States Members are being called to an urgent meeting this Wednesday at 14:30 when it is expected the proposition will be approved.
The extraordinary meeting this week will also give backbenchers the opportunity to grill Minsters on the island’s response to the global pandemic so far.
Pictured: The States Assembly must have 25 members to sit under current Standing Orders.
Current laws state that States Members must attend every States Assembly meeting unless there is a “compelling” reason for them not to.
In order that debates and votes on new laws can take place, there must be at least 25 States Members present at each sitting.
However, PPC say they’re concerned that the covid-19 pandemic could cause a situation “where the States is unable to meet because 25 Members cannot assemble in one place”.
“This could occur due to Members falling ill or being required to self-isolate, or because of the more stringent guidelines about public gatherings,” the PPC wrote in a report accompanying their proposals to change the law.
“Such a situation would undermine the Assembly’s ability to hold Ministers to account for their decisions and could also make it impossible for legislation to be passed.”
Noting that various States committees and panels already routinely use ‘telephone meetings’ and email where necessary, the panel therefore seeks to extend the principle of remote decision-making to the States Assembly.
Under their plans, remote decisions could be taken if a ‘state of emergency’ is declared on the island or if the Bailiff considers that it will not be possible to “convene or maintain a quorate meeting of the States in view of the substantial risk to the health of States Members of any other person”.
In such situations, politicians would still have to attend the States Chamber in person if they can, but those who are unable to attend would have the option of still being marked as present and voting if they are able to follow States proceedings that day.
Following questions from Express at a briefing on Friday, the Chief Minister Senator Le Fondré explained that debates over ‘non-urgent’ legislation – such as seatbelts, he said by way of example – could be pushed back to make more time to debate business relating to the covid-19 outbreak.