Teleconference/Videoconference Meeting Rules

To make meetings accessible so they are easy for everyone to attend, the Louisiana Developmental Disabilities Council Council lets members and guest participate using Zoom and YouTube. All meetings are recorded. They are available on the Council’s YouTube channel for at least two years.

Council Member Participation

Quorum 

The Council may only do business when more than half the members are present. This is called a quorum.

Council or Committee members who participate using Zoom:

• Are considered present and counted towards a quorum when they keep their video feed on, their face can be seen, and their first and last name shows on the screen. Members who participate from the anchor location are also counted. 
• Should tell staff if they have any technical problems. Technical problems are things like losing the connection to the meeting, or not being able to hear speakers or have them hear you.
  • The Chair will stop (recess) the meeting until the problem is fixed and the member can participate again.
  • If the quorum is lost because of technical problems, no more action may be taken. The meeting will be stopped (recessed) until the member can  join the meeting again. If the member is not able to rejoin within one hour of the time they lost connection, the Chair ends (adjourns) the meeting,
  • If the quorum is not lost because of technical problems, the Chair stops (recesses) the meeting for at least fifteen (15) minutes to give the member time to reconnect. If the member cannot reconnect after 15 minutes, the meeting may continue as long as there is a quorum.
  • If the anchor location has technical problems that cause a loss of quorum, the Chair stops (recesses) the meeting. If the technical problem cannot be fixed within one hour, the meeting is ended (adjourned).

Speaking

Council or Committee members who participate using Zoom should:

• Keep their microphones turned off (muted) unless the Chair calls on them to speak. 
• Electronically raise their hand to ask the Chair to let them to speak. 
  • They should turn on their microphone when the Chair calls on them to speak. After they talk, they should turn off (mute) their microphone.

Voting  

Council or Committee members who participate using Zoom: 

• May participate and vote when they have their video feed on, their face can be seen, and their first and last name shows on the screen.
• All Council members participating from the anchor location may vote.

Public Comment:

• Members of the public may send written comments to the Council before the meeting. Comments must be sent by 12:00 p.m. (noon) the day before the meeting. People who want to send comments should use the Council’s public comment form. The form is posted on the Council website with the meeting notice and agenda.
• During the meeting, the public can comment   before all votes and during a time listed on the agenda. The Chair may also let the public comment at other times.  
• Any member of the public may make a public comment by electronically
  • raising their hand to ask to comment. 
  • Staff will turn on their microphone when the Chair calls on them to speak. After speaking, staff   will turn off (mute) their microphone 
• The Chair can limit how much time members of the public can speak. If this happens, the staff will use a timer to keep track