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34-LS0342\A
HOUSE CONCURRENT R ESOLUTION NO. 2
IN THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA
THIRTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE - FIRST SESSION
BY REPRESENTATIVE MEARS
Introduced: 2/14/25
Referred:
A RESOLUTION
Proposing an amendment to the Uniform Rules of the Alaska State Legislature relating 1
to voting and abstention from voting. 2
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 3
* Section 1. Rule 34(b), Uniform Rules of the Alaska State Legislature, is amended to read: 4
(b) Abstention. Except as provided in this subsection, every [EVERY]
5
member present in the house shall vote. A member may abstain from voting if 6
[UNLESS] the house, for special reasons, permits a member to abstain. A member 7
shall request to abstain from voting if the member reasonably believes that the 8
member's vote on a question would constitute a violation of AS 24.60 (Legislative 9
Ethics Act). All motions excusing a member from voting shall be made before the 10
house divides or before the call for the yeas and nays is commenced. A member 11
requesting to be excused from voting shall [MAY] make a brief oral statement of the 12
reasons for the request, including, if applicable, specific provisions of AS 24.60 that 13
support the member's request to abstain. The [AND THE] question of granting 14
permission to abstain shall be taken without further debate. A member may not 15
explain a vote, may not discuss the question while the yeas and nays are being called, 16 34-LS0342\A
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and may not change a vote after the roll call result has been announced. Upon division 1
and count of the house of any question, a member who is not within the chamber may 2
not be counted. A member may not be permitted to abstain except upon a majority 3
vote [THE UNANIMOUS CONSENT] of the membership. 4