Hearings

§ 4. Hearings. a. Committee hearings. Chairs of standing committees may call public hearings to permit interested persons, groups or organizations the opportunity to testify orally or in writing on legislation or issues pending before such standing committee. Chairs are encouraged to hold public hearings on legislation of important public interest, where, outside of the budget, significant public money is allocated, broad conduct is regulated or where the proposal has a broad public impact. Chairs may request that the Official Stenographer make a stenographic record of a public hearing. Official hearings may be conducted in accordance with procedure established by law. No committee may take testimony at a hearing unless at least two of its members are present at such hearing. Prior notice of all public hearings shall be filed by the chair or his or her designee with The Legislative Bill Drafting Commission and the Secretary of the Senate and such notice shall contain information as to subject matter, date and place. b. Public forums. Notwithstanding the public hearings conducted by standing committees, any Senator may convene a public forum on proposed or pending legislation within the jurisdiction of a committee upon which he or she is a member, provided that any charge incurred attendant to such forum be borne by said Senator or his or her party conference. Prior notice of such forum shall be filed with the chair of the committee. c. Committee oversight function. Each standing committee is required to conduct oversight of the administration of laws and programs by agencies within its jurisdiction. d. Each standing committee is required to file with the secretary of the senate an annual report, detailing its legislative and oversight activities. Such report shall be posted to the Senate web site. e. Petition for a public hearing on a bill. By a petition of one-third of the members assigned to a committee rounded up to the nearest whole number, a public hearing shall be scheduled on a specific bill or number of bills within the jurisdiction of a committee, unless the majority of members of the committee reject such petition. Such petitions shall be submitted on the proper form to the Senate Desk for Operations, who will forward it to the appropriate committee, for presentation at the next committee meeting. Such public hearings shall be held if they meet the guidelines as promulgated by the Majority Coalition Leaders. Public hearings scheduled by petition will be held at least 14 days following the committee meeting at which the petition was considered. f. Hearings of standing committees shall be video recorded and to the extent practicable webcast live. Video of such hearing shall be posted to the Senate web site within 24 hours.