Not only will members of the Bills and Overtures Committee hold the first of what will be 18 committee meetings during the 225th General Assembly, they’ll be called on to monitor the progress of subsequent committees as well.
The committee meets at 5:30 p.m. Eastern Time on Sunday, June 19, in the Presbyterian Center in Louisville, Kentucky. View the committee’s scheduled business here.
Like the committees that follow, the Bills and Overtures Committee will meet in closed session for 30 minutes at the start of its single day of meeting for a process of community building.
After returning to open session, committee members — who will be led by Moderator Cristi Scott Ligon of the Presbytery of Middle Tennessee and Vice-Moderator Iris Santoni Ortiz of the Presbiterio del Noroeste in Puerto Rico — will review the committee’s purpose and responsibilities.
They’re also scheduled to consider an enabling motion to form three subcommittees — Docket, Minutes Review, and Protests and Dissents — to act on behalf of the committee.
Then commissioners assigned to the committee will review and refer commissioners' resolutions.
Commissioners on the Bills and Overtures Committee are also responsible for observing the work of the other GA committees. A committee observation roster has already been drawn up.
According to the document “Committee Observation Guidelines and Questions,” Bills and Overtures — often referred to by the moniker “B&O” — is to be informed about the business being conducted in the other assembly committees. In addition, per the Standing Rules of the General Assembly, B&O assists in the development of the GA docket.
As they observe the committees they’ve been assigned to, B&O committee members are urged to answer questions that include:
- How is the work moving through the committee?
- What are the “hot button” issues?
- Which items or issues are taking most of the time?
- What is the spirit of the debate for a particular issue?
- What items or issues are moving quickly?
- Are there many amendments to the items of business?
- Is a minority report forthcoming?
- Is there potential of any action to create a special committee or a task force?
- Will the committee have a special presentation during plenary?
- How do you think the activity of this committee may impact the flow of the GA docket?