Executive Committee defers decision on remote public testimony window

The Executive Committee of the Legislative Council on Jan. 31 reviewed proposed changes to its remote public testimony policy but did not make a final decision, instead asking staff for more time to refine options and scripts.

Elizabeth Berger, deputy director with Legislative Council staff, presented three options for when to close remote testimony registration and whether chairs could authorize a switch from in-person to remote testimony after the remote registration window closed. Under one option, witnesses who originally registered in person could be manually given remote access by the chair if a hearing ran long; a second option was to keep the current policy with only date updates; and a third would extend remote registration to remain open for the full duration of a bill hearing, matching in-person and written testimony procedures.

Committee members expressed competing concerns. A minority leader said keeping registration open throughout would prevent disenfranchising people who cannot register earlier because of work or other commitments and urged maximum access. Other members raised concerns about inconsistent, ad hoc use of a chair’s discretion during hearings with large numbers of witnesses and recommended written testimony as an alternative when volume makes live testimony impractical. After discussion the committee asked staff for another week to refine the options and provide draft scripts for committee chairs to use.

The committee did not take formal action on the policy at the meeting. Staff will return with revised language and scripts for further consideration at a later meeting.