begin at 9:30 or 10 a.m. He told members he will be absent Feb. 5–24 for a long‑planned trip and that Representative Dennis Mannion and ranking member Marjorie Smith will manage hearings while he is away. Lynn asked both parties to coordinate caucuses before anticipated executive sessions so leadership can identify priorities.

Ending: The chair said he will schedule hearings for the weeks he is away but will try to avoid executive sessions on complex matters until his return. He encouraged civility and mutual respect in committee proceedings.