British Columbia.

• Date: 22 September 2020
• Author: Wall, Ron

As noted in the Spring 2020 Issue, following a special sitting on March 23, 2020 to consider urgent budgetary and legislative measures to address the COVID-19 pandemic, the Legislative Assembly adjourned until further notice. The adjournment motion adopted on March 23 allowed the location and means of conducting sittings of the House to be altered, if required, due to an emergency situation or public health measures, by agreement of the Speaker and the House Leaders of each recognized caucus.

Hybrid Proceedings

In the weeks that followed, the Speaker and House Leaders of each recognized caucus met with the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly to consider procedural adaptations to ensure continuity of legislative operations and business. On June 17, 2020, they signed an agreement that provides for the use of Zoom videoconferencing technology, "to enable all Members to be present in the proceedings of the Legislative Assembly through remote participation, counting toward quorum, while other Members continue to be present physically in the Legislative Chamber, thereby enabling hybrid proceedings of the House." The agreement also provides for adaptations designed to enable stand-alone meetings of the Committee of Supply, Section A and Section C, to take place exclusively by videoconferencing technology.

The agreement was tabled in the Legislative Assembly on June 22, 2020, and two Sessional Orders were adopted. The first Sessional Order outlines the rules and procedures to enable, as much as possible, equal treatment between Members participating through videoconferencing technology and Members participating in person in the Legislative Chamber. Some of the provisions include:

* Sitting Schedule: the House shall meet on mornings and afternoons on Mondays and Tuesdays and afternoons on Wednesdays the weeks of June 22, July 6, 13, 20 and 27 as well as on mornings and afternoons of Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday and on Wednesday afternoon in the week of August 10.

* Quorum and Attendance: Members participating via videoconferencing technology are required to have audio and video functions enabled with their face clearly visible in order to be counted towards quorum, to participate in debate, and to vote.

* Voting and Divisions: divisions requested during House sittings are deferred to the end of the sitting day during which the division is requested, with the exception of divisions requested when there are less than 30 minutes remaining in an...