Rules of Procedure of the Grand Council of the Canton of Thurgau (GOGR) - Opening Session of a New Term of Office (GOGR)

1. At the opening session of a term of office, the Grand Council is convened in the second half of May by the member with the longest tenure in office, or if the tenure is the same, by the older member. The President by age opens the session, provisionally appoints a secretary and four tellers, oversees the decisions regarding the election results, administers the oaths of office for the newly incoming council members, and conducts the election of the presidency.

2. The new President assumes the chair and conducts the election of the additional members of the council office.

1. Following the opening session, the Executive Council submits a message to the Grand Council regarding the election results, along with the election protocols and any election appeals with the respective documents.

2. The Grand Council decides on the election results, in cases of discrepancies or election appeals upon the request of the Council Office.

3. Members whose election is contested do not participate in the deliberations until the Grand Council decides on the validity of their mandate.

1. The Council Office issues guidelines for the implementation of § 29 paragraph 2 of the Cantonal Constitution (CC) concerning incompatibility and ensures their application.

2. In disputed cases, the Grand Council decides.

1. Members who have been elected for the first time shall be called by name and take the oath of office set out in the annex to these rules of procedure at their first session. The council members rise from their seats.

2. Government councillors, the state secretary, the attorney general, and judges of the cantonal courts, who have been elected for the first time, shall be called by name and take the oath of office set out in the annex to these rules of procedure. The council members rise from their seats.

1. Upon taking office, each Council member shall inform the parliamentary services in writing, subject to professional confidentiality, about

1. * their professional activity

2. * their involvement in executive and supervisory boards of domestic and foreign companies, corporations, institutions, and foundations under private and public law

3. * the exercise of significant political offices

2. The parliamentary services shall create a register of the information provided by Council members. This register shall be public.

3. Council members must notify the parliamentary services of any changes.

1. The elections for the term of office, as well as other regular elections, take place at the election session in the second half of May. The presidency and vice-presidency are elected for the duration of the term of office, while the other council office members are elected for the duration of the legislative period.

2. The elections pursuant to § 58 Paragraph 1 Nos. 3 to 11 are held in January before the inaugural session.

1. The Council Office consists of the Presidium, the Vice-Presidium, the Council Secretariat with two members, four vote counters, and one member (associate member) from each parliamentary group not yet represented in the Council Office.

2. ...

3. The Council Office ensures the administrative leadership and management of the Grand Council. It handles matters that are not assigned to another body of the Grand Council and decides in particular on the Grand Council's stances in administrative and judicial proceedings in which the Grand Council is involved. It decides on requests for release from official secrecy or authorizations for criminal prosecution in accordance with Section 15 of the Accountability Act. The decision is final. The Council Office may also delegate the handling of matters to a commission in special cases, notably the Judicial Commission.

4. In cases of great emergency or severe disruption of public order and safety, the Council Office may deviate from the rules of procedure to ensure and guarantee the operation of the Council. It must inform the Council thereof without delay.

5. If the Grand Council approves the emergency measures, they remain valid. They shall cease to be in force no later than one year later.

1. The Presidium directs the affairs of the Grand Council.

2. The Presidium prepares an agenda for each meeting and issues the meeting invitations, except for the inaugural meeting.

3. To prepare for the council's deliberations, the presidiums of the factions or the preparatory committees may be consulted.

4. The Presidium presides over the meetings. In the event of an impediment, the Vice-Presidium or, if necessary, the council member who last held the office of Presidium shall take over.

5. The parliamentary services are available to the Presidium for conducting business.

1. The members of the Secretariat sign the minutes and all documents issued by the Grand Council together with the Presidium.

1. The vote counters, together with the council secretariat, determine the voting results.

1. The associate members may perform duties of representation and special tasks in the council office.

1. The Parliamentary Services are available to the Grand Council and its bodies for services.

2. They manage the office of the Council Bureau, the commissions, and the Conference of Parliamentary Group Presidents.

3. They fulfill the following tasks in particular

1. * Planning and organization of council operations

2. * Advising council members on procedural issues

3. * Information and documentation for council members

4. * Keeping the minutes of council meetings

5. * Keeping the minutes of the Council Bureau (provided to the Group Presidents and the Government Council)

6. * Keeping the minutes of the Conference of Parliamentary Group Presidents (provided to the Council Bureau members and the Government Council)

7. * Handling administrative transactions

1. The council ordinarily meets in Frauenfeld during the summer term and in Weinfelden during the winter term. Its sessions usually take place on Wednesdays.

2. The start of the session is announced by the ringing of bells at the meeting place.

1. The Council Office prepares a seating arrangement. It takes into account past practices as well as the preferences of the parliamentary groups.

1. The meeting invitation shall be issued after consultation with the executive committee of the government council.

2. The government council or 30 members may request the convening of a meeting, stating the reasons.

3. Subject to urgent cases, each member shall receive the invitation with the agenda at least ten days before the meeting.

1. The members are obliged to attend the meetings.

2. Anyone who is unable to attend must send a written apology to the Parliamentary Services, intended for the Presidium, as early as possible and stating the reason.

3. ...

1. Visitors have a gallery at their disposal.

2. Anyone who disrupts the proceedings will be removed from the hall by order of the presidium and, if necessary, escorted out by the police. In the event of disturbing unrest in the gallery, the presidium may order an evacuation.

1. Media that register with parliamentary services receive invitations and templates. A suitable workplace is provided for them.

2. During photo and audio recordings from the plenary hall, the proceedings of the council must not be disturbed. In exceptional cases, the council may decide to implement a temporary ban on photo and audio recordings.

3. Media admitted to the sessions undertake the obligation to promptly and freely correct any inaccuracies in their reporting upon request by the speaker or the presiding office. If this obligation is not fulfilled, the admission may be revoked for a specific period. The exclusion of individual media, reporters, or correspondents is decided by the council office.

1. Council debates shall be recorded with both audio and visual means and broadcast live. Personal documents or materials of council members must not be visible in the recordings.

2. The recordings are available for one year and thereafter must be permanently archived by the State Archive.

3. Applications for early deletion of the audio or visual material shall be decided by the Council Office.

1. Anyone wishing to distribute or lay out propaganda material for the members of the council during, before, or after a meeting within the meeting building or immediately in front of its entrance must obtain prior approval from the council office. This also applies to the holding of rallies or similar actions.

1. After the opening of the session, attendance is recorded.

2. Anyone who arrives late or leaves the session early must report to the council secretariat.

1. The Council is quorate when at least 95 members participate in the meeting.

1. The presidium presents the agenda for discussion.

2. Matters that have not been announced in accordance with the deadline stipulated in § 13, but have been added to the agenda by the day before, may only be addressed if the council approves.

1. If urgent consideration is requested for a matter not on the agenda, the motion must be submitted to the chair and the government council as early as possible, but no later than in accordance with § 19 para. 2. If the council agrees to the urgency, the matter shall be conclusively dealt with in the same session.

1. Drafts for laws, ordinances, or resolutions, as well as budget estimates, state accounts, and specific credit requests, shall be delivered to the members with an explanatory message.

2. The Bureau of the Council forwards the proposal to a standing committee or a special committee for preliminary deliberation.

3. Reports may be assigned to a committee for preliminary deliberation by the Bureau of the Council.

1. The commission's presidium shall submit a written report of the commission's deliberations to the council. This report will be forwarded to the council members in advance.

2. The written report is to be read aloud in the council only in exceptional cases. The commission's presidium may make additional oral comments.

1. In the case of submissions where entry is not mandatory, the issue of entry must first be deliberated and decided upon. Reports can be handled without entry. If entry is not contested or decided, detailed deliberation follows. If the council decides against entry, the matter is considered as settled.

2. After the decision to enter or during the detailed deliberation, the council may refer a matter in whole or in part back to the government council or the preparatory committee for revision, or assign it to a new committee.

3. During the detailed deliberation, any member may propose amendments, deletions, or additions.

4. No decision is made on matters submitted to the council for acknowledgement.

1. Anyone wishing to speak on a matter or submit a proposal must request the floor from the presidium.

2. The presidium grants the floor in the order of requests, giving priority to the spokespersons of the parliamentary groups.

3. If the presidium wishes to participate in the discussion, this must be announced. The floor is taken after the speakers already registered. If a proposal is submitted or a commission report is presented in this context, the vice-presidium assumes the leadership of the proceedings.

1. Substantive motions must be submitted to the Presidium in writing.

1. Members are required to speak to the matter at hand without being verbose. If a council member violates this rule, they will be admonished by the chair.

2. If a council member violates the respect or decorum due to the Great Council, the Executive Council, or individual members, they will be called to order by the chair.

1. The Council may limit the duration of speeches for discussions.

1. Motions concerning the procedure are procedural motions.

2. If a procedural motion is made, the discussion is limited to it, and deliberation continues only after a decision on the procedural motion has been made.

1. If a proposal consists of multiple provisions, each shall be discussed individually, unless the council decides otherwise.

1. If no one else requests to speak, the presidium declares the discussion closed.

2. If the conclusion of the discussion is decided due to a procedural motion, a faction that has not yet had the opportunity to speak in the closed discussion is allowed to present its position. Similarly, anyone who had previously requested to speak and wishes to submit a new motion will also be given the floor. The spokesperson of the preparatory committee and the government council are entitled to make a concluding statement.

1. After the conclusion of the discussion, the presiding committee compiles the motions and explains the voting process. If an alternative procedure is requested and contested by the presiding committee, the council shall decide. A request to vote separately on a divisible question shall generally be granted.

1. Subsidiary amendment motions must be decided before amendment motions, and amendment motions before the main motions. One who votes for a subsidiary amendment motion is not obliged to vote for the amendment motion. The same applies in the relationship between an amendment motion and the main motion.

2. If more than two main motions oppose each other, they are voted on side by side; each member may vote for only one motion. If no main motion receives an absolute majority of the votes in the first ballot, a vote is taken on which of the two motions that received the fewest votes is to be excluded from the vote. The vote is then continued in the same manner on the remaining motions until one of them prevails.

1. Elections and votes are conducted openly unless a specific legal basis requires a secret voting procedure.

2. Council members cast their votes in open elections and open votes using the electronic voting system. The voting behavior of individual council members and the overall result are displayed in the council chamber and made public with the minutes.

2bis. If electronic voting is not possible, council members cast their votes by standing from their seats. In final votes and in decisions of significant importance, voting must be conducted by roll call. Additionally, roll call voting must be conducted if at least 30 members approve a corresponding motion.

3. In open elections or open votes without the requirement of counting, the council presidency establishes the majority in the case of an obvious outcome. If there are doubts about this or if a council member requests it, the presidency orders the votes to be counted. On the presidency's instructions or upon request from the council, the opposing majority is determined. If discrepancies are alleged, the election or vote may be repeated.

4. In secret elections or secret votes, the vote counters, together with the secretariat members, determine the result and prepare a protocol thereof. The protocol is published.

5. In roll call votes, council members cast their votes while seated. Name and vote are recorded in the minutes. Only responses given immediately after the name is read aloud are counted as valid votes. The protocol is published.

1. At the conclusion of a reading, motions for reconsideration may be submitted. If the council agrees, a detailed discussion on the provisions to be reconsidered will take place once more.

2. ...

1. The entire bill shall be decided upon in a final vote.

2. If the adopted bill contains significant amendments compared to the draft, it must be issued in its revised version.

1. In voting, the chair exercises the right to vote like the other council members. If a tie occurs in open votes, the motion for which the president has voted is considered to be passed. In the event of a previous abstention, the president casts the deciding vote.

2. If a tie occurs in secret ballots, the motion is rejected.

1. The protocol provides information on the location and time of the meeting, the participants, and the course of the negotiations. Requests must be recorded verbatim. Votes are recorded in accordance with § 32.

2. The use of recording devices as aids for keeping minutes is permitted. The written verbatim protocol is decisive.

3. The protocol is approved by the council office and is generally published on the website of the Grand Council on the day before the next session. Corrections to the protocol can be requested in writing from the presidency within five days after electronic publication. The council office makes the final decision on the correction.

4. The protocol is public. It can be obtained from the parliamentary services or viewed on the Internet.

1. If advisory methods appear necessary that deviate from the procedures provided in this regulation, the council shall decide on a case-by-case basis. It can, in particular, conduct on-site inspections or visits.

2. In special cases, the council office may authorize the use of suitable presentation tools to support the deliberations.

1. Proposals concerning laws, ordinances, and decrees requiring approval must be reviewed in advance by a commission.

1bis. For consultative involvement in inter-cantonal treaties that are subject to resolution by the Grand Council, the Government Council shall timely request the early establishment of a special commission.

2. An extension beyond the scope of the proposal is permissible while safeguarding the participation rights of the Government Council according to § 42 of the Cantonal Constitution.

1. Drafts for laws and regulations shall, subject to § 53a, be deliberated twice. After each reading, the respective version shall be delivered, provided that amendments have been adopted. The preparatory committee may submit new proposals for the second reading, which shall also be delivered in advance. The second reading shall take place at a later session, unless there is urgency.

2. For resolutions concerning state treaties and concordats, as well as for enactments that merely require the approval of the Grand Council, only one reading shall take place.

1. After the final reading, subject to urgency, each enactment is submitted to the Legislative and Editorial Commission for revision. This includes editorial corrections as well as the elimination of contradictions or inconsistencies. Amendments to enactments requiring approval are limited to editorial corrections.

2. The revised version is delivered.

1. A redaction reading is conducted on the draft by the Legislative and Editorial Commission. Following this, the final vote takes place.

1. If a decree, which is subject to an optional referendum, is adopted in the final vote, the presiding officer poses the question of who supports a referendum. No discussion takes place. The result is determined.

1. Voting proposals shall be submitted to the electorate with an explanatory message. This message is usually drafted by the Governing Council. Exceptionally, the Grand Council may entrust the drafting of the message to the Office of the Council or the preparatory commission. This message is then published as the message of the Grand Council.

1. Personal motions bear the date of the council meeting at which they are submitted. If they are submitted earlier, the date of the next council meeting applies. Motions with a request for urgency bear the date of submission.

1. Personal motions are submitted in paper form with an original signature during a council meeting, electronically, or by mail to the parliamentary services for the attention of the presidium.

2. Motions submitted electronically must be accompanied by a recognized electronic signature. The motion must be received by the parliamentary services by the start of the meeting.

3. Submission by mail requires that the motion is submitted in paper form with an original signature. The motion must be received by the parliamentary services by the day before a council meeting.

4. The parliamentary services circulate the motion among council members for co-signature, with the exception of a simple inquiry.

1. A Parliamentary Initiative mandates the council to consider the enactment, amendment, or repeal of a constitutional provision, a law, a grand council regulation, or a grand council decision based on a prepared draft.

2. A Parliamentary Initiative can be submitted by a member, several members, or a commission of the council. The prepared draft must include a justification and be submitted with the signatures of the supporting members.

3. The presidency informs the council of the receipt of the Parliamentary Initiative. The parliamentary services communicate the text, the names of the signatories, and the justification in writing.

4. The council office invites the government council to comment on the procedure and content. The government council's opinion is usually to be provided within two months and addressed to the council.

5. The primary signatory can withdraw the Parliamentary Initiative with a brief justification until the conclusion of the deliberations. Those who co-signed may choose to maintain the Parliamentary Initiative.

1. The Council Office rejects a Parliamentary Initiative after consulting the Executive Council if it relates to a matter that is already pending as Council business, or if the matter is being prepared as a proposal by the Executive Council and will be submitted to the Grand Council within half a year.

2. If the rejection is contested from within the Council, the Council decides on the acceptance of the initiative without prior discussion.

1. The presidium determines by vote whether the council provisionally supports the parliamentary initiative. If this is the case, the council office refers the initiative to a committee for report and proposal in accordance with § 60 or § 60a.

2. The committee deliberates on the draft. It may submit interim results of its deliberations to the government council and potentially interested parties for comments. The committee may propose amendments, a counterproposal, or the rejection of the parliamentary initiative.

3. The council deliberates on the report and decides on the committee's proposal.

1. A motion assigns the government council the task of presenting a formulated draft for the enactment, amendment, or repeal of a constitutional provision, a law, a grand council regulation, or a grand council resolution.

2. A motion may be submitted by a member, several members, or a committee of the council. It must include a proposal and a justification and be submitted with the signatures of the supporting members.

3. The presidency informs the council of the receipt of a motion. The parliamentary services communicate the wording, the names of the signatories, and the justification in writing.

4. The government council provides a written response within one year. For valid reasons, the council office may grant an extension of the deadline upon request of the government council and after hearing the motion's sponsor. The response is delivered to the council members no later than with the session invitation. After the discussion, a vote is taken on whether the motion is declared considerable.

5. If a motion contains various demands, the first signatory or the government council may request that only individual demands be declared considerable, provided this is possible without amending the motion proposal. In this case, each demand of the motion must be voted on separately.

6. The first signatory may withdraw the motion with a brief justification until the conclusion of the deliberation. Any co-signatory may choose to uphold the motion.

1. If the council declares a motion to be significant, the executive council must report on the task and submit a proposal within two years. This completes the motion's mandate.

2. If the motion's mandate is fulfilled before the executive council reports, the executive council submits a proposal for completion through write-off.

3. If a motion's mandate cannot be fulfilled within the deadline, the executive council must present the reasons before the deadline expires and submit a request for an extension to the council's office.

4. If the executive council considers a motion's mandate to be unfulfillable, it submits a proposal to the council for discharge.

1. An application for the transfer of a cantonal initiative is submitted through a motion.

1. Anyone wishing to initiate a cantonal referendum within the meaning of Art. 141 para. 1 of the Federal Constitution (BV) must submit the enactment and a draft resolution of the Grand Council with a brief justification by the day before the penultimate council meeting before the expiry of the federal referendum deadline.

1. A performance motion assigns the executive council the task of incorporating a predetermined alternative performance level or a new performance objective into the global budget for specific product groups within administrative sectors operating with global budgets, or to remove an existing performance objective. If there is no sufficient legal basis for the alternative performance level or the new performance objective, or if a performance objective to be removed is specified in a law, instead of a performance motion, a motion to amend the legal basis must be submitted.

2. A performance motion can be presented by the Audit and Finance Commission or at least 30 members of the council. It must be submitted with a proposal and a justification, accompanied by the signatures of the supporting members.

3. The presidency informs the council of the receipt of a performance motion. The parliamentary services provide the text, the names of the signatories, and the justification in writing.

4. The executive council generally responds to the performance motion within three months.

5. The council decides on the declaration of significance of the performance motion in one of the subsequent sessions.

6. The commission or the initial signatory(ies) may withdraw the performance motion up until the conclusion of the deliberations with a brief justification. Any co-signatories may choose to maintain the performance motion.

1. If the council declares a service motion significant, the government council shall submit the requested proposal to it at the latest in the subsequent comprehensive budget. If the service motion is submitted by the end of January and subsequently declared significant, it must be implemented with the next comprehensive budget.

2. If the task of the service motion is fulfilled before the government council reports, the government council shall apply for its resolution by way of write-off.

3. If the government council reaches the conclusion that the task cannot be achieved within the specified timeframe, it shall explain with which measures and within which period the objective can be achieved.

1. An interpellation requires the government council to provide information about a cantonal matter related to its area of competence.

2. An interpellation can be submitted by one or more members of the council to the presidency. It must be justified and can be signed by additional council members.

3. The presidency informs the council of the receipt of an interpellation. The parliamentary services communicate the text, the names of the signatories, and the justification in writing.

4. The response from the government council is provided in writing within a year. It is delivered to the council members at the latest with the meeting invitation. An interpellation for which urgent handling has been decided can be answered orally.

5. In the council, the first signatory is given the floor for a brief statement on whether he or she is satisfied with the response. A discussion takes place if it is decided by a majority upon request. It is generally conducted in the same session.

1. An information that can be requested through an interpellation must also be provided by the Council of Government in response to a Simple Inquiry. Such an inquiry may be initiated by a member or several members of the council and must be submitted with a signature.

1bis. A Simple Inquiry may include no more than five questions without additional sub-questions.

2. The Council of Government responds to Simple Inquiries in writing, usually within two months. No discussion takes place.

1. For applications from commissions or council members to the government council concerning compliance with applicable law, the obtaining of reports, or the ordering of an investigation, the procedure for motions applies accordingly.

1. A question requests information from the Governing Council about a cantonal matter that falls within its jurisdiction.

2. During a scheduled question hour, each member of the council may pose a maximum of one question. It must be formulated clearly and concisely and include a justification.

3. The question must be submitted in writing to the Parliamentary Services for the attention of the Presidency and for forwarding to the Governing Council by the Wednesday of the week preceding the scheduled question hour.

4. The question hour generally takes place every two months. The Presidency may postpone the question hour to the following session due to overriding matters or time constraints. If necessary, an additional question hour may be scheduled.

5. The Governing Council answers the submitted questions orally during the question hour.

6. A factual comprehension inquiry or follow-up question is permissible.

7. No discussion takes place.

**1. Request pursuant to § 26 of the Cantonal Constitution shall be referred by the executive office of the council to a commission for report and proposal. The commission's president shall obtain a report from the government council concerning the validity and content of the request.**

**2. The commission may also propose a counterproposal to the Grand Council. If no such proposal is submitted, the Grand Council may instruct the commission to draft one.**

1. Deliberations on requests pursuant to § 26 of the cantonal constitution and on any possible counterproposals shall take place in one reading.

2. Any potential counterproposal must be settled by the council before reaching a decision on the initiative request.

3. The council first decides on whether to approve the initiative request. If it approves, the counterproposal is omitted. If it rejects, it then decides on the counterproposal.

4. In the event of the withdrawal of the initiative, the council shall decide in the final vote on a formulated counterproposal at the legislative level through a contingent vote on the authorities' referendum.

1. Petitions to the Grand Council are received by the Presidency and referred to the Justice Commission. Petitions to which Section 5 of the Act on the Exercise of the Right to Petition applies are conclusively handled by the Justice Commission. If necessary, the Justice Commission may request a statement from the Government Council. It reports to the Grand Council and submits a proposal. The response pursuant to Section 4 of the Act on the Exercise of the Right to Petition is provided by a protocol extract.

1. Other submissions to the Grand Council are referred by the Presidency to the Council Office for processing. The Council Office may place the submission on file, submit a motion to the Council, or request an opinion from the Judicial Commission, the Government Council, or the authority concerned.

1. The Grand Council decides on applications for the granting of cantonal citizenship or for pardons upon the request of the Judicial Commission.

1. Elections are open or secret. In every voting round, the absolute majority of the relevant votes is decisive.

1bis In elections with the exclusive nomination right of the Government Council pursuant to § 58 paragraph 1 item 8, empty ballots are not excluded in determining the absolute majority.

2. The chairperson announces the voting round, the type of election, and the election proposals.

1. Elected by Secret Ballot

1. * the President and the Vice President of the Grand Council

2. * the President and the Vice President of the Government Council

3. * the State Secretary

4. * the President, Members, and Substitute Members of the Supreme Court

5. * the President, Vice President, Members, and Substitute Members of the Administrative Court

6. * the President and Members of the Compulsory Measures Court

7. * the Attorney General

8. * the President and Members of the Board of the Cantonal Bank

9. * the Members of the Board of Directors of the Building Insurance

10. * the President, Members, and Substitute Members of the Appeals Committee in Attorney Matters

11. * the Head of the Cantonal Financial Control

12. * the Extraordinary Professional Judges of the District Courts

2. In elections by list, a vote may be cast for no more persons than are to be elected; each name may be written only once.

3. Ballots are collected by the vote counters and tallied by the Council Office. If several secret ballots occur during the same session, the Chair may direct the Council Office to split so that two vote counters and a member of the Council Secretariat determine and record each election result. The Council Office may also be expanded. The counting is conducted under mutual supervision. Votes for non-eligible persons and those that do not clearly designate a candidate are invalid. In list elections, if more candidates achieve an absolute majority than the number of seats available, those with the smallest numbers of votes are eliminated from the election.

4. The Chair confirms an election by naming the elected person or orders a new round of voting. The ballots from a concluded election are destroyed by the parliamentary services after the announcement of the election result, or at the latest immediately after the session.

5. For joint election proposals by political groups, printed ballots from the parliamentary services are permissible in list elections. Members may make deletions or amendments.

1. Open voting is permissible, provided there is a joint nomination from the parliamentary groups that does not list more candidates than are to be elected. However, an election must be conducted by secret ballot if 30 council members approve a corresponding motion.

2. Open voting is possible for

1. * the members of the secretariat and the vote counters of the council as well as the associate members of the council office

2. * the members of the standing committees in accordance with § 60(1), and from among them, the chairpersons

3. * the auditing body of the cantonal bank

4. * the supervisory body of the building insurance

3. For open voting, § 32 applies. The election of several committee members may be conducted collectively if no member objects. The results are to be recorded in the minutes as with votes.

1. For the preliminary consultation of matters according to § 62 to § 66, the Grand Council elects standing committees for the duration of a legislative period

1. * an Audit and Finance Committee consisting of twenty-one members

2. * a Judiciary Committee consisting of fifteen members

3. * a Spatial Planning Committee consisting of fifteen members

4. * a Legislative and Editorial Committee consisting of nine members

5. * a Committee for Climate, Energy, and Environment consisting of fifteen members

2. The committee members are to be elected in a list-based voting system, while the presidents are to be elected individually.

1. Special Commissions are non-permanent commissions consisting of nine to fifteen members. The Council Bureau appoints them for the preliminary consideration of certain proposals or matters, particularly legislative proposals. It can issue a recommendation regarding the composition of the commission before its formation.

2. The Council Bureau may assign additional tasks to the Special Commissions.

1. The parliamentary services publish the composition of the committees. They maintain a register of all committees.

2. The committees, with the exception of the presidium, constitute themselves.

1. The cantonal administration is responsible for keeping the minutes.

2. The Legislative and Drafting Commission may waive the keeping of minutes. In this case, the version of the law drafted by the Commission shall be considered as the minutes.

1. In the appointment of commissions, the parliamentary groups must be taken into account in accordance with their strength. At the beginning of a legislative period, the Council Bureau shall determine the distribution key for the allocation of commission seats to the parliamentary groups upon request of the Presidium Conference of the parliamentary groups. For the Business Audit and Finance Commission, it applies the mathematical method for the distribution of National Council mandates to the cantons according to Article 17 of the Federal Act on Political Rights (BPR) by analogy, ensuring that each parliamentary group receives at least one seat. For the other commissions, the Council Bureau applies the mathematical method for the distribution of National Council mandates according to Articles 40 and 41 BPR by analogy.

1bis. Parliamentary groups that are not entitled to a seat may delegate an observer to all commissions. Members of the commission with this status have the right to make motions and, like members, are obliged to participate in meetings. They only have voting rights if they hold the presidency of a commission.

1ter. Changes in the composition of a parliamentary group during the legislative period do not affect the distribution key.

2. If a member of a commission leaves the delegating parliamentary group during the legislative period in accordance with § 60 para. 1, their commission mandate expires.

1. The Audit and Finance Commission (AFC) fulfills the following duties

1. * Parliamentary oversight of the entire financial budget, particularly the examination of the budget estimate, supplementary credit requests, and the state financial statements

2. * Parliamentary oversight of the entire cantonal administration and independent institutions, including public-law agreements and performance mandates with independent legal entities to which the canton assigns public duties

3. * Examination of the annual reports of the Executive Council and independent institutions

2. The AFC reports to the Grand Council on its activities and the results of its examinations and submits the necessary proposals.

3. The AFC may form subcommissions to fulfill its tasks and delegate tasks and competencies to them. The AFC remains responsible to the Grand Council.

4. The AFC, in agreement with the Executive Council, determines the principles for conducting examinations and establishes the detailed provisions concerning its organization and authority.

5. The term of office for the presidency of the AFC is limited to two years.

1. The Justice Commission fulfills the following tasks

1. * parliamentary supervision over the organization and management of the judicial authorities

2. examination of the accountability reports of the cantonal courts;

3. * activities and powers according to the regulations of the Grand Council on the clemency procedure

4. * activities and powers according to the law on the exercise of the right of petition

5. * preliminary consideration of applications for granting cantonal citizenship

2. The Commission reports to the Grand Council on its activities and the results of its examinations and makes the necessary proposals in the individual areas of concern.

3. The Justice Commission may form subcommissions to carry out its tasks and delegate duties and powers to them. The Justice Commission remains responsible to the Grand Council.

1. The Spatial Planning Commission is responsible for the preliminary examination of reports, concepts, and resolutions concerning spatial planning that are to be addressed by the council, particularly in relation to the Cantonal Structure Plan, and for submitting the necessary proposals.

1. The Commission for Climate, Energy, and Environment is responsible for the preliminary review of reports, concepts, and resolutions concerning climate, energy, and environmental issues that are to be handled by the council, as well as for submitting necessary motions.

1. The Legislative and Drafting Committee reviews the proposals in accordance with § 39. It invites a representative of the preliminary advisory committee and the government council to its meetings.

2. ...

1. The Scope of Activity of Special Commissions Is Derived from Their Mandate.

1. Commissions are invited to meetings by the parliamentary services upon the directive of the presidium.

2. The commissions shall involve, as necessary, those members of the government council who will represent the proposal before the council. They may seek advice from experts who are not members of the council.

2bis. If the commission decides not to enter into the matter, detailed deliberations still occur.

3. The provisions of these rules of procedure apply mutatis mutandis to commission meetings.

4. The commissions approve their own minutes. A copy is submitted to the parliamentary services for preservation in the state archive.

5. After the commission report is available, council members are entitled to inspect all minutes. Excluded from this are minutes of municipal and cantonal supervisory commissions. The commission may decide in exceptional cases to delay or deny inspection. In disputed cases, the council bureau makes a final decision.

6. The commissions decide whether and how to inform the public about the results of their deliberations.

1. A minimum of five members is required to form a parliamentary group. The parliamentary groups must notify the council presidency of their constitution and the names of their members.

1. The presidiums of the parliamentary groups, together with the presidency and vice-presidency, form the Parliamentary Group Presidiums Conference. It is chaired by a parliamentary group president. This president is elected by the conference members for a legislative period.

2. The Parliamentary Group Presidiums Conference ensures contact among the parliamentary groups and particularly prepares the electoral matters.

3. It can also be convened by the presidency or upon the request of one of the other members.

1. Members of the Grand Council are paid session fees and travel allowances for attending faction meetings in accordance with § 72.

1. The Grand Council regulates by special decree the compensations for its members and the factions.

1. At the request of any member, the Official Journal and the Thurgau Code of Law shall be provided free of charge.

1. Parliamentary Services prepare the accounting for the compensations of the council members. The minutes are decisive for attendance at council meetings, while for committee or faction meetings, the report of the respective presidium is decisive. The cantonal financial control audits the accounting. In disputes regarding compensations, the council office makes the decision.

2. Compensations are transferred to the members biannually. The Parliamentary Services prepare a detailed account.

1. A motion may direct the council office to submit a proposal for the amendment of these standing orders. The council office may also of its own accord submit a message for change to the Grand Council.