1.1A Senate resolution
1.2amending the Temporary Rules of the Senate.
1.3Temporary Senate Rule No. 12.1 is amended to read:
1.412.1(a) All meetings of the Senate, its committees, and subcommittees are open to the public.
1.5A meeting of a caucus of the members of any of those bodies from the same political party need
1.6not be open to the public. A caucus of the Hennepin county, Ramsey county, or St. Louis county
1.7delegation is open to the public. For purposes of this rule, a meeting occurs when a quorum is
1.8present and action is taken regarding a matter within the jurisdiction of the body.
1.9(b) During the peacetime emergency declared by the Governor on March 13, 2020, in
1.10Executive Order 20-01, or during any subsequent peacetime emergency declared by the Governor
1.11that is related to the infectious disease known as COVID-19, Senate committee and subcommittee
1.12meetings may be held using alternative means that permit remote participation and voting, subject
1.13to this rule. Compliance with this rule meets the requirements of Minnesota Statutes, section 3.055.
1.14The alternative means used to conduct a hearing under this rule must ensure that all members of
1.15the committee participating in the hearing can see and hear one another, and that all witnesses are
1.16also visible and audible to the members participating during the witness's testimony, with the ability
1.17for witnesses to see and hear the members participating during the witness's testimony. Any meeting
1.18using alternative means must be contemporaneously available electronically to the public. The
1.19notice provided for the hearing must specify how members of the public may access and monitor
1.20the meeting. All of the requirements of Senate Rule 12 apply to hearings held under this paragraph
1.21unless otherwise excepted.