00                   HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 16                                                                   
01 Proposing an amendment to the Uniform Rules of the Alaska State Legislature relating                                    
02 to voting.                                                                                                              
03 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:                                                               
04    * Section 1. Rule 34(b), Uniform Rules of the Alaska State Legislature, is amended to read:                        
05            (b)  Abstention. Every member present in the house shall vote; however, a                                
06       member shall abstain from voting if the member reasonably believes that by                                    
07       voting the member would violate a provision of AS 24.60.030 that prohibits a                                  
08       member from voting.  Notice of the abstention from voting shall be made before                                
09       the house divides or before the call for the yeas and nays is commenced and shall                             
10       be made by the member's making a brief oral statement of the reason that the                                  
11       member will abstain and the specific provision of AS 24.60.030 that requires the                              
12       member's abstention [UNLESS THE HOUSE FOR SPECIAL REASONS                                                     
13       PERMITS A MEMBER TO ABSTAIN. ALL MOTIONS EXCUSING A MEMBER                                                        
14       FROM VOTING SHALL BE MADE BEFORE THE HOUSE DIVIDES OR                                                             
15       BEFORE THE CALL FOR THE YEAS AND NAYS IS COMMENCED. A                                                             
16       MEMBER REQUESTING TO BE EXCUSED FROM VOTING MAY MAKE A                                                            

01       BRIEF ORAL STATEMENT OF THE REASONS FOR THE REQUEST AND THE                                                       
02       QUESTION OF GRANTING PERMISSION TO ABSTAIN SHALL BE TAKEN                                                         
03       WITHOUT FURTHER DEBATE. A MEMBER MAY NOT EXPLAIN A VOTE,                                                          
04       MAY NOT DISCUSS THE QUESTION WHILE THE YEAS AND NAYS ARE                                                          
05       BEING CALLED, AND MAY NOT CHANGE A VOTE AFTER THE ROLL CALL                                                       
06       RESULT HAS BEEN ANNOUNCED. UPON DIVISION AND COUNT OF THE                                                         
07       HOUSE OF ANY QUESTION A MEMBER WHO IS NOT WITHIN THE                                                              
08       CHAMBER MAY NOT BE COUNTED. A MEMBER MAY NOT BE PERMITTED                                                         
09       TO ABSTAIN EXCEPT UPON THE UNANIMOUS CONSENT OF THE                                                               
10       MEMBERSHIP].