SCR 16: Suspending Rules 16, 24(a), 27(c), and 34(c), Uniform Rules of the Alaska State Legislature, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic; authorizing the presiding officers to allow members to attend a session to address matters related to the COVID-19 public health disaster emergency by videoconference or teleconference in certain circumstances related to the COVID-19 public health disaster emergency; and relating to sessions where members are authorized to attend a session by videoconference or teleconference.
00 SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 16 01 Suspending Rules 16, 24(a), 27(c), and 34(c), Uniform Rules of the Alaska State 02 Legislature, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic; authorizing the presiding officers 03 to allow members to attend a session to address matters related to the COVID-19 public 04 health disaster emergency by videoconference or teleconference in certain circumstances 05 related to the COVID-19 public health disaster emergency; and relating to sessions 06 where members are authorized to attend a session by videoconference or teleconference. 07 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 08 WHEREAS the World Health Organization has declared the disease caused by the 09 novel coronavirus, COVID-19, a pandemic; and 10 WHEREAS, on March 11, 2020, the Governor declared a statewide public health 11 disaster emergency to support the response to the COVID-19 disease outbreak; and 12 WHEREAS, through passage of Senate Bill 241, enacted into law as ch. 10, SLA 13 2020, the legislature extended the declaration of a public health disaster emergency issued by 14 the governor to November 15, 2020; and
01 WHEREAS, under art. XV, sec. 20, Constitution of the State of Alaska, Juneau is the 02 capital and the seat of government of the State of Alaska, and the legislature must continue to 03 meet in the seat of government to the fullest extent possible; and 04 WHEREAS, as a result of the COVID-19 public health disaster emergency, it may be 05 unsafe or impossible for all members to travel to Juneau to continue the essential business of 06 the legislature; and 07 WHEREAS the Uniform Rules of the Alaska State Legislature may be suspended by 08 a two-thirds vote of the full membership of each house; 09 BE IT RESOLVED that, under Rule 54, Uniform Rules of the Alaska State 10 Legislature, the provisions of 11 (1) Rule 16, regarding a call of the house, are suspended during the Thirty- 12 First Alaska State Legislature when attendance of members by videoconference is authorized 13 by the presiding officer, and no member may make a motion for a call on the house; the 14 journal shall reflect the names of all members excused from attendance in person or by 15 videoconference, and such members shall be excused from all roll calls during such absence; 16 (2) Rule 24(a), requiring signature by a majority of the members of the 17 committee for committee reports, are suspended during the Thirty-First Alaska State 18 Legislature to the extent necessary to authorize a member of the committee to vote by 19 videoconference to report a bill from committee; the vote at a meeting held by 20 videoconference shall be taken by roll call, and the committee report must be in writing, 21 signed by the chair, and approved by a majority of the members of the committee; 22 (3) Rule 27(c), regarding the precedence of privileged motions, are suspended 23 during the Thirty-First Alaska State Legislature to the extent that a motion for a call of the 24 house is not available when attendance of members by videoconference is authorized by the 25 presiding officer; 26 (4) Rule 34(c), regarding voting procedure, are suspended during the Thirty- 27 First Alaska State Legislature when attendance of members by videoconference is authorized 28 by the presiding officer to allow a member attending a session by videoconference to vote in a 29 roll call vote by videoconference; when attendance of members by videoconference is 30 authorized by the presiding officer, the electronic voting machine may be used by a member 31 voting from the member's desk and may be used to tally roll call votes cast by members by
01 videoconference; and be it 02 FURTHER RESOLVED that, by agreement of the presiding officers of both houses, 03 the presiding officer may authorize members to attend a session by videoconference to 04 address matters related to the COVID-19 public health disaster emergency if the legislature 05 cannot physically meet because of the COVID-19 public health disaster emergency; and be it 06 FURTHER RESOLVED that, when attendance of members by videoconference is 07 authorized by the presiding officer, 08 (1) the presiding officer must be physically present in the capitol when 09 conducting a session; 10 (2) a member participating by videoconference is considered present for 11 quorum purposes under Uniform Rule 14(a); 12 (3) a member participating by videoconference must be physically present at a 13 Legislative Information Office, unless otherwise approved by the presiding officer; 14 (4) the identity of each member participating by videoconference must be 15 verified and the actions of each participating member must be authenticated in a manner 16 satisfactory to the presiding officer; the videoconference must enable each participating 17 member to hear or read the comments of a member who is recognized by the presiding 18 officer; 19 (5) at least 48 hours' notice must be given before a floor session; 20 (6) amendments must be turned in to the chief clerk or senate secretary before 21 a floor session; a member may offer only amendments that have been turned in before the 22 floor session; and 23 (7) debate on all matters, including procedural motions, should be concise and 24 limited; and be it 25 FURTHER RESOLVED that, if the presiding officer has authorized members to 26 attend a session by videoconference and there are technological reasons, including internet 27 service interruption or other unavoidable technological complications, that prevent members 28 from participating by videoconference, the presiding officer may allow members to attend a 29 session by teleconference; a member allowed to participate by teleconference under this 30 provision will be regarded as participating by videoconference for purposes of this resolution; 31 and be it
01 FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution remains in effect for the duration of the 02 public health disaster emergency declaration issued by the governor on March 11, 2020, as 03 extended by the legislature.