Rules of Procedure

1. This Schedule applies to the conduct of a remote meeting of the Council or a committee pursuant to an authorization of the Council under Rule 81A(1) (Remote Meetings of Council or Committee) (“remote meeting”).
2. The provisions of the Rules of Procedure, House Rules and any other rules and procedures made under the Rules of Procedure shall remain in force except as may be modified or supplemented by this Schedule.

3. Where the President or the chairman of a committee determines that an event or occurrence specified in the resolution referred to in Rule 81A(1) (Remote Meetings of Council or Committee) has reached a point that precludes the Council or a committee from conducting a physical meeting in the Legislative Council Complex, he may direct that meetings of the Council or the committee be conducted remotely. Notice and agenda for a remote meeting shall be given in accordance with the current provisions of the Rules of Procedure.

4. Where a remote meeting is conducted:
   • (a)
     the President or the chairman of a committee or any other presiding Member (as the case may be), other Members attending the meeting and persons invited or summoned to attend the meeting shall join the meeting remotely from a place within Hong Kong through the virtual, digital or electronic means determined by the Council under the resolution passed pursuant to Rule 81A(1) (Remote Meetings of Council or Committee);
   • (b)
     the President or the chairman of a committee or any other presiding Member (as the case may be) shall have all the powers as provided for in the current provisions of the Rules of Procedure;
   • (c)
     Members of the Council or a committee attending the meeting and other participants are required to participate in the meeting from a place within Hong Kong through the virtual, digital or electronic means determined under paragraph (a) and have their faces shown on the screen while they are participating in the meeting; and
   • (d)
     Members of the Council or a committee who participate in a remote meeting in accordance with paragraph (c) shall be counted as present for the purposes of constituting the quorum for the meeting and of voting at the meeting. The identities of participating Members shall be verified or authenticated in accordance with the procedures or guidelines prescribed by the President.

5. Only Members who are present when voting takes place shall be permitted to vote.

6. Save as otherwise provided in paragraph 9, voting at a remote meeting shall be conducted by a show of hands via the virtual, digital or electronic means determined under paragraph 4(a) in accordance with the provisions of Rule 47 (Decision of Council and Committee of the Whole Council) and the procedures or guidelines prescribed by the President as appropriate.
7. For any voting in committees (other than a committee of the whole Council, the Finance Committee and its subcommittees), irrespective of whether a division is ordered, members will be notified of the impending voting by the Legislative Council Secretariat if the chairman orders or upon request of a member.
8. Subject to the provision of an electronic voting system, when a division is ordered, voting at a remote meeting shall be conducted via the virtual, digital or electronic means determined under paragraph 4(a) in accordance with the provisions of Rule 49 (Divisions) and the procedures or guidelines prescribed by the President as appropriate.

9. Where an electronic voting system is provided for the purposes of a division ordered at a remote meeting of the Council, a committee of the whole Council, the Finance Committee or its subcommittees, the President, the Chairman in a committee of the whole Council or the chairman of the Finance Committee or its subcommittees may direct that the Members present and voting shall cast their votes in the division by using such electronic voting system in accordance with the procedures or guidelines prescribed by the President.
10. The procedures or guidelines prescribed under paragraph 9 may provide for matters relating to the manner of conducting a division, including the verification or authentication of the identities of Members present and voting, and the ascertainment of a vote at a division at a remote meeting.
11. Before a matter is voted upon by using the electronic voting system, Members will be notified of the impending voting by the Legislative Council Secretariat.

12. Remote meetings are deemed to be held in public if records of their proceedings are made available to members of the press and of the public by webcast via the Legislative Council website or a publicly accessible social media platform.
13. Members of the press and of the public may observe the open proceedings of the Council or a committee in a remote meeting via either the Legislative Council website or a publicly accessible social media platform.
14. Public access to the precincts of the Chamber shall be precluded during the whole of any day on which a remote meeting is conducted.

15. In addition to his powers to prescribe procedures or guidelines under paragraphs 4(d), 6, 8 and 9, the President may prescribe other procedures or guidelines relating to any such matter as may be relevant to the conduct of remote meetings.