Bill Text: MI SJRO | 2019-2020 | 100th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Legislature: sessions; legislature to conduct session and committee meetings remotely; allow during certain state of emergency declarations. Amends secs. 13, 14, 17, 20 & 21, art. IV of the state constitution
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 7-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-04-24 - Referred To Committee On Government Operations [SJRO Detail]
Download: Michigan-2019-SJRO-Introduced.html
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION O
April 24, 2020, Introduced by Senators
MCMORROW, POLEHANKI, BAYER, WOJNO, BULLOCK and SANTANA and referred to the
Committee on Government Operations.
A joint resolution proposing an amendment to the state constitution of 1963, by amending sections 13, 14, 17, 20, and 21 of article IV, to provide for remote legislative meetings.
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the state of Michigan, That the following amendment to the state constitution of 1963, to provide for remote legislative meetings, is proposed, agreed to, and submitted to the people of the state:
article IV
Sec. 13. The Except as otherwise provided in this article, the legislature shall meet at the seat of government. The legislature shall first meet on the second Wednesday in January of each year at twelve o'clock noon. Each regular session shall adjourn without day, on a day determined by concurrent resolution, at twelve o'clock noon. Any business, bill or joint resolution pending at the final adjournment of a regular session held in an odd numbered year shall carry over with the same status to the next regular session.
Sec. 14. A majority of the members elected to and serving in each house shall constitute a quorum to do business. A smaller number in each house may adjourn from day to day, and may compel the attendance or, if applicable, the telephonic or electronic participation of absent members in the manner and with penalties as each house may prescribe.
Sec. 17. (1) Each house of the legislature may establish the committees necessary for the efficient conduct of its business and the legislature may create joint committees. On all actions on bills and resolutions in each committee, names and votes of members shall be recorded. Such vote shall be available for public inspection. Notice of all committee hearings and a clear statement of all subjects to be considered at each hearing shall be published in the journal in advance of the hearing.
(2) If an emergency is declared in this state due to a public health crisis or an extreme weather situation, a committee meeting may be conducted electronically or telephonically during the declared emergency. A member of a committee that conducts a meeting electronically or telephonically under this subsection is present for that meeting if the member participates electronically or telephonically. A member of a committee who is present for a meeting described under this subsection may vote electronically or telephonically. If a committee meets electronically or telephonically under this subsection, each house shall ensure the meeting is conducted in a manner that permits two-way communication so that members of the public may hear and be heard by committee members when the committee receives testimony or provides an opportunity for public comment.
Sec. 20. The doors of each house shall be open unless the public security otherwise requires or a house is conducting session electronically or telephonically under section 21 of this article.
Sec. 21. (1) Neither house shall, without the consent of the other, adjourn for more than two intervening calendar days, nor to any place other than where the legislature may then be in session.
(2) If an emergency is declared in this state due to a public health crisis or an extreme weather situation, a house may conduct session electronically or telephonically during the declared emergency. A member of a house that conducts session electronically or telephonically under this subsection is present for that session if the member of the house participates electronically or telephonically. A member of a house who is present for a session under this subsection may vote electronically or telephonically. If session is conducted electronically or telephonically under this subsection, each house shall ensure public access to the session by making the session available online.
Resolved further, That the foregoing amendment shall be submitted to the people of the state at the next general election in the manner provided by law.
