Law on the Organisation of the Government Council and the Cantonal Administration (OG RR) (OGRR)

1 The Government Council consists of seven members. It is supported as a collegial body

by the State Secretary.

2 The members are elected for a term of four years.

3 Each member heads a department.

II. Duties

1 The Government Council is responsible for political planning and leadership at the cantonal level.

2 It determines the objectives, means, and measures of its policy.

3 It takes all precautions to ensure governmental activity at all times.

4 The members of the Government Council prioritize governmental tasks over the management of the administration.

Objectives and Leadership

1 At the beginning of a term of office, the Government Council shall draw up the guidelines of the Government Policy Guidelines and submit them to the Cantonal Council for information. The guidelines provide information about the goals to be achieved during the term of office.

2 The rolling planning in accordance with the Law on Controlling and Accounting shall be aligned with the Government Policy Guidelines.

3 At the end of the term of office, the Government Council shall review whether the goals could be achieved and report to the Cantonal Council.

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Government Council Organization Act (OG RR)

The Cantonal Government examines its financial decisions for their economic viability, as well as their financial and economic cycle policy sustainability.

1. The Government Council directs the preliminary procedure for constitutional and legislative processes. The right of proposal by the people and the Cantonal Council remains reserved.

2. It submits drafts for constitutional amendments and laws to the Cantonal Council and issues ordinances within the framework and on the basis of the Constitution and the law.

3. The Government Council reviews its legislative work for its conformity with the legislative objectives set out in the guidelines of government policy and in the rolling plan.

1. The Government Council ensures the execution of superordinate, intercantonal, and cantonal law.

2. It exercises administrative jurisdiction insofar as it is assigned to it by legislation. By ordinance, it can establish an appeals commission that decides in its place.

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1 The Executive Council represents the Canton externally.

2 It negotiates international and intercantonal treaties.

3 The Executive Council concludes in its own name

a. agreements on the execution of enactments,

b. treaties for the conclusion of which it is authorised by a law or the Cantonal Council,

c. treaties concerning matters for which it would be solely responsible in the internal cantonal sphere,

d.17 treaties concerning the cooperation of municipalities with municipalities of other Cantons in accordance with § 82 of the Municipal Act of April 20, 20154.

4 The information and consultation of the Cantonal Council shall be governed by the Cantonal Council Act of April 5, 19815.

**12 The Cantonal Government grants the competent Directorate a negotiation mandate for:**

a. entering into negotiations concerning intercantonal or international treaties of particular significance;

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Organizational Law of the Cantonal Government (OG RR)

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b. participating in intercantonal conferences or bodies, insofar as these are to make a decision of particular significance.

**1 The Government Council supervises the administration.** It is supported in this supervisory role by the State Chancellery and the Financial Control.

**2 In accordance with special statutory provisions, it supervises:**

a. organizations under cantonal public law,

b. privately organised bodies performing administrative tasks, to the extent that it concerns activities in connection with the delegated task.

1 The Government Council cultivates relations with the public, information,

and with the authorities of the Federation, the other cantons, and the communication

municipalities.

2 It ensures coordinated and continuous information

of the public and open communication within the administration.

III. Organization

1. **Constituent Meeting and Assumption of Office**

The members of the Government Council gather immediately after taking the oath of office for their constituent meeting. They thereby assume their office.

2. Following a general election, the Government Council provisionally constitutes itself as soon as four members have been legally elected.11

3. Once all members have been legally elected, the Government Council definitively constitutes itself.11

1 The Government Council takes its decisions as a collegial body. The Collegial Body and the

Members of the Government Council represent the decisions of the collegial body. Directorates

They give precedence to representing the collegial body over their position as Head of a Directorate.

2 The Government Council makes the final decision on conflicts of competence between the Directorates.

1 The Government Council designates a substitute from among its members for each of its members.

2 If both are unable to attend, the Government Council designates an extraordinary substitute from among its members.

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IV. Procedure

Organizational Act of the Government Council (OG RR)

Convening

Preparation

and Specifications

Chairmanship and

Participation

Deliberations

Quorum

**1. Meetings of the Government Council**

1 The Government Council meets as often as the course of business requires.

2 It is convened by the State Clerk, upon instruction of the President or Vice-President of the Government.

3 Any member of the Government Council may at any time request that a meeting be held.

**1 The directorates and the State Chancellery prepare the business of the Government Council and submit proposals.**

**2 For matters of significant importance, the Government Council may specify the substantive objectives and the framework to the preparing body.**

1 The Cantonal Governor (Regierungspräsidentin or Regierungspräsident)

leads the negotiations of the Cantonal Council (Regierungsrat).

2 The members of the Cantonal Council

as well as the State Scribe (Staatsschreiberin or Staatsschreiber) take part in the meetings.

3 The Cantonal Council may call in additional persons.

**1 The Cantonal Government usually decides after joint consultation of its members.**

**2 It determines the matters on which it decides in a simplified procedure. Each member may request a deliberation.**

**3 The State Secretary has an advisory vote.**

**4 The results of the meeting are recorded in the minutes. A minority of the authority is entitled to have their vote, along with the reasons put forward by them, noted in the minutes.**

1 The Government Council may make decisions if at least four

members are present.

2 If, due to illness, reasons for recusal, or other unavoidable

impediments, only three members are present, they may make decisions,

provided they unanimously declare the matter in question to be urgent.

3 The Government Council decides by a majority of votes. If it

is composed of an odd number of members, its presiding member only votes

in the event of a tie. The other members are obliged to vote. If it

is composed of an even number of members, the presiding member votes.

In the event of a tie, their vote counts double.

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Organizational Act of the Government Council (OG RR)

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1 Members of the Cantonal Government, as well as the State Chancelloress or the State Chancellor, shall recuse themselves from deliberations and decision-making when orders issued by the directorates they head, the State Chancellery, or bodies in which they hold a seat are challenged before the Cantonal Government.

2 Otherwise, the provisions of the Administrative Justice Act apply accordingly.

The deliberations of the Government Council are not public- Exclusion of

the Public

V. Further Rights and Duties of the Members of the Government Council15

The compensation of the members of the Government Council shall be determined by the Cantonal Council.

15 1 The members of the Government Council shall inform the State

Chancellery in writing upon assuming office and at the beginning

of each official year about

a. participations in private law companies, comprising at least 5%

of the company's capital or voting rights,

b. activities in executive and supervisory bodies as well as in advisory

bodies of Swiss and foreign corporations, institutions, and foundations

under private and public law,

c. representations of the Canton in Swiss and foreign corporations,

institutions, and foundations under private and public law,

d. participation in commissions and other federal bodies.

2 The State Chancellery shall publish this information in a register.

Disclosure of interests

B. The Presidency of the Government Council

1 The Government Council elects the Government President or

the Government President as well as the Vice-President for a one-year term of office. This term ends on April 30 and, in the year of general election, with the term of office of the entire authority.

2 If the President or her or his deputy is unable to perform their duties, the Government Council appoints an extraordinary deputy.

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Organisational Law of the Government Council (OG RR)

Tasks

1 The President directs the business of the Government Council.

2 The President

a. ensures that the Government Council addresses and concludes its tasks promptly, appropriately, and in a coordinated manner,

b. prepares the deliberations of the Government Council and mediates in contentious matters,

c. oversees that the supervision of the Government Council over the cantonal administration is appropriately organized and exercised.

3 To fulfill these tasks, the President may request investigations and measures.

Presidential

Decisions

1 If the timely handling of urgent matters is not possible in the Government Council, the President shall decide in its place.

2 These decisions shall be brought to the attention of the Government Council.

3 The Government Council may authorize the President and the Vice-President to decide matters of minor importance themselves.

Function and

Position

State Scribe

or State Clerk

Duties

C. The State Chancellery

1 The State Chancellery is the general staff office of the Government Council and its Presidium, and its liaison office to the Cantonal Council.

2 The organization and management of the State Chancellery are governed, subject to special orders of the Government Council, by the provisions of this law on the cantonal administration, with the exception of the provision concerning the general secretariats.

1 The Cantonal Council appoints the State Secretary and their deputy.

2 The State Secretary is subordinate to the President.

3 The State Secretary heads the State Chancellery. They hold the position of a Director with respect to the State Chancellery.

1 The State Chancellery advises and supports the Government Council and its Presidency in carrying out governmental tasks.

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Government Council Organization Act (OG RR)

172.1

2 It is active in particular in the following areas

a. holistic leadership and management of the administration,

b. coordination of administrative activities,

c. clarification of legal questions,

d. public information in cooperation with the Directorates,

e. information exchange between the Government Council and the Directorates,

f. external representation.

3 The Government Council may designate a government spokesperson for the information tasks of the State Chancellery.

D. Committees and Commissions

1 For specific business, the Government Council may appoint committees from its midst. These generally consist of three members.

2 The committees prepare deliberations and decisions of the Government Council or conduct negotiations on behalf of the collegium with other authorities or with private parties.

3 The committees are supported by the State Chancellery.

The Government Council may appoint commissions that

a. advise it,

b. prepare or review its business,

c. supervise independent administrative units as well as organizations and persons according to § 8 para. 2.

a. Advisory

Commissions

The transfer of tasks from the Government Council to commissions with decision-making powers requires a legal basis.

1 The Government Council establishes commissions by decision c. Establishment

one.

2 It regulates the fundamental aspects of their tasks, responsibilities, and organization by ordinance or on a case-by-case basis.

3 Commissions are administratively assigned to a Directorate or the State Chancellery.

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Government Council Organization Act (OG RR)

Elections and

Votes

1 The elections and ballots in the committees and commissions are governed by the corresponding provisions for the municipal authorities.

2 Deviating statutory and regulatory law remains reserved.

Part Two: Administration

A. Fundamentals

Subordination

and Governance

of the Administration

1 The Government Council directs and steers administrative activities.

2 In doing so, it observes the principles of modern public administration and, in particular, the principle of congruence between tasks, competences, and responsibility.

3 It promotes the performance and innovative capacity of the administration.

4 It coordinates the administrative activities of the directorates and adapts the organization of the administration to changing circumstances.

Principles of Action

1 The administration acts in accordance with the Constitution and the law. In doing so, it observes the principles of economy, proximity to citizens, and sustainability.

2 It aligns its actions with the goals and priorities of the Government Council.

3 It monitors important developments, assesses the need for action at an early stage, proposes corresponding goals, resources, and measures to the Government Council, and develops implementation options.

Management and

Control

a. In General 16

B. Management Instruments

1 With task planning and financial planning, the Government Council and the administration ensure the connection between service provision and financing.

2 Task planning and financial planning have a medium-term perspective and serve

a. political objective setting and leadership at the Government and Directorate level,

b. the implementation of objective setting and control at the level of the Directorates and subordinate administrative units.

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Organizational Act of the Government Council (OG RR)

172.1

3 The planning for the hierarchical levels mentioned in paragraph 2 must be coordinated with each other.

16 The Government Council shall annually prepare a long-term, stra- b. Real estate

tegic plan for the real estate of the Canton and its public law institu- planning

tions and submit it to the Cantonal Council for approval. Excepted are the real estate properties

a. of Zürcher Kantonalbank,

b. of Elektrizitätswerke des Kantons Zürich,

c. of Sozialversicherungsanstalt des Kantons Zürich,

d. of Gebäudeversicherung.

The Director of a department, together with the subordinate administrative units, defines and establishes their goals and services.

**Impact Assessment**

The Government Council assesses the impact of administrative services.

**C. Organization**

The Government Council reports annually to the Cantonal Council on its management.

1 The Government Council assigns areas of responsibility, duties, and

tasks to the directorates.

2 It regulates the basic principles of the organisation in an ordinance6.

3 In doing so, it particularly observes the following criteria

a. coherence of tasks,

b. expediency of management and workload of the director or

head of the directorate,

c. factual and political balance among the directorates.

4 The Government Council determines whether subordinate administrative

units make decisions in their own name or in the name of the directorate.

Organisation

of the Directorates

1. 1 The Government Council assigns a directorate to each of its members.

Assignment of

Directorates

2 The members of the Government Council are obliged to take over the directorate assigned to them.

3 No member is obliged to head the same directorate for more than two consecutive terms of office.

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Organisation

of Administrative

Units and

Self-assumption

of Duties

a. In General16

b. For Real Estate

Planning

172.1

Government Council Organisation Act (OG RR)

1 The Head of the Directorate determines the structure of the administrative units and specifies the business processes. Special provisions for individual administrative units and competencies specifically regulated by legislation remain reserved.

2 Within the framework of the ordinance pursuant to § 38, the Head of the Directorate has unrestricted rights of instruction, supervision, and self-entry in individual cases. The Head of an administrative unit has the corresponding right.

1 OS 60, 334.

2 ABI 2004, 41.

3 Entry into force: 1 September 2007 (OS 62, 272). § 48 lit. b in force since 1 January

2006 (OS 60, 344).

4 LS 131.1.

5 LS 171.1.

6 LS 172.11.

7 LS 173.1. Today: District Administration Act (BezVG).

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172.1

Government Council Organisation Act (OG RR)

8 LS 175.2.

9 LS 700.1.

10 For text, see OS 60, 334.

11 Inserted by Act on Political Rights of 14 September 2009 (OS 64, 693; ABI 2008,

2069). In force since 1 January 2010.

12 Inserted by Act on Enhanced Involvement of the Cantonal Council in the Area

of Intercantonal and International Cooperation of 10 September 2012 (OS 68,

103; ABI 2011, 1270). In force since 1 April 2013.

13 Version according to Act on Enhanced Involvement of the Cantonal Council in the

Area of Intercantonal and International Cooperation of 10 September 2012 (OS

68, 103; ABI 2011, 1270). In force since 1 April 2013.

14 Inserted by Act of 2 November 2015 (OS 71, 153; ABI 2015-03-27). In force

since 1 January 2016.

15 Inserted by Act of 24 October 2016 (OS 72, 148; ABI 2015-08-28). In force since

1 May 2017.

16 Inserted by Act of 2 November 2015 (OS 71, 153; ABI 2015-03-27). In force

since 1 January 2018.

17 Inserted by Municipal Act of 20 April 2015 (OS 72, 183; ABI 2013-04-19). In

force since 1 January 2018.

18 Inserted by Act on Administrative Investigations of 22 February 2021 (OS 76,

447; ABI 2018-07-20). In force since 1 January 2022.

19 Version according to Act on Administrative Investigations of 22 February 2021 (OS

76, 447; ABI 2018-07-20). In force since 1 January 2022.

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16 1 The Department of Construction is responsible for real estate owned

by the Canton. It designates an administrative unit for this purpose. The Department of Construction implements real estate planning in accordance with § 34a

and deploys investment funds in line with real estate planning.

It performs the following tasks

a. adequate provision of real estate to the cantonal administration and public-

law institutions,

b. project development, project planning, and project execution,

c. optimal utilization of investment funds for real estate,

d. representation of the Canton's ownership interests,

e. ensuring the preservation of the value of the real estate.

2 The Government Council may delegate commercial, technical, and infra-

structural building management, or parts thereof, to the users.

3 The Government Council establishes standards for cantonal real estate

that consider the principles of economic efficiency and sustainability.

4 The Departments and public-law institutions determine their space requirements

and report these to the administrative unit within the framework of long-term,

strategic planning. The administrative unit provides them with real estate for remunerated use. The costs for such use must be disclosed.

5 Paras. 1-4 are not applicable to

a. the Zürcher Kantonalbank,

b. the Elektrizitätswerke des Kantons Zürich,

c. the Sozialversicherungsanstalt des Kantons Zürich,

d. the Gebäudeversicherung,

e. the Universität Zürich.

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Organisationsgesetz des Regierungsrates (OG RR)

172.1

6 The Government Council shall issue an ordinance for the implementation of these

provisions. The ordinance requires the approval of the Cantonal Council.

1 The General Secretariat is the staff unit of the Directorate.

It is headed by the Secretary-General.

General Secretariat

2 The General Secretariat

a. supports the Director in the planning, organization, and coordination of the Directorate's activities, as well as in the preparation of decisions,

b. performs supervisory functions according to the instructions of the Director,

c. ensures that the planning and activities of the Directorate are coordinated with those of the Government Council, the other Directorates, and the State Chancellery,

d. supports the Director in the preparation of the Government Council's business.

3 The Secretary-General may also be assigned tasks other than staff duties.

The Head of Directorate may authorize individuals within their own area of responsibility to sign on their behalf.

**1 Conference of Secretaries-General**

1 The Conference of Secretaries-General deals with tasks concerning general administration.

2 It ensures the flow of information between the directorates and supports the Government Council in the preparation and implementation of decisions.

3 The State Scribe (Chancery Director/State Secretary) presides.

Here is the English translation of the provided legal text

1 For the registration, administration, indexing, and monitoring of its business transactions and affairs, as well as for their communication, every organ of the cantonal administration may, in accordance with cantonal legislation, operate an information and documentation system.

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Organization Act of the Government Council (OG RR)

2 This system may contain particularly sensitive data and personality profiles, insofar as these arise from business transactions or from the nature of the affair. The relevant organ of the cantonal administration may only store personal data if they serve to

a. process its affairs,

b. organize work processes,

c. ascertain whether it processes data about a specific person,

d. facilitate access to documentation.

3 All offices of the cantonal administration have access to personal data, insofar as they require them for the performance of their duties.

D. Administrative Investigation18

18 1 The Directorates and the State Chancellery may initiate an

administrative investigation if, within their area of responsibility,

a. significant deficiencies exist or serious breaches of duty have been

committed,

b. there is a corresponding suspicion.

2 They may delegate the initiation of the administrative investigation to a

subordinate administrative unit.

3 Whoever conducts an administrative investigation is entitled to

a. process the data required to ensure the purpose of the investigation,

including personal data and sensitive personal data, and

b. forward this data to authorities conducting criminal and administrative

proceedings related to the administrative investigation.

4 The Government Council shall regulate the details in an ordinance.

E.19 District Administration

1 The district administration is under the direction of the Government

Council.

2 The provisions of this law apply mutatis mutandis to the district

administration, unless the law on district administration contains

deviating provisions.

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Organizational Law of the Government Council (OG RR)

Part Three: Transitional and Final Provisions

A. Transitional Provisions

172.1

1 The Government Council may deviate from organizational provisions

governing administration in other laws. Excluded are organizational

provisions that expressly limit its organizational competence.

2 If the Government Council deviates from a statutory provision, it shall

propose to the Cantonal Council, within four years of the entry into force of this

Law, the adaptation of the relevant enactment.

B. Final Provisions

repealed the Organization and Rules of Procedure of the Government Council and its Directorates of February 26, 1899.

a. The Cantonal Council Act of April 5, 19815: . . .10

b. The Planning and Building Act of September 7, 19759: ...10

Repeal of existing law

Amendment of current law

Transitional provision for the amendment of November 2, 201514

(OS 71, 153)

The Government Council submits the ordinance to the Cantonal Council in accordance with