Schedule of States meetings

Usual schedule of meetings

Every year the Privileges and Procedures Committee must fix the proposed schedule of dates for States meetings for the following year. States Standing Orders give certain guidance on the periods when the States can meet. The year is divided into 2 sessions:

• the first session begins each year in mid January and continues until mid to late July, with a break for Easter of 3 or 4 weeks
• the second session starts in mid September and continues until December, usually finishing 2 to 3 weeks before Christmas

The States normally meet on Tuesdays and the usual annual schedule works on the basis of a meeting every 3 weeks during the 2 sessions. Although meetings always traditionally begin on Tuesday, each meeting also has continuation days, which are usually fixed for the Wednesday and Thursday after the Tuesday start.

The annual list of States meetings for each year normally contains approximately 20 meetings beginning on Tuesdays with 2 continuation days each, giving a total of approximately 60 days each year when the States can meet. Not all of the scheduled continuation days are needed but, conversely, additional continuation days are occasionally needed on a Friday or during a week when the States are not scheduled to meet if there is a very busy schedule of business to discuss. In recent years the States have met on approximately 50 days each year.

Extra meetings

It is possible for an extra States meeting to be arranged if at least 7 elected members sign a requisition for a meeting and deliver that to the Greffier of the States. The requisition must state the nature of the business to be discussed at the extra meeting and the meeting can only be used for purpose of discussing the business set out in the requisition. In practice it is rare for a meeting to be requisitioned and requisitioned meetings have only normally taken place outside the normal sessions, for example if some urgent business has arisen during the summer recess.

The States are not allowed to meet during the period of 21 days before the single election day for Connétables and Deputies so that the election campaign can proceed without being interrupted by States sittings.