Emergency Senate rules

WHEREAS, The Facilities and Operations Committee has the 1
authority to determine whether physically convening all members and 2
staff in a single location could present a danger to health or safety 3
of the participants and requires continued operational changes to 4
adhere to public health guidance during the 2025 legislative session; 5
and 6
WHEREAS, Permanent Senate Rule 70 establishes a process by which 7
the Senate will adopt a resolution establishing the rules and 8
procedures to govern floor and committee action for such a 9
legislative session; 10
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, By the Senate of the state of 11
Washington, That the following be adopted as the Emergency 12
Parliamentary Rules of the Sixty-Ninth Legislature:13
"EMERGENCY PARLIAMENTARY RULES14
OF THE SENATE15
SIXTY-NINTH LEGISLATURE16
202517
18 SECTION I: GENERAL
19 Rule A Public Health Measures.
20 Rule B Interpretation of Permanent Senate Rules.
21 SECTION II: PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURES
SENATE RESOLUTION
8601
By Senators Riccelli and Short
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1 Rule C Remote V oting.
2 Rule D Call of the Senate.
3 Rule E Relieving Rules Committee of Bills.
4 Rule F Floor Amendments.
5 SECTION III: COMMITTEES
6 Rule G Committee Procedures.
SECTION I7
GENERAL8
Public Health Measures9
A. (1) Senate members and employees must comply with the 10
2023 Senate Session Guidelines adopted by the Facilities and 11
Operations Committee, including any subsequent amendments and as 12
implemented by Senate Administration. These guidelines govern 13
mask-wearing, social distancing, and COVID-19 isolation 14
procedures. 15
(2)(a) Regular floor action will occur in a hybrid remote 16
format with only the number of members present as determined by 17
the Facilities and Operations Committee and subject to the 2023 18
Senate Session Guidelines. 19
(b) Committee hearings and executive action will be held 20
remotely. 21
(3) Public access to the Senate galleries during floor 22
action shall be determined by the Facilities and Operations 23
Committee. All committee and floor proceedings will be broadcast 24
to the public via streaming or televised platforms to ensure 25
public access. (See Article II, Section 11 of the state 26
Constitution.) 27
Interpretation of Permanent Senate Rules28
B. To the extent that a matter is not addressed in this 29
Resolution, the Permanent Rules of the Senate adopted January 30
13, 2025, will govern. The President will interpret all rules 31
and procedures to facilitate legislative business in a fair and 32
efficient manner in light of the ongoing emergency and remote 33
session. 34
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SECTION II1
PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURES2
Remote Voting3
C. (1) Members will record their vote using the remote 4
voting system. The clerk will close electronic voting and 5
announce each member's vote individually. The President will 6
call on those members who are present but have not yet voted. 7
The President will then provide members a final opportunity to 8
be recognized and change their votes. The clerk will then 9
announce the vote. 10
(2) In accordance with Senate Rule 22, once begun, a roll 11
call vote will not be interrupted because a member participating 12
remotely has connectivity issues. However, if a majority of 13
members elected is no longer present due to connectivity issues, 14
a majority of those still present may defer consideration of a 15
bill, adjourn, or recess the Senate until a quorum can be 16
reestablished. 17
Call of the Senate18
D. A call of the Senate may be moved by the majority or 19
minority floor leader and sustained by three Senators. If 20
carried by a majority of those present, the Secretary shall call 21
the roll, after which the names of the absentees shall again be 22
called. The business of the Senate will be suspended until the 23
absent senators are considered within the bar of the Senate for 24
such action as the Senate may deem proper. A call of the Senate 25
may not interrupt a roll call vote, and no penalties shall be 26
sustained for members experiencing connectivity issues.27
Relieving Rules Committee of Bills28
E. The Senate may relieve the Rules Committee of a bill with 29
the consent of a majority of the Senate, provided that two 30
hours' notice has been given to the President and all members of 31
the Senate by the majority leader. The majority leader will 32
consult with the President prior to giving such notice.33
Floor Amendments34
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F. Any floor amendments must be submitted electronically by 1
a member to the Secretary of the Senate for consideration. Each 2
floor amendment shall be submitted in a separate email with the 3
number of the bill to be amended included in the subject line of 4
the email. Floor amendments received after second reading on the 5
bill has begun shall not be in order. 6
SECTION III7
COMMITTEES8
Committee Procedures9
G. (1) All committees will meet remotely, except that, after 10
consultation with the President, the majority leader may choose 11
to hold a Rules Committee meeting in person. A member shall be 12
considered in attendance at a committee hearing if the member is 13
participating through a remote access program established by the 14
Secretary of the Senate as provided in Senate Rule 70.15
(2) Committee voting will be done through recorded roll call 16
votes with the results transmitted to the Secretary of the 17
Senate via electronic means. Members must be present and visible 18
to be eligible to vote during the executive session. Voting will 19
not be allowed "subject to signatures." 20
(3) Electronic reports of standing committees must be 21
received one hour prior to convening of the session in order to 22
be read at said session. This requirement may be suspended by a 23
majority of the Senate. This rule does not apply to reports of 24
biennial or supplemental omnibus operating appropriations act, 25
omnibus capital appropriations act, or omnibus transportation 26
appropriations act bills. 27
I, Sarah Bannister, Secretary of the Senate, 28
do hereby certify that this is a true and 29
correct copy of Senate Resolution 8601, 30
adopted by the Senate 31
January 13, 2025 32
SARAH BANNISTER 33
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Secretary of the Senate 1
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