Which members are essential for achieving a quorum in state council meetings?

Achieving a quorum in state council meetings is crucial for making certain that decisions and actions taken by the council are valid and representative of the members. The correct answer points to the majority of active state council members as being essential for this purpose.

A quorum is generally defined as the minimum number of members that must be present for the council to conduct its business legally. By requiring a majority of the active members, it ensures that decisions reflect a consensus of those who are actively participating in the council's operations. This type of requirement promotes accountability and fair representation in the decision-making process.

The other options do not meet the standard necessary for a quorum. Requiring all active members would be impractical and could lead to frequent inaction if even one member were unable to attend. Having just the council chairs present does not represent the full membership, which could lead to biased outcomes. Similarly, the presence of the state ombudsman and their aides does not automatically satisfy the quorum requirements as their roles are more about oversight and support rather than direct representation of the council's active membership.