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PRINTER'S NO. 895
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE RESOLUTION
No.
142
Session of
2021
INTRODUCED BY K. WARD AND COSTA, JUNE 14, 2021
REFERRED TO RULES AND EXECUTIVE NOMINATIONS, JUNE 14, 2021
A RESOLUTION
Amending the Rules of the Senate, further providing for
temporary emergency Rules of the Senate.
RESOLVED, That Rule 38 of the Rules of the Senate of
Pennsylvania be amended to read:
Rule 38. Temporary emergency Rules of the Senate.
(a) Continuity of legislative operations.--In order to
maintain the continuity of the legislative operations of the
Senate and protect the health, safety and welfare of the
residents of the Commonwealth, based on the declaration of
disaster emergency issued by the Governor on March 6, 2020, the
effect of which makes the convening of some or all of the
members of the Senate as a body in the Senate chamber of the
Capitol Building or at a single location imprudent, inexpedient
or impossible, the following apply:
(1) Notwithstanding Rules 6 and 7 the following apply:
(i) In the absence of the Secretary-Parliamentarian
and the Chief Clerk and subject to the direction of the
President Pro Tempore, the Assistant Secretary shall
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attest all writs, warrants and subpoenas issued by order
of the Senate and shall certify as to the passage of
Senate bills and the approval of executive nominations.
(ii) In the absence of both officers and the
Assistant Secretary, the President Pro Tempore shall
designate a signatory.
(3) Notwithstanding Rule 14(h), members may remotely
participate in committee meetings as follows:
(i) A quorum shall be established through a roll
call.
(ii) Technology employed for remote committee
meetings must safeguard the integrity of the legislative
process and maintain the deliberative character of the
meeting by providing for simultaneous aural and verbal
communication among all participants.
(4) Notwithstanding Rule 14, the following apply:
(i) The President Pro Tempore may appoint a Senator
to serve in a temporary capacity as a member of a
committee, serving only for the duration of a single
session day for a particular committee meeting.
(ii) The President Pro Tempore shall transmit this
designation to the Secretary-Parliamentarian for
retention during the two-year legislative session, and
this record shall be available for public inspection upon
request.
(iii) The communication shall be read across the
desk and printed in the Senate Journal on the next
legislative day of the Senate.
(5) In addition to the provisions of Rule 14, the
following apply:
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(i) Regulations may be deposited with the
Legislative Reference Bureau.
(ii) The bureau shall transmit the regulations to
the appropriate committee for consideration within 24
hours.
(iii) The bureau shall transmit notice of the
transmission of the regulations to the Secretary-
Parliamentarian.
(iv) The time for consideration shall begin on the
date the committee receives the regulations from the
bureau.
(6) In addition to the provisions of Rule 17, the
following apply:
(i) Members participating remotely may cast votes
for all measures considered and brought to a vote by the
committee, as if the members were physically present at
the committee meeting.
(ii) The identity of the voting member must be
verified by the Chair.
(iii) A member may also vote on matters before the
committee pursuant to Rule 16(3).
(7) Notwithstanding Rule 20, members may remotely
participate in the session of the Senate as follows:
(i) Members participating remotely may cast votes
for all measures considered and brought to a vote during
session, as if the members were physically present at the
session of the Senate.
(ii) The identity of the voting member must be
verified by the presiding officer.
(iii) Technology employed for remote participation
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in Senate session must safeguard the integrity of the
legislative process and maintain the deliberative
character of the session by providing for simultaneous
aural and verbal communication among all participants.
(iv) A member may also vote as provided in Rule
20(b)(1) and (2).
(8) Notwithstanding Rule 23, the Chief Clerk may provide
for remote participation technology that enables members to
participate in committee meetings and Senate session.
(9) Notwithstanding Rule 27, the following apply:
(i) Senators participating remotely in the session
of the Senate shall be counted for the purpose of
determining a quorum.
(ii) A quorum shall be established through a roll
call if the identity of the voting member is identified
by the presiding officer.
(10) This rule shall expire July 1, 2021, [or 10 days
following the expiration of the emergency declaration,
whichever is earlier,] unless otherwise further extended in
accordance with the Rules of the Senate.
(b) Definitions.--As used in this Rule, the following words
and phrases shall have the meanings given to them in this
subsection unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Remote participation." Simultaneous, interactive
participation in a committee meeting by committee members not
physically present at the location of the meeting, through means
of communication technologies designed to accommodate and
facilitate such simultaneous, interactive participation.
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