RULES OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Hour of Meeting
2. Order of Business
3. Absent Members and Officers
4. House Committees
5. Bills and Printed Matter
6. Bills Proposing Changes to Laws
7. Three Readings
8. Introduction of Bills
9. First Reading by Title
10. Placed on General File
11. Second Reading
12. Third Reading
13. Vote
14. Speaking Limit
15. Point of Order, Time Limit
16. Call to Order While Speaking
17. Personal Privileges
18. Parliamentary Practice
19. Suspension of Rules
20. Seconding Motions
21. Appeals
22. Removal of Officers
23. Persons Admitted
24. Motions and Questions
25. Journal Entries
26. Uncontested Bills
27. Smoking
28. Special Rules for the Budget Session
29. Concurrence
RULES OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
1. HOUR OF MEETING
1-1 The House shall meet each day of sitting at 10 o'clock
a.m. unless another time was designated at the preceding
adjournment.
2. ORDER OF BUSINESS
2-1 The following shall be the usual order of business but
the order may be changed as necessary for the efficient
management of business:
a. Roll call
b. Prayer by the chaplain
c. Journal committee report
d. Messages from the Governor or Senate
e. Unfinished business
f. Introduction, reading and reference of bills
g. Senate files on first reading
h. Reports from standing committees
i. Reports from select committees
j. Bills on second reading
k. Bills on third reading and final passage
l. Consideration of bills on general file
m. Special orders and committee announcements
n. Adjournment
[Ref: Mason's §§ 200 to 210, 710 to 714]
3. ABSENT MEMBERS AND OFFICERS
3-1 No member or officer shall be absent from the service of
the House except:
a. In case of sickness;
b. With permission of the Speaker first obtained; or
c. By a majority vote of the House first obtained.
QUORUM -- HOW MAINTAINED
3-2 In case fewer than a quorum of the House shall convene,
the Speaker is authorized to send the sergeant-at-arms,
or any other person for any or all members absent without
leave. [Ref: Mason's §§ 191, 500 to 506]
4. HOUSE COMMITTEES
4-1 House standing committees shall be appointed by the
Speaker of the House, with the advice and consent of the
rules and procedure committee. House standing committees
are as follows:
1. Judiciary
2. Appropriations
3. Revenue
4. Education
5. Agriculture, Public Lands and Water Resources
6. Travel, Recreation, Wildlife and Cultural
Resources
7. Corporations, Elections and Political Subdivisions
8. Transportation and Highways
9. Minerals, Business and Economic Development
10. Labor, Health and Social Services
11. Journal
12. Rules and Procedure
[Ref: Mason's §§ 600 to 602]
COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP
4-2 Membership on committees shall be apportioned as nearly
as possible to reflect the percentage of the elected
membership of the majority and minority parties of the
House.
(a) Committees shall have nine members with these
exceptions:
Committee No. 2, Appropriations, seven members;
Committee No. 11, Journal, two members; and
Committee No. 12, Rules and Procedure,
thirteen members.
[Ref: Mason's §§ 600 to 602]
STANDING COMMITTEE DUTIES
4-3 Standing committees shall take charge of and report in
writing on all matters referred to them respectively. The
vote on final disposition of all bills will be included
in the committee report, indicating how each member
voted. All committee meetings will be open to the public
unless declared an executive session by the chairman.
The chairman may be overruled only by a recorded majority
vote of the committee membership. [Ref: Mason's §§ 611,
615 to 618, 663 to 678]
RECALLING BILLS FROM COMMITTEE
4-4 Any bill or other matter which has been referred to any
committee may be recalled after a reasonable time by
a motion duly made and seconded by five members and
adopted by a majority of the elected members.
CHANGES IN COMMITTEE
4-5 The Speaker of the House may appoint a member to fill any
vacancy occurring on any house standing committee during
the interim providing the appointment is made with the
advice of the respective majority or minority leader,
dependent upon the party in which the vacancy has
occurred.
CONFERENCE COMMITTEES, MEMBERSHIP
4-6 (a) The Speaker shall appoint three members to a
conference committee following "Mason's Manual"
Sections 769 and 770, generally; and Section 769-6,
specifically.
(b) When a majority of the conferees from each
house have reached an agreement as to the contents
of a conference committee report on a House Bill,
the Chairman, as soon as is reasonably possible,
shall have the conference committee report drafted,
signed by members of the committee, and shall
deliver the bill along with the signed copies of
the report to the House Chief Clerk as specified in
Joint Rule 2-3.
[Ref: Mason's §§ 766 to 775]
JOURNAL COMMITTEE DUTIES
4-7 The journal committee shall meet each day prior to the
opening of the session for the purpose of examining the
House journal and making recommendations thereto in the
form of a written report to the House. [Ref: Mason's §§
694 to 703]
5. BILLS AND PRINTED MATTER
IDENTIFICATION
5-1 Each legislative bill presented to the chief clerk for
introduction to the House shall show on the cover its
title and the sponsor's signature. The name(s) of the
sponsors shall be shown on reproductions of each bill.
NO CHANGE OF SPONSORS
5-2 After the first reading of a measure, no change in its
sponsorship shall be made.
IDENTITY OF PRINTED MATTER
5-3 No outside printed material shall be distributed on the
floor of the House unless it is identified as to its
source and authorized by a member of the house or by the
chief clerk.
6. BILLS PROPOSING CHANGES TO LAWS
6-1 In the preparation of each bill amending any chapter,
article, section, subsection or other portion of an
existing Wyoming statute or adding to such statutes, the
following provisions shall govern:
LINE OUT DELETIONS
(a) Whenever any word or combination of words in
any existing statute is to be omitted in the
drafting of a bill therefor, the omission shall be
indicated by showing the words in full with a line
through all material to be omitted.
UNDERLINE ADDITIONS
(b) Whenever any new word or combination of words
appears in a bill, whether or not substituted for
any word or combination of words in any existing
statute, the new words or combinations of words,
new numerals and alphabetical section
identifications shall be underlined.
7. THREE READINGS
7-1 Every bill shall receive three separate readings,
previous to its being passed, and the Speaker shall give
notice whether it be the first, second or third, which
readings shall be on three separate days, unless the
House otherwise directs by a two-thirds vote. [Ref:
Mason's §§ 720 to 722]
8. INTRODUCTION OF BILLS
DEFINITION
8-1 Whenever the word "bill" is used in these Rules, it shall
include Senate files, House bills, Senate and House joint
memorials and resolutions unless otherwise specified.
Also, the Wyoming Manual of Legislative Procedures,
Revised, shall be referred to as the "Manual".
INTRODUCTION DEADLINE
8-2 No bill, other than general appropriations bills, shall
be introduced after noon of the 15th legislative working
day of the session, except by consent of two-thirds of
the elected members of the House. Bills that have been
signed, submitted and accepted by the Legislative Service
Office prior to the twelve noon cutoff date for
consideration of bills but are still at the printer's
office will be considered as being within the cutoff
deadline. Such a list of bills will be delivered by the
Legislative Service Office to the Speaker at the cutoff
hour. [Ref: Mason's § 726]
BILL DRAFTING
8-3 Bills for consideration by the legislature shall be
prepared, jacketed, indexed and stored in the computer by
the Legislative Service Office before being introduced in
the house designated by the prime sponsor. [Ref: Mason's
§§ 729, 730]
INTRODUCTION METHOD
8-4 After signing the bill jacket, the sponsor or sponsors
ask the proper chief clerk to place the bill in that
order of business "Introduction, Reading and Reference of
Bills". (See procedure and language style in manual.)
[Ref: Mason's §§ 726 to 728]
BILLS REQUIRING AN APPROPRIATION
8-5 Bills requiring an appropriation shall contain the
appropriation as part of the bill. The bill may be
assigned to a standing committee other than
appropriations, but if so, it may be re-referred to the
appropriations committee upon being reported back from
the committee to which first assigned. The appropriations
committee shall consider only the amount of the
appropriation. A re-referred bill shall be given
priority consideration by the appropriations committee.
Standing committee amendments shall be considered in the
same order as the bill was referred to committee.
9. FIRST READING BY TITLE
9-1 First reading shall be by title and sponsors' names only.
[Ref: Mason's § 733]
REFERENCE TO COMMITTEE
9-2 a. The Speaker shall refer each bill to the
appropriate committee but the House may, on motion,
refer the bill to another committee.
b. No standing committee shall meet to consider
any bill referred to it unless notice of the date,
time and place of the meeting and the bills to be
considered has been posted in the State Capitol at
the place designated for posting of meeting notices
by 3:00 p.m. on the day before the meeting is to be
held. For a meeting to be held on a Monday, the
notice shall be posted by 3:00 p.m. on the first
legislative day preceding that Monday. This
subsection does not apply to:
(1) Continued consideration of a bill by
a committee after the committee has begun
consideration of that bill at a meeting for
which notice was posted in compliance with
this subsection;
(2) A bill that has been re-referred to
another committee after another committee has
submitted a report on that bill;
(3) Meetings scheduled on the first or second day
of any session where:
(A) The Standing Committee
took no votes on the bill under
consideration; or
(B) A notice was posted by 5:00 p.m. on the
day before the meeting is to be held.
The notice may state the Committee
intends to consider the bill if it is
referred to that Committee.
AMENDMENT AFTER COMMITTEE REPORTS
9-3 No bill shall be amended until after it has been
considered in a standing committee or committee of the
whole.
10. PLACED ON GENERAL FILE
10-1 After a bill has been reported back to the House by its
assigned committee, it shall be placed on general file.
ORDER OF GENERAL FILE
10-2 Bills on the general file shall be considered in the
following order: first, "Do Pass" bills; second,
"Without Recommendation" bills; and third, "Do Not Pass"
bills. The general appropriation bill for the major
expenses of the state government shall not be considered
in committee of the whole until printed copies of the
bill shall have been distributed to the members at least
24 hours prior to consideration. [Ref: Mason's §§ 1 to
29]
COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE PROCEDURE
10-3 After a bill has been read, it shall be in order for
the standing committee chairman, or in his absence, a member
of the standing committee:
(a) To move the committee recommendations on the
bill and any standing committee amendments. He
shall move for the adoption of these amendments and
give an explanation of them. After that motion has
been disposed of, the sponsor of the bill or any
other member asked to do so, shall be given an
opportunity to explain the measure. He may yield
the floor to others who may offer further
explanations, questions, or
(b) To move: (listed here in the order of
descending precedence)
(1) To lay back on the general file without
prejudice
(2) To re-refer or recommit
(3) To
amend
[Ref: Mason's §§ 155 to 161, 175 to 187, 683 to 691]
10-4 A motion to rise and report by the Majority Floor Leader
or his designee shall always be in order and shall take
precedence over any other motion.
HOUSE RULES APPLY, EXCEPTIONS
10-5 The rules of the House shall be observed in the committee
of the whole, except that:
(a) There shall be no limit to the number of times
that a member may speak on the same question.
(b) The ayes and noes shall not be taken unless
the original motion made for passage of a given
bill, following a vote by division, has failed in
the committee of the whole. At that time, the ayes
and noes shall be taken and entered in the
committee of the whole report. The result of the
roll call vote shall determine the action of the
committee of the whole. If, after a roll call
vote, the bill fails to pass Committee of the
Whole, the bill is deemed to be indefinitely
postponed. The motion to indefinitely postpone
shall not be in order during Committee of the whole
prior to a roll call under this subsection.
(c) The following motions are not allowed:
(1) The previous question;
(2) Call of the house;
(3) Lay on the table;
(4) Adjourn;
(5) Reconsideration.
CHAIR MAY VOTE
10-6 The chairman of the committee of the whole shall be
entitled to vote on any matter under consideration before
the committee. [Ref: Mason's § 582]
11. SECOND READING
11-1 After the committee of the whole consideration and "Do
Pass" recommendation has been adopted by the House, the
bill shall be read a second time on the next legislative
day. [Ref: Mason's § 734]
TITLE ONLY
11-2 Second reading shall be by catch title only.
QUESTION
11-3 The final question on the second reading of every bill
shall be: "Shall the bill be read a third time?".
Unless objections are made, the Speaker shall so order.
[Ref: Mason's § 734]
12. THIRD READING
12-1 The bill shall be read a third time on the next
legislative working day after passing the second reading.
It shall be read by bill number, sponsor, catch title and
enacting clause only.
QUESTION
12-2 Upon the conclusion of the third reading, the Speaker
shall put the question "The bill (naming it by number)
having been read three separate times, the question is
shall the bill pass? Please call the roll." The ayes and
noes shall be taken. After the question has been put no
motion shall be in order until the roll call is completed
and the vote announced. [Ref: Mason's §§ 130 to 133,
523, 530]
ENGROSSING
12-3 When a bill has passed third reading in the House of
Representatives with amendments, it shall first be
delivered to the Legislative Service Office to be
engrossed with all adopted amendments before the bill is
forwarded to the Senate for action. A bill delivered to
and in the possession of the Legislative Service Office
for engrossing shall not be recalled for further action
by the House without the consent of the Senate.
13. VOTE
13-1 Every member within the bar of the House shall vote when
the question is put, unless he is excused according to
Rule 3-1 or Rule 17-3. [Ref: Mason's §§ 521, 522]
REFUSAL TO VOTE
13-2 Any member present within the bar of the House who
refuses to vote when the ayes and noes are called for
entry in the journal and who is not excused from voting
on the question shall be placed on record as an
affirmative voter. [Ref: Mason's § 515]
CALL FOR AYES AND NOES
13-3 When a question is about to be taken, it shall be in
order for any two members to call for the recording of
the ayes and noes for entry in the journal and the names
of the members shall be called in alphabetical order and
notations made on the roll call form.
INTERRUPTION OF VOTING PROHIBITED
13-4 When the ayes and noes are being taken, the call shall
not be interrupted for any purpose whatsoever and members
shall answer the call from their seats, if possible.
[Ref: Mason's § 121.3]
VOTE CHANGING
13-5 Any member may change his vote on a roll call of ayes and
noes only after the call is completed and only before the
announced results. [Ref: Mason's § 535.6]
VOTE EXPLANATION
13-6 Immediately after the vote on any question has been
announced and at no other time, any member may explain
his vote. [Ref: Mason's §528]
PRESIDING OFFICER VOTE
13-7 The presiding officer shall be entitled to vote on any
matter under consideration.
14. SPEAKING LIMIT
14-1 Except as provided by House Rule 10-5(a), no member shall
speak more than once to the exclusion of other members
who have not spoken, nor more than twice to the same
question on the same day without leave of the House.
[Ref: Mason's § 102]
15. POINT OF ORDER, TIME LIMIT
15-1 Any member raising a point of order may be allowed five
minutes in which to state his opinion. [Ref: Mason's §§
240 to 246]
16. CALL TO ORDER WHILE SPEAKING
16-1 When a member is interrupted and called to order by the
presiding officer for digressing from the question,
exceeding a time limit, using improper language, speaking
without recognition by the chair or wrongfully excluding
others who wish to speak, he shall cease speaking and be
seated at once until it is determined whether he is in
order, except he may be permitted to explain his position
when asked to do so. [Ref: Mason's §§ 120 to 126]
17. PERSONAL PRIVILEGES
OBTAINING THE FLOOR
17-1 Any member about to speak shall rise and respectfully
address the presiding officer. When recognized, the
member shall confine his comments to the question under
consideration and avoid personalities. When finished,
the member shall be seated. [Ref: Mason's §§ 90 to 96,
114]
EXPLAIN PERSONAL MATTER
17-2 Any member may rise and be recognized to explain a
personal matter but shall not discuss a question in such
explanation nor speak more than five minutes on the
matter. [Ref: Mason's §§ 222 to 226]
TIME OF DECLARING PERSONAL OR PRIVATE INTEREST
17-3 (a) A member who has a personal or private
interest in any bill proposed or pending before the
legislature shall disclose the fact to the house
members at the time of initial consideration during
committee of the whole or at the first time the
conflict becomes apparent to the declarer, or at
the time of introduction during the budget session
and shall not vote thereon.
(b) On general appropriation and recodification
bills a member who has declared a conflict of
interest on a section or an amendment to a section
shall not vote on that section, but may vote on the
entire bill.
(c) Disclosure of a conflict of interest shall be
entered in the journal at the time it is made. If
the member later makes a declaration of no conflict
of interest in the matter, prompt entry of that
declaration shall be made in the journal.
(d) As used in this section "personal or private
interest" means the member shall receive or incur a
direct financial gain or loss if the measure or
bill is enacted. "Personal or private interest"
does not include a financial gain or loss which
shall be received or incurred by a member if the
gain or loss shall also be received or incurred by
a substantial class of persons.
(e) If a member is uncertain whether his interest
in a bill is such as to require him to abstain from
voting, he may request a ruling from the rules
committee. When a request for a ruling is made,
the rules committee shall make such inquiry as it
deems necessary and shall recommend by majority
vote whether the member should or should not vote
on the bill in question.
[Ref: Mason's § 522]
MAY CALL FOR READING OF PAPERS
17-4 When the reading of a paper is called for, it shall be
read, unless the same is objected to by some member, in
which case the question shall be determined by a majority
vote of the House and without debate or amendment. [Ref:
Mason's § 115]
PROTEST AGAINST ACTION OF HOUSE
17-5 It is in order for any member or members to protest
against the action of the House and have the protest
entered briefly in the journal. [Ref: Mason's §§ 293 to
300]
18. PARLIAMENTARY PRACTICE
18-1 The rules of parliamentary practice comprised in Mason's
Manual of Legislative Procedure shall govern the House in
all cases to which they can apply and in which they are
not inconsistent with the rules and orders of the House
and Joint Rules. [Ref: Mason's §§ 30 to 32]
19. SUSPENSION OF RULES
19-1 No change, suspension, or addition to the rules of the
house shall be made except by a two-thirds vote of the
elected members. [Ref: Mason's §§ 279 to 287]
20. SECONDING MOTIONS
20-1 Unless otherwise required in these rules, no motion shall
require a second. [Ref: Mason's §§ 157, 162]
21. APPEALS
21-1 A vote of the majority of the members present shall be
sufficient to sustain an appeal from the decision of the
presiding officer. [Ref: Mason's §§ 230 to 235]
22. REMOVAL OF OFFICERS
22-1 A vote of at least two-thirds of the elected House
members for the removal of any officer of the House shall
be sufficient to vacate the chair or office. [Ref:
Mason's § 581]
23. PERSONS ADMITTED
23-1 No person shall be admitted within the bar of the House
except members or ex-members of the House, members of the
Senate, employees of the House and Senate, state
officers, those specifically invited by House members
individually and those authorized by a majority of the
members elected to the House. Members of the news media
shall be allowed at a table or area designated for them
and shall obtain access thereto through the nearest door.
The Speaker shall have the House cleared of all persons
except members and employees when requested by a majority
of the members of the House. Except for members, no other
person shall engage in influencing the passage or defeat
of legislation in the House chambers. [Ref: Mason's §
705]
23-2 The presiding officer shall direct any force needed to
remove any and all persons who are in the galleries,
rooms, hallways, stairways, entrances or grounds near the
House chambers who in any way hinder the orderly progress
of the House of Representatives.
23-3 The House legislative lounge room is for legislators,
legislative staff and legislators' guests only.
24. MOTIONS AND QUESTIONS
24-1 When a question is being debated, no motion shall be
received, except the following, which shall have
precedence as listed:
Undebatable
1. To adjourn
2. To lay on the table
3. To call for previous question
Debatable
4. To postpone to a certain date
5. To commit or refer
6. To amend
7. To postpone indefinitely
8. The question, or main motion
[Ref: Mason's §§ 155 to 165, 175 to 187, 578]
TO ADJOURN
24-2 The motion to adjourn is not debatable, cannot be amended
and is always in order except:
(a) When another has the floor,
(b) During a roll call,
(c) During a call of the House,
(d) During the committee of the whole.
[Ref: Mason's §§ 200 to 210]
TO LAY ON THE TABLE
24-3 The motion to lay on the table is not debatable, cannot
be amended and is adopted by a majority vote of the
members present. A motion to table takes the question and
everything subsidiary to it to the table. A motion to
table an amendment does not take the bill. The motion to
reconsider and the previous question shall not be subject
to a motion to lay on the table. [Ref: Mason's §§ 330 to
341]
THE PREVIOUS QUESTION
24-4 Any member may move the previous question, and if it is
seconded by three other members, the previous question
shall be put in this form: "The previous question is
demanded". The object of this motion is to bring the
House to a vote on the pending question without further
discussion. (The motion is carried with an affirmative
vote by two-thirds of the elected membership.) If the
motion fails, the discussion may proceed the same as if
the motion had not been made; if carried, all debate on
the main question or on the amendment to the main
question as may be specified by the member offering the
motion shall cease and the presiding officer shall
immediately put the question to vote without debate or
further amendment. A motion to adjourn and a call of the
House shall each be in order after the "previous
question" has been sustained, and before the main
question is put. No other motion or call shall be in
order, except to receive the report of the Sergeant-at-Arms, or to dispense with
the proceedings under the call
and all motions and proceedings authorized by this rule
shall be decided without debate whether on appeal or
otherwise. [Ref: Mason's §§ 345 to 361]
TO POSTPONE TO A CERTAIN DATE
24-5 The motion to postpone to a certain date or time is
debatable, can be amended and is adopted by a majority of
the members present. The motion can be applied only to
main motions. [Ref: Mason's §§ 365 to 374]
TO COMMIT OR REFER
24-6 The motion to commit or refer is debatable, can be
amended and is adopted by a majority of the members
present. The motion can be applied to main motions only.
[Ref: Mason's §§ 378 to 390]
TO AMEND
24-7 (a) The motion to amend is debatable, can be
amended and is adopted by a majority of the members
present. [Ref: Mason's §§ 395 to 421]
(b) The motion can be applied to any motion that
could be stated in a different form.
(c) "Amendment to an amendment" cannot be amended.
[Ref: Mason's § 409]
(d) An amendment which is defeated shall not again
be in order on the same day. [Ref: Mason's § 161]
(e) Amendments to any bill shall be in written
form when submitted. [Ref: Mason's § 400]
(f) Amendments shall be filed with the chief clerk
who arranges them in order for consideration by the
chair at the proper time.
(g) Amendments must be germane to the subject of
the main motion. [Ref: Mason's § 402]
TO POSTPONE INDEFINITELY
24-8 The motion to postpone indefinitely is debatable, cannot
be amended, takes precedence over nothing but the main
question which is then open to debate, and is adopted by
a majority of the elected members. Adoption of the
motion prevents further consideration of the main
question again during the session. [Ref: Mason's §§ 430
to 436]
THE MAIN MOTION
24-9 The main motion is debatable, can be amended and usually
takes precedence over nothing. The usual form is to
adopt, to pass, to approve, to concur, to elect or, in
the negative of the above, which then takes lower
precedence. [Ref: Mason's §§ 440 to 443]
DIVISION OF THE QUESTION
24-10 Any member may call for a division of the question
if a motion relating to a certain subject contains
several parts, each of which is capable of standing as a
complete proposition if the others are removed. It can
be divided into two or more propositions to be voted on
as distinct questions. The member calling for a division
of the question shall clearly state how the question is
to be divided. A motion to strike out and insert is
indivisible. [Ref: Mason's §§ 310 to 316]
CALL FOR DIVISION
24-11 It shall be in order for any member or the presiding
officer to order a vote by division to verify a voice
vote. Should there be doubt about the voice vote, the
motion from the floor is simply to call "Division"
immediately before or after the announcement of the vote.
When the call is made, the presiding officer orders a
standing vote, first the ayes and then the noes. [Ref:
Mason's § 333]
RECONSIDERATION OF THE VOTE
24-12(a) When a roll call vote on an action (other than on
procedural motions and on introduction of other
than budget bills during budget sessions) has been
taken, any member who voted on the prevailing side
may give notice of the intention to move for
reconsideration of the vote. Procedural motions
include: to adjourn, lay on the table, previous
question, postpone to a certain date, refer,
suspend the rules, reconsider the vote, recess and
withdraw.
(b) The motion or the notice may be made only when
the subject of the vote is in the control of the
House.
(c) Notice of intention to move for
reconsideration of the vote shall specify a time on
the next legislative day for making the motion.
During the last 10 legislative working days of the
session, votes on motions to reconsider shall be
taken no later than the last item of business on
the day of the original vote. When such notice is
made, the bill shall not be taken from the House.
Once notice is given, a motion for earlier
reconsideration is out of order. The notice shall
be entered in the journal and shown on the calendar
and action sheet.
(d) The motion to reconsider shall take precedence
over all motions except to adjourn.
(e) The motion cannot be debated or amended and
when disposed of, cannot be renewed. It is adopted
or rejected by a simple majority vote regardless of
the vote required to pass the original question.
(f) On adoption of the motion, the original
question is in exactly the same condition as it was
when the vote being reconsidered was originally
ordered which means no discussion, debate or
amendment is allowed on the question and the
presiding officer shall put the original question
exactly as was done for the original vote.
(g) The motion shall not be made in committee of
the whole.
[Ref: Mason's §§ 450 to 474]
CALL OF THE HOUSE
24-13 A call of the House shall be ordered only upon demand of
five members, one making the motion and four others
seconding the same by rising. The motion shall state
the purpose of the call and the proceedings to be
considered under the call. Upon a call of the House,
the names of the members shall be called and the
absentees noted and the names of the absentees shall
again be called. The doors shall then be shut and those
not excused under the provisions of Rule 3-1 or not
excused by the member making the motion may, by order of
those present, be taken into custody as they appear, or
may be sent for and taken into custody by the sergeant-at-arms wherever to be
found, or by a special messenger,
to be appointed for that purpose. A call shall not be
made in a committee. A call of the House is terminated
by completion of the proceedings under the call as
listed in the original motion or the motion to terminate
a call of the House which shall be made by the person
who demanded the call. The motion to adjourn shall not
be in order during a call of the House. [Ref: Mason's
§§ 190 to 197]
WITHDRAWAL OF MOTION
24-14 If no member objects, any motion under consideration may
be withdrawn by the mover at any time before a
decision, amendment or ordering of the ayes and noes.
[Ref: Mason's §§ 272 to 276]
25. JOURNAL ENTRIES
25-1 Journal entries shall show:
(a) Each successive step relative to every bill,
shown by number and title only, from introduction
into the House up to and including final
disposition including all proposed amendments and
action on them except in the committee of the
whole.
(b) The full bill title shall be shown in the
journal at time of bill introduction and when the
bill is next shown in the journal after the title
has been amended. All other reference to the bill
shall be shown by number and catch line title only.
(c) Messages from the Governor and the
Senate.
(d) A true and accurate account of the proceedings
and roll calls of the House.
[Ref: Mason's §§ 694 to 697]
READING OF JOURNAL
25-2 The journal shall be read in full or in specific parts if
so moved by one member and approved by a majority of
members present. [Ref: Mason's § 696]
EXPUNGE FROM THE JOURNAL
25-3 In the rare instance when it is desirable to express
strong disapproval of matter in the journal, a member may
move that it be expunged. The motion must be carried by
the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the elected
membership. When matter is ordered expunged from the
record, the clerk shall have a line drawn through the
matter and writing across each line "Expunged by order of
the House membership". Each line must be dated. The
expunged matter must not be blotted as to be unreadable
as otherwise it would be impossible to determine whether
more was expunged than was ordered. If the matter to be
expunged relates to a bill or file, it must be ordered
while the bill or file is in the possession of the House
and must relate to action previously taken by the House
on the bill or file. [Ref: Mason's § 444]
PROCEEDINGS TO BE RECORDED
25-4 The proceedings of the House shall be recorded on tape to
the extent practicable. After adjournment on each day the
legislature is in session, the chief clerk shall label each
tape used to record the proceedings for that business day
specifying the house, date and the appropriate number of
the tape in order of the total number of tapes used on that
date in that house and shall initial the label. The chief
clerk shall retain all tapes used during the session and
then transfer them to the secretary of state not later
than the beginning of the second business day for the
office of the secretary of state following the date on
which the session adjourned. Upon transfer to the
secretary of state, the tapes shall become a public record;
however, the contents of any tape recording made under this
rule shall not be construed to supersede the Journal.
26. UNCONTESTED BILLS
26-1 (a) An uncontested bill is any bill passed by the
committee of the whole and endorsed as such by the
floor leaders of both majority and minority
parties.
(b)The chief clerk shall show such bills on the third reading calendar
"Consent List".
(c)Any member may request at any time prior to the question on third
reading that a bill be removed from the consent
list and placed on regular third reading.
(d)At that order of business "Third Reading", the majority floor leader
shall move for consideration of all consent list
bills. A roll call vote shall be taken and the
results applied to each bill on the list except
that opportunity shall be made for any member to
request a redesignation of his vote on any bill on
the list according to procedures shown in the
Manual.
[Ref: Mason's §§ 1 to 25, 257 to 269, 537]
ACCELERATION TO THIRD READING
(ONE DAY SAVING)
26-2 (a)The majority floor leader in consultation with the minority floor leader
may endorse a list of bills which have passed the
Committee of the Whole, are unlikely to be further
amended and are likely to pass the House, to be
accelerated to Third Reading on the day the bills
are considered on Second Reading. The Chief Clerk
shall show those bills on the Second Reading
calendar with an "X" before the bill number or
other designator determined by the Chief Clerk.
(b)At the conclusion of Second Reading, the majority floor leader shall
move that the rules be suspended with respect to
those bills designated under paragraph (a) of this
rule and that those bills be immediately considered
on Third Reading and final passage.
(c)If any legislator objects to the inclusion of a bill on the list for
acceleration to Third Reading prior to the vote on
a motion under paragraph (b) of this rule, it shall
be removed.
(d)A motion made under paragraph (b) of this rule requires the same
affirmative vote as is necessary to suspend the
rules. If the motion passes, the House shall
immediately proceed to Third Reading and final
passage on each bill on the list with a separate
roll call vote for each bill. If the motion fails,
the bills shall be placed on Third Reading on the
next legislative day.
27. SMOKING
27-1 Smoking shall not be permitted in the House chamber or in
the seating area on the floor of the House while the
House is in session. However, cuspidors shall be
provided for those members desiring same.
28. SPECIAL RULES FOR THE BUDGET SESSION
28-1 For the introduction of any bill (other than the budget
bill), the following procedure will be followed:
(a) All bills shall be printed and distributed to
all members at least 24 hours prior to
consideration.
(b) The prime sponsor, or his designee, will be
granted two minutes to address the body as to the
need and timeliness of his (or her) particular
bill.
(c) A one minute rebuttal is allowed to a member
who is in opposition to introduction of the bill.
The prime sponsor, or his designee, will have
thirty seconds to give the final response to the
rebuttal.
(d) Upon approval of two-thirds of the elected
members by a roll call vote a bill will be accepted
by the body and assigned by the Speaker to the
appropriate committee.
28-2 (a) No bill will be accepted for consideration
except by consent of two-thirds of the house
membership after twelve o'clock noon of the third
legislative day of the session. (Bills that have
been signed, submitted and accepted by the
Legislative Service Office prior to the twelve noon
cutoff date for consideration of bills but are
still at the printer's office will be considered as
being within the cutoff deadline. Such a list of
bills will be delivered by the Legislative Service
Office to the Speaker at the cutoff hour.)
(b) No bill shall be considered for introduction
after six o'clock p.m. (6:00 p.m.) the fifth
legislative day of the session except by consent of
two-thirds of the membership.
BUDGET SESSION CONSENT LIST
28-3 Notwithstanding Rule 28-1, the Speaker in consultation
with the minority floor leader may propose a Consent List
of bills to be voted upon for introduction under the
following procedure:
(a) The Speaker shall distribute the proposed
Consent List to all members at least 24 hours prior
to consideration. No bill shall be included on the
Consent List unless the bill has been printed and
distributed to all members before the proposed
Consent List is distributed. No bill shall be
added to the Consent List without the approval of
the Speaker.
(b) Subject to paragraph (a) of this rule, and at
the appropriate order of business, the majority
floor leader shall move the Consent List. No
debate shall be had on the Consent List, but any
member may remove any bill from the Consent List
upon request before the vote. A roll call vote
shall be taken and the results applied to each bill
on the list except that opportunity shall be made
for any member to request a redesignation of his
vote on any bill on the list before the Chief Clerk
announces the vote.
29. CONCURRENCE
29-1 With respect to consideration of requests by the Senate
for House concurrence with Senate amendments to House
Bills and of joint conference committee reports, only the
motion to concur shall be in order.
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