What it is
Remote voting for council members on maternity or sick leave
It is a members’ bill. Introduced by parliamentary groups, the Senate, regional governments or citizens. It was introduced on 19 May 2017. Introduced by: Grupo Parlamentario Socialista.
Official title: Private member's bill amending Act 7/1985, of 2 April, regulating the Basic Regime of Local Government, to allow remote voting by councilors in City Councils and Provincial Councils in cases of leave due to maternity, paternity, pregnancy, and serious illness.
Source: Congreso de los Diputados, file 122/000100· updated 11 Nov
Automatic summary, not yet reviewed
- The bill would allow municipal councilors and provincial council members to vote remotely in Plenary sessions when on maternity, paternity, pregnancy or serious illness leave that prevents them from attending. They would have to justify it before the corporation's Secretary.
- Those voting remotely in these situations would count as present when calculating the majorities needed to adopt decisions.
- Outside these cases, if a councilor leaves after debate on a matter has started, the absence would count as an abstention in the vote.
- The law would take effect six months after publication in the Official State Gazette for municipalities over 10,000 residents, provincial councils, island councils (cabildos) and island councils (consejos insulares). In smaller municipalities, it would take effect one year after publication.
Who it affects
- Councilors in municipalities over 10,000 residents: They could vote remotely when on maternity, paternity, pregnancy or serious illness leave, six months after the law takes effect.
- Councilors in municipalities under 10,000 residents: Same, but the measure would apply starting one year after publication.
- Provincial council members, cabildos and consejos insulares: They could also use remote voting in these leave situations.
- Municipalities and provincial councils: They would need to adapt their operating rules and set up the necessary technical means during the lead-in period.
Words worth knowing
- Pleno
- The body of a municipality or provincial council made up of all its elected members, which takes the main decisions.
- Voto telemático
- Remote voting by electronic means, without being physically present at the session.
- Voto de calidad
- An extra vote by the chair that breaks a tie.
- Abstención
- Abstention: not voting for or against. Here, leaving during debate counts as choosing not to vote.
It summarizes the text as it was introduced. It is written by artificial intelligence and may contain mistakes: the official text is what counts. Read the official text · How we make summaries
Where it stands
How far did it get?
It took 2 of 7 steps. It reached Admitted, and today it is unfinished.
- Introduced19 May 2017Someone registers the text in the Congreso.
- Admitted29 May 2017The Bureau of the Congreso accepts it and, for a members’ bill, the plenary decides whether to consider it.
- Amendmentsnot reachedGroups propose changes.
- Committeenot reachedA committee goes through the text in detail.
- Plenarynot reachedAll 350 deputies vote.
- Senatenot reachedThe Senate can pass it, amend it or veto it.
- BOEnot reachedIt is published in the Official State Gazette (BOE) and comes into force.
See the 6 official steps on a timeline
Was there a plenary vote?
We have no plenary vote linked to this law in the Congreso’s data.
What happens next
What happens now?
The legislature ended before it finished. To go on, someone would have to introduce it again in the new Cortes.
It has not been presented again yet.
Sources
Where does all this come from?
- Congreso de los Diputados, file 122/000100
Official title, type, author, dates and stage.
Retrieved 11 November 2026
- The data comes from the open files of the Congreso, the Senate and the BOE, unaltered.
- Each deputy’s province is the one of their seat on the day of the vote.
- We only say “passed” or “rejected” when the majority needed is certain; otherwise we say which side had more votes.