03/30/1998 04:07 PM House RLS

HCR  9 - AMEND UN RLS: COMMITTEE ACTION ON BILLS                               
                                                                               
Number 582                                                                     
                                                                               
CHAIRMAN KOTT announced the committee would hear HCR 9, Proposing              
amendments to the Uniform Rules of the Alaska State Legislature                
relating to committee meetings; and providing for an effective                 
date.                                                                          
                                                                               
Number 586                                                                     
                                                                               
JANET SEITZ, Legislative Assistant to Representative Norman                    
Rokeberg, Alaska State Legislature, came before the committee to               
present the bill.  She said the proposed committee substitute for              
HCR 9 proposes a change to the uniform rules of the Alaska State               
Legislature.  The change would permit a committee member absent                
from Juneau to fully participate in committee meetings via                     
teleconference and direct the chair to record that member's vote               
and recommendations on the committee report.  Currently, a member              
who is absent and participates via teleconference cannot vote to               
move a piece of legislation out of committee or sign the committee             
report.  The committee report would reflect the absent member's                
wish and would be signed by the chair on behalf of that member.                
                                                                               
CHAIRMAN ROKEBERG stated this is a rule change which requires                  
greater than a majority vote on the floor.                                     
                                                                               
REPRESENTATIVE VEZEY questioned where it is required that a                    
committee be present to vote for committee action.  He said that is            
a policy and he is not aware that it is a written rule that is                 
adopted by the legislature.                                                    
                                                                               
MS. SEITZ stated she doesn't know where it is written in the rules.            
She noted that she has worked for the legislature for 22 sessions              
and that has been the policy of procedure.                                     
                                                                               
CHAIRMAN KOTT said absent the specific rule by the legislature, it             
is probably contained in Mason's Manual, but noted he could be                 
wrong.  He indicated HCR 9 would be held and research could be done            
regarding Representative Vezey's question.