WeVote
Log In

Bill

Bill

H 49

An act relating to the implementation of an electronic roll-call system in the Vermont House of Representatives

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Jim Harrison and 1 co-sponsor

Vermont would adopt an electronic roll-call system in the House to record votes faster, more accurately, and with easier public access to roll-call data.

Read first time and referred to the Committee on Rules
0
WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · H 49

Overview

H 49 (2025-2026) from Vermont proposes implementing an electronic roll-call system in the Vermont House of Representatives. The bill was read for the first time and referred to the Committee on Rules on January 21, 2025. It has two co-sponsors: Mike Mrowicki and Jim Harrison.

Purpose and Intent

  • Modernize roll-call processes in the Vermont House of Representatives.
  • Replace or supplement existing methods of recording member votes with an electronic system to improve accuracy, speed, and accessibility.
  • Potentially enhance transparency by making roll-call data more readily available to members, staff, and the public.

Key Provisions (as typically included in electronic roll-call legislation)

Note: The bill text is not provided here; the summary reflects common elements found in similar electronic roll-call reform bills. If enacted, provisions may include:
- Establishment of an electronic roll-call system across the Vermont House.
- Requirements for vote recording, storage, and retrieval of official roll-call data.
- Specifications for hardware and software standards, including security, reliability, and user authentication.
- Procedures for initiating, casting, and tallying votes by members during sessions.
- Access provisions for members, committees, and the public (e.g., online access to roll-call results and vote histories).
- Compliance with existing legislative rules, ethics, and data privacy considerations.
- Training, implementation timelines, and cost considerations (including funding mechanisms or appropriations).

Who or What Would Be Affected

  • Members of the Vermont House of Representatives, who would use the electronic system to cast votes.
  • House staff and administrators responsible for maintaining and operating the system.
  • Committees and leadership in the House, which rely on timely and accurate vote tallies.
  • The public and media, which would have improved access to roll-call data and vote histories.

Procedural and Timeline Considerations

  • Status: Read first time and referred to the Committee on Rules (as of January 21, 2025).
  • Next steps typically include committee study to draft detailed language, potential amendments, and a floor vote.
  • If advanced, the bill would progress through standard Vermont legislative procedures, potentially including public hearings, committee amendments, and final passage by the House, and possibly consideration by the Senate.

Potential Impacts and Considerations

  • Efficiency: Faster and more reliable recording of votes during sessions.
  • Transparency: Easier public access to roll-call data, improving accountability.
  • Security and Integrity: Need for robust cybersecurity, audit trails, and contingency plans to prevent and recover from system outages.
  • Cost: Initial procurement, installation, maintenance, and potential training expenses; ongoing operating costs.
  • Accessibility: Improved accessibility for constituents researching how their representatives voted.

Note

The bill’s full text would provide definitive details on scope, technical specifications, funding, implementation timelines, and any transitional provisions. Readers seeking precise provisions should consult the official bill text and subsequent amendments as the legislative process progresses.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

Sign in to ask a question.