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State Planning & Community Affairs committee keeps five-member quorum; adopts committee rules 8–3
Summary
The State Planning & Community Affairs committee debated raising its quorum from five to nine but the amendment failed. The committee then approved its committee rules by an 8–3 vote and members introduced themselves and their districts.
The State Planning & Community Affairs committee held a brief meeting to adopt its committee rules and to consider an amendment to raise the quorum requirement.
Representative Derek Jackson proposed changing rule number two to increase the quorum from five members to nine — described in the discussion as "50%" of an 18-member body — arguing members should be able to tell constituents when a majority of the committee decided legislation. "It would be helpful ... to explain to our constituents that it was 50% of this committee that made decisions on certain legislation versus 33%," Jackson said during discussion.
Committee members who oppose the change argued that scheduling conflicts and overlapping committee meetings make it difficult to assemble larger quorums. Several members said other committees have set lower numeric quorums to ensure meetings can start and business can be conducted. The chair recognized those objections and put the amendment to a hand/voice vote; the chair announced that the opposition prevailed and the amendment failed (the transcript does not include a full roll-call tally for the amendment).
The committee then considered the underlying motion to "do pass" the committee rules. That motion passed on a recorded vote of eight in favor and three opposed. After the vote, Vice Chair Representative Stinson explained her vote in favor of retaining the five-member quorum, saying the legislative calendar frequently forces members into competing meetings and waiting for a later quorum can prevent work from being completed: "My reasoning for the way I voted is because ... there's going to be many times that there's going to be two or three meetings going on at the same time," she said.
After adopting the rules, Chair Karen Mac read the committee's history and duties, noting the committee handles legislation affecting local governments, including annexation and zoning procedures, municipal incorporation, county boundary matters and certain election-law proposals. Committee members then introduced themselves and the districts they represent.
The meeting adjourned after introductions. No further legislative action or referrals were recorded in the transcript.
