Bill > S3758

Introduced Session

This bill allows individuals who are on active duty in a branch of the United States Armed Forces to participate remotely in certain governmental meetings. The bill provides that the governing body of a municipality may, by resolution, allow a member of the governing body who is serving on active duty to participate remotely in meetings of the governing body. Furthermore, a governing body member who is serving on active duty who participates remotely is required to be included in the quorum of that governing body meeting. Under the bill, the Director of the Division of Local Government Services in the Department of Community Affairs (DCA) would be required to develop guidelines and provide advice, as may be necessary, to allow active duty service members to participate in meetings of these governing bodies. DCA would be required to publish the guidelines on DCA's Internet website. Under the bill, a board of county commissioners may, by resolution, allow a county commissioner who is serving on active duty to participate remotely in meetings of the board of county commissioners. Furthermore, a county commissioner who is serving on active duty who participates remotely is required to be included in the quorum of the meeting of the board of county commissioners. The Director of the Division of Local Government Services in DCA would be required to develop guidelines and provide advice, as may be necessary, to allow active duty service members to participate in meetings of the board of county commissioners. DCA would be required to publish the guidelines on DCA's Internet website. The bill provides that a board of education may, by resolution, allow a school board member who is serving on active duty to participate remotely in meetings of the board of education. Furthermore, a school board member who is serving on active duty who participates remotely is required to be included in the quorum of that school board meeting. The Office of School Ethics and Compliance in the Department of Education (DOE) would be required to develop guidelines and provide advice, as may be necessary, to allow active duty service members to participate in meetings of the board of education. DOE would be required to publish the guidelines on DOE's Internet website. Under the bill, a member of a State board, commission, committee, task force, or similar multi-member entity, created by law and allocated within a principal department of the Executive Branch of the State government or within any other State entity, who is serving on active duty in a branch of the Armed Forces of the United States, may be allowed to participate remotely in meetings of that State entity. Additionally, a member of a board, commission, committee, task force, or similar entity who attends a meeting remotely would be included in the quorum for that meeting. Furthermore, either the chair or staff member of a board, commission, committee, task force, or similar entity for whom the State already provides by law or otherwise may make arrangements to allow for the participation of a member serving on active duty.

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Vin Gopal (D)*,  Patrick Diegnan (D), 

Reported from Senate Committee with Amendments, 2nd Reading (on 11/15/2021)