House Rules Committee adopts resolution allowing limited remote committee voting through 2025

The House Rules Committee adopted a resolution, 7-0, on Jan. 30 authorizing members of house committees to participate remotely in committee meetings and to count toward a quorum and vote remotely for up to three days through the remainder of calendar year 2025.

Committee staff presented the draft as modeled on the chamber's prior authorization (referred to in the meeting as 2024 HR 13) and said the new language would remove the COVID‑specific carveout and simply allow up to three remote voting days for any reason. “This is a draft that would provide, limited remote committee voting through the remainder of calendar year 2025,” a staff member said during the presentation.

Members said feedback from last year was generally positive: staff told the committee the authority had been used “maybe a handful of times,” though the clerk's office did not provide full usage data. Under the adopted language, a member must notify the committee chair and the committee clerk when exercising remote voting authority; the clerk must record any remote vote and track the number of days the member has used remote voting.

Some members raised concerns about removing the COVID‑specific language. One member asked whether public health isolation guidance would still create a distinct rule; staff answered they had not recently checked current public health guidelines and that the prior resolution treated COVID isolation consistent with department guidance. The committee also discussed equity across committees: some members noted the effect of three remote voting days varies by committee workload and schedule.

Committee members agreed the resolution should be sponsored by the Rules Committee and follow the chamber's prior “middle ground resolution” practice for timing. Staff said, following past practice, the item could be introduced and placed on the action calendar within days. The committee recorded the vote verbally: Representative Bartholomew — yes; Representative Dolan — yes; Representative Kelthist — yes; Representative Houghton — yes; Representative McCoy — yes; Representative Tuft — yes; and the presiding officer — yes. The clerk announced, “So motion carries 7 0.”

The committee did not amend the draft language at the meeting and directed that the resolution be reported by the Rules Committee for further consideration under the chamber's calendar rules. The committee chair said members who wish to propose language changes can return with amendments at a future meeting.