# Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Scope of Application (171.100) **Acronyms:** RGR, RGC **Jurisdiction:** CH-VS **Canonical URL:** https://legislator.ch/en/law/ch/vs/171.100/171-100-rgr-regulations-of-the-grand-council-rgc-scope-of-application **Official Source:** https://lex.vs.ch/app/de/texts_of_law/171.100 ## Provisions ### Art. 1 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Scope of Application 1. This regulation specifically governs the organization of the Grand Council, the status of its members, as well as the consultation procedure. 2. In this regulation, any designation of person, status, or function is equally applicable to both men and women. ### Art. A1-1 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Parliamentary Compensation 1. Parliamentary Compensation a) President of the Grand Council 1. an annual presidential compensation of 30,000 Swiss Francs, 2. an annual secretariat compensation of 20,000 Swiss Francs, 3. a compensation of 250 Swiss Francs per official representation, including chauffeur costs, but a maximum of 500 Swiss Francs per day, 4. * a session compensation of 200 Swiss Francs per half day; b) First Vice-President of the Grand Council 1. an annual compensation of 7,000 Swiss Francs, 2. * a session compensation of 200 Swiss Francs per half day, 3. a compensation of 250 Swiss Francs per official representation, including chauffeur costs, but a maximum of 500 Swiss Francs per day; c) Second Vice-President of the Grand Council 1. an annual compensation of 4,000 Swiss Francs, 2. a session compensation of 200 Swiss Francs per half day, 3. a compensation of 250 Swiss Francs per official representation, including chauffeur costs, but a maximum of 500 Swiss Francs per day; d) Faction Presidents 1. * an annual compensation of 3,000 Swiss Francs; e) Bureau 1. a compensation of 250 Swiss Francs per meeting; f) Deputies and Substitutes 1. * a meeting allowance of 200 Swiss Francs per half day in the Grand Council and in the committees, provided the deputy or substitute is not sitting in the plenary at the same time, 2. these same compensations are paid to the members of the bureau of the Grand Council when they are designated as a member of an ordinary committee of the Grand Council, 3. * a compensation of 200 Swiss Francs for one faction meeting per session of the Grand Council; g) Commission Presidents 1. * a compensation of 200 Swiss Francs per half-day meeting or its preparation; h) Hourly Rate 1. an additional compensation of 50 Swiss Francs per hour for 1.1. the drafting of the report by the rapporteur, 1.2. other administrative works on behalf of the president; i) IT Compensation 1. an IT compensation of 600 Swiss Francs per year; j) Travel Compensation 1. a compensation of 70 cents per kilometer when using a private car; k) Night Session Compensation 1. an additional compensation of 110 Swiss Francs for a night session starting at 6:00 PM; l) Overnight Compensation 1. an additional compensation of 100 Swiss Francs per night to the deputy who has to travel to the meeting place the evening before or cannot return to their residence on the same day; m) Meal Compensation 1. if a committee session lasts longer than one morning or several days, the ordinary costs, meaning the costs of meals, table beverages excluding all drinks outside of meals, and if the deputy cannot return to their residence, the costs of hotel rooms, are covered by the budget of the Grand Council; n) Faction Compensation 1. * each parliamentary faction receives an annual contribution of 6,000 Swiss Francs. Additionally, a contribution of 5,000 Swiss Francs is paid for each deputy of the faction. The deputy who does not belong to a parliamentary faction receives only the minimal contribution of 5,000 Swiss Francs. ### Art. 2 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Amendment 1. The handling of a special matter by the Grand Council cannot result in an amendment of the regulations in the same session. 2. Drafts for the amendment of these regulations, insofar as they concern the State Council, are submitted to it for comments. ### Art. A2-1 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Work Deadlines 1. Work Deadlines a) Last Thursday of May and November 1. Submission by the Council of State of the semi-annual planning of matters to be addressed by the Grand Council (Art. 63 para. 2 GORBG); b) Ten weeks before the session of the Grand Council 1. Submission by the Council of State of the detailed list of matters it has approved, as well as reports (Art. 63 para. 3 GORBG and Art. 123 para. 1 RGR); c) Eight weeks before the session of the Grand Council 1. Submission by the Council of State of the reports for the budget estimate and the integrated multi-year planning (Art. 123 para. 1 RGR); d) 40 days before the session of the Grand Council 1. Deposit of written committee reports (Art. 38 para. 2 RGR), 2. Submission by the Council of State of the responses to motions and postulates (Art. 136 para. 2 RGR); e) 20 days before the Grand Council session 1. **\*** Convening of the deputies for the session by the President of the Grand Council and delivery of all documents electronically (Art. 64 para. 1 GORBG and Art. 73a para. 2 RGR); f) **\*** Generally 20 days before the committee meeting 1. Convening of the committee members by the committee chairman. ### Art. 6 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Information Requests 1. Members of Parliament can obtain information from the Council of State either orally or in writing regarding simple factual and legal issues, provided that such information is deemed necessary for the exercise of their parliamentary mandate. ### Art. 7 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Compensations 1. Members of the Grand Council shall receive the following compensations, the amounts of which are determined in Appendix 1 to this Regulation a) a session fee; b) a travel allowance; c) an allowance for special functions and tasks or for other expenditures. 2. In the year preceding the renewal of the cantonal authorities, the Grand Council shall establish the compensations for the members and the factions for the duration of the next legislative period before the adoption of the budget for the following year. This is based on a proposal from the office, which informs the State Council thereof. ### Art. 8 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Commission Fees 1. The expenses related to committee meetings are approved by the president of the committee and are charged to the budget of the Grand Council. ### Art. 9 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Disputes 1. Disputes over compensation shall be finally determined by the office. ### Art. 10 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Financial Resources 1. The financial resources are made available to the Grand Council through the budget. 2. The parliamentary service administers the budget on behalf of the Presidium. 3. The accounting is conducted in accordance with the provisions of the Act on the Administration and Financial Management of the Canton and its supervision. ### Art. 11 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Presence and Availability 1. The attendance verification is conducted via an electronic identification card, which simultaneously serves as a voting card. One hour after the session begins, an attendance list is printed and posted. Deputies not listed may request a correction of the attendance list. 2. If attendance is recorded in the traditional manner, each deputy must sign the attendance list. This is collected one hour after the session begins. 3. In the absence of a justified excuse accepted by the presidium, deputies not recorded in the attendance list forfeit their entitlement to the daily allowance. 4. Deputies who are absent for more than three months must report this to the presidium. ### Art. 11a Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Quorum 1. The Grand Council can only validly deliberate in the presence of the absolute majority of its members (Art. 47 para. 1 of the Constitution). 2. The president conducts a verification of the quorum if such a verification is requested. 3. Members of parliament who are not inside the building do not receive compensation, except in cases of justified excuse. The office handles any objections. ### Art. 12 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Clothing 1. The deputies shall attend the sessions in appropriate attire. ### Art. 13 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Register of Conflicts of Interest **1. The Register of Members' Ties of Interests includes:** a) *his professional activity and his employer;* b) *his membership in executive and supervisory bodies of corporations, companies, institutions, or foundations under private and public law;* c) the functions he exercises in commissions or other bodies of the Confederation, the Canton, and the municipalities. **2. Any changes must be disclosed upon their occurrence.** **3. The presidency ensures compliance with the disclosure obligation of ties of interests. It decides on disputed cases and may request a member to register his ties of interests in the register.** **4. The parliamentary service compiles the register based on information provided by members according to the instructions of the bureau. This register is published on the official website of the Canton of Valais.** ### Art. 16 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Duration and Representation 1. The President elected for one year is not eligible for re-election the following year, unless they assumed their mandate during the term. 2. The first and second Vice Presidents are elected for one year. 3. In the event of the President's incapacity, their duties are carried out by the first Vice President and, if absent, by the second Vice President. If all three members of the presidency are incapacitated, the most senior member of the Council presides over the proceedings. ### Art. 17 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Powers 1. The President has the following powers a) he conducts the negotiations, opens and closes the sessions, and oversees the quorum; b) he grants, refuses, and withdraws the right to speak, subject to an appeal to the assembly; c) he announces the results of the votes and the deliberations; d) he ensures order and discipline within the council and in the sections reserved for the public and the press; e) he convenes the presidency and the office and presides over these meetings; f) he signs all documents originating from the Grand Council together with the head of the parliamentary service; g) he receives correspondence and petitions addressed to the Grand Council and forwards them for processing; h) he represents the Grand Council; i) he signs all commitments of the governing bodies of the Grand Council. 2. If necessary, the President may delegate the preparation of a matter to another organ of the Grand Council. a) * ... b) * ... c) * ... d) * ... e) * ... f) * ... g) * ... h) * ... 3. The presidency has the following powers a) * it ensures compliance with the law and the regulations; b) * it is responsible for administrative matters; c) * it oversees the parliamentary service; d) * it prepares the budget of the Grand Council; e) * it makes appointments subject to the powers of the office of the Grand Council; f) * it exercises all powers granted to it under law and regulations; g) * if necessary, it may delegate the preparation of a matter to another organ of the Grand Council or to a commission; h) * it may delegate its powers under the relevant regulations to the parliamentary service. ### Art. 18 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Composition 1. The President, the two Vice Presidents, and the Presidents of the Parliamentary Groups form the Bureau. Parliamentary groups with more than 20 deputies are entitled to a second representative in the Bureau. 2. Absent Presidents of the Parliamentary Groups are generally replaced by their Vice President. 3. The President invites the President of the Council of State and the State Chancellor to attend meetings concerning the organization of sessions and matters affecting both branches of government, with advisory status. 4. If necessary, the President of the Cantonal Court, the Attorney General, and the Presidents of the Committees may be invited to attend meetings with advisory status. 5. The minutes of the meeting are delivered to the Presidency of the Council of State. 6. The minutes of the meeting can also be reviewed by the deputies at the parliamentary service. Moreover, a decision protocol is published on the Parliament’s website. ### Art. 19 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Organization 1. The office convenes upon the summons of the President as often as business demands. 2. The convening can be requested by the State Council or by a president of a parliamentary group. 3. The office determines the procedure of its deliberations. In the event of a tie, the President has the casting vote. ### Art. 20 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Powers **1. The Office has the following specific powers:** a) It decides, after consulting the Council of State, on the list of matters to be addressed, determines the agenda of the deliberations, and sets the date and duration of the sessions; b) It appoints, subject to the explicit jurisdiction of the Grand Council, the committees, their presidents, and vice-presidents, and assigns them the tasks to be completed; c) It proposes the appointment of the Chief of Parliamentary Services; d) It coordinates relations between the Grand Council, the Council of State, the Cantonal Court, and the Public Prosecutor's Office; e) Subject to Article 43, paragraph 1, it prepares elections and appointments; f) It handles any other matter entrusted to it by the Grand Council or that does not expressly fall within the jurisdiction of another body. ### Art. 21 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Number of Members 1. The office may submit a request to the Grand Council for an increase in the number of members of a commission that is tasked with examining a matter of considerable political significance. ### Art. 22 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Distribution Key 1. The office prepares the key for the allocation of committee seats to the parliamentary groups. 2. Any change in the composition or membership of a parliamentary group results in a change in the key for the allocation and appointments, which takes effect in the following session. ### Art. 23 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Duty to Participate 1. Commission members are obligated to attend meetings. They may not be represented by others. The name of any absent members shall be mentioned in the report. 2. If a member resigns or is permanently unable to participate in the commission's work, they shall be replaced by the Grand Council, or if necessary, by the office upon the request of the respective parliamentary group. ### Art. 24 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Representation 1. The members of an oversight commission or an investigative commission cannot be replaced. 2. In other commissions, a deputy who is unable to attend can be replaced, preferably always by the same deputy or substitute. 3. The replaced member shall inform the commission president of this and hand over the dossier to their representative. 4. Deputies who have participated even once in the work of the first commission cannot take part in another commission dealing with the same matter. ### Art. 25 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Incompatibilities 1. Members of the thematic commissions and the supervisory commissions cannot take a seat on the commissions that deal with the same matter. The same applies to deputies who were involved in the procedure for drafting a legal decree. 2. A deputy cannot be a member of two supervisory commissions. 3. Members of the supervisory commissions do not sit on the thematic commissions. ### Art. 26 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Presidium 1. The President is responsible for the prompt and comprehensive handling of the matters entrusted to his commission for examination. 2. If both the President and the Vice President are absent, the commission shall designate a presiding officer. ### Art. 27 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Expenditure Obligation 1. The president of the commissions decides on ordinary expenditures. For other expenditures, prior consent of the presidium is necessary in accordance with its directives. 2. All spending commitments are signed by the president of the commission. The president may delegate these powers to the parliamentary services according to the relevant regulations. ### Art. 28 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Rapporteur 1. The commission appoints its own rapporteur. 2. ... 3. The supervisory commissions may appoint two rapporteurs with different native languages. ### Art. 29 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Summoning 1. Commission members are typically convened by the parliamentary service on the order of their president 20 days before the meeting. 2. One third of the commission members, but at least three of them, can request the president to convene a meeting. ### Art. 30 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Organization of Meetings 1. At its first meeting, the commission shall decide on the organization of the meetings and shall independently determine the details of its deliberations. It may establish subcommittees. 2. The supervisory commissions may also adopt their own regulations, which they shall submit to the bureau for approval. 3. The commissions shall not schedule regular meetings during the sessions. However, they may convene to examine submitted amendments if the matter must be addressed during the same session. 4. In the event of force majeure, a meeting can be conducted without physical presence. ### Art. 31 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Motions of the Members of Parliament 1. Every member of parliament is entitled to submit suggestions and motions to the Commission. The Commission is obliged to review them and may, if necessary, invite the applicant to participate in the meeting. ### Art. 32 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Voting Procedure - Quorum 1. The provisions concerning the voting procedure in the Grand Council are analogously applicable. 2. The commission can only validly deliberate if the majority of its members are present. 3. The president participates in the vote. They express their opinion last and, in the event of a tie, cast the deciding vote only after a second ballot. ### Art. 33 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Resolutions by Circulation 1. Upon the request of its President, a commission may make a decision via written procedure if a meeting can no longer be convened in time and only secondary matters need to be decided. 2. The President's requests must be communicated verbally during the meeting or later delivered in writing to all members. They will be considered accepted if no member raises an objection within a reasonable period. ### Art. 34 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Protocol 1. The Commission may prepare a record of its meetings. This record includes the motions, the decisions, the results of the votes, and, if necessary, a summary of the discussions on important matters. 2. The Commission may request that the Parliamentary Service or the relevant department provide a person responsible for maintaining the record. It may also designate a person itself or decide that the report replaces the record. 3. For the preparation of the record, audio recordings may be used with the consent of the participants. The recordings are to be deleted thereafter. 4. The Commission may request any other logistical support from the Parliamentary Service. ### Art. 35 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Delivery of the Record 1. If minutes are prepared, a copy of the minutes shall be provided to the commission members, representatives of the state council, and the administration who attended the meetings, as well as, upon request, the presidents of the parliamentary groups not represented in the commission. 2. Upon explicit request, experts and third parties can receive a copy of the minutes of the deliberations they attended or the transcript of their statements. 3. If the matter in question is subject to official secrecy, the minutes shall only be distributed to the commission members, representatives of the state council, and the administration who are specifically named in the minutes. ### Art. 36 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Information 1. Subject to any contrary decision by the Commission, only its President or a member designated by it shall inform the public, either orally or in writing, about the outcome of the deliberations. 2. The Commission members and other participants are prohibited from disclosing information before the Commission has released its information. 3. The Commission members and the representative of the Council of State are authorized to express themselves to their factions, the Council of State, and the Grand Council regarding the Commission's deliberations. 4. Other session participants may not inform about the deliberations without explicit permission. ### Art. 37 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Content of Information 1. Information about the Commission's decisions may also include voting results, the main motions, and the most significant opinions put forward during the discussions. 2. No information shall be given about facts and statements that must remain confidential due to their nature. Official secrecy must be maintained in every case. ### Art. 38 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Report of the Commission 1. The commission submits a written report to the Grand Council on its deliberations, its motions and those of the minority, the voting results, as well as the financial implications for the canton and the municipalities. 2. The commission reports are distributed in the Grand Council. They must be deposited with the parliamentary service 40 days before the session, with the exception notably of reports on naturalizations, pardon requests, integrated multi-year planning, the budget, and the accounts. 3. The budget and the integrated multi-year planning are submitted in the same session. 4. In exceptional cases, a report is read out in the Grand Council if it has not been distributed to the members in both languages. a) * ... b) * ... 5. The commission submits an interim report a) when it decides to do so itself or upon the request of the Bureau or the Council of State; b) when it proposes the adjournment of the matter. ### Art. 39 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Minority Report 1. If a commission does not unanimously adopt its proposals, a quarter of the members, but at least three of them, may submit a minority report, which they must announce at the final vote that concludes the commission's work. 2. Article 38 applies analogously. ### Art. 40 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Submission of Documents 1. For the purpose of archiving, the commission shall hand over all documents related to the concluded matter to the parliamentary service after completing its work. ### Art. 41 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Coordination 1. Each president of the Supervisory Commissions or the president of the Grand Council may convene a meeting to organize and coordinate the work of the commissions. 2. The presidents of other commissions may be invited to the meetings. ### Art. 42 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Organization 1. The presidents and vice-presidents of the High Oversight Commissions are appointed by the Grand Council for two years. They are not immediately eligible for re-election. 2. A member of a High Oversight Commission can remain in office in the same commission for a maximum of six consecutive years. They are eligible for re-election, provided that they have not reached the six-year limit at the time of re-election. The same applies after an interruption of four years. ### Art. 43 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Judicial Commission **1. The Justice Commission, consisting of 13 members, exercises supreme oversight over the management of the judicial authorities and the public prosecutor's office. Based on the report from the Judicial Council, it submits its proposals to the Grand Council regarding the election of cantonal judges, substitute judges, associate judges, and public prosecutors who are members of the prosecutor's office.** **2. The Justice Commission reviews and assesses, among other things:** a) *the reports of the Judicial Council;* b) pardon and naturalization applications in accordance with the relevant legislation; c) requests for immunity waiver, conflicts of interest, ineligibility cases, or liability claims within the jurisdiction of the Grand Council; d) matters generally concerning political rights (elections, referendums, validation of popular initiatives, constitutionality of legislative acts) and related legal disputes; e) petitions and requests addressed to the Grand Council; f) after hearing the State Council, complaints against the decisions of the Grand Council. **3. The Commission may be entrusted with examining complaints and claims referred to it, as well as reviewing other matters, in particular those concerning the implementation of the Law on the Organization of the Councils and the Relations between the Authorities dated March 28, 1996, and this regulation.** **4. Additionally, one of its tasks includes monitoring, through visits, the detention conditions, the exercise of duties, and compliance with the rights of prisoners and detainees held in cantonal correctional facilities or sentenced in Valais and detained in facilities of other cantons.** ### Art. 44 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Business Audit Commission 1. The Business Audit Commission, consisting of 13 members, exercises supreme oversight over a) the administration of the State Council and the cantonal administration; b) the administration of the independent cantonal, intercantonal, or cross-border public law bodies and institutions to which the state has entrusted certain tasks; c) the activities of the state's representatives in companies where the canton holds a majority interest. 2. It reviews and assesses, in particular a) the periodic business reports of the State Council and the special reports that are not submitted to another commission for review; b) the effectiveness of the cantonal administration and its measures, by focusing on the objectives of the State Council and the Grand Council; c) * the progress of parliamentary initiatives, in collaboration with the parliamentary service. 3. The Business Audit Commission can be entrusted with other tasks, especially those related to the execution and compliance with the integrated multi-year planning or other special reports. ### Art. 45 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Finance Commission 1. The Finance Commission, consisting of 13 members, exercises supreme oversight over the entirety of the state's finances. 2. It examines and reviews, subject to the jurisdiction of other commissions, particularly a) the draft budget proposal; b) the state accounts, the bonds, and the supplementary credits; c) the integrated multi-year planning; d) the popular initiatives from the perspective of compensatory measures (Art. 33 para. 4 State Constitution). 3. It ensures, in particular, whether the budget is adhered to, whether the expenditures are covered by the credits granted by the Great Council, and, in the case of supplementary credits, whether the necessary financial resources have been approved by the competent authorities. 4. It reviews the drafts and proposals of the State Council and other commissions which have significant financial implications, particularly from the perspective of their profitability and their position in the financial plan. ### Art. 45a Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Examination of Legal Decrees 1. The Office may, exceptionally, entrust the supervisory commissions with the examination of draft legal enactments that fall within their area of competence. ### Art. 46 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) 1. The thematic committees are composed of 7 to 13 members. They are generally appointed at the beginning of the legislature. 2. The presidents and vice-presidents of the thematic committees are appointed by the bureau for two years. They can be reappointed only after a four-year interruption. 3. Members of the thematic committees can serve a maximum of six consecutive years in office. They are eligible for reelection, provided they have not reached the six-year limit at the time of reelection. They can be reappointed after a four-year interruption. 4. The committees have the following tasks a) Examination of matters falling within their field of activity and referred to them by the bureau; b) Regular assessment of their field of activity and development of recommendations for the Grand Council. 5. The thematic committees may submit reports only on matters transferred to them by the bureau of the Grand Council; they also intervene in the forms stipulated in Article 104, paragraph 1 of the law. ### Art. 47 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) 1. The special commissions established pursuant to Article 27, Paragraph 2 of the law address additional readings as well as all other unassigned matters. ### Art. 48 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Constitution 1. Each established faction must be communicated to the parliamentary service no later than the meeting of the validation committee, specifying its designation, president, and personnel composition. 2. A party may form only one faction per constitutional region (Art. 52 KV), and all elected representatives of a party in a constitutional region must belong to the same faction. 3. The validation committee shall examine whether the factions are composed in accordance with regulations and shall report to the Grand Council on this matter during the constitutive session. The judicial committee shall review any changes occurring during the legislative term and report to the Grand Council on their impact on the strength of the factions and the contributions granted to them. 4. The composition of the factions and their changes shall be published in the Official Gazette. ### Art. 49 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Contributions to the Fractions 1. The parliamentary groups receive a basic contribution and an additional contribution for each representative. 2. Representatives who do not belong to any parliamentary group also receive a contribution. 3. Changes occurring during the session period in relation to those at the time of the constituent meeting do not affect the payment of contributions for the current year. 4. The amount of the contributions is fixed in an annex to these regulations. ### Art. 50 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Tasks 1. The parliamentary service supports, within the limits of available resources, the bodies of the Grand Council, the commissions, and the deputies in the execution of their parliamentary duties. 2. It undertakes administrative tasks. 3. It provides scientific support. 4. It manages documentation and provides the necessary support in matters of information and communication. It is specifically responsible for recording the wording of the deliberations, their simultaneous translation, and their publication. ### Art. 52 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Editorial Control 1. After the first reading, the Parliamentary Service reviews the legislative decrees in terms of language, legislative technique, and systematics. It eliminates purely formal contradictions and ensures the consistency of the texts in both languages before they are referred to the Council of State; any of its proposals are forwarded to the second commission. 2. It reviews the decrees adopted in the final vote. For this purpose, it secures the cooperation of the presidents and rapporteurs of the commission as well as representatives of the State Chancellery and the departments concerned. 3. A change of a purely formal nature must be unanimously decided upon by the president and the rapporteur or rapporteurs of the commission. 4. The Bureau of the Great Council may, upon request from the editorial control, unanimously make amendments to a decree adopted by the Great Council if only the wording needs to be corrected, particularly to ensure the internal coherence of the text or the consistency of the language versions. It also decides whether the correction's publication should reset any applicable referendum period. 5. The correction of other errors requires a new decision by the Great Council. ### Art. 53 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Transfer of Records 1. The parliamentary service forwards all files to be processed to the State Council within the week following the session, specifically the legislative decrees, the approved ordinances, and the resolutions subject to a referendum. The original files are kept by the parliamentary service. ### Art. 54 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Data Collection 1. All proceedings of the Grand Council shall be recorded and fully captured on data carriers. 2. The parliamentary service is obliged to accurately reproduce the verbatim account of the debate; it is not permitted to alter or interpret it, even upon request from interested parties. 3. ... ### Art. 55 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Publication 1. Except for confidential deliberations, the proceedings and resolutions of the Grand Council shall be published in full and without delay on the official website of the Canton of Valais and in the Journal of the sessions of the Grand Council. 2. Members of the relevant committees and the Council of State may request a copy of the texts prior to their publication, provided that these are essential for the preparation of a session planned before publication. The Presidency may grant such permission to other persons. 3. Furthermore, the budget, the state accounts, and the reports of the bodies of the Grand Council, as well as drafts of legislative decrees and for resolutions, messages, and reports of the Council of State in both languages, shall be published. ### Art. 57 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Distribution 1. The printed memorandum of the Grand Council shall be distributed to the State Chancellery, the Cantonal Court, and the State Archives. 2. ... ### Art. 58 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Archive 1. The documents of the Grand Council are retained for ten years in the parliamentary service and subsequently in the cantonal archive. 2. The presidency decides on access to the documents, subject to Article 133b of the law. ### Art. 59 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Documentation Office 1. The Documentation Center of the Grand Council is accessible to the deputies even outside of sessions and shall contain the following a) * ... b) * the complete collection of the Memorial as well as the minutes of the Grand Council and the committees; c) * the official gazette; d) * the registry of the personal details of the deputies, the oaths of office and the declarations of interest, as well as the register of committees; e) * the numbered and dated directory of parliamentary initiatives, motions, postulates, interpellations, resolutions, and written inquiries, indicating the date of submission, development, handling, the competent service, and its further course; this is also published on the official website of the Canton of Valais; f) * the directory of legislative enactments. g) * ... h) * ... i) * ... 2. The electronic dissemination of the documents is preferred. ### Art. 60 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Legal Services 1. The organs and commissions of the Grand Council can request the assistance of the administration for the examination of specific legal questions. 2. The State Council is informed of this and receives a copy of the written opinions. ### Art. 61 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Office 1. The State Chancellery also collaborates with the organs of the Grand Council, particularly in researching the state archives, statistics, and other documentation. ### Art. 62 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Financial Inspectorate 1. The cooperation with the Financial Inspectorate is established in the specialized legislation. ### Art. 63 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Worship Service 1. At the beginning of the constituent session as well as at the beginning of the May session, the Grand Council proceeds collectively and customarily to the cathedral to seek the blessing of the Almighty on its work and on the fatherland through a religious service. ### Art. 64 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Provisional Office 1. Members of the provisional bureau are selected by the longest-serving member, primarily from among the re-elected members of the outgoing bureau, then from deputies who have served the longest in the Grand Council, and in the event of a tie, from the oldest members. All parties with at least one deputy in the Grand Council must be represented. 2. The longest-serving member is the member with the most years as a deputy; in the event of a tie, the years as a substitute decide; if there is still a tie, age is the determining factor. 3. The provisional bureau is tasked with a) convening the validation committee without delay; b) determining the allocation of seats in the chamber upon the proposal of the head of parliamentary services; c) ensuring the smooth conduct of the inaugural session until the constitution of the Grand Council is established. 4. If a decision of the provisional bureau is challenged, the plenary session decides on the matter at the beginning of the inaugural session. ### Art. 65 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Agenda 1. The Agenda of the Constituent Session Shall Include the Following Items a) Opening by the Oldest Member; b) * Optional Religious Service; c) Validation of the Elections of the Grand Council; d) * Swearing-in by Roll Call of the Deputies and Alternates; e) Validation of the Elections of the State Council and Swearing-in; f) Elections and Appointments. ### Art. 66 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Oath 1. The oath recited by a member of the presidency or the provisional office in both languages is as follows "I swear in the name of God Almighty to be faithful to the Constitution of the Canton of Valais, to honor the rights, freedom, and independence of the people and the citizens, to the best of my abilities to avoid and prevent everything that could impair the religion of our ancestors and good morals, to administer the office that I hold to the best of my conscience, and never to exceed my official powers. May God help me fulfill these obligations." 2. The solemn promise recited by a member of the presidency in both languages is as follows "I promise on my honor and conscience to be faithful to the Constitution of the Canton of Valais, to honor the rights, freedom, and independence of the people and the citizens, to the best of my abilities to avoid and prevent everything that could impair good morals, to administer the office that I hold to the best of my conscience, and never to exceed my official powers." 3. Upon the calling of their name by a member of the presidency, each sworn-in person shall stand and raise their hand, saying: "I swear it" or "I promise it." 4. The absent deputies and substitutes shall take the oath or make the promise at the beginning of the first session in which they participate. ### Art. 67 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Identification Card 1. Every sworn-in member of parliament receives an identification card. ### Art. 68 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Legislative Year 1. The legislative year begins with the inaugural session following the complete renewal of the Grand Council, and in the other years, with the last day of the May session. ### Art. 69 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Session Plan 1. The Office shall prepare the annual session schedule. a) * ... b) * ... c) * ... 2. The Office may, after consulting the Council of State, cancel or shorten any session provided for in the schedule. 3. An overview of the deadlines to be observed by the Council of State, the commissions, and the parliamentary service prior to the session can be found in the appendix to these regulations. ### Art. 70 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Extraordinary Sessions 1. The office, in agreement with the Council of State, sets the date and duration of the extraordinary sessions. ### Art. 71 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Duration of the Sessions **1. As a rule, the Grand Council convenes on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings, as well as all day Thursday and Friday.** 2. Tuesday afternoons are reserved for faction meetings, while Wednesday afternoons are dedicated to work in the committees. 3. The Grand Council decides when it wishes to adjourn or close its sessions. 4. ... ### Art. 72 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Schedule of Sessions 1. Sessions take place in the morning from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and in the afternoon from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. 2. Depending on the progress of the work, the President may extend a session by a maximum of one hour. Additional extensions are decided by the Grand Council, which may also schedule evening sessions. ### Art. 73 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Convocation 1. Deputies are generally convened to regular and extraordinary sessions via electronic mail. 2. The convening includes the session schedule. 3. The session schedule is published in the official gazette. 4. ... 5. ... ### Art. 73a Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Session Documents 1. The Parliamentary Service publishes the session documents (messages, drafts of legal decrees, commission reports, etc.) immediately upon receipt on the official website of the Canton of Valais. 2. No later than 20 days before the start of the session, all documents shall be delivered to the deputies electronically. 3. Documents that cannot be sent due to their nature must be made available to the deputies by the Parliamentary Service. ### Art. 74 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Agenda 1. The agenda for the sessions of the Grand Council shall be published on the official website of the Canton of Valais. 2. The assembly shall deal in each session only with the matters listed on the agenda. This rule may be deviated from only by an express resolution of the Grand Council in accordance with Article 64 paragraph 2 of the GORBG or to receive a communication from the presidency or the Council of State. 3. ... ### Art. 75 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Publicity of Deliberations 1. Subject to confidential deliberations, the sessions of the Grand Council are public. Additionally, the debates are recorded, filmed, and broadcast live according to the modalities decided by the office. 2. The deliberations are fully transcribed in the Memorial of the Grand Council and published on the official website of the Parliament. However, the voting results may be documented and made publicly accessible in accordance with the guidelines decided by the office. ### Art. 76 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Secret Deliberation 1. The office, the State Council, or ten deputies may request a confidential consultation if the protection of important state interests or reasons of personal protection justify it. 2. A confidential consultation is conducted ex officio when the Grand Council deliberates on the motion for a confidential consultation, pardon requests, naturalization requests in the presence of a rejection proposal, the lifting of immunity, or the authorization for legal proceedings against a member of the State Council. 3. If the confidential consultation becomes the subject of a hearing or is decided without such a hearing, every person not holding an official function in the hall must withdraw. The recording and broadcasting of the consultations by the media are to be suspended. 4. The Grand Council may exceptionally allow the presence of a magistrate or an employee, for whom the consultation is of interest due to their function. ### Art. 77 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Audience 1. Subject to secret deliberations, the sessions of the Grand Council are public. 2. A gallery is available to the public for this purpose. Any demonstration is prohibited there. Upon a call to order, the President, if necessary by force, shall have anyone who continues to disturb, removed. The session shall be suspended until this order is executed. 3. The distribution of leaflets or other promotional materials, as well as the collection of signatures, is prohibited within the building of the Grand Council without prior approval from the President. ### Art. 78 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Media 1. Accredited media and journalists shall have reserved seating within the scope of possibility. They receive the same documents as the members of parliament, unless such documents are not to be published. 2. The complete recording or broadcasting of the proceedings by radio or television requires prior approval from the Bureau. 3. The presence of media representatives must not disrupt the proceedings. In the event of a disturbance, they may be expelled from the chamber by the President. 4. ... ### Art. 79 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Request for Interpretation 1. A member who wishes to speak shall register with the President. Once granted permission, they may speak in French or German. 2. As a general rule, a member cannot speak more than twice on the same subject. Exceptions may be granted to faction speakers by the President. 3. The President of the Commission, its rapporteur, and the competent State Councilor may be given the floor at any time to provide explanations or corrections. 4. If a member is personally attacked, they may reply. Their speaking time is limited to three minutes, and no debate will be opened in the Council. 5. The same right is afforded to the factions and the members of the State Council. ### Art. 80 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Special Cases 1. The President may participate in the deliberations. In this case, he shall inform the assembly and be replaced by the Vice President. 2. The rapporteurs and the commission presidents have the right to present their personal opinion; in this case, they shall indicate that they are not speaking on behalf of the commission. ### Art. 81 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Word Granting 1. The floor is typically granted in the order of registration. 2. If the subject matter is pre-discussed by a committee, the President grants the floor in the following order a) the rapporteurs presenting the committee's report and motions, representing the majority view; b) the minority rapporteurs; c) the speakers from the factions; d) the remaining members in the order of registration; e) the President of the Committee; f) the representative of the Council of State. 3. A second opportunity to take the floor is granted in the same order. 4. The Presidents and rapporteurs of the committees, the representative of the Council of State, as well as members moving a point of order, are granted the floor immediately upon request. ### Art. 82 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Speaking Time **1. The speaking time for the Presidents and Rapporteurs of the Committees, as well as the members of the Council of State, is not limited. Generally, it should not exceed 15 minutes.** **2. Additionally, the speaking time is at most:** a) *eight minutes for the speakers of the political groups during the entry debate;* b) *…* c) *five minutes for other interventions.* **3. Anyone speaking a second time on the same subject is only entitled to half the speaking time.** ### Art. 83 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Reduced Debate 1. To meet the requirements of the session program and the importance of the current business, the Presidium and also the Grand Council may decide in special cases (a large number of registered speakers, delays in processing work) that a reduced debate shall be held on a particular matter. 2. In this case, speaking time is reduced by half, and deputies may only speak once. This rule does not apply to rapporteurs and presidents of the commissions, nor to the representative of the State Council. ### Art. 84 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Code of Conduct - Sanctions 1. The member of parliament shall express himself clearly and concisely regarding the matters under discussion and shall proceed to his motions as quickly as possible. He shall not be interrupted during his speech. 2. A member of parliament who strays from the subject of debate, violates the rules of decorum, or makes personal attacks shall be called to order by the president. The president may withdraw the floor from the member who continues to violate parliamentary discipline; this is subject to appeal to the council, which shall decide without debate. 3. In serious cases, the president may request a censure vote by the Grand Council. Before the vote, only the affected member of parliament may speak in order to justify himself. 4. A member of parliament against whom a censure vote has been conducted shall be excluded from the chamber for the remainder of the current session and the upcoming session. During this time, he shall receive neither meeting allowances nor travel reimbursements. ### Art. 85 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Uproar 1. In the event of a disturbance, the President threatens to suspend the session. If the disturbance persists, he suspends the session for one hour. Afterwards, the deliberation is resumed. ### Art. 86 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Basis for Consultation 1. If a business originates from the State Council, its reports and drafts serve as a basis for discussion. 2. If a draft has been amended, deliberations are generally conducted based on the proposals of the commission. ### Art. 87 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Entry 1. In the exceptional cases provided for in Article 38, paragraph 3, the reports of the commission shall only be read aloud before the debate on admission if they have not been previously distributed. The messages from the Council of State shall not be read aloud. 2. Instead of refusing admission, the Great Council may a) postpone the decision on admission; b) refer the draft back to the competent commission or the Council of State. 3. If no deputy requests a postponement or referral back, or if no one opposes admission, it shall be considered accepted. ### Art. 88 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Form of Discussion 1. If the proceedings are resolved to continue or are undisputed, the Grand Council proceeds to the article-by-article deliberation. 2. The Grand Council may decide that the matter be discussed chapter-by-chapter or as a whole. 3. The texts serving as the basis for discussion shall not be read aloud in the assembly, unless the Grand Council decides otherwise. ### Art. 89 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Applications of the Commissions 1. The discussion begins with the explanation of the Commission's motions and, if applicable, the minority's motions by the rapporteur. 2. The President of the Commission and, if applicable, the rapporteur of the minority, as well as the representative of the Council of State, defend the motions of the Commission or the minority and the government. 3. ... ### Art. 90 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Amendments Proposed by Members of Parliament 1. Subject to contrary decisions by the Grand Council, amendments proposed by the deputies must be submitted electronically before the conclusion of the entrance debate. Sufficient time must be allocated between this and the detailed deliberation to allow the competent committee to consider the proposed amendments. 2. The amendments, fully drafted and annotated with the numbers of the articles and paragraphs to which they refer, will be translated and communicated to all deputies before the article-by-article deliberation. 3. ... ### Art. 91 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Reassessment of Amendments 1. The Council of State and the President of the Commission may request that an adopted amendment be re-examined, particularly from the financial perspective. The discussion on this article shall be resumed at the end of the deliberations (Art. 93). ### Art. 92 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Conclusion of the Deliberation on Each Article 1. If no further request to speak is made, the President declares the discussion closed. He then grants the floor in the following order a) to the rapporteur of the minority; b) to the rapporteur of the commission; c) to the president of the commission; d) to the representative of the council of state. 2. Subsequently, a request to speak can only be made to provide factual corrections to the statements of the aforementioned persons. In this case, the speaking time for members is limited to three minutes. ### Art. 93 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Resumption of Debate 1. At the end of the detailed deliberation, any member of parliament may request to revisit an article or a matter. 2. The member briefly justifies their motion, and the assembly decides without debate. 3. If the motion is accepted, the discussion on the relevant article or matter will be resumed. ### Art. 94 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Final Consultation 1. At the end of the deliberations, the entire matter is subject to a final discussion, during which members of parliament must limit themselves to making general remarks or explaining their vote. ### Art. 95 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Constitution 1. Except for popular initiatives, any constitutional amendment initiated by the Grand Council or proposed by the State Council shall be enacted after three readings in regular sessions, one of which is dedicated to examining the expediency of the amendment. 2. The deliberation on expediency shall serve to define the objective and nature of the revision and to outline the essential principles. 3. Subject to the re-election of the Grand Council, the same committee shall report during the deliberation on expediency and in the first reading. ### Art. 96 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Variants 1. In the case of draft constitutions, the Grand Council shall decide before the end of deliberations in the second reading whether the people are to be consulted on variants. 2. If so, the discussion on the proposed variants shall be initiated. The Grand Council may also decide to refer the matter back to the committee or the Council of State for the purpose of drafting and formulating the variants. 3. The Council of State may propose in its message to submit variants to a popular vote. ### Art. 97 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Laws and Decrees 1. The matters subject to the optional referendum are the subject of two readings. 2. For laws, the two readings take place in different sessions and are based on reports from two different committees. 3. For decrees, the two readings occur in the same session on different days and are based on the report of the same committee. This committee also expresses an opinion on the urgency. ### Art. 98 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Implementation Laws 1. The implementing laws exempt from referendum are subject to the same rules as the ordinary laws. ### Art. 99 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Resolutions 1. Decisions are made in a single reading. 2. For decisions subject to a referendum, the two readings may take place on different days within the same session. 3. The approval of a legislative act by the Grand Council occurs in the form of a decision made in a single reading. ### Art. 100 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Additional Reading 1. At the end of the final deliberation, but before the final vote, the Grand Council may decide to conduct an additional reading, particularly if the draft has been significantly altered during the last reading. In such cases, the Grand Council shall decide whether this reading occurs in the same session and whether a new committee must be appointed. 2. The presidency must propose an additional reading to the office if it identifies contradictions that are not purely formal or editorial in nature. ### Art. 101 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Single Reading 1. The commission responsible for the first reading or five parliamentarians may request the adoption in a single reading of a decree subject to the optional referendum or of an implementing law. 2. After the final vote of the first reading, the Grand Council decides on waiving the second reading. 3. This decision must be made with a 2/3 majority. ### Art. 102 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Opinion of the Council of State 1. In the case of legislative enactments and decisions subject to a referendum, the State Council must provide an opinion on the commission's motions before each reading. ### Art. 103 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Teller 1. The four vote counters are appointed by the Grand Council at the beginning of each legislative period. Together with one of the Vice Presidents, they form the voting office. 2. In the event of elections or a failure of the electronic voting system, the vote counters verify the presence, count the votes during voting, and conduct the tally together with one of the Vice Presidents. The deliberations of the Grand Council continue during this process, but the voting procedures are suspended. ### Art. 104 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Form of Voting 1. The voting shall be conducted electronically. The system records the votes cast during all voting sessions as Yes-No-Abstain. 2. In the event of a breakdown of the electronic voting system or upon the decision of the presidency, the vote shall be conducted as follows a) Voting shall be carried out by standing up. Only the votes of those representatives casting them in their seats shall be counted; b) The vote counters shall count the votes. 3. In all cases, the President shall verify and announce the results. In case of doubt, any representative may request that a counter vote be conducted. ### Art. 105 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Role of the President 1. The President does not vote. In the event of a tie, the President has the casting vote; in this case, he may provide a justification for his vote. 2. In a secret ballot, the President votes but does not have the casting vote. A subsequent tie following a second vote is considered a rejection. ### Art. 106 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Name Voting 1. All votes shall be conducted as roll-call votes. 2. Unless it is a secret ballot, the voting record shall be published on the official website of the Canton of Valais and in the Journal of the Grand Council after the vote. 3. In the event of a failure of the electronic voting system, the roll-call shall be conducted by one of the Vice Presidents. ### Art. 107 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Secret Ballot 1. A secret ballot shall be held a) for pardon requests and requests for the lifting of immunity; b) for naturalizations upon the request of a single member; c) by resolution of the Grand Council, specifically for the protection of significant public interests or to safeguard personal rights. 2. Article 121 applies analogously. ### Art. 108 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Motion for Order 1. The motion of order is a request concerning the procedure for deliberation, voting, and elections as conducted under the present rules. 2. Every motion of order must be deliberated and put to a vote before the discussion on the subject matter. ### Art. 109 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Subject of the Vote 1. Before any vote, the President summarizes the various motions. He announces the order in which the questions will be submitted for voting. If a motion is divisible, a separate vote for each part shall be conducted upon request. 2. In the event of a dispute, the assembly shall decide immediately and without discussion. 3. Once a vote has begun, no further speaking will be permitted until the results are announced. ### Art. 110 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Voting on the Motions and Final Vote 1. A vote by the council shall only take place when several motions have been submitted during any deliberation. Motions that are not contested are considered accepted. 2. This provision does not apply to the final vote. 3. ... 4. If the Council of State supports a motion, any member of parliament can request that this motion be put to a vote against the draft of the Council of State. ### Art. 111 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Order of Voting 1. For amendment and sub-amendment motions, sub-amendment motions are put to a vote before amendment motions, and these before the main motion. In the case of conditional voting, the order of motions should be arranged in such a way that one can progressively proceed from motions with the smallest substantive difference to those with the greatest difference. If the assembly has to choose among several figures, it juxtaposes the two extremes. The committee's proposal is put to a vote last. 2. If there are more than two motions of equal standing, the motions of the delegates are first compared to each other in preliminary votes, followed by those of the State Council and those of the minority of the commission. The result of the last vote is then compared to the motion of the majority of the commission. ### Art. 112 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Candidacies 1. The nomination of candidates must be registered by each member of parliament or parliamentary group before the commencement of the voting procedure. 2. Candidacies can be withdrawn by the members of parliament or parliamentary groups who registered them, or by the candidates themselves, subject to the obligation to serve in office. 3. In the event of a re-election of an authority, the retiring candidate shall announce whether they accept a renewed candidacy. 4. Before the commencement of the voting procedure, the President of the Grand Council summarizes the nominations of candidates. After the third round of voting, only candidates who participated in one of the previous rounds are eligible for election. ### Art. 113 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Secret Ballot 1. Subject to Article 115, the elections and appointments for which the Grand Council is responsible shall take place in a secret ballot. ### Art. 114 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Type of Election 1. **Individual Election** Individual election applies to the election of a single member of an authority or for the appointment of a single person to a position or specific task. In other cases, the election takes place in the form of a list election. 2. **Combining Elections** If the Grand Council has to conduct several analogous elections, it can decide that these be carried out in a single election. ### Art. 115 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Silent Election 1. If the number of proposed candidates does not exceed that of the positions or offices to be filled, an unopposed election may take place. The Grand Council decides on this matter. 2. This provision does not apply to the election of the President and Vice Presidents of the Grand Council as well as the election of the President and Vice President of the Cantonal Court and the Attorney General. ### Art. 116 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Conducting the Voting Process 1. Before each voting round, the tellers distribute the official ballots. The President announces to the assembly the number of distributed ballots and ensures this is recorded in the minutes. 2. The member votes by personally placing their ballot in the ballot box. 3. If the appointment is conducted in the form of list voting, each member has as many votes as there are persons to be elected. 4. ... ### Art. 117 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Determination of the Results 1. The tellers collect the ballot papers, count them with the assistance of one of the Vice Presidents and a staff member of the Parliamentary Service, and establish the result. 2. If the number of ballots received is higher than the number distributed, the election is invalid. It must be repeated. 3. The polling office decides on the validity of the ballot papers and communicates its decision to the presidency of the Grand Council. 4. The tellers may only return to their seats once the voting result has been publicly announced. ### Art. 118 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Calculation of the Majority 1. The absolute majority is calculated by the whole number that immediately follows half of the valid ballots. ### Art. 119 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Blank and Invalid Ballots 1. Blank and invalid ballots shall not be considered. The following are deemed invalid a) any illegible or ambiguous ballot; b) any ballot containing insulting or defamatory expressions; c) any ballot not containing the name of an eligible person. 2. In elections by list, any vote cast for an ineligible person is invalid. If a ballot contains more names than there are positions to be filled, the names written last shall be struck off. 3. Otherwise, the provisions of the law on elections and voting shall apply analogously. ### Art. 120 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Special Cases 1. If the number of candidates who have received the required absolute majority exceeds the number of seats to be filled, those with the fewest votes are eliminated. 2. In the event of a tie between two or more candidates, a runoff election with a simple majority takes place. If the tie persists, the decision is made by drawing lots under the supervision of the President before the assembly. ### Art. 121 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Opening and Disputes 1. The President announces the election results to the Grand Council. 2. Formal errors must be contested from the time the results are announced. 3. The Grand Council decides on disputed elections. These cannot be contested before the Grand Council due to formal errors once the elected individual has taken the oath or the session has been adjourned. 4. Detailed lists and ballots must be kept during the appeal period so that they can be reviewed in the event of complaints against the elections. If the right to appeal is not exercised by the end of the period, they will be destroyed in the presence of the Presidium. ### Art. 123 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Deadline 1. Except in cases of urgency, the reports of the Council of State must be submitted to the Grand Council ten weeks, and the reports for the budget and integrated multi-year planning eight weeks before the session in which they are placed on the agenda. 2. The members of the supervisory commissions receive copies of these documents two weeks in advance. ### Art. 124 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Exemption from an Embassy - Adjournment 1. Drafts of legislative decrees accepted in the first reading by the Grand Council are generally placed on the agenda of a subsequent session ex officio without a new message. 2. Postponed drafts are resubmitted by the State Council in a following session, unless the Grand Council decides otherwise. ### Art. 125 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Submission 1. All motions must be drafted using the official electronic form and submitted to the Presidium of the Grand Council. Ordinary motions must be submitted during the session. Urgent matters and questions for the question hour must be received by the Presidium from the Friday before the session until 10 a.m. on the first day of the session. 2. Once the Presidium formally declares them admissible, the motions, which must be justified and include a title summarizing the content, will be brought to the attention of the Grand Council and the State Council. 3. Motions submitted by committees or factions must bear the signature of their presidents, or, where applicable, their deputies. ### Art. 126 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Urgent Motions 1. The author of an urgent motion briefly justifies the urgency at the beginning of their text. 2. Urgency is only recognized if the motion addresses a current and unforeseeable event, which additionally requires a prompt response or measure. 3. Urgent motions must be implemented within 12 months of their acceptance by the Grand Council. ### Art. 127 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Admissibility 1. The Presidium examines the admissibility of parliamentary motions in formal respects, if necessary after consulting the Council of State. It returns them to their authors, particularly if a) * they do not exhibit the correct form; b) the request cannot be the subject of a parliamentary motion; c) * the subject of the motion has already been addressed by the Grand Council during the current legislative session and the factual circumstances have not changed in the meantime; d) * they violate the rules of decorum or contain personal attacks. 2. The Presidium of the Grand Council may convert the parliamentary motions under the conditions of Article 130. 3. In case of a dispute, the Office decides. ### Art. 128 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Deletion 1. A petition that has not yet been addressed and whose originator is no longer a member of the Grand Council shall be removed from the list. ### Art. 129 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Withdrawal 1. The author may withdraw their motion until it is officially tabled. After the commencement of the discussion, withdrawal is no longer possible. 2. Before the motion is tabled, the co-signers have the right to withdraw their signatures. ### Art. 130 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Conversions 1. If the formal requirements are met, the following can be converted with the consent of their author a) a parliamentary initiative into a motion, a postulate, or an interpellation; b) a motion into a postulate or an interpellation; c) a postulate into an interpellation; d) an interpellation into a simple inquiry. ### Art. 131 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Examination by the Commission 1. The parliamentary initiative shall be referred to a committee with the mandate to hear the Council of State and to provide a preliminary opinion on the advisability of declaring it substantial. 2. If the Grand Council denies the advisability, the initiative shall be dismissed. a) * ... b) * ... c) * ... 3. If the Grand Council acknowledges the advisability, the initiative shall be referred to the same committee. This committee shall examine, in particular a) * the status of the work of the Grand Council or the administration on the same subject; b) * the potential alignment of the initiative with the integrated multi-year planning or with a registered or filed popular initiative; c) * the possibility of converting the initiative into a motion, a postulate, or an interpellation. 4. Within this framework, the committee may a) * reject the initiative; b) * amend the aim, scope, and text of the initiative with the consent of its originator; c) * submit a counter-proposal. 5. For the purpose of drafting these proposals, the committee may a) * approach an expert or the competent department for support in its work, whereby the Council of State is not bound by the department's opinion; b) * request the Council of State to initiate a consultation procedure. 6. Before concluding its deliberations, the committee shall submit the result of its work to the Council of State for comments. ### Art. 132 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Applications and Report 1. Upon completion of its work, but no later than two years, the Commission shall submit its proposals to the Grand Council and the State Council, accompanied by a report. The report must meet the same requirements as a message that accompanies a draft legislative decree. 2. Upon request by the Commission, the Grand Council shall decide on an extension of the deadline or the classification of the initiative. ### Art. 133 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Right of the Originator of the Initiative 1. The commission tasked with reviewing the parliamentary initiative shall hear its author, provided that he or she is not a member of the commission. 2. The author of the initiative has the right to withdraw it until the Grand Council's decision on whether to enter into the debate. ### Art. 134 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Consideration by the Great Council 1. The Grand Council deliberates and decides on the draft and proposals of the commission in the same manner as it does on a draft that comes from the Council of State. 2. During deliberations, the Council of State states its position on the subject of the initiative and the proposals of the commission. ### Art. 135 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Justification 1. The motion must be placed on the agenda for deliberation before the Grand Council within six months after its submission. 2. If the six-month period is not observed, the motion's sponsor can submit a written statement to the President of the Grand Council. In such a case, the motion must be placed on the agenda for the following session. 3. The Grand Council may dismiss the motion after deliberation. 4. ... ### Art. 136 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Response of the Council of State 1. The State Council shall respond within six months after the development of the motion. 2. The response of the State Council must be submitted 40 days before the session and will be distributed along with the other session documents to all members of parliament. 2bis. The response must provide information on the financial and personnel resources necessary for the implementation of the motion. 3. ... ### Art. 137 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Proceedings by the Great Council 1. If the motion is not contested by the deputies nor by the Council of State, and if the latter waives an oral response, the motion shall be deemed accepted. A discussion shall only take place if the Grand Council decides so. 2. If the motion is contested, a general discussion is opened for all deputies. Before the Grand Council decides on the acceptance or rejection of the motion, it may, as an exception, seek the opinion of a commission. This commission shall hear the author of the motion, provided they are not a member of it. 3. If the motion has already been implemented, the Council of State may propose its removal to the Grand Council. ### Art. 138 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Rejected or Written Off Motion 1. A motion rejected or written off by the Grand Council shall be removed from the register. ### Art. 139 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Adopted Motion - Implementation 1. An accepted motion shall be referred to the Council of State for execution. 2. The motion must be implemented within 18 months. Upon a justified request, the Grand Council may extend this period by a maximum of 18 months. Instead of extending the deadline, the Grand Council may entrust the execution of the motion to a commission. 3. The motion is considered executed as soon as the Council of State, or if applicable, the commission, submits a report or draft. During the deliberation of the latter, the Grand Council decides whether to write off the motion or to refer it with a new mandate to the Council of State or the commission. 4. The Parliamentary Service shall simultaneously prepare the table of the status of parliamentary motions with the semi-annual planning. ### Art. 140 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) 1. The procedure applicable to the motion (Art. 135 to 139) is analogously applicable to the postulate. ### Art. 141 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) 1. An interpellation is addressed in the Grand Council within six months of its submission. 2. The Council of State responds in writing. The answer is conveyed to the Grand Council along with the session documents. 3. The originator may speak only to request clarifications from the Council of State; their speaking time is limited to three minutes. 4. A discussion only takes place if the Grand Council decides so. ### Art. 142 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) 1. The proposal of the resolution shall be justified within six months after its submission by the originator. 2. If the resolution is contested, the general debate is opened to all representatives. The State Council may express its opinion in any case. 3. Subsequently, the resolution is submitted to a vote. ### Art. 143 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Treatment 1. The State Council shall respond in writing within two months from the date of submission. 2. The response shall be delivered in writing to the questioner and the parliamentary service. It shall generally be published on the official website of the Canton of Valais. 3. The office may invite the questioner to contact the relevant representative of the State Council directly. However, the questioner may insist on receiving a written response. ### Art. 144 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Question Hour 1. For addressing current issues concerning the canton, a question hour shall be held on the last day of each session. 2. Questions must be submitted electronically by 10 a.m. on the first day of the session, in brief and without justification. They may concern only a single subject. 3. The questions are distributed to the deputies before the session begins and are not presented orally. 4. All deputies receive the written response of the State Council in electronic form no later than at 11 a.m. on the last day of the session. The representative of the State Council responds shortly thereafter. A global answer may be provided to questions on the same subject. 5. The discussion is not opened, but the questioner has the right to briefly take the floor once, to make material corrections if the information provided by the representative of the State Council is deemed unsatisfactory. 6. The office of the Grand Council is tasked with organizing a balanced handling of the questions. ### Art. 145 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Treatment 1. Petitions addressed to the Grand Council shall be received by the President, forwarded to the Judicial Commission for evaluation, and subsequently reviewed by the Bureau, which drafts a response and submits it to the Grand Council for approval. 2. Petitions concerning a matter not within the jurisdiction of the Grand Council shall be transferred to the competent authority, about which the petitioner is to be informed. ### Art. 146 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Inadmissibility 1. Petitions that are anonymous, violate public order, contain defamatory or ambiguous statements shall be declared inadmissible by the office. The office shall inform the Grand Council thereof. 2. These petitions shall not be read aloud in the assembly but may be inspected by any member of parliament. ### Art. 147 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Commencement 1. The Great Council's statement shall be communicated to the petitioners or their representatives. 2. The Great Council may, if applicable, forward the petition and its statement to the State Council as a motion or postulate for information. ### Art. 148 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Response Concerning Nuclear Facilities 1. The response to the federal authorities in the field of nuclear facilities is the subject of a report by the Council of State. 2. This report is subject to approval by the Grand Council, which may amend its content. 3. The Grand Council may entrust the drafting of the response to a committee. ### Art. 149 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Treatment 1. The office informs the Grand Council about appeals to the Federal Court against a decree it has passed or against a decision it has made. It may assign the preparation of the response to the appeal to the Judicial Committee or the Council of State. 2. Liability claims received by the Grand Council are handled in accordance with the law on the liability of public entities and their officials. ### Art. 150 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Repeal 1. This regulation repeals the regulation of the Grand Council of the Canton of Valais dated November 18, 1996. 2. It is applied in place of the repealed provisions and the currently applicable legislation. ### Art. 152 Regulations of the Grand Council (RGC) - Entry into Force 1. This Regulation shall enter into force on May 1, 2002.