Bill Description: House Concurrent Resolution 23 would amend Joint Rule 11 to clarify that JFAC has coequal House and Senate co-chairs.

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Does it in any way restrict public access to information related to government activity or otherwise compromise government transparency, accountability, or election integrity? Conversely, does it increase public access to information related to government activity or increase government transparency, accountability, or election integrity?

Joint Rule (JR) 11 is a seldom invoked rule that says that the Chairman of any joint House and Senate committee, like the Joint Finance Appropriation Committee (JFAC), shall be the Senate Chairman when the committees sit jointly. 

The update to Joint Rule 11 made by House Concurrent Resolution 23 would exempt the JFAC from this rule and require that it be co-chaired by the respective committee chairs. This simple change would let the gavel be passed back and forth between the co-chairs so they could alternate control of the meetings. JFAC is arguably the most important committee, as it sets budgets for the entire state government. In practice, the co-chairs already rotate chairmanship and have for many years. The change proposed by HCR 023 would prevent a Senate chair from taking sole control of the committee, such as during a budget dispute. Given JFAC’s role, each body should have equal footing on this powerful committee.

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