States Assembly to Hold Extra Sitting This Week
16th March 2020
The States Assembly is holding an extra sitting this week on Wednesday at 2:30pm for members to ask Minsters Questions Without Notice about the response to Coronavirus.
In addition, members will debate an urgent proposition brought forward to ensure the States Assembly can continue to meet during a state of emergency, or when, during exceptional circumstances, it is not possible to achieve a quorum.
The proposition to be debated will outline measures to allow States Assembly members to join sittings remotely in cases of exceptional circumstances.
Proposed measures include facilitating remote roll call, participation in debates and electronic voting.
The proposition also outlines special measures to allow States Assembly sittings and debates to continue, even if the Assembly falls 'inquorate'. Current rules state that should the number of members present fall below 25, debates must stop until enough members are present.
The proposal would serve to allow the States Assembly to continue their work in the unlikely event that a large number of members were unfit to take part in the debates and votes.
All of these measures are limited to exceptional circumstances and will not affect the running of the States Assembly in normal times.
Brought forward by the Privileges and Procedures Committee, the proposition will not only ensure that the States Assembly can continue to meet, debate and pass new laws at all times, but to also protect the health and wellbeing of the wider community as well as the Assembly members.
The debate will be live streamed via the States Assembly website from 2:30pm on Wednesday 18th March.
You can read the full proposal here
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