Act on the Organisation of the Grand Council and on relations between the Grand Council, the Government Council and the Directorate of Justice (Geschäftsverkehrsgesetz, GVG) - Functional Designation (GVG)

1. The functions mentioned in the law and in the rules of procedure refer to both genders.

1. The Executive Council orders the renewal election of the Grand Council no later than October of the year in which the term of office comes to an end.

2. The term of office expires on the day before the inaugural meeting of the newly elected Council.

3. The still-sitting Grand Council appoints from the re-elected members an election records review commission. This commission reviews the election records, reports to the newly elected Council in the first meeting, and submits a proposal regarding the validity of the elections.

1. The outgoing President of the Council convenes the newly elected Grand Council for the constituent meeting.

2. Among the longest-serving members of the Grand Council, the oldest member present opens the constituent meeting.

1. The Grand Council decides on the validity of the elections. It is constituted once the elections have been declared valid by an absolute majority of its members.

2. Council members whose election is contested are recused.

1. Upon the constitution of the council, each member whose election has been declared valid shall take the oath. Anyone who refuses to do so thereby renounces their office.

2. The oath formula is as follows: "I pledge to assume my responsibility as a member of the Grand Council towards individuals, the community, and the environment, to promote the welfare of the Canton of Aargau and the Swiss Confederation, and to act according to the constitution and laws to the best of my knowledge and ability."

3. The same oath shall be taken by those members who join the council after the constitutive session, as well as the representatives in accordance with § 7a.

1. Statements made during the proceedings of the Council, the Bureau, or a Commission can only be subject to criminal or civil action against members of the Grand Council if the Grand Council has waived immunity by a two-thirds majority of its members.

2. Any member of the Grand Council and the Government Council, as well as the injured party, may submit a corresponding request. This request will be presented to the Council with a proposal from the Bureau.

**1. Upon entering the Grand Council, each member must inform the office in writing about:**

a) their professional occupation and their employer;

b) their role in executive and supervisory boards of corporations, institutions, and foundations governed by private and public law.

**2. Changes are recorded at the beginning of each term by the council secretary.**

**3. The register of interests is public.**

1. Members of the Grand Council may have themselves represented due to maternity, illness, or accident for a period ranging from three to twelve months. It is not permissible to designate a substitute for the person appointed as a representative.

2. The intention to be represented should be communicated to the President of the Grand Council as much in advance as possible before the inability to attend, along with the submission of the relevant documentation. The President reviews the documentation and appoints the representative.

3. The appointment of the representative is typically carried out according to the principles of succession as per § 18 of the Law on the Election of the Grand Council (Grand Council Election Act) dated March 8, 1988. The Grand Council may regulate exceptions by decree.

4. The representative has the same rights and duties as the represented member.

5. During the period of representation, the rights and duties of the represented member are suspended. The member still has access to the general information available to members of the Grand Council.

1. The Grand Council regulates the further provisions regarding its administration by decree (rules of procedure).

1. The Bodies of the Grand Council are

a) the Presidium,

b) the Office,

c) the Commissions,

d) * the Parliamentary Groups,

e) * the Presidents' Conference.

1. The President, along with the First and Second Vice Presidents, shall be elected in the inaugural session following the swearing-in of the Grand Council and subsequently at the beginning of the first session of the new administrative year for a term of one year.

1. The President of the preceding term opens the first session of the new term and ensures the conduct of the presidency elections. Upon the completion of the election process, the newly elected presidency assumes the responsibility for chairing the meeting.

1. The President prepares the meetings of the Grand Council and the Bureau, presides over them, and ensures their orderly conduct.

2. He represents the Grand Council externally and conducts the official business with the Government Council and the Judiciary leadership.

3. The President may be represented by the first or second Vice President.

4. If the President and both Vice Presidents are unable to attend, the attending council member who last served as President assumes the chairmanship.

5. Generally, the Council Secretary participates in the meetings of the Presidency in an advisory capacity.

1. The Office of the Grand Council consists of the president, the two vice-presidents, and one representative from each parliamentary group. The weighting of the votes of the parliamentary group representatives is generally based on the proportion of the number of members in each group.

2. ...

2bis. ...

3. The parliamentary groups determine their own representatives.

4. Typically, the sessions of the office are attended in an advisory capacity by the Landammann or another representative of the government council and the council secretary.

1. The bureau elects the members and presidents of the standing committees for the duration of the term upon the proposal of the parliamentary groups.

2. The bureau may appoint ad hoc committees for the preparation of matters to be addressed by the council. These committees are dissolved by decision of the bureau upon the conclusion of their task.

3. The appointment of the committees generally occurs in proportion to the number of members in the parliamentary groups. The ad hoc committees may exceptionally be expanded by at most two members; these must come from a parliamentary group not represented in the committee or be non-affiliated.

3bis. An extraordinary comprehensive renewal of the committees for the remainder of the term takes place if a change in the number of members of a parliamentary group results in a group being over- or under-represented in the standing committees by more than one member, or if a new parliamentary group is formed.

4. If a parliamentary group insists on a candidacy rejected by the bureau, the council decides. Furthermore, the council can, in individual cases, assume the selection decision of the bureau.

1. Members of a commission shall cease to be members if they become non-affiliated, change their parliamentary group, or join a new parliamentary group.

1. The members of the Grand Council shall be represented by other council members in commissions during their absence.

2. The factions shall determine by whom the commission member will be represented.

3. If a commission member leaves the faction, the former faction may appoint a representative until the office has reassigned the commission seat.

1. By law, decision-making powers of the Grand Council may be delegated to the commissions.

2. Commission decisions made on the basis of a delegation of powers must be reported to the Grand Council. It may take over the decision-making process in individual cases. If it refrains from doing so, the commission's decision becomes a resolution of the Grand Council.

1. Commission meetings and their minutes are not public.

2. The commissions must inform the public about important matters of public interest.

1. If occurrences of great significance require special clarification, the Grand Council may, after hearing the Government Council or the Judicial Leadership, appoint a parliamentary investigation commission.

2. The parliamentary investigation commission investigates the facts and gathers further bases for assessment. It reports to the Grand Council and submits proposals.

1. At least five members of the Grand Council can form a parliamentary group.

2. Each member of the Grand Council can belong to only one parliamentary group.

3. The parliamentary groups are involved in the preliminary consultation of the business.

1. The factions receive a contribution of a total of CHF 250,000 per year for their work. This amount can be adjusted for inflation by the Grand Council at the beginning of each new legislative period.

2. The contribution is distributed among the factions as follows

a) Each faction receives CHF 1,500 per faction member;

b) The remaining amount is distributed equally among the factions as a basic compensation.

1. The Conference of Presidents consists of the Presidium of the Council as well as the Presidents of the parliamentary groups and committees.

2. It deliberates on procedural matters.

1. The proceedings of the Grand Council, the Bureau, and the Committees shall be recorded.

2. ...

1. The Parliamentary Service supports the Presidium of the Council, the Office, the Commissions, and the members of the Grand Council in their parliamentary work. It handles the administrative tasks of the Council and its organs, particularly the keeping of minutes.

2. The Parliamentary Service performs its duties according to the instructions of the Office.

3. The Parliamentary Service is led by the Secretary of the Council.

4. The Office appoints the Secretary of the Council and the other staff members of the Parliamentary Service. The cantonal personnel legislation applies to the terms of employment.

1. The Executive Council provides the Grand Council and its bodies with the services required for their activities, in addition to the Parliamentary Service.

2. The office, or in urgent cases the Presidency of the Grand Council, may seek legal advice from the Legal Service of the Executive Council. The Executive Council shall be informed thereof.

1. Members of the council have the right to information from the administration within the scope of their parliamentary work, subject to official secrecy.

2. Members of the parliamentary service have the same rights to information as the bodies of the Grand Council on whose behalf they are acting.

3. If information is wholly or partially refused, a decision, upon application, is made by the office after hearing from the council member or the members of the parliamentary service and the government council.

4. The duty of confidentiality according to § 24 paragraph 3 GVG also extends to the members of the parliamentary service.

1. The commissions have the right to obtain the necessary information for the assessment of the matters assigned to them and, after hearing the government council or the justice leadership, to inspect the required official records.

2. Insofar as it is essential for the protection of official secrets, for the safeguarding of legitimate personal interests, or in consideration of an ongoing procedure that has not yet been concluded, the government council or the justice leadership may provide a summary report instead of releasing the records.

3. If, after the presentation of a summary report, a parliamentary commission maintains its request for the release of records, the records must be submitted to it.

1. Employees of the canton may be released from official secrecy by the government council for the purpose of providing information and may be authorized to release official documents.

2. Employees of the canton shall not suffer any disadvantages from their truthful statements.

3. With regard to the statements made and secret official documents issued by the government council, employees of the canton, or experts, the members of the commissions and the staff of the parliamentary service are obligated to maintain confidentiality. The government council shall determine in each individual case to which statements or documents this provision applies.

1. A parliamentary investigation committee is to be provided with all relevant official records upon its request.

2. The investigation committee is entitled to conduct witness examinations. Before each interrogation, it must be determined whether an employee of the canton or a third party should make a statement as an informant, a witness, or an expert. For the examination of witnesses and experts, § 24 paragraphs 2 and 3 of this law apply, as well as, mutatis mutandis, the provisions of civil procedural law.

1. The president convenes the Grand Council on his own initiative, and also when the bureau, at least 20 members, or the government council so request.

2. The members are obliged to attend the meetings.

1. If physical attendance of the members of the Grand Council is not possible or is severely impeded due to a crisis situation, the President of the Council may decide to conduct the council meetings virtually or in a hybrid manner. Decisions of the Council to the contrary are reserved.

2. A crisis situation in accordance with paragraph 1 exists specifically in cases of

a) incidents with wide-reaching impacts (major events), disasters, emergencies, and armed conflicts in accordance with Article 2 of the Federal Act on Civil Protection and Civil Defense (Civil Protection and Civil Defense Act, BZG) of December 20, 2019,

b) natural or civilization-induced damage incidents or serious accidents, emergencies, severe shortages, armed conflicts, or major events in accordance with § 2 of the Act on Civil Protection and Civil Defense in the Canton of Aargau (Civil Defense and Civil Defense Act Aargau, BZG-AG) of July 4, 2006,

c) a special situation in accordance with Article 6 or an extraordinary situation in accordance with Article 7 of the Federal Act on Combating Communicable Human Diseases (Epidemics Act, EpG) of September 28, 2012.

3. The virtual or hybrid conduct of elections is excluded. Silent elections within the context of virtual or hybrid meetings are permissible.

4. Members participating virtually in council meetings have the same rights as members who are physically present.

1. For meetings of the commissions, the president of the respective commission, and for meetings of the bureau and the conference of presidents, the president of the council may decide that meetings may exceptionally be conducted virtually or in a hybrid format.

2. Decisions to the contrary made by the commissions, the bureau, or the conference of presidents shall remain reserved.

1. Virtual or hybrid sessions shall be conducted in a manner and using an information technology system that ensures the authentication of participants, the protection of processed data, the security of voting, and, if necessary, the confidentiality of the session content.

2. The bureau must approve the procedure and the information technology system to be used in advance.

1. The Grand Council is capable of deliberating when at least 71 members are present. A member is considered present if they participate in the meetings either on-site or virtually in accordance with § 26a.

1. The proceedings of the Grand Council are public.

1bis. Virtual sessions must be made public via electronic live transmission.

2. Video and audio recordings of the council's proceedings are permitted, subject to the provisions of the rules of procedure.

1. Members of the Grand Council are obligated to recuse themselves from dealings that directly affect them or their spouses or registered partners, both in the Council and its committees.

2. The same obligation to recuse applies to members of executive bodies of legal entities under private and public law, with the exception of municipalities and municipal associations.

3. The member obligated to recuse may participate in discussions but must leave the meeting voluntarily before the vote.

4. For the validity of the election, § 4 paragraph 2 shall apply.

1. Duty to Recuse Oneself

a) Anyone who has a personal interest in a transaction as an applicant or contract partner is particularly obliged to recuse themselves,

b) Anyone who is a candidate for a full-time position in an election conducted by the Grand Council.

2. ...

3. There is no duty to recuse oneself in the issuance and approval of generally binding regulations and usage plans.

1. For the adoption of a motion or proposal, the majority of the votes cast is required, unless otherwise stipulated by law or the rules of procedure.

1. Before the detailed consideration of a proposal, a debate on whether to proceed typically takes place.

2. If it is decided not to proceed, the matter is concluded. All relevant parliamentary motions are thereby dismissed, unless the council decides otherwise.

3. The council must proceed with proposals that it is required to consider by the constitution or by law, particularly the task and financial plan, as well as the budget draft from the government council.

1. Any proposal for a constitutional amendment or for a law must undergo two readings.

2. Proposals that are subject to a mandatory or optional public referendum are forwarded to the Government Council for reporting after the first reading and published in the Official Gazette.

3. In its report, prepared for the second reading, the Government Council addresses suggestions made during the first reading as well as written motions and proposals submitted thereafter.

4. The second reading generally takes place three months, but no later than two years, after the initial vote. The Council may shorten the period between the first and second readings of the law.

5. After the conclusion of the second reading, in special cases, the Council may decide to have a third reading for an entire proposal or parts thereof with a two-thirds majority of the members present.

1. After the first reading of a bill, a general vote takes place, and after the second reading, the final vote is conducted. For bills requiring only one reading, only the final vote is held.

2. If the bill is rejected in the general or final vote, the matter is concluded, and all relevant parliamentary initiatives are annulled.

3. If a bill, which the council is required to address by the constitution or by law, is rejected in the final vote, the matter is returned to the government council for the drafting of a new proposal.

1. The Grand Council decides, after the final vote, on any potential motion to submit a law or a decision of the Grand Council to a popular vote.

1. After adoption in the final vote, drafts of laws and decrees are submitted to the Council of State for editorial review.

2. The Council of State is tasked with establishing the final wording and eliminating formal contradictions. If it proposes amendments to the text of the enactment, it submits the result of the review to the Grand Council for approval.

3. If the Council of State identifies contradictions, ambiguities, or obvious gaps during the editorial review of a draft that necessitate material changes, it submits a written proposal to the Council regarding the required material corrections after consulting with the preparatory commission. The Grand Council decides on this proposal during the editorial reading. Furthermore, with a two-thirds majority of the members present, it may decide on an additional consultation for the parts affected by the material changes.

1. The majority of all members of the Grand Council may decide that laws, which cannot tolerate any delay in implementation, shall come into force immediately.

2. These laws shall be submitted to a subsequent popular vote in accordance with the requirements of the cantonal constitution; the popular vote shall be scheduled without delay.

1. The Grand Council handles all matters assigned to it by the constitution and the laws, as well as those submitted by the Government Council, including parliamentary motions and petitions addressed to it.

2. Orders from authorities and offices as well as judgments from the courts cannot be annulled or amended by the Grand Council or its committees.

1. Enactments of the Great Council are constitutional amendments, laws, decrees, and resolutions.

1. The Great Council reviews, within the scope of its supervisory authority, the activities of the government and administration, particularly for compliance with the instruments of state planning and management.

2. Before the Great Council takes a position on a matter, it provides the Council of Government with an opportunity to exercise its leadership and supervisory functions.

1. The governing council informs the office at an early stage about important developments and matters in the area of cooperation with other cantons and with foreign states.

2. The office assigns the matter to the competent specialist committee. This committee decides whether to acknowledge the information or to issue a statement to the governing council.

3. The governing council incorporates the statement from the specialist committee into the cantonal consultation process.

1. The Grand Council conducts the elections assigned to it by the constitution and other decrees. These are to be carried out secretly, subject to the conditions set forth in the rules of procedure.

2. ...

3. Unless the constitution, law, or a decree based thereon provides otherwise, the four-year term of office for the authorities and employees elected by the Grand Council commences 24 months after that of the Grand Council and the Executive Council.

4. The authorities and employees of the canton elected by the Grand Council remain in office until the renewal election is conducted by the newly elected Grand Council.

1. In the first round of voting, a candidate is elected if they receive an absolute majority of votes from the council members participating in the voting. If more candidates than needed achieve the absolute majority, those with the highest number of votes are elected.

2. If no candidate achieves the absolute majority in the first round of voting, or if fewer candidates than needed achieve the absolute majority, a second round of voting must be conducted.

3. If more candidates run in the second round of voting than are still to be elected, a relative majority decides the outcome.

4. If fewer or the same number of candidates run in the second round of voting as are still to be elected, the candidate who receives an absolute majority of votes from the participating council members is elected.

5. No further rounds of voting will be held.

1. Members of the Grand Council, the parliamentary groups, the committees, and the office are entitled to submit proposals for direct decisions, parliamentary initiatives, motions, postulates, and interpellations.

1bis. Council members and parliamentary groups may also submit these jointly.

2. The wording of a motion or a postulate may be amended during the course of deliberation with the consent of the mover or the proponent. It is also permissible, with the consent of the mover, to convert a motion into a postulate.

3. ...

4. ...

1. The Executive Council shall report to the Grand Council within three months after the submission of motions and proposals. If it rejects their acceptance, it must provide written justification. During the same period, it must respond to interpellations.

1bis. If the Executive Council does not submit the report for referral within the deadline, the matter may be scheduled.

2. If a pending parliamentary initiative is withdrawn by the primary signatory, the matter is considered settled. If the primary signatory leaves the council, the matter is settled unless another council member adopts the initiative within four weeks.

3. If the Grand Council has not set specific deadlines for referred motions and proposals, the Executive Council must submit the corresponding drafts or take the necessary measures within the following timeframes

a) * three years, if a constitutional or statutory amendment is required for implementation,

b) * two years in all other cases.

3bis. For referred parliamentary initiatives that require a constitutional, statutory, or decree amendment for implementation, the respective deadlines are considered met with the submission of the message for the first reading in the Grand Council.

4. If the Executive Council cannot meet the deadlines, it must provide justification and propose new deadlines to the Grand Council in the annual report or another submission.

1. With a request for a direct decision, it can be demanded that the Great Council make a decision in its area of exclusive competence.

2. The subject of such a request can particularly be the exercise of federal participatory rights and the response to consultations of the Council of Government to federal authorities.

1. With a parliamentary initiative, detailed drafts for the enactment, amendment, supplementation, or repeal of constitutional, legal, and decree provisions can be proposed.

2. The parliamentary initiative is referred to a committee for report and proposal if at least 60 council members provisionally support it.

3. The committee may involve the competent department in the preparation, but the government council remains free in its opinion.

1. The motion obliges the government council to submit a proposal for a constitution, law, or decree to the Grand Council, present a draft resolution, or take a measure.

2. If the government council is responsible for the measure, it takes the necessary steps for its implementation or submits to the Grand Council the draft of an enactment or resolution through which the motion can be implemented.

3. A motion within the jurisdiction of the government council that influences individual decisions in the personnel sector, a decision to be made in a legally regulated procedure, or an appeal decision is inadmissible.

4. In its response to the motion, the government council indicates to the Grand Council the consequences of the implementation, particularly the effects on task and financial planning.

1. The postulate obligates the Government Council to present a report to the Grand Council or to examine whether a proposal for a constitution, law, or decree should be submitted, to present a draft resolution, or to take another measure.

1. The Interpellation requires the Council of Ministers to provide information on matters concerning the Canton. It is usually answered in writing.

1. A petition is treated as a submission by authorities or private individuals that contains specific requests or complaints and does not adhere to a particular legal form.

1. The office determines the matters to be dealt with during a quarter based on the planning of the Government Council, ensuring that sufficient time remains for deliberation in the committees, factions, and the plenary.

1. Each business transaction submitted to the Great Council includes an explanatory message and the material proposals.

2. ...

3. ...

4. The message contains information on the following subject areas

a) Initial situation,

b) Need for action,

c) Proposal for implementation,

d) Legal basis,

e) Personnel and financial impact,

f) Impact on the economy,

g) Impact on society,

h) Impact on the environment,

i) Impact on the municipalities,

k) * Impact on relations with the Confederation and other Cantons,

l) * Necessity, timing, and form of the evaluation of the effectiveness of the proposal.

1. The Government Council may withdraw a proposal before it is considered by the council with the approval of the bureau. The withdrawal must be justified.

1. As soon as the Executive Council has adopted consultations with federal authorities, it shall inform the Grand Council of their subject matter and outcome.

1. The member of the Executive Council responsible for the scheduled business participates in the deliberations of the Grand Council and has the right to make motions.

2. Employees of the canton and experts may participate in the negotiations at the request of the responsible member of the Executive Council and with the consent of the Council.

1. As a rule, the head of the relevant department is to be invited to the meetings of the commissions.

2. The commissions may involve independent experts or, in consultation with the department head, employees of the canton in their deliberations.

3. If a commission departs from the proposals of the government council on a matter, the council must be invited to submit its opinion, at the latest after the conclusion of the deliberations.

4. The government council is also to be invited to submit an opinion on proposals from minorities representing at least one-third of the present commission members, if the representatives of the concerned minority, who must also be at least one-third of the present commission members, request it. The commission president shall conduct a separate vote among the representatives of the minority on this matter.

1. Proposals from the Judicial Administration are to be submitted to the Grand Council through the Executive Council for a decision without modification.

2. The Executive Council may formulate comments and differing proposals.

3. A member of the Judicial Administration shall be present at the Council's deliberations on the task and financial plan, the budget, the annual report, and other proposals from the judicial authorities, and has the right to make proposals. They are typically also invited to the meetings of the preliminary advisory committee.

4. Otherwise, §§ 28 ff. of the Court Organization Act (GOG) of December 6, 2011, shall apply.

1. Members of the Grand Council receive an annual basic compensation as well as an attendance fee and reimbursement for expenses for participating in the meetings of the Council, the Office, the Presidents' Conference, and the commissions.

2. For a commission meeting that takes place immediately before or after a Grand Council meeting, half of the attendance fee is paid.

3. The President of the Council, the Vice Presidents, the Presidents of the commissions, and the reporters receive additional compensation.

1. The Great Council determines the amount of the attendance fee and compensations. The decision on the amount of the attendance fee and the basic compensation is subject to the optional referendum according to § 63 paragraph 1 letter f of the Cantonal Constitution.

1. Upon the entry into force of this law, all provisions contrary to this law are repealed, particularly the Rules of Procedure of the Grand Council dated September 16, 1970.

1. This law shall be published in the law collection. It shall come into force with the decree on the rules of procedure issued by the Grand Council.