SR4: Resolution Text

LRB-0111/1

RAC:ahe

2017 - 2018 LEGISLATURE

2017 Senate RESOLUTION 4

March 7, 2018 - Introduced by Senators Vinehout and L. Taylor. Referred to Committee on Senate Organization.

SR4,1,2 To repeal senate rule 93 (2); and to amend senate rule 25 (1) (b) and senate rule 25 (1) (c); relating to: public notice for meetings of senate committees.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

Under current senate rules, public notice of every meeting of a senate committee must be given at least 24 hours before the commencement of the meeting, unless the committee on senate organization determines that for good cause such notice is impossible or impractical. In no case, however, may notice be provided less than two hours in advance of a meeting.

This resolution amends the rules to provide that public notice of every committee meeting must be given at least 24 hours before the commencement of the meeting, unless the chairperson and ranking minority member of the committee determine that for good cause such notice is impossible or impractical. In no case, however, under the amended rules, may notice be provided less than two hours in advance of a meeting. The public notice must be in such form as is reasonably likely to apprise members of the public and the news media of the meeting and must indicate the day, hour, and place of the meeting and the number, author, and relating clause of each proposal to be considered. The resolution requires that every committee meeting must be publicly held in a place reasonably accessible to members of the public and must be open to all citizens at all times.

Finally, the resolution applies this new committee notice provision to committee meetings held during special or extraordinary sessions of the legislature.

SR4,1,3 Resolved by the senate, That:

SR4,1 Section 1. Senate rule 25 (1) (b) is amended to read:

SR4,2,8 Senate Rule 25 (1) (b) Except as provided in par. (d), public notice of every meeting of a committee shall be given at least 24 hours before the commencement of the meeting, unless the committee on senate organization determines chairperson and ranking minority member of the committee determine that for good cause such notice is impossible or impractical. In no case may notice be provided less than 2 hours in advance of a meeting. A public notice may be amended at any time to delay the commencement of the meeting or to delete items from the agenda of the meeting.

SR4,2 Section 2. Senate rule 25 (1) (c) is amended to read:

SR4,2,25 Senate Rule 25 (1) (c) The public notice under par. (b) shall be posted on the bulletin board of each house. The notice shall in such form as is reasonably likely to apprise members of the public and the news media of the meeting and shall indicate the day, hour, and place of the meeting and the number, author, and relating clause of each proposal to be considered. Every committee meeting shall be publicly held in a place reasonably accessible to members of the public and shall be open to all citizens at all times. If unintroduced legislation will be considered at the meeting, the notice shall indicate the draft number assigned to the legislation by the legislative reference bureau and the relating clause of the legislation, and shall indicate that copies of the draft legislation are available at the chief clerk's office. The chairperson shall provide a copy of the draft legislation to the chief clerk before publishing the notice. The chief clerk shall distribute copies of the draft legislation to any person who requests such copies. Whenever a scheduled meeting is canceled, the chairperson shall immediately notify the chief clerk and post cancellation notices on the bulletin boards of each house in such form as is reasonably likely to apprise members of the public and the news media of the canceled meeting.

SR4,3 Section 3. Senate rule 93 (2) is repealed.

SR4,3,2 (End)