The ballot to approve the CDV1 for the Z136.8 Safe Use of Lasers in Research, Development, or Testing closed Monday, 26 August 2019 at 5:00 PM EDT; the public review comment deadline of this same document closed 2 September 2019 with no comments. Of 44 eligible votes, 40 responses were received (90%) within the published balloting period, which makes this a valid ballot in accordance with Z136 Procedures, Clause 7.9 (a), “Three quarters (75%) of the ballots shall be returned (including abstentions) from those in the Balloting Group in order for the ballot to be valid.”
According to the Procedures, Clause 7.8 (b), “Two thirds affirmative votes of the ballots returned (following ballot resolution) shall be required (excluding abstentions) for approval.” Of the 40 responses received, 34 votes were affirmative or affirmative with comment (91%). Three votes were negative with reasons, and the final three responses were abstentions, one due to agency/organizational restrictions and one due to lack of time, and one due to family obligations that came up.
In accordance with ASC Z136 Procedures, an effort to resolve all expressed objections accompanied by comments related to the proposal under consideration shall be made. Each unresolved objection and attempt at resolution, and any substantive change made in a proposed American National Standard shall be circulated to the entire balloting group to allow each member to confirm or change their vote or to comment. All consensus body balloting group (CBBG) members will have the opportunity to respond to the recirculation ballot, including cases where they did not cast an earlier vote or abstained. Per our procedures, Clause 7.5, “During ballot recirculation, a balloter can only change his/her vote based on the changed portions of the proposed standard, or on the unresolved negative comments. A balloter cannot change his/her vote based on a clause previously seen and approved, unless that clause is affected by the new material.” And Clause A.2, “Any new issue or recommended technical change raised during this recirculation should be retained by the Secretariat for consideration during the next maintenance cycle.”
A copy of the summary of consensus body balloting group vote by interest category will be posted in the ASC Z136 - General Area of this web site.