Rules of the Imperial Synklētos

RULES OF THE IMPERIAL SYNKLETOS As reported by the Permanent Standing Committee

Election and Duties of Officers

Officers and Their Compensation The House, at the commencement of each Legislature, shall elect a Speaker, Clerk, Sergeant at Arms, and Doorkeeper. All officers, except the Speaker, shall receive such compensation as the House may determine

Vote to Be Viva Voce In the election of officers by the House, the vote shall be given viva voce, and a majority of the whole number of votes given, a quorum being present, shall be necessary to elect. If, upon any vote, there be no election, the person having the lowest number of votes shall be dropped, and any votes thereafter given to such person shall not be taken into the counting to affect the result in any way. But if two or more have the lowest and equal number of votes, they may be voted for again. No question before the House, or in committee of the whole, shall be voted on by ballot.

Duties and Rights of the Speaker

Call to Order The Speaker shall take the chair on each legislative day at the hour to which the House shall have adjourned; call the members to order and, after prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, if a quorum is present, proceed to the order of business.

Preservation of Order The Speaker shall preserve order and decorum while the House is in session; enforce the rules and orders of the House; prescribe the order in which business shall come up for consideration, subject to the rules and orders of the House; announce the question of business before the House when properly requested by any member; receive all messages and communications; put to vote all questions which are properly moved; announce the result of all votes and authenticate, when necessary, the acts and proceedings of the House.

Decorum in Debate In debate, the Speaker shall prevent personal reflections and confine members to the question under discussion, but he shall not engage in any debate, or propose his opinion on any question without first calling some other member to the chair. When two or more members arise at the same time, he shall name the one entitled to the floor.

Questions of Order The Speaker shall decide all questions of order subject to an appeal to the House when demanded by any ten members. He may speak to questions of order in preference to other members, and may make the concluding speech on any appeal from his decision, notwithstanding, he may have before spoken on the question; but no other members shall speak more than once on such appeal without leave of the House. When properly requested by a member, the Speaker shall inform the House upon any point of order or practice pertinent to the business before it.

Preserving Order in Galleries The Speaker shall have general control of the House Chamber, lobbies, and rooms and of the corridors and passages in that part of the Capitol assigned to the use of the House. In case of any disorderly conduct or disturbance in the corridors, passages or galleries; including but not limited to, signs, audible displays, flash photography or standing in the galleries; he shall have the power to order the same to be cleared, and may cause any person guilty of such disturbance or disorderly conduct to be brought before the bar of the House. In all such cases the members present may take such measures to prevent a repetition of such misconduct, either by the infliction of censure or such other penalty, as may be authorized by law, on the parties thus offending, as the House may deem best.

Appointment of Speaker Pro Tempore, Presiding Officer in Absence of Speaker The Speaker shall appoint a Speaker pro tempore, who, during the absence of the Speaker, shall preside and perform all duties of the Speaker: Provided, That the Speaker may designate, by appointment in writing entered upon the Journal of the House, any member, other than the Speaker pro tempore, who, during the absence of the Speaker, shall preside and perform the duties of the Speaker until the Speaker returns to the chair: Provided, however, That the Speaker may call any member to the chair to perform the duties of Speaker but such substitution shall not extend beyond an adjournment: Provided further, That the Speaker pro tempore or any other member hereunder designated shall so preside for a period not to exceed three consecutive legislative days, but for no longer period, except by special consent of the House.

Appointment of House Employees For the performance of technical, clerical, stenographic, custodial and other services required by the House, at the beginning of each regular session of the Legislature, the Speaker shall appoint such persons to various positions, in such number as deemed necessary to efficiently carry on the work of the House.

At an extraordinary session of the Legislature only such persons designated for regular sessions as shall be necessary to perform the duties incident to the work of the session shall be appointed for the extraordinary session. Such persons as are appointed shall be selected with due regard to experience and qualifications.

All employees of the House shall report each day to their supervisor. A person designated by the Clerk shall keep a record of the attendance of such employees, and no employee shall be paid for days he is not in attendance, Saturdays and Sundays during sessions excepted, unless excused by the Speaker. All employees shall be on duty daily during such hours as shall be designated by their supervisor. The appointing authority shall have power to discharge any employee at any time. The word “employee” as herein used shall include all persons employed by the House.

Notwithstanding designation of positions or duties herein prescribed, any employee may be assigned additional duties by the person by whom appointed, and may be assigned to such positions and duties as may be deemed proper to secure the most efficient and expeditious work.

The employees designated herein shall not include personnel required to staff a drafting office or drafting service authorized and maintained by the House. The Speaker shall make such appointments for this purpose as the House shall authorize.

The compensation of all employees shall be fixed by resolution during each regular session. The Speaker may hire, discharge and adjust salaries of employees subsequent to the adoption of the resolution as allowed by this rule.

Appointment of Committees and Subcommittees The Speaker shall appoint all committees, except when the House shall otherwise order. In appointing standing committees he shall designate a chairman and may designate a vice chairman. In the absence of the chairman of a committee, such vice chairman shall preside, and if there be no vice chairman, the committee shall elect a temporary chairman. When the House authorizes the appointment of a committee, the Speaker may wait until the next legislative day to appoint the same. The Speaker may also name subcommittees of standing committees, prescribe their jurisdiction and designate the chairmen thereof. Legislative proposals and other business coming within the prescribed jurisdiction of any established subcommittee of a standing committee shall upon being committed to such standing committee be referred by the chairman thereof to the appropriate subcommittee. Reports of subcommittees shall be made to the committee and not to the House.

Chairman of Committee on Rules The Speaker shall be ex officio member and chairman of the Committee on Rules. Acts and Writs Signed by the Speaker All acts shall be signed by the Speaker; and all writs, warrants and subpoenas issued by the order of the House or any committee having authority to issue same shall be under his hand and attested by the Clerk.

Putting Questions The Speaker shall rise to put a question but may state it sitting.

Vote of the Speaker In all cases of a call of the yeas and nays, the Speaker shall vote, unless excused; in other cases he shall not be required to vote unless the House is equally divided, or unless his vote, if given to the minority, will make the division equal and in case of such equal division the question shall be lost. When the yeas and nays are taken, the Speaker's name shall be called last.

CLERK, SERGEANT-AT-ARMS AND DOORKEEPER

Clerk Examination of Journal It shall be the duty of the Clerk to examine the Journal of the House, daily, before it is read and cause all errors and omissions therein to be corrected.

Charge of Clerical Business of House The Clerk shall have charge and supervision of all the clerical business of the House. He shall perform the duties imposed on him by law and the rules of the House. He shall have charge of the Clerk's desk and shall see that no one is permitted therein except himself and those assisting him.

Duties of Clerk It shall be the Clerk's duty to read to the House all papers ordered to be read; to call the roll and note and report the absentees, when a call of the House is ordered; to call the roll and note the answers of members, when a question is taken by yeas and nays; to assist, under the direction of the Speaker, in taking the count when any vote of the House is taken; to notify committees of their appointment and the business referred to them; to superintend the execution of all printing ordered by the House, and to report to the Speaker, to be submitted to the House, every failure of the printer to execute the same properly and promptly. He shall attest all writs, warrants and subpoenas issued by order of the House and shall certify to the passage of all bills, and to the adoption of all joint and concurrent resolutions by the Legislature. In addition to his other duties, the Clerk shall keep the accounts for pay and mileage of members, officers and employees, and for printing and other contingent expenses of the House, and prepare and sign warrants or requisitions for the same. The Clerk shall superintend the recording of the Journal of the proceedings, the engrossing and enrolling of bills, and shall cause to be kept and prepared for the printer the Daily Journal of the proceedings of the House.

Clerk to Have Custody of All Records The Clerk shall have the custody of all records and papers of the House, and shall not allow them to be taken from the table or out of his possession without the leave of the House, unless to be delivered to the chairman of a committee to which they may have been referred and then he shall take a proper receipt therefor. He shall endorse on bills and papers brief notes of proceedings had thereon by the House and preserve the same in convenient files for reference.

Appointment of Assistants The Clerk may appoint such assistants and other personnel as is authorized by code, resolution or by the Rules of the House, and shall have the power to remove any appointee and appoint another in his stead.

Clerk to Have Charge of All Printing The Clerk shall have supervision and charge of all printing done for the House and the printer shall print only such documents and other matter as the Clerk authorizes.

Payment for Printing Printing of bills and daily journals will be done in the Legislative Print Shop. Bound material and other legislative printing which cannot be done with machines owned or leased by the House or the Joint Committee on Government and Finance will be contracted in accordance with law or rule.

Sergeant-at-Arms Duties It shall be the duty of the Sergeant-at-Arms to attend the House and the Committee of the Whole during their sittings and to maintain order under the direction of the Speaker. He shall execute the commands of the House from time to time, together with such process, issued by the authority thereof, as shall be directed to him by the Speaker.

Under the direction of the Speaker, he shall superintend the distribution of all documents and papers to be distributed to the members. He shall see that no person, except those authorized to do so, disturbs or interferes with the desks of the members, or with the books, papers, etc., thereat.

He shall have charge under the Speaker for the purpose of maintaining order of the Hall of the House, its lobby, galleries and other rooms in the Capitol assigned for its use, and shall exclude from the floor all persons not entitled to the privilege of the same. He shall attend to seating visitors, and see that the House Chamber is properly ventilated, heated, and lighted. (

Doorkeeper Duties It shall be the duty of the Doorkeeper to attend the House during its sessions, and to announce all messages. He shall have charge of the main door of the Chamber during the sittings of the House, and shall see that the other doors are properly attended; have general charge and oversight of the assistant doorkeepers; detail such assistant doorkeepers for such general or special duties as the Sergeant-at-Arms may deem proper; assist the Sergeant-at-Arms in seeing that the rules relating to admission to the floor are strictly enforced, and shall perform such other duties as the Speaker or the House may order.

Rights and Duties of Members

Absence From the House No member shall absent himself from the service of the House unless he have leave, or be sick and unable to attend, but any member who conscientiously believes that his or her absence is necessary to observe the Sabbath or other religious observance shall be excused from attending upon the House on that day.

Every Member to Vote Every member present when a question is put, or when his name is called, shall vote unless he is immediately and particularly interested therein, or the House excuses him. A motion to excuse a member from voting must be made before the House divides, or before the call of the yeas and nays is commenced, and it shall be decided without debate, except that the member making the motion may briefly state the reason therefor.

Members Shall Be in Places When Voting While the yeas and nays are being taken every member shall be in his seat, and during the session of the House no person other than a member shall occupy the chair of a member.

Quorum A majority of all the members elected to the House shall be necessary to proceed to business; seven members may adjourn, and ten members may order a call of the House, send for absentees, and make any order for their censure or discharge. On a call of the House, the doors shall not be closed against any member until his name shall have been called twice.

When Less Than Quorum Present In case a number less than a quorum of the House shall convene, they are hereby authorized to send the Sergeant at Arms, or any other person or persons by them authorized, for any and all absent members as the majority of such members shall agree, at the expense of such absent members, respectively, unless such excuse for nonattendance shall be made as the House, when a quorum is convened, shall judge sufficient; and, in that case, the expense shall be paid out of the contingent fund of the House. This rule shall apply to the first meeting of the House, at the legal time of meeting, as well as to each day of the session after the hour has arrived to which the House stood adjourned.

Taking Members into Custody No member of the House shall be taken into custody by the Sergeant-at-Arms, on any question of complaint of breach of privilege, until the matter is examined by the Committee on Rules, and reported to the House, unless by order of the Speaker.

Punishment of Members The House may punish its own members for disorderly behavior, and, with the concurrence of two thirds of the members elected thereto, expel a member, but not twice for the same offense.

Providing for Undisturbed Transaction of Business The House may punish, by imprisonment, any person not a member, for disrespectful behavior in its presence; for obstructing any of its proceedings, or any of its officers in the discharge of his duties, or for any assault, threat or abuse of any member for words spoken in debate; but such imprisonment shall not extend beyond the termination of the session.

Order and Decorum in Debate

Recognition and Decorum When a member is about to speak in debate or deliver any matter to the House, he shall rise in his place and upon being recognized, respectfully address the presiding officer as "MR. SPEAKER" or "LORD SPEAKER" and proceed, confining himself to the question under debate, avoiding all personalities and indecorous or disrespectful language. When a member arises and addresses the Chair, the Speaker may recognize him by name; but no member in debate shall designate another by name.

Recognition by the Chair When two or more members shall rise or request recognition, the Speaker shall name the one who is to speak first, and his decision shall be final and not open to debate or appeal.

Mover of Question to Have Preference in Debate No question shall be debated until it has been propounded by the Speaker, and then the mover of the question shall have the right to open and close the debate thereon. When the question is the passage of a bill or adoption of a resolution, the Speaker may designate a member to explain the bill or resolution who shall have the right to open and close debate.

Member Out of Order and Raising Points of Order or Inquiries of the Chair When any member, in speaking or otherwise, transgresses the rules of the House, the Speaker shall, or any member may, by rising, announcing a point of order, and addressing the rule being violated when called upon by the Speaker, call him to order; in which case the member so called to order shall immediately sit down, but may be permitted, with leave of the House, to explain; and the House shall, if appealed to, decide the case, but without debate. If there be no appeal, the decision of the Chair shall be submitted to; if the decision be in favor of the member so called to order, he is at liberty to proceed; if the decision be against him, and the case requires it, he shall be liable to the censure of the House, or such other punishment as the House may properly impose.

Any member may at any time make an inquiry of the Chair by rising, announcing his or her inquiry and upon recognition by the Speaker, stating his or her point.

Calling to Order for Words Spoken in Debate If a member be called to order for words spoken in debate, the person calling him to order shall repeat the words excepted to and they shall be taken down at the Clerk's table. And no member shall be held to answer, or be subjected to the censure of the House, for words spoken in debate, if any other member has spoken or other business has intervened after the words were spoken and before the exception to them was taken.

Decorum During Debate While the Speaker is putting a question, ascertaining the result, or addressing the House, no one shall walk out of or across the House; and when a member is speaking, no one shall engage in conversation or pass between him and the Speaker.

Limitation on Debate No member shall speak except in his or her place, and no member shall speak until recognized by the Speaker, and may not be recognized to speak more than twice on a question, except by leave of the House: Provided, That yielding to answer a question shall not count toward the limit of speaking twice set forth in this rule. Questions in the form of argument or debate are out of order. If a question be pending at the time of an adjournment and is renewed on the succeeding day, no member who shall have spoken twice on the preceding day shall be permitted again to speak without leave of the House. The House by majority vote may limit debate on any question.

Members Not to Be Disturbed While Speaking No one shall disturb or interrupt a member who is speaking, without his permission, except to call to order if he be transgressing the rules.

Putting Questions and Voting

Putting Questions; Division All questions on which the yeas and nays are not taken shall be put in this form, to wit: "As many as are in favor (as the question may be) say 'Aye'," and after the affirmative vote is expressed, "As many as are opposed say 'No'." If the Speaker be in doubt as to the result, or if a division is called for by any member, the House shall divide. Those in the affirmative of the question shall first rise from their seats and be counted, and afterwards those in the negative. The count may be made by the Speaker, or, if he so directs, by the Clerk, or two members, one from each side, to be named for that purpose by the Speaker. When the result is ascertained, the Speaker shall rise and state the decision of the House. Such vote shall not be printed in the Journal unless the yeas and nays are called for by one tenth of the members present.

Yeas and Nays The yeas and nays shall be taken on motions to dispense with the constitutional rule requiring a bill to be fully and distinctly read on three different days and on fixing the effective date of an act of the Legislature; on agreeing to a joint resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the State; on the passage of a bill notwithstanding the objections of the governor; on the passage of a supplementary appropriation bill; on the passage of bills on third reading; on the passage of a House bill amended by the Senate; on all questions where a specific vote is required by the Constitution, the joint rules of the Senate and House of Delegates, or by these rules; on quorum calls; and on questions when called for by one tenth of the members present.

The result of all votes taken by yeas and nays shall be entered on the Journal. When the yeas and nays are inserted on the Journal, the result of the vote as to total yeas, nays and absentees shall be recorded, and the names of the Delegates voting yea or nay, whichever is the smaller number, and the names of Delegates absent and not voting shall be inserted on the Journal. The names of Delegates omitted shall constitute the vote on the prevailing side.

On all roll calls, when the voting machine is not used, before the result is announced, the Clerk shall read to the House the names of those who voted in the affirmative or in the negative, whichever is the smaller number, and announce the names of those absent and not voting, at which time any member may correct a mistake committed in taking down his vote. The result shall then be announced, but if the House so orders, the announcement of the result may be postponed to the succeeding day, with liberty to absent members at any time before the result is announced by the Speaker, to appear and vote "Aye" or "No," in the presence of the House; and any member may, in the presence of the House, change his vote before the result is announced.

When the yeas and nays are called for by a member on any question, the Speaker shall hold this demand in abeyance until debate has closed upon the question under consideration, or until the previous question has been moved and sustained.

Upon calls of the House, in taking the yeas and nays, the names of the members shall be called alphabetically, except the name of the Speaker shall be called last.

Division of Question Any member may move for a division of any question other than passage of a bill before the vote thereon is taken, if it comprehend propositions in substance so distinct that, one being taken away, a substantive proposition will remain for the decision of the House, but the member moving for the division of a question shall state in what manner he proposes it shall be divided. A motion to strike out and insert shall be deemed indivisible, but a motion to strike out being lost, shall preclude neither amendment nor motion to strike out and insert. A bill is not divisible on the floor of the House. If the matter of one bill would be better distributed into two, any part may be struck out by way of amendment and introduced as a new bill in accordance with Rule 92.

Calling of Yeas and Nays No member or any person shall visit or remain by the Clerk's table while the yeas and nays are being called.

Tie Vote Loses Question In all cases when the House is equally divided, the question shall be lost.

Verification of Vote When a question upon which the yeas and nays have been taken has prevailed or failed by not more than five votes, the Speaker may, upon request of five members, order a verification of the vote. During such verification, no member shall change his vote unless it was erroneously recorded, nor may any member not having voted cast a vote. A verification must be called for immediately after a vote is announced and before any other business has intervened.

Explanation of Vote No member shall be allowed to make any explanation of his vote during the taking of the yeas and nays; but after the roll has been called and the vote announced, any member may explain his vote and the explanation shall be recorded in the Journal if he requests it. The Speaker may limit the time allowed members for explaining votes. A member may indicate in writing to the Clerk how the member voted on a voice vote or, if absent when any vote is taken, indicate in writing to the Clerk how the member would have voted if present and it shall be noted in the Journal.

When Members Not to Vote When a question is put, any member having a direct personal or pecuniary interest therein should announce this fact and request to be excused from voting. The member with such interest should advise the presiding officer of the facts which constitute the personal and pecuniary interest. If the presiding officer determines based upon the facts provided by the member that the interest is a direct personal or pecuniary interest and affects the member directly and not as a member of a class of five or more similarly situated persons or businesses then the presiding officer shall excuse the member from voting. If the presiding officer determines that the interest is not a direct personal or pecuniary interest or that the member is affected as a member of a class of five or more similarly situated persons or entities then the member shall be directed to vote on the question.

Voting by Machine

A voting machine may be used in taking the yeas and nays on any question, for quorum calls and for determining the result when a division is demanded. When a vote is to be taken on the voting machine, the Speaker shall announce the question to be voted upon and direct the Clerk to prepare the machine. The Clerk shall then sound the gong which shall be notice to all members to vote. After reasonable time has been given all members to vote the Speaker shall ask the question, "Have all members voted?," vote himself, if the vote being taken is upon a question on which he is required to vote, and then direct the Clerk to close the machine and ascertain the result. As soon as this is done, the Speaker shall promptly announce the result. No vote may be changed after it has been recorded. No member shall vote for another member, nor shall any person not a member cast a vote for a member. In addition to such penalties as may be prescribed by law, any member who shall vote or attempt to vote for another member may be expelled as a member of the House or punished in such other manner as the House may determine. If a person not a member shall vote or attempt to vote for any member, he shall be barred from the floor of the House for the remainder of the session and may be further punished in such manner as the House may deem proper, in addition to such punishment as may be prescribed by law.

All other rules governing voting and the taking of the yeas and nays, insofar as applicable, shall apply to taking votes by means of the voting machine.

Motions

Stating the Question When a motion is made, it shall be stated by the Speaker; or, being in writing, it shall be passed to the desk and read aloud by the Clerk before debate.

Form of Motion Every motion, except subsidiary or incidental motions, shall be reduced to writing, if the Speaker or any member desires it; but this exception shall not apply to motions to amend.

Withdrawal of Motions After a motion is stated by the Speaker or read by the Clerk, it is deemed to be in possession of the House, but may be withdrawn at any time before a decision or amendment, unless the previous question has been ordered, in which case it can only be withdrawn by leave of the House.

Order and Precedence of Motions When a question is under debate, no motion shall be received except:

To adjourn. To lay on the table. For the previous question. To postpone to a day certain. To go into a Committee of the Whole on the pending question immediately. To commit to a Committee of the Whole. To commit to a Standing Committee. To commit to a Select Committee. To amend. To postpone indefinitely. These several motions shall have precedence in the order in which they are arranged. A motion to strike out the enacting clause of a bill shall have precedence of another motion to amend; and if carried, the bill is rejected.

Motion to Adjourn A motion to adjourn shall always be in order, except when the House is voting, or while a member is addressing the House, or when no business has been transacted since the motion to adjourn has been defeated.

Motions Not Debatable The following motions shall be decided without debate and shall not be amended:

To adjourn. To fix the time to which the House shall adjourn. To lay on the table. For the previous question. To suspend the constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several days. To recess.

Motions Not in Order No motion directing the appropriation or payment of money shall be in order.

Effect of Indefinite Postponement When a question is postponed indefinitely, it shall not be again acted on during the session.

Motion to Reconsider After any question has been decided in the affirmative or in the negative, it shall be in order for any member who voted with the prevailing side to move for a reconsideration of the vote thereon at any time on the same day or the next succeeding day of actual session. When the yeas and nays have not been recorded in the Journal, any member, irrespective of whether he voted with the prevailing side or not, may make the motion to reconsider. If the House refuse to reconsider, or upon reconsideration shall affirm its first decision, no further motion to reconsider shall be in order unless by unanimous consent. No vote shall be reconsidered upon motions to adjourn, to lay on the table, to take from the table, or for the previous question.

The motion to reconsider may be put and acted upon when made. If seconded, it shall take precedence of all other questions, except the consideration of a conference report and the motion to adjourn, and unless by motion postponed until some future date be acted upon at once. When a motion to reconsider is made and not acted upon at the time, it shall be placed upon the calendar, under unfinished business, and be acted upon the next day of actual sitting of the House. A motion to reconsider shall not be withdrawn without leave of the House.

No bill, resolution, message, report, amendment or motion, upon which a motion is pending to reconsider the vote thereon, shall be taken out of the possession of the House until final disposition of the motion to reconsider. No motion for reconsideration of the vote on any question, which has gone out of the possession of the House, shall be in order, unless subsequently recalled by vote of the House and in possession of the Clerk.

When a motion to reconsider has been carried, its effect shall be to place before the House the original question in the exact position it occupied before it was voted upon.

Debate on Motions to Reconsider Debate shall be allowed on a motion to reconsider only when the question which it is proposed to reconsider is debatable. Where debate upon a motion to reconsider is in order, no member shall speak more than once nor for a longer period than three minutes.

Reconsideration of Question Requiring More than Majority Vote When a majority of members present vote in the affirmative on any question, but the question be lost because it is one in which the concurrence of a greater number than a majority of a quorum is necessary to an affirmative decision, any member may move for a reconsideration.

Effect of Motion to Table A motion to lay on the table shall only have the effect of disposing of the matter temporarily, and may be taken from the table at any time after the eighth order of business has been passed.

Motion Must Be Germane No motion on a subject different from that under consideration shall be admitted under color of amendment.

Previous Questions When any question is before the House, any member who has not spoken on the question, when properly recognized, may move the previous question. Any demand for the previous question must be sustained by one tenth of the members present. If sustained, the motion for the previous question shall be put by the Speaker, without debate, in the form of “Shall the question on _________now be put?” If the motion for the previous question is adopted by a majority vote of members present, that question shall be put to a vote without further debate: Provided, That if the question is passage of the bill or adoption of a resolution, the Member recognized by the Speaker pursuant to Rule 34 to explain the bill or resolution shall be provided five minutes to close debate.

When a member moves the previous question, he shall specifically state in his motion whether it shall apply to the main question and the amendments or to the amendment or amendments only. If the motion applies to the main question and the amendments, separate votes shall be taken on each pending amendment and the main question without further debate, except for the Member having the right to close on the question pursuant to this Rule. If the question at issue is an amendment, the Member that is the lead sponsor of the amendment shall be provided three minutes to close debate.

The previous question shall not be admitted in the Committee of the Whole.

Meeting of the House

Time of Meeting The House shall meet every day, unless it shall be otherwise directed by special order, at the hour to which it shall have adjourned at its last sitting; but if no hour were fixed at such sitting, then at eleven o’clock.

Order of Business Daily The daily order of business shall be as follows:

To read, correct, and approve the Journal. Introduction of guests. To receive and consider reports of standing committees. To receive and consider reports of select committees. To receive and consider messages from the Executive, state officials, and other communications and remonstrances. To receive messages from the Senate, and consider amendments proposed by the Senate to bills passed by the House. To receive (a) resolutions, (b) petitions, (c) motions. Bills introduced on motion for leave and referred to appropriate committees. To act on unfinished business of the preceding day, and resolutions lying over from previous day, but no resolution shall lose its place on the calendar by not being acted upon on the day following that on which it was offered. Bills on third reading. Bills on second reading. Bills on first reading. To act upon leave of absence for members. Remarks by members of the House. Item XIV, Remarks by members of the House, shall not be operative after the forty-seventh day of the session. Miscellaneous business.

Recess for Introductions

Upon the request of any member, the Speaker may, not more than twice daily, order a recess for the purpose of introductions. During such recess any member, upon recognition, may introduce to the House citizens seated in the galleries. No such introduction shall exceed one minute. Rules of order and decorum shall remain in force during such recess as if the House is in session.

Priority of Business All questions relating to priority of business shall be decided without debate.

Special Orders Any subject made a special order of business shall be laid before the House by the Speaker, or may be called up by any member, when the time fixed for its consideration arrives. If not called up or acted upon at the time fixed, it shall lose its standing as a special order.

Reports and Messages Receivable at Any Time Messages from the Governor and Senate, communications and reports from state officers, reports from the Committee on Rules, reports from the Committee on Enrolled Bills, and reports of Conference Committees may be received at any time when the House is not actually engaged in taking a vote on some question, in which case it shall be received as soon as the result of the vote is announced. When received it shall be disposed of as the House may direct. Messages and reports received by the Clerk after sine die adjournment, which do not require actions by the House, shall be considered received by the House and filed with the Clerk and shall be recorded in the Journal.

Committees

Kinds of Committees Committees may be of four kinds, namely: Committee of the Whole House, Standing Committees, Select or Special Committees, and Conference Committees. Committee of the Whole

The House may resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole at any time on the motion of any member, and in forming a Committee of the Whole, the Speaker shall leave the chair and a chairman shall be appointed by him to preside over said committee. It shall consider and report on such subjects as may be committed to it by the House. The proceedings in Committee of the Whole shall not be recorded on the Journal except so far as reported to the House by the Chairman of the Committee.

Rules of Proceeding in the Committee of the Whole The rules of proceeding in the House shall be observed, as far as practicable, in Committee of the Whole, except that any member may speak oftener than twice on the same subject, but he shall not speak a second time until every member desiring to speak shall have spoken; nor shall a motion for the previous question nor a motion to lay on the table or to adjourn be made therein. The yeas and nays need not be taken in Committee of the Whole.

Consideration of Bills in Committee of the Whole Upon demand by any member, bills committed to a Committee of the Whole House shall, in Committee of the Whole, be read by sections. All amendments made shall be noted by the Clerk and reported to the House by the Chairman. After being reported to the House, the bill shall again be subject to amendment before a vote on the report is taken.

Motion to Rise Decided Without Debate A motion that the Committee of the Whole rise shall always be in order, and shall be decided without debate.

Standing Committees At the commencement of each Legislature, the Speaker shall appoint the standing committees established by this rule. The Speaker shall refer bills introduced, resolutions offered, and messages, petitions, memorials and other matters presented to such committee as he shall deem appropriate to consider and report thereon.

Standing committees are hereby created as follows:

Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee on Banking and Insurance Committee on Civil Defense and Emergencies Committee on Defense Committee on Education Committee on the Emvironment Committee on Energy Committee on Finance Committee on Foreign Relations Committee on Governance Committee on Health Committee on Industry and Labor Committee on Justice Committee on Public Works Committee on Rules Committee on Small Business, Entrepreneurship and Economic Development Committee on Transportation Committee on Veterans and Homeland Security

Recommitment of Bills A bill may be recommitted at any time before it passes. Should such recommitment take place after its engrossment, and an amendment be reported, the bill shall be placed on second reading when reported back.

Reading Bills Before any bill is read by the Clerk, he shall state to the House whether it is on first, second or third reading.

Bills to Have Three Readings No bill shall become a law until it has been fully and distinctly read on three different days, unless in case of urgency, by a vote of four fifths of the members present, taken by yeas and nays on each bill, this rule be dispensed with. Upon any bill there may be a motion to dispense with the constitutional rule, in order that the bill may be read twice or three times on the same day, and upon the first or second reading of any bill there may be a motion to dispense with the constitutional rule in order that the bill may, upon such reading, be read by its title: Provided, That in all cases there shall be three readings on each bill, and that an engrossed bill shall be fully and distinctly read.

Bills - First Reading The first reading of a bill shall be for information; and if opposition be made to it, the question shall be, "Shall the bill be rejected?" If no opposition be made, or if the question to reject be lost, it shall be regarded as ordered to its second reading, unless the House otherwise specially directs. On the first reading of a bill, it may at any stage of the reading be rejected on motion.

Bills - Printing and Availability to Members Electronic versions of all bills shall be made available promptly on the Chamber Automation System once introduced and printed version of all bills will be made available when requested from the Legislative Print Shop.

Amending and Engrossing Bills On the second reading of a bill on the demand of any two members, it shall be read section by section for amendment, and when the amendments as may be moved are disposed of, the question, unless the House otherwise order, shall be, if a House bill, "Shall the bill be engrossed and ordered to the third reading?" If a House bill shall be ordered to its engrossment and third reading, and amendments have been made thereto, the type from which the bill was originally printed shall be changed to conform with the amendments. The bill shall then be reprinted and shall be the engrossed bill, and shall be designated as such. If no amendments are made the bill as originally printed may be ordered to its third reading and shall become the engrossed bill, and shall be designated as such. All House bills ordered to their engrossment and third reading shall be jacketed and engrossed with their number, title, by whom introduced, and if the bill is finally passed, the date of its passage and the signature of the Clerk. If a House bill is passed by the Senate and returned to the House without amendment, or if amended and the amendment or amendments be agreed to, it shall then be turned over to the Joint Committee on Enrolled Bills. In the case of a Senate bill on second reading, if the same be amended by the House and passed as amended, the amendment or amendments shall be noted in full on slips of paper in typewriting and attached to the bill at the proper place by the Clerk before the bill is returned to the Senate, and all the amendments shall also appear in the House Journal.

Time Bills to Go into Effect In the passage of a bill by the House, a motion may be made that it take effect from its passage, or at some time other than ninety days after its passage; and if said motion be adopted by a vote of two thirds of all the members elected to the House, taken by yeas and nays, the Clerk shall communicate that fact to the Senate along with the bill.

Resolutions

Resolutions: These simple resolutions shall be used for expressing the will or order or sentiments of the House, to authorize expenditures from its contingent fund, for agreeing upon any question, and for all incidental purposes pertaining to the organization and work of the House.

Policy of the House as to Concurrent and House Resolutions; Defining Purpose and Scope of Such Resolutions It is hereby declared to be the policy of the House of Delegates that concurrent and house resolutions be limited to the general purposes set forth in subdivisions (2) and (3) of Rule 108 and shall be restricted to expressions of sentiments and actions having a bearing upon matters incident to legislative business and the functioning of the legislative process insofar as possible. Such resolutions shall not embrace congratulatory expressions to individuals, organizations, associations or other entities having no relation to the Legislature or public affairs generally, athletic events, scholastic contests, or any other matter not related to the scope and areas of legislative business: Provided, That this rule shall not bar the introduction of resolutions memorializing deceased members of the Legislature and public officials or commending or congratulating public officials on actions in connection with governmental affairs.

Any house resolution shall be submitted to the Clerk for determination of compliance with this rule.

Resolutions shall not embrace congratulatory expressions to individuals, organization, etc., having no relation to the Legislature. All resolutions must have preintroduction review by the Committee on Rules.

Introduction of Resolutions All resolutions to be introduced in the House shall be filed with the Clerk not later than two hours prior to the convening of the session at which they are to be introduced. They shall be presented in duplicate and copies shall be for the same purpose as that of bills. When the proper order of business is reached, the Clerk shall proceed in the same manner as if they were introduced from the floor. This rule does not deny a member the right to introduce a resolution from the floor in case of urgency. The different classes of resolutions shall be numbered by the Clerk and entered in full in the Journal.

Action on Resolutions Upon introduction, all resolutions shall be read by their titles, referred to the appropriate committee, and be inserted in full in the Journal. Resolutions other than joint resolutions, proposing amendments to the State Constitution, reported from committee shall lie over one day and come up under the ninth order of business the following legislative day.

Resolutions adopted by the Senate and reported to the House shall be subject to the same rule as that governing resolutions introduced in the House.

Petitions

Petitions All petitions, remonstrances, memorials and other papers addressed to the House shall be filed by the member with the Clerk prior to the convening of the House. When in the regular order of business the time is reached for presenting petitions or any such papers, the Clerk shall read a list of those on file, giving the member's name presenting same and a brief summary of the contents thereof, and the same shall be referred to the committee of the member's selection unless otherwise ordered by the House. Each member, upon filing any such petition, remonstrance or other paper, shall endorse thereon his name, and if not so endorsed it shall not be received. The Journal shall show the name of the member presenting such papers, a brief resume of the contents thereof, and the disposition made of same.

Amendments Submitted to Clerk Amendments are to be submitted to the Clerk in writing and a duplicate copy is to be filed electronically for viewing in the Chamber Automation System.

Must Be Germane No amendment shall be in order that is not germane to the matter under consideration; and the Speaker, when the question is raised, shall rule as to the admissibility of the proposed amendment.

Time for Offering Amendments may be offered to any bill or joint resolution and acted upon on their second reading and before they are ordered to their engrossment and third reading. No bill shall be amended on third reading, except by unanimous consent of the members present. Amendments to resolutions other than joint resolutions shall be in order at any time the same are being considered. Committee amendments shall be subject to amendment and shall be disposed of before any other amendments are in order.

Reading and Stating Amendments shall be read by the Clerk and stated by the Speaker before being acted upon.

By Striking Out Enacting Clause A motion to amend by striking out the enacting clause of a bill shall have precedence over another motion to amend, and, if carried, the bill or resolution is rejected.

Amendment to an Amendment A motion to amend a pending amendment may be received, but until it is disposed of no other motion to amend will be in order. But pending such amendment, a motion to amend in the nature of a substitute, and a motion to amend that substitute, may be received, but shall not be voted upon until the original matter is perfected.

Amendment to Have Precedence Over Substitute If a substitute for a bill or resolution be offered, a motion to amend the original bill or resolution shall have precedence.

Motion to Amend to Have Precedence Over One to Strike Out If a motion be made to strike out part of a bill or resolution, a motion to amend the part proposed to be stricken out shall have precedence.

Filling Blanks In filling blanks, the largest sum and longest time proposed shall be first put, and the question shall be put on names in the order they were nominated.

No Amendment by Way of Rider No amendment by way of rider shall be received to any bill after engrossment.

Amendment by Section If a bill is being considered section by section, only amendments to the section under consideration shall be in order. After all sections have been considered separately, the whole bill shall be open for amendment except that an amendment seeking to strike out matter previously inserted and containing substantially no new proposition shall not be in order.

Amending Titles After the passage of a bill or joint resolution, amendments to its title may be offered when the title is read for approval.

Amendments to Be Printed in Journal All amendments proposed, unless withdrawn, shall be printed in the Journal.

Speaking on Amendments On an amendment being moved, a member who has spoken to the main question may speak again to the amendment.

Journal

Clerk to Keep The Clerk of the House, under the direction of the Speaker, shall keep a full and correct Journal of the proceedings.

Approval and Correction When the Journal has been read to the end that any mistake made in the entry may be corrected, if no objection is made, it shall stand approved; but if objection be made, the first question of the House shall be to dispose of the same, and when such objections are disposed of and the Journal corrected, as the House may order, it shall stand as approved.

Printing Official Copies After the printed Journal has been approved and fully marked for correction, the type from which it was printed shall be changed in accordance therewith. From the type so corrected shall be printed the number of copies required by law for the regular bound volumes of the Journal, which shall be properly indexed. In addition thereto six copies shall be printed on 6x9 heavy weight bond paper, with a certificate at the end thereof, certifying that the same is the Official Journal of the House and the same shall be signed by the Speaker and Clerk. Such printed Journal shall be the official record of the House. They shall be bound in flexible binding, and bear the imprint on the back, "Official Journal of the Imperial Synkletos," with designation of regular or special session, as the case may be, and the year. After being signed by the proper officers, two of these copies shall be retained in the office of the Clerk, and one copy shall be lodged in the office of the Mesazon, one with the Secretary of State, one with the Archives and Library and one with the Basileus.

Journal to Be Printed Daily It shall be the duty of the Clerk to furnish a copy of each day's proceedings of the Journal to the Legislative Print Shop. An electronic version of the Journal is to be posted on the Chamber Automation System and printed copies are to be available on request prior to the start of the next session.

Form and Content of Journal The Journal shall be kept and published in minute form so as to show a running account of all proceedings and actions taken. Every written motion, unless it be withdrawn on the same day submitted and before action has been taken thereon, and such other material and matters required by these rules and the joint rules of the Senate and House shall be printed in the Journal. No remarks of members, speeches, newspaper editorials and articles, or other material shall be printed in the daily Journal, except explanations of votes as provided by these rules and such portions of remarks as may be necessary for the record in instances where a member may be called to order for words spoken in debate.

The Clerk shall keep and publish an Appendix to the bound and official Journals of each session of the House. There shall be included in the Appendix all remarks of members and other material ordered printed by the House.

An address or remarks by a member made on the floor of the House may be printed in the Appendix with the consent of the House on the request of the member making such address or remarks or by request of another member, if the member making such address or remarks consents to said request.

Inserting Remarks in Journal

Change or Suspension of Rules Rescinding or Amending Rules All propositions to amend or rescind any standing rule or order of the House shall be by resolution and be at once referred, without debate, to the Committee on Rules, and shall be reported therefrom within five legislative days thereafter. Any such resolution may be adopted by a majority vote, a quorum being present. (.

Suspension of Rules These rules shall not be suspended, except by a vote of at least two thirds of the members present. Unless there be a unanimous consent for the suspension of rules, the vote shall be determined by yeas and nays.

Note: The motion to suspend the rules is usually preceded by a member requesting unanimous consent of the House to do a particular thing. If no one objects, the House is deemed to assent, and what is desired is allowed accordingly. If objection is made, then the member may move that the rules be suspended for the specific purpose or object he has in view. A motion to lay on the table may not be applied to a motion to suspend the rules.

Miscellaneous Rules

Persons Admitted to the Floor – Members’ Gallery No person except members of the Imperial Synkletos, the Clerk, duly accredited representatives of the press, radio and television, and legislative employees engaged in the proper discharge of their duties shall be admitted within the House Chamber while the House is in session. No introductions shall be made while the House is in session. At the convening of the House, the Sergeant at Arms shall see that all persons not entitled to the privilege of the floor under this rule retire from the Chamber.

The west or center balcony of the House Chamber shall be designated "Members' Gallery" and reserved for guests of members of the House, and admission thereto shall be by pass in such form as may be approved by the Committee on Rules and signed by member issuing the same to a guest.

Smoking and Use of Tobacco Products Prohibited Smoking and the use of tobacco products are prohibited in the House chamber and House galleries during sessions and in House committee rooms during committee meetings or public hearings.

Attire of Persons Admitted to Floor No member of the House or any person who has privileges of the floor, except pages, individuals authorized to be present for special ceremonies, television camera operators, media photographers, sound technicians and maintenance personnel, shall be admitted to the floor of the House while the House is in session unless properly attired. Minimum standards of dress shall consist of the wearing of a coat and tie and dress pants by males and the wearing of a suitable dress or an appropriate blouse and skirt or pants suit by females. Jeans or shorts shall not constitute proper attire .

Lobbying in the House Chamber No person engaged in lobbying, including persons entitled to the privilege of the floor when engaged in lobbying activities, shall be permitted upon the floor of the House or in the foyer thereto at any time during a session of the Legislature. If any person not a member while within the Chamber when the House is in session attempts in any manner whatsoever to influence the vote or opinion of any member upon any subject of legislative consideration, he shall be removed from the Chamber and be debarred therefrom during the remainder of the session. Any employee who shall, at any time, engage in such activity shall be subject to immediate dismissal.

Use of electronic communication devices prohibited Unless authorized by the speaker, no person may use a cell phone to make or receive a call on the House floor during a session. A cell phone or other electronic device may be used in the vestibule of the House Chamber or other locations designated by the Speaker. Members are prohibited from communicating by any means with any person not on the House floor, other than other members of the Legislature or legislative staff, regarding the passage or defeat of any pending legislative matter, while such matter is being debated or considered for passage.

News Correspondents and Reporters (a) Any person accorded the privilege of the press gallery or press table must be a news correspondent or reporter for a newspaper, a radio or television station, or of a recognized press association, who is not engaged in any department of state government, or in any other business; and no more than one representative of each shall be admitted to the press table or press gallery at one time.

(b) All applications for admission to the press gallery or press table must be made to the Speaker. Such applications shall state the name and location of the newspaper, news association, radio or television station, and be signed by the applicant. The Speaker may request the news representatives to establish a committee on accreditation of applicants, and he shall consider recommendations made by such committee.

(c) The Speaker shall verify statements made in such application, and if the application is approved by him, he shall issue a correspondent's card, signed by him.

(d) The correspondents shall not visit the members in their seats during the session of the House, and shall abide by such rules and regulations as may be adopted by the Rules Committee of the House.

(e) The card issued by the Speaker must be presented when required by any Sergeant at Arms. It shall not be transferable. The transfer or loan of such card to anyone shall be followed by its cancellation and the withdrawal of all its privileges from the correspondent so offending.

(f) The gallery or press tables allotted to news correspondents shall be for their exclusive use, and persons not holding correspondents' cards shall not be entitled to admission thereto.

Lounging Prohibited in the Hall of the House It shall be the duty of the Sergeant at Arms to prevent all persons not connected with the Legislature from assembling in the halls at any time when the House is not in session for the purpose of lounging or loafing. For the purpose of enforcing this rule, the Sergeant at Arms or his assistants shall be in attendance at all times, and the persistent neglect or disregard of this rule shall be cause for dismissal by the Speaker, or removal.

Peddling Prohibited No person shall be permitted to hawk, peddle or offer for sale any article of traffic at any time within the hall of the House; and it shall be the duty of the Sergeant at Arms to strictly enforce this rule.

Regulating Use of Halls The Speaker shall have power to regulate the use of the halls and stairways of the part of the Capitol building used by the House for refreshments and like purposes when the Legislature is in session.

Oaths The Speaker or Clerk shall have authority to administer any oaths required by the business of the House.