House adopts temporary rules allowing limited remote committee voting

The Vermont House on Friday adopted two temporary resolutions that extend limited remote voting authority for committee members through the remainder of calendar year 2024. The measures — House Resolution 13 (HR 13) and joint resolution JRH 7 — passed by voice vote after the Committee on Rules reported each in favor.

Speaking for the Committee on Rules, the Member from Heartland summarized the central provisions: “The first authorizes each member of a committee to vote remotely in that committee if the member is tested positive for COVID‑19 and is within a period of isolation as provided by the Vermont Department of Health guidelines.” The resolution also allows “remote voting authority…for up to 3 days for any other reason,” the member said, and clarifies that COVID‑related remote votes do not count against the three‑day allowance.

The rules require members who intend to vote remotely to notify the committee chair and clerk; the member for the committee also said clerks must report remote votes and track the number of non‑COVID remote voting days exercised by each member. The Committee on Rules reported its vote in favor as 70. The House approved both HR 13 and JRH 7 by voice vote.

JRH 7 adopts the same framework for joint committees, with a slight procedural difference: members must notify joint committee chairs or co‑chairs as applicable, reflecting the possibility of co‑chairs in joint committee structures. The resolutions are temporary and apply only through the end of calendar year 2024.

The measures take effect immediately for committee procedures; no further action in today’s session was recorded. The House then proceeded to additional business and adjourned.