STATE OF MINNESOTA
EIGHTY-SEVENTH SESSION - 2011
_____________________
EIGHTH DAY
Saint Paul, Minnesota, Thursday, January 27,
2011
The House of Representatives convened at 3:00 p.m. and was
called to order by Kurt Zellers, Speaker of the House.
Prayer was offered by the Reverend Nancy Wigdahl, Director of
Spiritual Services, Bethesda Hospital, St. Paul, Minnesota.
The members of the House gave the pledge of allegiance to the flag
of the United States of America.
The roll was called and the following members were present:
Abeler
Anderson, B.
Anderson, D.
Anderson, P.
Anderson, S.
Anzelc
Atkins
Banaian
Barrett
Beard
Benson, J.
Benson, M.
Bills
Brynaert
Buesgens
Carlson
Champion
Clark
Cornish
Crawford
Daudt
Davids
Davnie
Dean
Dettmer
Dittrich
Doepke
Downey
Drazkowski
Eken
Erickson
Fabian
Falk
Franson
Fritz
Garofalo
Gauthier
Gottwalt
Greene
Greiling
Gruenhagen
Gunther
Hackbarth
Hamilton
Hancock
Hansen
Hausman
Hayden
Hilstrom
Hilty
Holberg
Hoppe
Hornstein
Hortman
Hosch
Howes
Huntley
Johnson
Kahn
Kath
Kelly
Kieffer
Kiel
Kiffmeyer
Knuth
Koenen
Kriesel
Lanning
Leidiger
LeMieur
Lenczewski
Lesch
Liebling
Lillie
Loeffler
Lohmer
Loon
Mack
Mahoney
Mariani
Marquart
Mazorol
McDonald
McElfatrick
McFarlane
McNamara
Moran
Morrow
Mullery
Murdock
Murphy, E.
Murphy, M.
Murray
Myhra
Nelson
Nornes
Norton
O'Driscoll
Paymar
Pelowski
Peppin
Persell
Petersen, B.
Peterson, S.
Poppe
Quam
Rukavina
Runbeck
Sanders
Scalze
Schomacker
Scott
Shimanski
Simon
Slawik
Slocum
Smith
Stensrud
Swedzinski
Thissen
Tillberry
Torkelson
Urdahl
Vogel
Wagenius
Ward
Wardlow
Westrom
Winkler
Woodard
Spk. Zellers
A quorum was present.
Dill and Laine were excused.
The Chief Clerk proceeded to read the
Journal of the preceding day. There
being no objection, further reading of the Journal was dispensed with and the
Journal was approved as corrected by the Chief Clerk.
REPORTS OF STANDING COMMITTEES AND
DIVISIONS
Smith from
the Committee on Judiciary Policy and Finance to which was referred:
H. F. No. 1,
A bill for an act relating to environment; providing for permitting efficiency;
modifying environmental review requirements; amending Minnesota Statutes 2010,
sections 84.027, by adding a subdivision; 115.07; 116.03, by adding a
subdivision; 116.07, subdivision 2; 116D.04, subdivisions 3a, 10; 116D.045,
subdivisions 1, 3.
Reported
the same back with the following amendments:
Page 1,
after line 6, insert:
"Section
1. Minnesota Statutes 2010, section
13.7411, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 10. Draft
environmental impact statement. Certain
data collected by a project proposer for a draft environmental impact statement
are classified under section 116D.04."
Page 7,
line 17, after the period, insert "The filing of a writ of certiorari
shall not automatically stay further action by the responsible governmental
unit, but the Court of Appeals may order a stay upon such terms as it deems
proper."
Page 7,
line 20, strike "plaintiff" and insert "petitioner"
Page 7,
line 21, strike "temporary restraining order" and insert "stay"
and strike "Nothing in"
Page 7,
strike lines 22 and 23
Page 7,
line 24, strike "courts."
Page 7,
after line 25, insert:
"Sec. 8. Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 116D.04, is
amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 15. Data
classification. Data
collected, created, received, maintained, or disseminated by the proposer of a
specific project for support of a draft environmental impact statement under
this section shall be deemed government data as defined in section 13.02,
subdivision 7."
Page 8,
line 11, delete "2" and insert "3"
Renumber
the sections in sequence
Correct the
title numbers accordingly
With the
recommendation that when so amended the bill pass and be re-referred to the
Committee on Ways and Means.
The report was adopted.
Gunther from the Committee on Jobs and Economic Development
Finance to which was referred:
H. F. No. 103, A bill for an act relating to
unemployment insurance; modifying certain eligibility and extension provisions;
amending Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 268.085, subdivision 9.
Reported the same back with the recommendation that the bill
pass and be re-referred to the Committee on Taxes.
The report was adopted.
INTRODUCTION AND FIRST READING OF HOUSE BILLS
The following House Files were introduced:
Franson; Dettmer; Cornish; Scott; Murdock;
Vogel; Wardlow; Runbeck; Drazkowski; Anderson, S.; McDonald and Barrett
introduced:
H. F. No. 238, A bill for
an act relating to human services; establishing electronic benefit transfer
card restrictions and requirements; modifying the MFIP residency requirement;
amending Minnesota Statutes 2010, sections 256D.02, subdivision 4; 256D.05,
subdivision 6; 256D.09, subdivisions 1, 2a; 256D.47; 256J.01, subdivision 2;
256J.08, subdivisions 65, 82a, 85, by adding subdivisions; 256J.12,
subdivisions 1a, 2, by adding a subdivision; 256J.24, subdivisions 3, 5, 5a;
256J.26, subdivision 1; 256J.31, subdivision 12; 256J.37, subdivision 3a;
256J.39, subdivision 1; 256J.42; 256J.46, subdivision 1; 256J.50, subdivision
6; 256J.626, subdivision 2; 256J.68, subdivision 1; 256J.69, subdivision 1;
256J.77; 256J.95, subdivisions 1, 3, 7, 10, 12, 18; proposing coding for new
law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 256; repealing Minnesota Statutes 2010,
section 256.9862, subdivision 2.
The bill was read for the first time and
referred to the Committee on Health and Human Services Reform.
Murphy, E., and Eken introduced:
H. F. No. 239, A bill for
an act relating to human services; increasing the daily rate at an ICF/MR
facility in Clearwater County; amending Minnesota Statutes 2010, section
256B.5012, by adding a subdivision.
The bill was read for the first time and
referred to the Committee on Health and Human Services Finance.
Dettmer, Smith, Murdock, Torkelson and
Nornes introduced:
H. F. No. 240, A bill for
an act relating to veterans; extending eligibility for the disabled veterans
homestead market value exemption for surviving spouses of qualified disabled
veterans, and inclusion of certain approved primary family caregivers of
qualified disabled veterans; amending Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 273.13,
subdivision 34.
The bill was read for the first time and
referred to the Veterans Services Division.
Persell, Ward and Howes introduced:
H. F. No. 241, A bill for
an act relating to taxation; sales and use; expanding the exemption for certain
public safety radio equipment; amending Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 297A.70,
subdivision 8.
The bill was read for the first time and
referred to the Committee on Taxes.
Persell, Anzelc and Howes introduced:
H. F. No. 242, A bill for
an act relating to game and fish; requiring rulemaking to allow spearing on
Cass Lake.
The bill was read for the first time and
referred to the Committee on Environment, Energy and Natural Resources Policy
and Finance.
Anderson, S.; Nornes; Dettmer and Doepke
introduced:
H. F. No. 243, A bill for
an act relating to higher education; requiring a vote to increase optional
student fees; amending Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 136F.06, subdivision 1;
proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 135A.
The bill was read for the first time and
referred to the Committee on Higher Education Policy and Finance.
Davids introduced:
H. F. No. 244, A bill for
an act relating to taxation; providing for payment of costs and attorney fees
in certain tax court actions; amending Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 271.19.
The bill was read for the first time and
referred to the Committee on Judiciary Policy and Finance.
Davids introduced:
H. F. No. 245, A bill for
an act relating to arts; creating regional capital fund for arts organizations;
appropriating money; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes,
chapter 129D.
The bill was read for the first time and
referred to the Legacy Funding Division.
Hackbarth introduced:
H. F. No. 246, A bill for
an act relating to capital investment; appropriating money for the Oliver H.
Kelley Farm Historical Site; authorizing the sale and issuance of state bonds.
The bill was read for the first time and
referred to the Committee on State Government Finance.
Davids introduced:
H. F. No. 247, A bill for
an act relating to taxation; providing for voluntary contributions to the state
on the income tax form; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes,
chapter 290.
The bill was read for the first time and
referred to the Committee on Taxes.
Loeffler, McNamara, Greene, Lillie and
Davids introduced:
H. F. No. 248, A bill for
an act relating to insurance; enacting the recommendation of the Small Group
Health Insurance Market Working Group by repealing a requirement that small
employers that do not offer group health coverage either offer, or file a form
with the state stating a decision not to offer, a Section 125 plan through
which employees may contribute wages to a pretax account from which to pay for
individual health insurance; repealing Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 62U.07.
The bill was read for the first time and
referred to the Committee on Health and Human Services Reform.
Rukavina, Howes, Anzelc and Dill
introduced:
H. F. No. 249, A bill for
an act relating to state government; requiring state funds used for
state-funded projects to use state or American-made goods; proposing coding for
new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 16A.
The bill was read for the first time and
referred to the Committee on Jobs and Economic Development Finance.
Anderson, B., introduced:
H. F. No. 250, A bill for
an act relating to claims against the state; changing and updating certain
provisions; amending Minnesota Statutes 2010, sections 3.736, subdivision 3;
3.739, subdivision 2; 3.749.
The bill was read for the first time and
referred to the Committee on Civil Law.
Lillie introduced:
H. F. No. 251, A resolution
memorializing the Congress of the United States to appoint an independent
counsel to investigate the Prisoner of War - Missing in Action issue.
The bill was read for the first time and
referred to the Veterans Services Division.
Lillie introduced:
H. F. No. 252, A bill for
an act relating to human services; establishing an outcome-based personal care
assistance pilot project; establishing project requirements; requiring a
report; appropriating money.
The bill was read for the first time and
referred to the Committee on Health and Human Services Reform.
Ward introduced:
H. F. No. 253, A bill for
an act relating to taxation; sales and use; repealing June accelerated tax
payment; amending Minnesota Statutes 2010, sections 289A.18, subdivision 4;
289A.20, subdivision 4; 297F.09, subdivisions 1, 2; 297F.25, subdivision 2;
repealing Minnesota Statutes 2010, sections 289A.60, subdivision 15; 297F.09,
subdivision 10; 297G.09, subdivision 9.
The bill was read for the first time and
referred to the Committee on Taxes.
Doepke; Benson, M., and Anderson, S.,
introduced:
H. F. No. 254, A bill for
an act relating to education finance; permitting Independent School District No. 284,
Wayzata, to participate in the alternative facilities revenue program; amending
Laws 1999, chapter 241, article 4, section 25, by adding a subdivision.
The bill was read for the first time and
referred to the Committee on Education Finance.
Anderson, S.; Barrett; Daudt and Urdahl
introduced:
H. F. No. 255, A bill for
an act relating to agriculture; permitting certain sales of certain food
products by farmers; amending Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 32.393,
subdivision 1.
The bill was read for the first time and
referred to the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development Policy and
Finance.
Sanders and Beard introduced:
H. F. No. 256, A bill for
an act relating to transportation; regulating motor carrier transportation
contracts; prohibiting indemnification provisions; proposing coding for new law
in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 221.
The bill was read for the first time and
referred to the Committee on Transportation Policy and Finance.
Bills, Banaian and Drazkowski introduced:
H. F. No. 257, A bill for
an act relating to education finance; creating the early graduation achievement
scholarship program; appropriating money; amending Minnesota Statutes 2010,
sections 120B.07; 126C.126; 126C.20; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota
Statutes, chapter 120B.
The bill was read for the first time and
referred to the Committee on Education Finance.
Davids introduced:
H. F. No. 258, A bill for
an act relating to taxation; revenue recapture; authorizing licensed ambulance
services to submit claims directly to the state; amending Minnesota Statutes
2010, section 270A.03, subdivision 2.
The bill was read for the first time and
referred to the Committee on Taxes.
Peppin introduced:
H. F. No. 259, A bill for
an act relating to natural resources; modifying Mississippi River management
plan.
The bill was read for the first time and
referred to the Committee on Environment, Energy and Natural Resources Policy
and Finance.
Peppin introduced:
H. F. No. 260, A bill for
an act relating to commerce; regulating gasoline sales below cost; amending
Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 325D.01, subdivision 5; repealing Minnesota
Statutes 2010, sections 325D.01, subdivisions 11, 12; 325D.71.
The bill was read for the first time and
referred to the Committee on Commerce and Regulatory Reform.
REPORT FROM THE COMMITTEE ON RULES
AND LEGISLATIVE ADMINISTRATION
Dean from
the Committee on Rules and Legislative Administration offered the following
report and moved its adoption:
Resolve,
that the Permanent Rules of the House of Representatives for the 87th
Legislative Session shall read as follows:
"PERMANENT
RULES OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 2009-2010 2011-2012
ARTICLE 1 –
DAILY BUSINESS
1.01
CONVENING OF THE HOUSE. Unless otherwise
ordered, the House convenes at 12:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m. The Speaker
must take the chair at the appointed hour and call the House to order.
The call to
order is followed by a prayer by the Chaplain or time for a brief meditation,
then by the pledge of allegiance to the flag of the United States of America,
and then by a call of the roll of members.
The names of members present and members excused must be entered in the
Journal of the House.
1.02
READING OF THE JOURNAL. If a quorum is
present, the Chief Clerk must read the Journal of the preceding day, unless
otherwise ordered. The House may correct
errors in the Journal of the preceding day.
1.03 ORDER
OF BUSINESS. After the Journal is read,
the order of business of the day is:
(1)
Presentation of petitions or other communications
(2) Reports
of standing committees and divisions
(3) Second
reading of House bills
(4) Second
reading of Senate bills
(5) Reports
of select committees
(6)
Introduction and first reading of House bills
(7)
Consideration of messages from the Senate
(8) First
reading of Senate bills
(9) Consent
Calendar
(10)
Calendar for the day
(11)
Motions and resolutions
The House
may advance or revert from any order of business to any other order of
business, by majority vote of the whole House.
Conference
committees on House bills and the Committee on Rules and Legislative
Administration may report at any time.
1.04 REPORTING
OF BILLS. A bill must be reported to the
House on three different days before its passage, except as provided in Rule
5.02. The first report, called the first
reading, occurs when it is introduced; the second report, called the second
reading, occurs when it has been reported by the appropriate standing
committees and divisions for consideration by the House; the third report,
called the third reading, occurs when it is ready for the vote on passage.
1.10
INTRODUCTION OF BILLS AND RESOLUTIONS. A
bill or resolution must be submitted to the Speaker at least 24 hours before
the convening of the daily session at which it is to be introduced.
A bill or
resolution must be introduced in triplicate and each copy must bear the
signature of the member or the name of the committee or division introducing
it.
In regular
session, a bill prepared by a department or agency of state government must be
introduced and given its first reading at least ten days before the date of the
first committee deadline.
1.11 FIRST
READING AND REFERENCE OF BILLS. A bill
or resolution must be reported and given its first reading when it is
introduced. A bill or resolution must
not be objected to when it is introduced.
After its
first reading, the Speaker must refer a bill or resolution to the appropriate
standing committee or division, except as provided in Rule 1.15 and Rule 1.13.
Congratulatory
resolutions referred to in Rule 4.02 are exempt from this Rule.
Except as
otherwise provided in these Rules, after the Speaker refers a bill or
resolution, a majority vote of the whole House is required for the House to
re-refer the bill or resolution.
1.12 AUTHORS
OF BILLS AND RESOLUTIONS. A bill,
memorial, or resolution must not have more than 35 authors. After a bill or resolution is introduced and
given its first reading: (a) a member
may be removed as an author, by motion of the member; and (b) a member wishing
to be an author may be added as an author, by motion of the author of the bill
or resolution.
1.13 INTRODUCTION
OF COMMITTEE OR DIVISION BILLS. A
standing or special committee of the House or a division of the House may
introduce a bill as a committee or division bill on any subject within its
purview. When a committee or division
bill is introduced and read for the first time, the Speaker may refer it to a
standing committee or division. If the
Speaker does not refer it, the bill must be laid over one day. Then it must be read for the second time and
placed on the General Register or, if recommended by the Committee, on the
Consent Calendar.
1.14 RECESS
BILL INTRODUCTIONS. During the period
between the last day of the regular session in an odd-numbered year and the
first day of the regular session in the next year, a bill filed with the
Speaker for introduction must be given a file number and may be unofficially
referred by the Speaker to an appropriate standing committee or division.
1.15
DISPOSITION OF SENATE FILES. A Senate
File received by the House that is accompanied by a message announcing its
passage by the Senate must be referred to the appropriate standing committee or
division under Rule 1.11. But if a
Senate File is received that a member requests be compared to a House File
already reported by a standing committee or division of the House and placed on
the General Register or on the Calendar for the Day or the Consent Calendar,
the Senate File must be referred to the Chief Clerk for comparison. If the Chief Clerk reports that the Senate
File is identical to the House File, the Senate File may, by majority vote, be
substituted for the House File and take its place. The fact that the bills are identical must be
entered in the Journal and the House File is then considered withdrawn.
A Senate
File that is amended on the floor of the House, except at the time of final
passage, and a Senate File that has been reported to the House with amendments
by a House standing committee or division, must be unofficially engrossed and
reprinted by the Chief Clerk. An
amendment may be offered to an unofficial engrossment of a Senate File.
1.20 GENERAL
REGISTER. The General Register consists
of all bills that have received a second reading, except those placed on the
Consent Calendar under Rule 1.23. Bills
must be placed on the General Register in the order that they receive their
second reading. A bill must be on the
General Register, be given to each member, and be available to the public
before it may be considered by the House on the Calendar for the Day or the
Fiscal Calendar. Each day that the House
meets in session, the Chief Clerk must publish a list of the bills on the
General Register.
1.21
CALENDAR FOR THE DAY. The Calendar for
the Day is a list of bills that are to be considered that day by the House. The House must consider each item on the
Calendar for the Day in the order determined by the presiding officer. After consideration by the House, unless
otherwise disposed of, the bill must immediately be given its third reading and
placed upon its passage.
A bill that
has received its second reading may be placed on the Calendar for the Day by
the Committee on Rules and Legislative Administration or by order of the House
upon the motion of a member as provided in this Rule.
The
Committee on Rules and Legislative Administration must designate the bills that
are to be on the Calendar for the Day. During
regular session, the Committee must designate the bills by 5:00 p.m. the day
before the day that the bills are to be on the Calendar, except that the
Committee may designate the bills at any time after a day specified by the
Committee on Rules and Legislative Administration. After the Committee designates the bills, the
Chief Clerk must publish the Calendar for the Day.
A bill that
is on the General Register for more than ten legislative days may be placed on
the Calendar for the Day by a majority vote of the whole House, acting on the
motion of a member. A bill placed on the
Calendar for the Day in this manner must be considered first the next time that
the House reaches the order of business "Calendar for the Day." A
member must give notice to the Speaker and the Chief Clerk three legislative
days before making a motion to place a bill on the Calendar for the Day. The notice must specify the number and title
of the bill. Only the member who gave
notice to the Speaker and the Chief Clerk, or another member designated in
writing by the member who gave notice, may make the motion to place the bill on
the Calendar for the Day. After the
third legislative day following the day of notice, the motion must be made the
first time that the House reaches the order of business "Motions and
Resolutions." If the motion is not made at that time, the member who gave
notice forfeits the right to make that motion.
A bill may
be continued on the Calendar for the Day by a majority vote of the whole House. A third motion by the author of a bill to
continue it on the Calendar for the Day is not in order; upon such a motion,
the bill must be stricken from the Calendar and returned to the General
Register in the order of its second reading.
The Calendar for the Day expires when the House adjourns for the day,
unless the House, by a majority vote of the whole House, continues items
remaining on the Calendar to the next day.
1.22 FISCAL
CALENDAR. A finance bill that has had
its second reading must be considered by the House when requested by the Chair
of the Committee on Ways and Means or by a designee of the Chair. A bill relating to taxes or raising revenue
that has had its second reading must be considered by the House when requested
by the Chair of the Committee on Taxes or a designee of the Chair.
During
regular session, a chair must announce the intention to make the request by
5:00 p.m. the legislative day before the day that the request for consideration
is to be made, except that the Chair may designate the bills at any time after
a day specified by the Committee on Rules and Legislative Administration. During periods when the 5:00 p.m. requirement
does not apply, the chair must announce the intention at least two hours before
making the request.
After
consideration by the House on the Fiscal Calendar, unless otherwise disposed
of, the bill must immediately be given its third reading and placed upon its
passage.
1.23
CONSENT CALENDAR. If a committee or
division determines that a bill it recommends to pass is not controversial, the
committee or division may in its report recommend that the bill be placed on
the Consent Calendar. After the report
is adopted and the bill has received its second reading, the bill must be
placed on the Consent Calendar and given to each member at least one day before
it may be considered by the House. Bills
must be placed on the Consent Calendar in the order that they receive their
second reading and must be considered by the House in the order determined by
the presiding officer.
After
consideration by the House, a bill on the Consent Calendar must immediately be
given its third reading and placed upon its passage. But if, before its third reading, ten members
object to the bill as being controversial, the bill must be stricken from the
Consent Calendar and be placed on the General Register in the order of second
reading.
1.30 THIRD
READING OF BILLS. An amendment must not
be received after the third reading of a bill without unanimous consent, except
to fill blanks or to amend the title.
At any time
before it is passed, a bill or resolution may be referred or re-referred by a
majority vote of the whole House. If the
committee or division to which it is referred or re-referred reports an
amendment to it, the bill or resolution must again be given its second reading
and placed on the General Register.
1.40
PUBLICATION OF BILLS FOR THE HOUSE. After
a bill receives its second reading, the bill must be prepared and published or
made electronically available for consideration by the House. A majority of the House may order the
publication of a bill at any time.
1.50
ADJOURNING OF THE HOUSE. The House may
not meet during a legislative day after midnight, except that the House, by
majority vote, may meet past the time of adjournment required by this Rule.
ARTICLE 2 –
FLOOR PROCEEDINGS, VOTING, DECORUM
2.01 ABSENCE
OF MEMBERS AND OFFICERS. Unless illness
or other sufficient cause prevents attendance, a member or officer of the House
must not be absent from a session of the House without the prior permission of
the Speaker.
2.02 CALL OF
THE HOUSE. Ten members may demand a call
of the House at any time until voting begins.
After the House is placed under call, a second roll call on any aspect
of a call of the House is out of order.
When a call
is demanded, the doors of the chamber must be closed, the roll called, and the
absent members sent for; and no member is allowed to leave the chamber until
the roll call is suspended or completed.
During the roll call, no motion is in order except a motion pertaining
to matters incidental to the call.
Proceedings
under the roll call may be suspended by a majority vote of the whole House. The Sergeant at Arms must not permit a member
to leave the Chamber unless the member is excused by the Speaker, or the call
of the House has been lifted by a majority vote of the whole House.
2.03 ROLL
CALL VOTE. A roll call vote is required
to pass a bill or to adopt a resolution or motion directing the payment of
money. In all other cases a roll call
vote may be ordered only if 15 members demand it. When the House is taking a roll call vote on
another issue, a roll call vote may not be ordered on a motion that members not
voting be excused from voting.
2.04
EXPLAINING OR CHANGING VOTE. A member
must not explain a vote or discuss the question during a roll call vote. A member must not change a vote or move for
the record an intention to have voted or voted differently after the result of
the roll call vote is announced from the chair by the Speaker.
2.05 EVERY
UNEXCUSED MEMBER TO VOTE. A member who
has an immediate interest in a question must not vote on it.
Every other
member present before the result of a vote is declared by the presiding officer
must vote for or against the matter before the House, unless the House excuses
the member from voting. But a member is
not required to vote on any matter concerning a memorial resolution.
A member who
does not vote when the member's name is called must state reasons for not
voting. After the vote has been taken
but before the presiding officer has announced the result of the vote, the
presiding officer must submit to the House the question: "Shall the member, for the reasons
stated, be excused from voting?" The question must be decided without
debate. After the question is decided,
the presiding officer must announce the result of the vote, after which other
proceedings about the nonvoting member may take place.
2.10
ELECTRONIC VOTING SYSTEM. An electronic
voting system under the control of the Speaker may be used to take any vote
except a vote on an election or if the House is currently taking a roll call. A member must not vote on a question except
at the member's own seat in the chamber.
2.15
RECORDED FLOOR PROCEEDINGS. Proceedings
on the floor of the House must be recorded on an appropriate audio recording
medium under the direction of the Chief Clerk.
The Chief Clerk must transmit a copy of the recordings to the Director
of the Legislative Reference Library. The
Legislative Reference Library must keep the recordings available for public use
under its rules during the legislative biennium when the recordings were
created and for eight years thereafter. The
Library may then preserve or dispose of the recordings as the Library sees fit.
A person
may obtain a copy of a recording while it is kept in the Library by paying a
fee determined by the House Controller to cover the cost of preparing the copy.
Discussion
preserved under this Rule is not intended to be admissible in a court or
administrative proceeding on an issue of legislative intent.
2.20 DUTIES
OF MEMBERS. Members must keep their
seats until the Speaker announces adjournment.
A member,
before speaking, must rise and respectfully address the Speaker and must not
speak further until recognized by the Speaker.
If more than one member rises at the same time, the Speaker must select
the member to speak first.
2.21 NOTICE
OF INTENT TO DEBATE A RESOLUTION. A
member may give notice of intent to debate a resolution, except a resolution
introduced as a house file or a senate file under Rule 4.02 or a resolution
offered by the Committee on Rules and Legislative Administration or the
Committee on Ethics.
The notice
may be given at any time before the vote is taken on the resolution. If the notice is given, the resolution must
be laid over one day without debate or any other action.
2.30
QUESTIONS OF ORDER. If a member violates
the Rules in any way, the Speaker must, or another member may, call the member
to order. The member called to order
must immediately sit down unless another member moves to permit the member who
was called to order to explain. In
either case, the House, if appealed to, must decide the question without debate. Only if the decision is in favor of the
member called to order may that member proceed.
The House may censure or punish a member called to order.
2.31
OFFENSIVE WORDS IN DEBATE. If a member
is called to order for offensive words in debate, the member calling for order
must report the words to which exception is taken and the Clerk must record
them. A member must not be held to
answer, or be subject to censure of the House, for language used in debate
unless exception is taken before another member speaks or other business takes
place.
2.32 ORDER
IN DEBATE. Except for the member who
offered the motion, amendment, or proposition under consideration, a member
must not speak more than twice on the subject, without leave of the House, nor
more than once until every other member wishing to speak on the subject has had
an opportunity to do so.
2.33 ORDER
DURING SESSION. A member must not walk
out of or across the Chamber while the Speaker is putting the question. A member must not engage in private
conversation while another member is speaking or pass between a speaking member
and the Chair. A member must not disrupt
order and decorum in the Chamber by possessing or using any audiovisual
display, including but not limited to placards, signs, photographs, visual
aids, or the use of any video images or audio, except for such items that are
distributed to members at their desks for the purpose of conducting business of
the day.
2.34
PERSONS BY THE CHIEF CLERK'S DESK DURING VOTE.
No person may remain by the Chief Clerk's desk during a roll call vote.
2.39 EXECUTIVE
BRANCH OR LOBBYIST PRESENCE IN COMMITTEE.
No House committee, division or subcommittee shall permit any member or
staff of the executive branch, registered lobbyist, or lobbyist principal, to
be seated at the committee table with members of the House during official
proceedings of committees of the House.
2.40
ADMITTANCE TO FLOOR. No person other
than a member may be admitted to the House Chamber, except: properly authorized employees; the Chief
Executive and ex-governors of the State of Minnesota; members of the Senate;
heads of departments of the state government; judges of the Supreme Court,
Court of Appeals, and District Courts; members of Congress; those persons
invited to address the body or a joint convention of the house and senate, and
guests for such an address or joint convention; and properly accredited
representatives of radio and television stations, newspapers and press
associations, as provided for in these Rules.
Any other
person may be issued a permit by the Speaker good for the day, but that person
must be seated near the Speaker's rostrum, and must not engage in conversation
that disturbs the business of the House.
Before issuing a permit, the Speaker must make certain that the person
does not seek the floor of the House to influence decisions of the House.
The alcoves
in the Chambers are for the use of members only, and the Sergeant at Arms must
keep them clear of others.
From one
hour before the time the House is scheduled to convene until one hour after the
House adjourns for the day, the retiring room is reserved for the exclusive use
of the members and employees of the House.
As long as the Senate prohibits entry of House members into its retiring
room, no Senators may enter the House retiring room during the time it is
reserved for exclusive use of members and employees. A committee or division meeting must not be
held there except emergency meetings authorized by the Speaker. The Sergeant at Arms must strictly enforce
this provision.
Unless an
extraordinary condition exists the Speaker must not entertain a request to
suspend this Rule or present the request of a member for unanimous consent to
suspend this Rule.
2.41 MEDIA
NEWS REPORTERS. Accredited
representatives of the press, press associations, and radio and television
stations must be given equal press privileges by the House. A person wishing to report proceedings of the
House may apply to the Chief Sergeant at Arms for a media pass and assignment
to suitable available space. The
Sergeant may coordinate the issuance of media passes with the appropriate
senate authority.
Television
stations must be permitted to televise sessions of the House. Media representatives must be allowed access
to both wells in the gallery of the House chambers.
2.42 TIME
LIMIT FOR CONSIDERATION. The
Committee on Rules and Legislative Administration may establish and shall
announce time parameters for floor consideration of a bill, resolution, or
other matter before the House.
ARTICLE 3 –
MOTIONS, AMENDMENTS, AND OTHER PROPOSITIONS
3.01
AMENDMENTS AND OTHER MOTIONS. An
amendment or other motion must not be debated until after it is stated by the
Speaker.
After an
amendment or other motion is stated by the Speaker it is in possession of the
House, but the mover may withdraw it at any time before it is amended or
decided. Unless a motion, resolution, or
amendment is withdrawn on the day it is made, it must be entered in the
Journal, with the name of the member offering it.
Except as
otherwise permitted by the Speaker, an amendment or other motion must be in
writing, and five copies of it must be given to the Chief Clerk.
3.02 ORDER
OF PUTTING QUESTION; FILLING BLANKS. Except
for a privileged question, questions before the House or a committee or
division must be put in the order they are moved. In filling a blank, a motion for the largest
sum or the longest time must be put first.
3.03
DIVISION OF A QUESTION. A member may
request the division of a question that contains more than one separate and distinct
point. A motion to strike and insert is
not divisible. The failure of a motion
to strike does not preclude another motion to amend or to strike and insert.
3.10
PRECEDENCE OF MOTIONS. While a question
is under consideration, only the following motions may be received:
(1) To fix
the time of adjournment
(2) To
adjourn
(3) To lay
on the table
(4) For the
previous question
(5) To
refer
(6) To
postpone to a day certain
(7) To
amend
(8) To
postpone indefinitely
(9) To pass
The first
four motions must be decided without debate.
The motions
have precedence in the order listed, except that if the motion for the previous
question has been properly made, and if necessary seconded, and the main
question ordered, the motion to lay on the table is not in order.
3.11 MOTION
TO ADJOURN. A motion to adjourn is
always in order except during a roll call.
After a
motion to adjourn is made, before putting the question, the Speaker may permit
any member to state reasons why adjournment might be improper at that time. A statement is not debatable and must be
limited to two minutes.
3.12 MOTION
TO LAY ON THE TABLE. A motion to lay on
the table is not in order on a motion to amend, except that a motion to amend
the Rules may be tabled.
3.13 THE
PREVIOUS QUESTION. The previous question
may be moved by a member who is seconded by 15 members.
If the
motion for the previous question is ordered by a majority of members present,
its effect is to put an end to all debate and bring the House to direct vote
upon the question.
Before the
presiding officer submits a motion for the previous question to the House, a
call of the House is in order. After a
majority has ordered the previous question, a call of the House is not in order
before the decision on the main question.
When the
previous question is decided in the negative, the main question remains under
debate until it is disposed of by a vote on the question, by a subsequent
motion calling for the previous question under this Rule, or in some other
manner.
All
incidental questions of order arising after a motion is made for the previous
question and before the vote on the main question must be decided without
debate.
3.14 MOTION
TO RECONSIDER. After a question is
decided either in the affirmative or negative, a member who voted with the
prevailing side may move to reconsider it.
The motion must be made on the same day the vote was taken or on either
of the next two days that the House meets in session and has possession of the
matter. The motion may be made at any
time in the Order of Business. It takes
precedence over any other question except a motion to adjourn and a notice of
intent to move to reconsider. The motion
to reconsider, or notice of intent to make it, must not be made if the
document, bill, resolution, message, report or other subject of official action
on which the vote was taken has left the possession of the House.
When a
member gives notice of intent to move to reconsider the final action of the
House on a bill, resolution, message, report or other subject of official
action, the Chief Clerk must keep it until the matter is disposed of or the
time has expired for the motion. In
regular session, notice of intent to move to reconsider must not be made in an
odd-numbered year after the fifth Monday preceding the last Monday that the
House may meet in regular session and in an even-numbered year after a date
specified by the Committee on Rules and Legislative Administration.
On the last
day allowed for the motion to reconsider, a member who voted on the prevailing
side may make the motion, unless the matter has been already disposed of.
If a motion
to reconsider fails, it must not be renewed.
3.15 MOTION
TO RESCIND. A motion to rescind is not
in order at any time in any proceeding in the House or in any committee or
division of the House.
3.20
AMENDMENTS TO AMENDMENTS. An amendment
may be amended, but an amendment to an amendment must not be amended.
3.21
MOTIONS AND PROPOSITIONS MUST BE GERMANE.
A motion or proposition on a subject different from that under
consideration must not be admitted under guise of its being an amendment. A motion, amendment, or other proposition
offered to the House is out of order if it is not germane to the matter under
consideration. Whether a proposition is
germane to the matter under consideration is a question to be decided by the
presiding officer, who may put the question to the House.
3.22
AMENDMENT TO INCREASE AN APPROPRIATION OR TAX.
The concurrence of a majority of the whole House, determined by a roll
call vote, is required to adopt an amendment increasing an appropriation or a
tax.
3.23
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS. A
constitutional amendment may not be offered as an amendment to a bill on the
floor.
3.30
EXPENDITURE OF HOUSE FUNDS. The
concurrence of a majority of the whole House, determined by a roll call vote,
is required for favorable action on a resolution or motion involving the
expenditure of money appropriated by the Legislature to the House. The resolution or motion must be referred to
the Committee on Rules and Legislative Administration before being acted on by
the House.
ARTICLE 4 –
BILLS AND RESOLUTIONS
4.01 BILL
AND RESOLUTION FORM. A bill or
resolution must not be introduced until it has been examined and approved by
the Revisor of Statutes as to form and compliance with these Rules and the
Joint Rules of the House and Senate. The
Revisor's approval must be endorsed on the bill or resolution.
A bill that
is divided into articles may include or be accompanied by a table of contents.
4.02
RESOLUTIONS. A statement of facts being
forwarded for action to a governmental official, agency, or body or other
similar proposal is a memorial and must be introduced in the same form and take
the same course as a bill. A joint
resolution and any resolution requiring the signature of the governor must be
introduced in the same form and take the same course as a bill.
A
resolution must not authorize expenditure from any source other than the money
appropriated by the Legislature to the House.
Congratulatory
resolutions do not require consideration or adoption by the House.
A
resolution must not be changed to a bill, and a bill must not be changed to a
resolution.
4.03 WAYS
AND MEANS COMMITTEE; BUDGET RESOLUTION; EFFECT ON EXPENDITURE AND REVENUE BILLS. (a) The Committee on Ways and Means must hold
hearings as necessary to determine state expenditures and revenues for the
fiscal biennium.
(b) Within
25 days after the last state general fund revenue and expenditure forecast for
the next fiscal biennium becomes available during the regular session in the
odd-numbered year, the Committee on Ways and Means must adopt a budget
resolution. The budget resolution: (1) must set the maximum limit on net
expenditures for the next fiscal biennium for the general fund, (2) must set an
amount or amounts to be set aside as a budget reserve and a cash flow account,
(3) must set net spending limits for each budget category represented by the major
finance and revenue bills identified in paragraph (e), and (4) may set limits
for expenditures from funds other than the general fund. The budget resolution must not specify,
limit, or prescribe revenues or expenditures by any category other than those
specified in clauses (1), (2), (3), and (4).
After the Committee adopts the budget resolution, the limits in the
resolution are effective during the regular session in the year in which the
resolution is adopted, unless a different or amended resolution is adopted.
(c) During
the regular session in the even-numbered year, before the Committee on Ways and
Means reports a bill containing net increases or decreases in expenditures as
compared to general fund expenditures in the current fiscal biennium estimated
by the most recent state budget forecast, the Committee may adopt a budget
resolution. If adopted, the resolution
must account for the net changes in expenditures. The resolution may also (1) set limits for
changes in net expenditures for each budget category represented by the major
finance and revenue bills identified in paragraph (e), and (2) set limits for
expenditures from funds other than the general fund.
If the
Committee adopts a budget resolution, it is effective during the regular session
that year, unless a different or amended resolution is adopted.
(d) The
major finance or revenue bills may be combined or separated by a majority vote
of either the Committee on Finance, the Committee on Ways and Means,
or the Committee on Rules and Legislative Administration. Combined or separated bills must conform to
the limits in the resolution as those limits apply to the accounts in those
bills.
(e) Major
finance and revenue bills are:
the higher
education and workforce development finance bill;
the K-12
education finance bill;
the early
childhood finance bill;
the
agriculture, rural economies, and veterans affairs finance bill;
the
environment and natural resources finance bill;
the health
care and human services finance bill;
the state government
finance bill;
the
transportation finance bill;
the public
safety finance bill;
the
cultural and outdoor resources finance bill;
the energy
finance bill;
the housing
and public health finance bill;
the capital
investment bill; and
the tax
bill.
the
agriculture and rural development finance bill;
the capital
investment bill;
the
education finance bill;
the
environment, energy and natural resources finance bill;
the health
and human services finance bill;
the higher
education finance bill;
the jobs
and economic development finance bill;
the
judiciary finance bill;
the public
safety finance bill;
the state
government finance bill;
the tax
bill; and
the
transportation finance bill.
(f) After
the adoption of a resolution by the Committee on Ways and Means, the Finance
Committee, each finance committee division, and the Committee on
Taxes must reconcile each bill described in Rule 4.10 with the resolution. When reporting a finance or revenue bill,
each committee or division must provide to the Committee on Ways and Means a
fiscal statement reconciling the bill with the resolution.
(g) After
the adoption of a resolution by the Committee on Ways and Means, the Committee
on Ways and Means must reconcile finance and revenue bills with the resolution. When reporting a bill, the chair of the
Committee must certify to the House that the Committee has reconciled the bill
with the resolution.
(h) After
the adoption of a resolution by the Committee on Ways and Means, an amendment
to a bill is out of order if it would cause any of the limits specified in the
resolution to be exceeded. Whether an
amendment is out of order under this Rule is a question to be decided on the
Floor by the Speaker or other presiding officer and in Committee or Division by
the person chairing the Committee or Division meeting. In making the determination, the Speaker or
other presiding officer or the Committee or Division chair may consider: (1) the limits in a resolution; (2) the
effect of existing laws on revenues and expenditures; (3) the effect of
amendments previously adopted to the bill under consideration; (4) the effect
of bills previously recommended by a Committee or Division or bills previously
passed in the legislative session by the House or by the legislature; (5)
whether expenditure increases or revenue decreases that would result from the
amendment are offset by decreases in other expenditures or increases in other
revenue specified by the amendment; and (6) other information reasonably
related to expenditure and revenue amounts.
(i) After a
resolution is adopted by the Committee on Ways and Means, the Committee must
make available a summary of the estimated fiscal effect on the general fund of
each bill that has been referred to the Committee on Ways and Means by the
a finance committee or a division of the a finance committee,
or the Committee on Taxes and of each bill that has been reported by the
Committee on Ways and Means.
4.05 AMENDMENT
LIMITS. An amendment to a bill
that has received its second reading and is being considered by the House is
out of order if that amendment would increase the spending or spending base
from any fund from which appropriations are made in that bill, or would increase
the spending or spending base in total from all funds in the bill or in the
bill with the proposed amendment.
This rule
does not apply after the last Thursday on which the Legislature can meet in
regular session in odd-numbered years, and after the last Thursday on which the
Legislature intended, when it adopted the concurrent resolution required by
Joint Rule 2.03, to meet in regular session in even-numbered years, or after a
date specified by the Committee on Rules and Legislative Administration.
4.10 BILLS
AFFECTING STATE REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES.
(a) Except as provided in Rule 1.15, a House or Senate bill that
directly, substantially, and specifically affects any present or future
financial obligation, budget policy, or revenue of the State must be referred
as provided in paragraphs (b) and (c) to the appropriate Finance or Tax
Committee before the bill receives its second reading. A bill that negligibly affects any present or
future financial obligation, budget policy, or revenue of the State is not
subject to mandatory referral under this rule.
(b) A bill
subject to paragraph (a) reported by a finance committee division must,
if recommended to pass, be subsequently referred to the Finance Ways
and Means Committee, unless the bill has a negligible fiscal impact and is
subject to direct reference to the Floor under Rule 6.05. Bills subject to paragraph (a) reported by
the Finance Committee must be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.
(c) A bill
with a substantial impact on the tax revenues or tax policies of the State must
be referred to the Committee on Taxes. A
bill reported by the Committee on Taxes containing a substantial fiscal impact
must be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means. For purposes of this paragraph,
"tax" excludes any fee, charge, exaction, or assessment, a primary
purpose of which is to recover direct or indirect costs incurred by the state
or other governmental entity or as a payment for benefits received.
(d) The
chairs of the Committees on Taxes, and Ways and Means, and
Finance shall advise the Speaker on the application of this rule and may
determine whether or not any given piece of legislation must be referred to the
committee they chair.
4.12 BILLS
AFFECTING DEBT AND CAPITAL PROJECTS. The
Finance Committee Division on Capital Investment has jurisdiction
over legislation affecting debt obligations issued by the state and capital
projects of the state, including the planning, acquiring and bettering of
public lands and buildings and other state projects of a capital nature. Except as provided in Rule 1.15, a House or
Senate bill that directly and specifically affects debt obligations or capital
projects of the state must be referred to the Finance Committee Division
on Capital Investment before the bill receives its second reading.
Referral is
not required by this Rule if the bill deals primarily with the financing of
state capital facilities using trunk highway funds, with transportation
projects financed without debt obligations of the state, or with the local
financing of capital facilities of local governments. Referral is not required by this Rule if the
bill has a negligible effect on debt obligations and capital projects of the
state as determined by the chair of the Committee on Finance Ways and
Means, in conjunction with the chair of the Division Committee
on Capital Investment, with the concurrence of the chair of the Committee on
Ways and Means. Referral is not
required by this Rule if the bill is a major finance or revenue bill identified
in Rule 4.03, unless the bill directly and specifically affects debt
obligations of the state, but if a major finance or revenue bill contains a
provision that directly and specifically affects capital projects of the state,
the chair of the finance or tax committee reporting the bill must notify the
chair of the Committee on Finance Ways and Means and the chair of
the Division Committee on Capital Investment of the provision
before the bill is considered by the House.
The
Speaker, by announcement, must assign to each finance committee the appropriate
jurisdiction for recommendations on debt obligations and capital projects of
the state. Divisions of the
Finance Committee committees must submit recommendations within
their jurisdiction to the Division Committee on Capital
Investment for further disposition.
A bill with
a fiscal effect reported by the Division Committee on Capital
Investment must be accompanied by a statement of its fiscal effect, is exempt
from the referral required by Rule 4.10, is subject to the same committee
deadlines as the Finance Committee on Ways and Means, and must be
referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.
This referral is not required if the bill has a negligible fiscal
effect, as determined by the chair of the Division Committee on
Capital Investment with the concurrence of the chair of the Committee on Ways
and Means.
4.13 BILLS
AFFECTING STATE GOVERNMENT POWERS AND STRUCTURE. The Committee on State and Local
Government Operations Reform, Technology Government Operations and
Elections has jurisdiction over a House or Senate bill that:
(a)
establishes or reestablishes a department, agency, commission, board, task
force, advisory committee or council, or bureau, or other like entity;
(b)
delegates rulemaking authority to, or exempts from rulemaking, a department or
agency of state government; or
(c)
substantially changes the organization of a department or agency of state
government or substantially changes, vests or divests the official rights,
powers, or duties of an official, department or agency of state government or
an institution under its control.
Except as
otherwise provided in this Rule and Rule 1.15, a bill that is within the
jurisdiction of the Committee on State and Local Government Operations
Reform, Technology Government Operations and Elections must be
referred to that Committee before it receives its second reading. A committee or division (other than the
Committee on State and Local Government Operations Reform, Technology
Government Operations and Elections) reporting such a bill must recommend
its re-referral to the Committee on State and Local Government Operations
Reform, Technology Government Operations and Elections if reporting
before the deadline for action on the bill by that Committee; if reporting
after the deadline, the committee or division must recommend re-referral to the
Committee on Rules and Legislative Administration.
The
re-referral requirements of this Rule do not apply to the major finance and
revenue bills identified in Rule 4.03. If
a major finance or revenue bill contains a provision specified in clause (a) or
(b) of the definition in this Rule, the chair of the finance or tax committee
reporting the bill must notify the chair of the Committee on Rules and
Legislative Administration before the bill is considered by the House.
The
re-referral requirements of this Rule do not apply to other bills reported by a
finance committee or division or the tax committee or division, except bills
that contain a provision specified in clauses (a) and (b) of the definition in
this Rule.
4.14 BILLS
PROPOSING MEMORIALS. A bill or amendment
that proposes to have a memorial placed in the Capitol area must be referred to
the Committee on Rules and Legislative Administration.
4.15 BILLS
PROPOSING CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS. A
House or Senate bill that proposes a constitutional amendment must be referred
to the Committee on Rules and Legislative Administration before it receives its
second reading. When reporting such a
bill, a committee or division, other than the Committee on Rules and
Legislative Administration, must recommend re-referral to the Committee on
Rules and Legislative Administration.
4.20
DISPOSITION OF BILLS DURING INTERIM. Adjournment
of the regular session in an odd-numbered year to a day certain in the next
year is the same as daily adjournment except that a bill on the Consent
Calendar, Calendar for the Day, Fiscal Calendar, or General Register must be
returned to the standing committee or division that last acted on the bill.
4.30
RECALLING BILL FROM COMMITTEE OR DIVISION.
A bill or resolution may be recalled from a committee or division at any
time by majority vote of the whole House, be given a second reading and be
placed on the General Register. A motion
to recall a bill or resolution is in order only under the order of business
"Motions and Resolutions." This Rule does not apply in a special
session or after the deadline for committee reports on House files.
4.31 TIME
LIMIT TO CONSIDER BILLS. If 20
legislative days after a bill has been referred to a committee or division
(other than the Committee on Ways and Means, the Committee on Taxes, the
Finance Committee, or a division of one of those committees) a report has
not been made on it by the committee or division, its chief author may request
that it be returned to the House. The
request must be entered in the Journal.
The
committee or division must vote on the bill requested within ten calendar days
after the day of the request.
If the committee
or division fails to vote on it within ten days, the chief author may present a
written demand to the Speaker for its immediate return to the House. The demand must be presented within five
calendar days after the day that the committee or division is required to vote. If the demand is presented in the time
allowed, it must be entered in the Journal and is the demand of the House. The bill is then considered to be in the
possession of the House and must be given its second reading and placed on the
General Register.
The bill
may be re-referred by a majority vote of the whole House. If the motion to re-refer is made on the day
of the demand or on the next House legislative day, the motion takes precedence
over all other motions except privileged motions and is in order at any time.
ARTICLE 5 –
PARLIAMENTARY PRACTICE
5.01
SUSPENSION OR AMENDMENT OF THE RULES. The
concurrence of two-thirds of the whole House is required to suspend or amend a
Rule of the House, except that any amendment to the Rules reported by the
Committee on Rules and Legislative Administration may be adopted by a majority
of the whole House.
Except as
provided in Rule 5.02, a motion to suspend or amend any Rule of the House must
be made under the order of business "Motions and Resolutions." If the
motion is made at another time, unanimous consent is required before the
Speaker may entertain the motion.
A motion to
suspend the Rules, together with the subject matter to which it pertains, is
debatable, but the previous question may be applied to the motion under Rule
3.13.
5.02
SUSPENSION OF RULES TO ADVANCE A BILL. A
bill must be reported on three different days as provided in Rule 1.04, except
that in case of urgency, a two-thirds majority of the whole House may suspend
this requirement. A motion to suspend
the Rules to advance a bill for consideration out of its regular order is in
order under the order of business "Motions and Resolutions" or at any
time the bill is before the House. The
motion must be presented to the Speaker in writing and must describe the status
of the bill.
5.03
DEFINITIONS. In these Rules the terms
"majority vote" and "vote of the House" mean a majority of
members present for the vote. The term
"vote of the whole House" means a majority of all the members elected
to the House.
Singular
words used in these Rules include the plural, unless the context indicates a
contrary intention.
5.04
AUTHORIZED MANUAL OF PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE.
"Mason's Manual of Legislative Procedure" governs the House in
all applicable cases if it is not inconsistent with these Rules, the Joint
Rules of the Senate and House of Representatives, or established custom and
usage.
5.05
CONFLICT OF RULES. When there is a
conflict between a single House Rule and a single Joint Rule, the Speaker shall
make a ruling as to which applies.
ARTICLE 6 –
COMMITTEES, DIVISIONS, AND REPORTS
6.01
COMMITTEES AND DIVISIONS. Standing
committees and divisions of the House must be appointed by the Speaker as
follows:
Agriculture,
Rural Economies and Veterans Affairs
Veterans
Affairs Division
Civil
Justice
Commerce
and Labor
Labor and
Consumer Protection Division
Telecommunications
Regulation and Infrastructure Division
Environment
Policy and Oversight
Game, Fish and
Forestry Division
Ethics
Finance
Agriculture,
Rural Economies and Veterans Affairs Finance Division
Capital
Investment Finance Division
Cultural
and Outdoor Resources Finance Division
Early
Childhood Finance and Policy Division
Energy
Finance and Policy Division
Environment
and Natural Resources Finance Division
Health Care
and Human Services Finance Division
Higher
Education and Workforce Development Finance and Policy Division
Bioscience
and Workforce Development Policy and Oversight Division
Housing Finance and Policy and Public Health Finance Division
K-12 Education Finance Division
Public Safety Finance Division
State Government Finance Division
Transportation Finance and Policy Division
Transportation
and Transit Policy and Oversight Division
Health Care
and Human Services Policy and Oversight
Licensing Division
K-12
Education Policy and Oversight
Public
Safety Policy and Oversight
Crime Victims/Criminal Records Division
Rules and
Legislative Administration
State and
Local Government Operations Reform, Technology and Elections
Local Government Division
Taxes
Property and Local Sales Tax Division
Ways and
Means
Agriculture
and Rural Development Policy and Finance
Capital
Investment
Civil Law
Commerce
and Regulatory Reform
Education
Finance
Education
Reform
Environment,
Energy and Natural Resources Policy and Finance
Legacy Funding Division
Ethics
Government
Operations and Elections
Health and
Human Services Finance
Health and
Human Services Reform
Higher
Education Policy and Finance
Jobs and
Economic Development Finance
Judiciary
Policy and Finance
Public
Safety and Crime Prevention Policy and Finance
Redistricting
Rules and
Legislative Administration
State
Government Finance
Veterans Services Division
Taxes
Property and Local Tax Division
Transportation
Policy and Finance
Ways and
Means
6.02 COMMITTEE AND DIVISION MEMBERSHIP. At least 30 days before the start of a
regular session of the Legislature, the Speaker-designate must provide the
minority political party caucuses with a list of the standing committees and
divisions proposed for the session. The
Speaker-designate must prescribe the number of minority caucus members to be
appointed to each committee and division and may require general membership
guidelines to be followed in the selection of committee and division members.
If the minority leader submits to the Speaker-designate, at
least 15 days before the start of the session, a list of proposed committee and
division assignments for the minority caucus that complies with the numbers and
guidelines provided, the Speaker must make the proposed assignments with the
purpose of attaining proportionate representation on the committees and
divisions for the minority caucus.
A committee of the House must not have exclusive membership
from one profession, occupation or vocation.
A member must not serve as the chair of the same standing
committee or division, or a standing committee or division with substantially
the same jurisdiction, during more than the three immediately prior consecutive
regular biennial sessions. This Rule
does not apply to service as chair of the Committee on Rules and Legislative
Administration.
6.03 APPOINTMENTS TO BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS. Upon the convening of the biennial session,
the Speaker must notify the members of the House of each board or commission to
which a member of the House may be appointed by the Speaker. The Speaker must request advice from the
minority leader on these appointments.
6.04 SUBCOMMITTEES. The
chair of a committee or division must appoint the chair and members of each
subcommittee with the advice and consent of the Speaker. The chair or the committee or division may
refer bills to a subcommittee. A
subcommittee may exercise the authority delegated to it by the chair or by the
committee or division.
6.05 DIVISIONS. (a) If
the Speaker or the House refers a bill to a division, the bill remains in that
division until the House moves the bill from the division or approves a report
from the division that moved the bill from that division. A division report under this paragraph is
subject to Rule 6.30.
(b) The chair of a committee may refer a bill within the
possession of the committee to a division of that committee. When the chair refers a bill to a division
under this paragraph, the chair may recall the bill from the division. A committee chair referring or recalling a
bill under this paragraph must give written notice of the referral or recall as
soon as possible to the Chief Clerk for publication. To the extent practical, the Chief Clerk must
attempt to provide notice on the House Web site of referrals and recalls of
bills under this paragraph.
(c) The chair of a division must cause division records to be
kept in a manner consistent with Rule 6.24.
(d) Division meetings are subject to Rule 6.20.
(e) Divisions are subject to Rule 6.21.
6.10 THE COMMITTEE ON ETHICS.
The Speaker must appoint a Committee on Ethics consisting of four
members: two members from the majority
political party caucus, and two from the minority caucus. One alternate from each caucus must also be
appointed. The committee must adopt
written procedures, which must include due process requirements, for handling
complaints and issuing guidelines.
A complaint may be brought about conduct by a member that
violates a rule or administrative policy of the House, that violates accepted
norms of House behavior, that betrays the public trust, or that tends to bring
the House into dishonor or disrepute.
A complaint about a member's conduct must present with
specificity the factual evidence supporting the complaint. A complaint must be in writing, under oath
and signed by two or more members of the House, and submitted to the Speaker. Before submitting the complaint to the
Speaker, the complainants must cause a copy of it and any supporting materials
to be delivered to any member named in the complaint. Within seven days after receiving a
complaint, the Speaker must refer the complaint to the Ethics Committee for
processing by the committee according to its rules of procedure.
The existence and substance of a complaint, including any
supporting materials, and all proceedings, meetings, hearings, and records of
the Ethics Committee are public; except that the committee, upon a majority
vote of the whole committee, may meet in executive session to consider or
determine the question of probable cause, to consider a member's medical or
other health records, or to protect the privacy of a victim or a third party.
A complaint of a breach of confidentiality by a member or
employee of the House must be immediately referred by the Speaker to the Ethics
Committee for disciplinary action.
The committee must act in an investigatory capacity and may
make recommendations regarding complaints submitted to the Speaker before
adjournment sine die. With the approval
of the Speaker, the committee may retain a retired judge or other nonpartisan
legal advisor to advise and assist the committee, as the committee considers
appropriate and necessary in the circumstances of the case, in conducting the
proceedings and obtaining a complete and accurate understanding of the
information relevant to the conduct in question.
Ethics Committee recommendations for disciplinary action must
be supported by clear and convincing evidence and must be reported to the House
for final disposition.
6.20 COMMITTEE MEETING SCHEDULE; DEADLINES. The Speaker must prepare and publish a
schedule of committee meetings, fixing as far as practicable the regular
meeting day and time of each committee.
The chair of a committee must give written notice of a
special meeting or a change in the regular schedule of meetings. The notice may be announced from the desk and
must be posted in public notice locations maintained by the House. The notice must be posted at least one day in
advance of the change.
As far as practicable, the chair of a committee must give
three days notice of the date, time, place and agenda for each meeting.
Meeting notices must indicate when alternative media will be
used to conduct the meeting.
During the first ten weeks of the session in the odd-numbered
year and the first five weeks of the session in the even-numbered year, a
standing committee must not have a regularly scheduled meeting after noon on
Friday, but the Speaker may approve a special meeting of a committee during
this time.
A committee must not meet between 12:00 midnight and 7:00 a.m.
Only the Committee on Rules and Legislative Administration
may meet during a daily session of the House without leave.
The House shall establish deadlines for each regular session
by resolution.
6.21 COMMITTEE PROCEDURES.
Meetings of House committees must be open to the public except for executive
sessions that the committee on ethics considers necessary under Rule 6.10. For purposes of this requirement, a meeting
occurs when a quorum is present and action is taken regarding a matter within
the jurisdiction of the committee. This
requirement does not apply to a meeting of members of a committee from the same
political party caucus.
A majority of members of a committee is a quorum.
The Rules of the House must be observed in committee if they
are applicable.
An amendment offered in committee must be on a subject that
is within the jurisdiction of the committee.
Whether an amendment is on a subject that is within the jurisdiction of
the committee is a question to be decided by the person chairing the meeting,
who may put the question to the committee.
A member of a committee may demand a roll call vote on any
bill, resolution, report, motion or amendment before the committee. If a demand is made, the roll must be called. The name of the member demanding the roll
call and the vote of each member must be recorded in the committee minutes.
A committee may reconsider an action while the matter remains
in the possession of the committee. A
committee member need not have voted with the prevailing side to move to
reconsider the action.
The chair of a committee, after consultation with the
Speaker, may establish written procedures for the submission of amendments to
the committee, the setting of committee agendas, and other matters pertaining
to the conduct of the committee's business.
Before implementing the written procedures, the chair must provide a
copy of them to the Speaker and to each member of the House and must make
copies available to others upon request.
6.22 PUBLIC TESTIMONY.
Public testimony from proponents and opponents must be allowed on every
bill or resolution before a standing committee, division or subcommittee of the
House.
6.23 OPEN MEETING ENFORCEMENT. A person may submit to the Speaker a
complaint alleging a violation of the open meeting requirements of Rule 6.21. The complaint must be in writing. On receiving a complaint, the Speaker, or a
person designated by the Speaker, must investigate the complaint promptly. If the Speaker concludes, following
investigation, that a violation of the open meeting Rule may have occurred, the
Speaker must refer the complaint to the Committee on Ethics for further
proceedings.
6.24 COMMITTEE RECORDS.
The chair of a standing committee must cause a committee record to be
kept, in the form prescribed by the Committee on Rules and Legislative
Administration. The record must include
the record of committee proceedings on each bill referred to the committee and
the minutes of the committee and any subcommittees.
The committee and subcommittee minutes must include:
a. the time and place of each hearing or meeting;
b. the names of committee or subcommittee members who are
present;
c. the name and address, at the Chair's discretion, of each
person appearing before the committee or subcommittee, together with the name
and address of the person, association, firm or corporation in whose behalf the
appearance is made;
d. the language of each motion, the name of the member making
the motion, the result of a vote on the motion, and, on a roll call vote, the
names of those in favor and those opposed;
e. the date on which a subcommittee is established, the names
of its members and the file number of bills referred to it and reported by it;
f. other important matters related to the work of the
committee or subcommittee.
The minutes must be approved at the next regular meeting of
the committee or subcommittee.
At the end of two business days after approval by the
committee or subcommittee, copies of the minutes must be filed with the Chief
Clerk and be open to public inspection in the Chief Clerk's office and on the
House Web site.
At the end of the legislative biennium minutes and other
records must be delivered to the Director of the Legislative Reference Library.
Audio recordings of Committee and Subcommittee meetings must
be made available for public use by the end of the business day following each
meeting. The chair of a committee who
elects not to release the recording of a committee meeting until the minutes of
the meeting are approved by the committee must make a copy of the recording
available by the end of the next business day after a written request for it is
made to the committee. The House must
keep the recordings of committee meetings available for public use during the
legislative biennium in which they were created and, at the end of the
legislative biennium, must transmit a copy of the recordings to the Director of
the Legislative Reference Library.
The Legislative Reference Library must keep committee records
and recordings available for public use under its rules for eight years after
the end of the legislative biennium during which the materials were created and
then may preserve or dispose of the recordings as the Library sees fit.
A person may obtain a copy of a recording during the
legislative biennium in which it is created by paying a fee determined by the
House Controller to cover the cost of preparing the copy. A person may obtain a copy of a recording
while it is kept in the Library by paying a fee determined by the House
Controller to cover the cost of preparing the copy. A person may obtain a copy of a page of
committee minutes or other records for a fee determined by the House Controller
to cover the cost of preparing the copy.
A copy of a recording must be provided free to a member or staff of the
House upon request for use in legislative business.
Testimony and discussion preserved under this Rule are not
intended to be admissible in a court or administrative proceeding on an issue
of legislative intent.
6.30 COMMITTEE REPORTS.
The House must adopt or reject a committee report on a bill or
resolution without amendment.
The chair of a standing committee reporting to the House on a
bill or resolution must use the form provided for committee reports. Each bill or resolution must be reported
separately. The report must state the
action taken by the committee and the date of the action. The report must be authenticated by the
signature of the chair.
Before a committee reports favorably on a bill or resolution,
the chair must see that the form of the bill or resolution conforms to these
Rules and the Joint Rules of the House and Senate.
Except during the last seven legislative days in a year, the
committee report and any minority report must be submitted to the Chief Clerk
at least four hours before the convening of the daily session. But the Committee on Rules and Legislative
Administration may report at any time.
6.31 SUBSTITUTION OF BILLS.
A standing or special committee or division or its members must not
report a substitute for a bill referred to the committee or division if the
substitute relates to a different subject, is intended to accomplish a
different purpose, or requires a title essentially different from that of the
bill referred. If the House is advised
that a substitute bill reported to the House violates this Rule, the report
must not be adopted.
6.32 MINORITY REPORTS.
A minority report must be made separately from the majority report and
must be considered before the majority report.
If the minority report is adopted the majority report must not be
considered. If the minority report is
not adopted the majority report must then be considered.
6.40 REPORTS OF CONFERENCE COMMITTEES. A conference committee may report at any time
and may meet during a daily session of the House without leave. A conference committee report must be
electronically available or printed.
A conference committee report must include only subject
matter contained in the House or Senate versions of the bill for which that
conference committee was appointed, or like subject matter contained in a bill
passed by the House or Senate. The
member presenting the conference committee report to the House must disclose
all substantive changes from the House version of the bill.
6.50 COMMITTEE OR DIVISION REPORT LAID OVER. The report of any committee or division may
be laid over one day and printed in the Journal, if so ordered by the House.
ARTICLE 7 – OFFICERS OF THE HOUSE
7.01 DUTIES AND PRIVILEGES OF THE SPEAKER. The Speaker must preside over the House and
has all the powers and duties of the presiding officer.
The Speaker must preserve order and decorum. The Speaker may order the lobby or galleries
cleared in the case of disorderly conduct or other disturbance.
Except as otherwise provided by rule or law, the Speaker has
general control of the Chamber of the House and of the corridors, passages and
rooms in the Capitol and State Office Building under the jurisdiction of the
House.
The Speaker must sign all acts, addresses, joint resolutions,
writs, warrants and subpoenas of the House or issued by order of the House. The Speaker must sign all abstracts for the
payment of money from funds appropriated by the Legislature to the House; but
money must not be paid unless the abstract is also signed by the Controller of
the House. Abstracts for compensation of
members must be signed by the Chief Clerk pursuant to law.
The Speaker must appoint the Chief Sergeant at Arms or must
designate that officer from among the Sergeants at Arms elected by the House or
appointed by the Committee on Rules and Legislative Administration.
When an elected office of the House becomes vacant, the
Speaker must designate a person to exercise the powers and discharge the duties
of the office as necessary until a successor is elected by the House.
7.02 SUCCESSOR IN OFFICE OF SPEAKER. When the office of Speaker becomes vacant,
the Chair of the Committee on Rules and Legislative Administration has the
powers and must discharge the duties of the office as necessary, until a
Speaker is elected by the House or until a speaker-designate is selected as provided
in this Rule. The House must elect a
Speaker when the House is next called to order.
If the Legislature is not in session, within 30 days after the office of
Speaker becomes vacant the Committee on Rules and Legislative Administration
must meet and select a speaker-designate to exercise the powers and discharge
the duties of the office as necessary until a Speaker is elected by the House.
7.05 SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE.
The Speaker must appoint one or more members as Speaker pro tempore. A Speaker pro tempore must preside in the
Speaker's absence. In the absence of the
Speaker and a Speaker pro tempore, a member selected by the Speaker must
preside until the Speaker or Speaker pro tempore returns.
7.06 SPEAKER EMERITUS. Any
current member having served the House in the capacity of Speaker will,
subsequent to that service, be known as Speaker Emeritus, and may perform such
ceremonial functions and duties as assigned by the Speaker.
7.10 DUTIES OF CHIEF CLERK.
The Chief Clerk has general supervision of all clerical duties
pertaining to the business of the House.
The Chief Clerk must perform, under the direction of the Speaker, all
the duties of the office of Chief Clerk.
The Chief Clerk must keep records showing the status and progress of all
bills, memorials and resolutions.
During a temporary absence of the Chief Clerk, the First
Assistant Chief Clerk has all the usual responsibilities of the Chief Clerk and
may sign the daily journal, enrollments, abstracts and other legislative
documents.
The Chief Clerk must supervise the engrossment and enrollment
of bills. The Chief Clerk must see that
a record is kept, by file number, of the bills introduced in the House that
passed both houses and are enrolled.
The Chief Clerk must ensure that locations accessible to the
public are available to post a list of committee and subcommittee meetings and
any other announcements or notices the House may require.
The Index Clerk, supervised by the Chief Clerk, must prepare
an index in which bills may be indexed by topic, number, author, subject,
section of the statutes amended, committees, divisions, and any other method
that will make it a complete and comprehensive index.
The index must be open for public inspection during the
legislative session and must be printed in the permanent Journal.
7.20 DUTIES OF THE SERGEANT AT ARMS. The Sergeant at Arms must carry out all
orders of the House or the Speaker and perform all other services pertaining to
the office of Sergeant at Arms, including:
maintaining order in the Chamber and other areas used for the business
of the House and its committees and divisions and members; supervising the
entering and exiting from the Chamber and the other areas; and promptly
delivering messages.
ARTICLE 8 – ADMINISTRATION OF THE HOUSE
8.01 BUDGET AND FINANCIAL AFFAIRS. The House Controller must prepare a biennial
budget for the House. The budget must be
approved by the Committee on Rules and Legislative Administration before it is
submitted to the State Government Finance Division Committee. By the 15th day of April, July, October, and
January of each year, the Controller must submit a detailed report of House
expenditures during the previous quarter to the Speaker and the Committee on
Rules and Legislative Administration.
The House Controller must arrange for the purchase of goods
and services for the House. The
Controller must seek the lowest possible prices consistent with satisfactory
quality and dependability. A contract of
the House, or an amendment to a contract, authorizing an expenditure of more
than $500 must be signed by the Speaker or the Controller. A contract, or an amendment to a contract,
authorizing an expenditure of up to $500 may be executed by an employee
authorized and directed in writing by the Controller to act for the Controller
on the contract or contracts of its type.
A contract or amendment to a contract entered into in violation of this
Rule is not binding on the House. The
House Controller must consult with an adaptive technology expert to identify
commercially available upgrades for computers and Internet technology that are
compatible with adaptive speech technology prior to purchasing upgrades.
Employees of the House must be reimbursed for actual expenses
in the same manner as state employees.
During session, for travel away from the Capitol, members
must be reimbursed for actual expenses, in addition to per diem expense
allowances, in the manner and amount prescribed by the Committee on Rules and
Legislative Administration.
8.02 MEMBER OFFICES. Members not seeking re-election are
required to vacate their House offices by December 1 of their last year of
service. Members who are not re-elected
are required to vacate their House offices by December 15 of their last year of
service. The Sergeants Office will
arrange usable space for these members after their offices are vacated, if
requested to do so, and shall accommodate all serving members in the event of a
special session.
8.10 COMMITTEE AND DIVISION BUDGETS AND EXPENSES. The Committee on Rules and Legislative
Administration must establish a budget for each standing committee and division
of the House for expenses incurred by the committee or division, its members,
and its staff in conducting its legislative business. Per diem expense allowances paid to members
during sessions or at times set by the Speaker or the Committee on Rules and
Legislative Administration must not be charged against the budget. A committee or division must not incur
expenses in excess of its authorized budget.
All charges against the committee or division budget must be
approved by the chair before payment is made.
8.20 APPOINTMENT OF EMPLOYEES. The Committee on Rules and Legislative
Administration must designate the position of and appoint each employee of the
House and set the compensation of each officer and employee. A record of the appointments, including
positions and compensation, must be kept in the office of the House Controller
and must be available for inspection by the public.
The Committee on Rules and Legislative Administration must
establish the procedure for filling employment vacancies when the Legislature
is not in session.
An employee of the House may be assigned to other duties,
suspended or discharged at any time by the Committee on Rules and Legislative
Administration.
8.30 LEGAL REPRESENTATION. An employee of the nonpartisan House
Research Department may not represent the House or its members as counsel of
record, in a judicial or administrative proceeding.
ARTICLE 9 – CONDUCT
9.01 CODE OF CONDUCT. The
Committee on Rules and Legislative Administration, after receiving the
recommendation of the Committee on Ethics, must establish and maintain a code
of conduct for members, officers and employees of the House.
9.05 CAMPAIGN ACTIVITIES.
An employee of the House must not participate in campaign activity
during working hours. An employee must
not be obliged to participate in campaign activities as a condition of
employment. A member is not an employee
of the House for purposes of this Rule. House
equipment must not be used for campaign activities. The Committee on Rules and Legislative
Administration must define the terms of and implement this Rule.
9.10 SOLICITATIONS DURING LEGISLATIVE SESSION. During regular or special session, a member
of the House, a political party caucus, the member's principal campaign
committee, a political committee with the member's name or title, or a
committee authorized by the member that benefits the member, must not solicit
or accept a contribution from a registered lobbyist, political committee,
dissolving principal campaign committee, political fund, or a tribal
organization.
A member must not accept compensation for lobbying.
9.20 ACCEPTANCE OF AN HONORARIUM BY A MEMBER. A member must not accept an honorarium for a
service performed for an individual or organization that has a direct interest
in the business of the House, including, but not limited to, a registered
lobbyist or an organization a lobbyist represents. The term "honorarium" does not
include reimbursement for expenses incurred and actually paid by a member in
performing a service.
Alleged violations of this Rule must be referred to the
Committee on Ethics under Rule 6.10. If
the Committee on Ethics finds that an honorarium was accepted in violation of
this Rule, the Committee must direct its return. If it is not returned, the committee may
recommend disciplinary action under Rule 6.10.
9.21 ACCEPTANCE OF TRAVEL AND LODGING BY A MEMBER OR EMPLOYEE. A member or employee of the House must not
accept travel or lodging from any foreign government, private for-profit
business, labor union, registered lobbyist, or an association thereof, except
payment permitted by law of expenses that relate to the member's or employee's
participation as a legislator or legislative employee in a meeting or
conference. This Rule does not apply to
travel or lodging provided to a member in the regular course of the member's
employment or business.
9.30 DENIAL OF COMPENSATION WHILE DETAINED. A member must not receive compensation,
mileage, or living expenses while the member is incarcerated or on home
detention due to a criminal conviction.
9.35 BAN ON LOBBYING. Former
state legislators must not register as lobbyists within one year from the date
they leave office.
9.40 NO SMOKING IN HOUSE AREAS. Smoking is prohibited in the areas of the
Capitol and State Office Building under the jurisdiction of the House,
including the House Chamber and Retiring Room and galleries, hearing rooms,
minor corridors and offices, private offices, and lounges."
Dean moved to amend the proposed Permanent
Rules of the House for the 87th Session, as follows:
Rule 4.05 is amended to read:
Page 15, line 12, after the period, insert "This rule
is only in effect when a budget resolution adopted under Rule 4.03 is not in
effect."
Page 15, line 13, delete "This" and insert
"In the absence of an adopted budget resolution, this"
The motion prevailed and the amendment was
adopted.
Davnie moved to amend the proposed
Permanent Rules of the House for the 87th Session, as amended, as follows:
Rule 9.10 is amended to read:
Page 31, line 7, after "lobbyist," insert "corporation,
labor union,"
The motion prevailed and the amendment was adopted.
Winkler moved to amend the proposed
Permanent Rules of the House for the 87th Session, as amended, as follows:
Rule 4.15 is amended to read:
Page 18, after line 6, insert:
"During an odd-numbered year, a House or Senate bill
that proposes a constitutional amendment must not be considered on the calendar
for the day, the fiscal calendar, or any other floor calendar until bills
necessary to provide a balanced general fund budget for the biennium beginning
on July 1 of that year have been enacted into law. During an even-numbered year, if the most
recent forecast of state revenues and expenditures predicts a deficit for the
biennium ending on June 30 of the next odd-numbered year, a House or Senate
bill that proposes a constitutional amendment must not be considered on the
calendar for the day, the fiscal calendar, or any other floor calendar until
bills necessary to eliminate that projected deficit have been enacted into law."
A roll call was requested and properly
seconded.
The question was taken on the Winkler
amendment and the roll was called. There were 60 yeas and 71 nays as follows:
Those who voted in the affirmative were:
Anzelc
Atkins
Banaian
Benson, J.
Brynaert
Carlson
Champion
Clark
Davnie
Dittrich
Eken
Falk
Fritz
Gauthier
Greene
Greiling
Hansen
Hausman
Hayden
Hilstrom
Hilty
Hornstein
Hortman
Hosch
Huntley
Johnson
Kahn
Kath
Knuth
Koenen
Lenczewski
Lesch
Liebling
Lillie
Loeffler
Mahoney
Mariani
Marquart
Moran
Morrow
Mullery
Murphy, E.
Murphy, M.
Nelson
Norton
Paymar
Pelowski
Persell
Peterson, S.
Poppe
Rukavina
Scalze
Simon
Slawik
Slocum
Thissen
Tillberry
Wagenius
Ward
Winkler
Those who voted in the negative were:
Abeler
Anderson, B.
Anderson, D.
Anderson, P.
Anderson, S.
Barrett
Beard
Benson, M.
Bills
Buesgens
Cornish
Crawford
Daudt
Davids
Dean
Dettmer
Doepke
Downey
Drazkowski
Erickson
Fabian
Franson
Garofalo
Gottwalt
Gruenhagen
Gunther
Hackbarth
Hamilton
Hancock
Holberg
Hoppe
Howes
Kelly
Kieffer
Kiel
Kiffmeyer
Kriesel
Lanning
Leidiger
LeMieur
Lohmer
Loon
Mack
Mazorol
McDonald
McElfatrick
McFarlane
McNamara
Murdock
Murray
Myhra
Nornes
O'Driscoll
Peppin
Petersen, B.
Quam
Runbeck
Sanders
Schomacker
Scott
Shimanski
Smith
Stensrud
Swedzinski
Torkelson
Urdahl
Vogel
Wardlow
Westrom
Woodard
Spk. Zellers
The motion did not prevail and the
amendment was not adopted.
Hilstrom moved to amend the proposed
Permanent Rules of the House for the 87th Session, as amended, as follows:
Page 5, after line 21, insert:
"1.25 THREE DAY AVAILABILITY FOR UNREPORTED
MEASURES. Except during the last seven legislative days in a year, it
shall not be in order to consider a bill or joint resolution which has been
reported by a committee until the third calendar day on which such measure has
been available to members and the public (excluding Saturdays, Sundays, or
legal holidays except when the House is in session on such a day)."
A roll call was requested and properly
seconded.
Westrom moved that the Hilstrom amendment
to the proposed Permanent Rules of the House for the 87th Session, as amended,
be referred to the Committee on Rules and Legislative Administration.
A roll call was requested and properly
seconded.
The question was taken on the Westrom
motion and the roll was called. There
were 72 yeas and 59 nays as follows:
Those who voted in the affirmative were:
Abeler
Anderson, B.
Anderson, D.
Anderson, P.
Anderson, S.
Banaian
Barrett
Beard
Benson, M.
Bills
Buesgens
Cornish
Crawford
Daudt
Davids
Dean
Dettmer
Doepke
Downey
Drazkowski
Erickson
Fabian
Franson
Garofalo
Gottwalt
Gruenhagen
Gunther
Hackbarth
Hamilton
Hancock
Holberg
Hoppe
Howes
Kelly
Kieffer
Kiel
Kiffmeyer
Kriesel
Lanning
Leidiger
LeMieur
Lohmer
Loon
Mack
Mazorol
McDonald
McElfatrick
McFarlane
McNamara
Murdock
Murray
Myhra
Nornes
O'Driscoll
Peppin
Petersen, B.
Quam
Runbeck
Sanders
Schomacker
Scott
Shimanski
Smith
Stensrud
Swedzinski
Torkelson
Urdahl
Vogel
Wardlow
Westrom
Woodard
Spk. Zellers
Those who voted in the negative were:
Anzelc
Atkins
Benson, J.
Brynaert
Carlson
Champion
Clark
Davnie
Dittrich
Eken
Falk
Fritz
Gauthier
Greene
Greiling
Hansen
Hausman
Hayden
Hilstrom
Hilty
Hornstein
Hortman
Hosch
Huntley
Johnson
Kahn
Kath
Knuth
Koenen
Lenczewski
Lesch
Liebling
Lillie
Loeffler
Mahoney
Mariani
Marquart
Moran
Morrow
Mullery
Murphy, E.
Murphy, M.
Nelson
Norton
Paymar
Pelowski
Persell
Peterson, S.
Poppe
Rukavina
Scalze
Simon
Slawik
Slocum
Thissen
Tillberry
Wagenius
Ward
Winkler
The motion prevailed and the Hilstrom
amendment was referred to the Committee on Rules and Legislative
Administration.
The question recurred on the Dean motion
that the Report from the Committee on Rules and Legislative Administration and
the proposed Permanent Rules of the House for the 87th Session, as amended, be
now adopted and the roll was called.
There were 102 yeas and 27 nays as follows:
Those who voted in the affirmative were:
Abeler
Anderson, B.
Anderson, D.
Anderson, P.
Anderson, S.
Atkins
Banaian
Barrett
Beard
Benson, M.
Bills
Buesgens
Carlson
Champion
Cornish
Crawford
Daudt
Davids
Davnie
Dean
Dettmer
Dittrich
Doepke
Downey
Drazkowski
Eken
Erickson
Fabian
Franson
Garofalo
Gottwalt
Greene
Gruenhagen
Gunther
Hackbarth
Hamilton
Hancock
Hausman
Hilstrom
Holberg
Hoppe
Hosch
Howes
Johnson
Kath
Kelly
Kieffer
Kiel
Kiffmeyer
Koenen
Kriesel
Lanning
Leidiger
LeMieur
Lenczewski
Lillie
Loeffler
Lohmer
Loon
Mack
Mahoney
Marquart
Mazorol
McDonald
McElfatrick
McFarlane
McNamara
Moran
Morrow
Murdock
Murphy, E.
Murray
Myhra
Nornes
O'Driscoll
Paymar
Pelowski
Peppin
Petersen, B.
Quam
Rukavina
Runbeck
Sanders
Schomacker
Scott
Shimanski
Simon
Slawik
Smith
Stensrud
Swedzinski
Thissen
Tillberry
Torkelson
Urdahl
Vogel
Wagenius
Ward
Wardlow
Westrom
Woodard
Spk. Zellers
Those who voted in the negative were:
Anzelc
Benson, J.
Brynaert
Clark
Falk
Fritz
Gauthier
Hansen
Hilty
Hornstein
Hortman
Huntley
Kahn
Knuth
Lesch
Liebling
Mariani
Mullery
Murphy, M.
Nelson
Norton
Persell
Peterson, S.
Poppe
Scalze
Slocum
Winkler
The motion prevailed and the Report from
the Committee on Rules and Legislative Administration, as amended, and the
Permanent Rules of the House for the 87th Session were adopted and read as
follows:
PERMANENT
RULES OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 2011-2012
ARTICLE 1 –
DAILY BUSINESS
1.01
CONVENING OF THE HOUSE. Unless otherwise
ordered, the House convenes at 3:00 p.m. The Speaker must take the chair at the
appointed hour and call the House to order.
The call to
order is followed by a prayer by the Chaplain or time for a brief meditation,
then by the pledge of allegiance to the flag of the United States of America,
and then by a call of the roll of members.
The names of members present and members excused must be entered in the
Journal of the House.
1.02 READING
OF THE JOURNAL. If a quorum is present,
the Chief Clerk must read the Journal of the preceding day, unless otherwise
ordered. The House may correct errors in
the Journal of the preceding day.
1.03 ORDER
OF BUSINESS. After the Journal is read,
the order of business of the day is:
(1)
Presentation of petitions or other communications
(2) Reports
of standing committees and divisions
(3) Second
reading of House bills
(4) Second
reading of Senate bills
(5) Reports
of select committees
(6)
Introduction and first reading of House bills
(7)
Consideration of messages from the Senate
(8) First
reading of Senate bills
(9) Consent
Calendar
(10)
Calendar for the day
(11)
Motions and resolutions
The House
may advance or revert from any order of business to any other order of
business, by majority vote of the whole House.
Conference
committees on House bills and the Committee on Rules and Legislative
Administration may report at any time.
1.04 REPORTING
OF BILLS. A bill must be reported to the
House on three different days before its passage, except as provided in Rule
5.02. The first report, called the first
reading, occurs when it is introduced; the second report, called the second
reading, occurs when it has been reported by the appropriate standing committees
and divisions for consideration by the House; the third report, called the
third reading, occurs when it is ready for the vote on passage.
1.10 INTRODUCTION
OF BILLS AND RESOLUTIONS. A bill or
resolution must be submitted to the Speaker at least 24 hours before the
convening of the daily session at which it is to be introduced.
A bill or
resolution must be introduced in triplicate and each copy must bear the
signature of the member or the name of the committee or division introducing
it.
In regular
session, a bill prepared by a department or agency of state government must be
introduced and given its first reading at least ten days before the date of the
first committee deadline.
1.11 FIRST
READING AND REFERENCE OF BILLS. A bill
or resolution must be reported and given its first reading when it is
introduced. A bill or resolution must
not be objected to when it is introduced.
After its
first reading, the Speaker must refer a bill or resolution to the appropriate
standing committee or division, except as provided in Rule 1.15 and Rule 1.13.
Congratulatory
resolutions referred to in Rule 4.02 are exempt from this Rule.
Except as
otherwise provided in these Rules, after the Speaker refers a bill or
resolution, a majority vote of the whole House is required for the House to
re-refer the bill or resolution.
1.12 AUTHORS
OF BILLS AND RESOLUTIONS. A bill,
memorial, or resolution must not have more than 35 authors. After a bill or resolution is introduced and
given its first reading: (a) a member
may be removed as an author, by motion of the member; and (b) a member wishing
to be an author may be added as an author, by motion of the author of the bill
or resolution.
1.13 INTRODUCTION
OF COMMITTEE OR DIVISION BILLS. A
standing or special committee of the House or a division of the House may
introduce a bill as a committee or division bill on any subject within its
purview. When a committee or division
bill is introduced and read for the first time, the Speaker may refer it to a
standing committee or division. If the
Speaker does not refer it, the bill must be laid over one day. Then it must be read for the second time and
placed on the General Register or, if recommended by the Committee, on the
Consent Calendar.
1.14 RECESS
BILL INTRODUCTIONS. During the period
between the last day of the regular session in an odd-numbered year and the
first day of the regular session in the next year, a bill filed with the
Speaker for introduction must be given a file number and may be unofficially
referred by the Speaker to an appropriate standing committee or division.
1.15 DISPOSITION
OF SENATE FILES. A Senate File received
by the House that is accompanied by a message announcing its passage by the
Senate must be referred to the appropriate standing committee or division under
Rule 1.11. But if a Senate File is
received that a member requests be compared to a House File already reported by
a standing committee or division of the House and placed on the General
Register or on the Calendar for the Day or the Consent Calendar, the Senate
File must be referred to the Chief Clerk for comparison. If the Chief Clerk reports that the Senate
File is identical to the House File, the Senate File may, by majority vote, be
substituted for the House File and take its place. The fact that the bills are identical must be
entered in the Journal and the House File is then considered withdrawn.
A Senate
File that is amended on the floor of the House, except at the time of final
passage, and a Senate File that has been reported to the House with amendments
by a House standing committee or division, must be unofficially engrossed and
reprinted by the Chief Clerk. An
amendment may be offered to an unofficial engrossment of a Senate File.
1.20 GENERAL
REGISTER. The General Register consists
of all bills that have received a second reading, except those placed on the
Consent Calendar under Rule 1.23. Bills
must be placed on the General Register in the order that they receive their
second reading. A bill must be on the
General Register, be given to each member, and be available to the public
before it may be considered by the House on the Calendar for the Day or the
Fiscal Calendar. Each day that the House
meets in session, the Chief Clerk must publish a list of the bills on the
General Register.
1.21 CALENDAR
FOR THE DAY. The Calendar for the Day is
a list of bills that are to be considered that day by the House. The House must consider each item on the
Calendar for the Day in the order determined by the presiding officer. After consideration by the House, unless
otherwise disposed of, the bill must immediately be given its third reading and
placed upon its passage.
A bill that
has received its second reading may be placed on the Calendar for the Day by
the Committee on Rules and Legislative Administration or by order of the House
upon the motion of a member as provided in this Rule.
The
Committee on Rules and Legislative Administration must designate the bills that
are to be on the Calendar for the Day. During
regular session, the Committee must designate the bills by 5:00 p.m. the day
before the day that the bills are to be on the Calendar, except that the
Committee may designate the bills at any time after a day specified by the
Committee on Rules and Legislative Administration. After the Committee designates the bills, the
Chief Clerk must publish the Calendar for the Day.
A bill that
is on the General Register for more than ten legislative days may be placed on
the Calendar for the Day by a majority vote of the whole House, acting on the
motion of a member. A bill placed on the
Calendar for the Day in this manner must be considered first the next time that
the House reaches the order of business "Calendar for the Day." A
member must give notice to the Speaker and the Chief Clerk three legislative
days before making a motion to place a bill on the Calendar for the Day. The notice must specify the number and title
of the bill. Only the member who gave
notice to the Speaker and the Chief Clerk, or another member designated in
writing by the member who gave notice, may make the motion to place the bill on
the Calendar for the Day. After the
third legislative day following the day of notice, the motion must be made the
first time that the House reaches the order of business "Motions and
Resolutions." If the motion is not made at that time, the member who gave
notice forfeits the right to make that motion.
A bill may
be continued on the Calendar for the Day by a majority vote of the whole House. A third motion by the author of a bill to
continue it on the Calendar for the Day is not in order; upon such a motion,
the bill must be stricken from the Calendar and returned to the General
Register in the order of its second reading.
The Calendar for the Day expires when the House adjourns for the day,
unless the House, by a majority vote of the whole House, continues items
remaining on the Calendar to the next day.
1.22 FISCAL
CALENDAR. A finance bill that has had
its second reading must be considered by the House when requested by the Chair
of the Committee on Ways and Means or by a designee of the Chair. A bill relating to taxes or raising revenue
that has had its second reading must be considered by the House when requested
by the Chair of the Committee on Taxes or a designee of the Chair.
During
regular session, a chair must announce the intention to make the request by
5:00 p.m. the legislative day before the day that the request for consideration
is to be made, except that the Chair may designate the bills at any time after
a day specified by the Committee on Rules and Legislative Administration. During periods when the 5:00 p.m. requirement
does not apply, the chair must announce the intention at least two hours before
making the request.
After
consideration by the House on the Fiscal Calendar, unless otherwise disposed
of, the bill must immediately be given its third reading and placed upon its
passage.
1.23 CONSENT
CALENDAR. If a committee or division
determines that a bill it recommends to pass is not controversial, the
committee or division may in its report recommend that the bill be placed on
the Consent Calendar. After the report
is adopted and the bill has received its second reading, the bill must be
placed on the Consent Calendar and given to each member at least one day before
it may be considered by the House. Bills
must be placed on the Consent Calendar in the order that they receive their
second reading and must be considered by the House in the order determined by
the presiding officer.
After
consideration by the House, a bill on the Consent Calendar must immediately be
given its third reading and placed upon its passage. But if, before its third reading, ten members
object to the bill as being controversial, the bill must be stricken from the
Consent Calendar and be placed on the General Register in the order of second
reading.
1.30 THIRD
READING OF BILLS. An amendment must not
be received after the third reading of a bill without unanimous consent, except
to fill blanks or to amend the title.
At any time
before it is passed, a bill or resolution may be referred or re-referred by a
majority vote of the whole House. If the
committee or division to which it is referred or re-referred reports an
amendment to it, the bill or resolution must again be given its second reading
and placed on the General Register.
1.40 PUBLICATION
OF BILLS FOR THE HOUSE. After a bill
receives its second reading, the bill must be prepared and published or made
electronically available for consideration by the House. A majority of the House may order the
publication of a bill at any time.
1.50 ADJOURNING
OF THE HOUSE. The House may not meet
during a legislative day after midnight, except that the House, by majority
vote, may meet past the time of adjournment required by this Rule.
ARTICLE 2 –
FLOOR PROCEEDINGS, VOTING, DECORUM
2.01 ABSENCE
OF MEMBERS AND OFFICERS. Unless illness
or other sufficient cause prevents attendance, a member or officer of the House
must not be absent from a session of the House without the prior permission of
the Speaker.
2.02 CALL OF
THE HOUSE. Ten members may demand a call
of the House at any time until voting begins.
After the House is placed under call, a second roll call on any aspect of
a call of the House is out of order.
When a call
is demanded, the doors of the chamber must be closed, the roll called, and the
absent members sent for; and no member is allowed to leave the chamber until
the roll call is suspended or completed.
During the roll call, no motion is in order except a motion pertaining
to matters incidental to the call.
Proceedings
under the roll call may be suspended by a majority vote of the whole House. The Sergeant at Arms must not permit a member
to leave the Chamber unless the member is excused by the Speaker, or the call
of the House has been lifted by a majority vote of the whole House.
2.03 ROLL
CALL VOTE. A roll call vote is required
to pass a bill or to adopt a resolution or motion directing the payment of
money. In all other cases a roll call
vote may be ordered only if 15 members demand it. When the House is taking a roll call vote on
another issue, a roll call vote may not be ordered on a motion that members not
voting be excused from voting.
2.04 EXPLAINING
OR CHANGING VOTE. A member must not
explain a vote or discuss the question during a roll call vote. A member must not change a vote or move for
the record an intention to have voted or voted differently after the result of
the roll call vote is announced from the chair by the Speaker.
2.05 EVERY
UNEXCUSED MEMBER TO VOTE. A member who
has an immediate interest in a question must not vote on it.
Every other
member present before the result of a vote is declared by the presiding officer
must vote for or against the matter before the House, unless the House excuses
the member from voting. But a member is
not required to vote on any matter concerning a memorial resolution.
A member who
does not vote when the member's name is called must state reasons for not
voting. After the vote has been taken
but before the presiding officer has announced the result of the vote, the
presiding officer must submit to the House the question: "Shall the member, for the reasons
stated, be excused from voting?" The
question must be decided without debate.
After the question is decided, the presiding officer must announce the
result of the vote, after which other proceedings about the nonvoting member
may take place.
2.10 ELECTRONIC
VOTING SYSTEM. An electronic voting
system under the control of the Speaker may be used to take any vote except a
vote on an election or if the House is currently taking a roll call. A member must not vote on a question except
at the member's own seat in the chamber.
2.15 RECORDED
FLOOR PROCEEDINGS. Proceedings on the
floor of the House must be recorded on an appropriate audio recording medium
under the direction of the Chief Clerk. The
Chief Clerk must transmit a copy of the recordings to the Director of the
Legislative Reference Library. The
Legislative Reference Library must keep the recordings available for public use
under its rules during the legislative biennium when the recordings were
created and for eight years thereafter. The
Library may then preserve or dispose of the recordings as the Library sees fit.
A person
may obtain a copy of a recording while it is kept in the Library by paying a
fee determined by the House Controller to cover the cost of preparing the copy.
Discussion
preserved under this Rule is not intended to be admissible in a court or
administrative proceeding on an issue of legislative intent.
2.20 DUTIES
OF MEMBERS. Members must keep their
seats until the Speaker announces adjournment.
A member,
before speaking, must rise and respectfully address the Speaker and must not
speak further until recognized by the Speaker.
If more than one member rises at the same time, the Speaker must select
the member to speak first.
2.21 NOTICE
OF INTENT TO DEBATE A RESOLUTION. A
member may give notice of intent to debate a resolution, except a resolution
introduced as a house file or a senate file under Rule 4.02 or a resolution
offered by the Committee on Rules and Legislative Administration or the
Committee on Ethics.
The notice
may be given at any time before the vote is taken on the resolution. If the notice is given, the resolution must
be laid over one day without debate or any other action.
2.30 QUESTIONS
OF ORDER. If a member violates the Rules
in any way, the Speaker must, or another member may, call the member to order. The member called to order must immediately
sit down unless another member moves to permit the member who was called to
order to explain. In either case, the
House, if appealed to, must decide the question without debate. Only if the decision is in favor of the
member called to order may that member proceed.
The House may censure or punish a member called to order.
2.31 OFFENSIVE
WORDS IN DEBATE. If a member is called
to order for offensive words in debate, the member calling for order must
report the words to which exception is taken and the Clerk must record them. A member must not be held to answer, or be
subject to censure of the House, for language used in debate unless exception
is taken before another member speaks or other business takes place.
2.32 ORDER
IN DEBATE. Except for the member who
offered the motion, amendment, or proposition under consideration, a member
must not speak more than twice on the subject, without leave of the House, nor
more than once until every other member wishing to speak on the subject has had
an opportunity to do so.
2.33 ORDER
DURING SESSION. A member must not walk
out of or across the Chamber while the Speaker is putting the question. A member must not engage in private
conversation while another member is speaking or pass between a speaking member
and the Chair. A member must not disrupt
order and decorum in the Chamber by possessing or using any audiovisual
display, including but not limited to placards, signs, photographs, visual
aids, or the use of any video images or audio, except for such items that are
distributed to members at their desks for the purpose of conducting business of
the day.
2.34 PERSONS
BY THE CHIEF CLERK'S DESK DURING VOTE. No
person may remain by the Chief Clerk's desk during a roll call vote.
2.39
EXECUTIVE BRANCH OR LOBBYIST PRESENCE IN COMMITTEE. No House committee, division or subcommittee
shall permit any member or staff of the executive branch, registered lobbyist,
or lobbyist principal, to be seated at the committee table with members of the
House during official proceedings of committees of the House.
2.40 ADMITTANCE
TO FLOOR. No person other than a member
may be admitted to the House Chamber, except:
properly authorized employees; the Chief Executive and ex-governors of
the State of Minnesota; members of the Senate; heads of departments of the
state government; judges of the Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, and District
Courts; members of Congress; those persons invited to address the body or a
joint convention of the house and senate, and guests for such an address or
joint convention; and properly accredited representatives of radio and
television stations, newspapers and press associations, as provided for in these
Rules.
Any other
person may be issued a permit by the Speaker good for the day, but that person
must be seated near the Speaker's rostrum, and must not engage in conversation
that disturbs the business of the House.
Before issuing a permit, the Speaker must make certain that the person
does not seek the floor of the House to influence decisions of the House.
The alcoves
in the Chambers are for the use of members only, and the Sergeant at Arms must
keep them clear of others.
From one
hour before the time the House is scheduled to convene until one hour after the
House adjourns for the day, the retiring room is reserved for the exclusive use
of the members and employees of the House.
As long as the Senate prohibits entry of House members into its retiring
room, no Senators may enter the House retiring room during the time it is
reserved for exclusive use of members and employees. A committee or division meeting must not be
held there except emergency meetings authorized by the Speaker. The Sergeant at Arms must strictly enforce
this provision.
Unless an
extraordinary condition exists the Speaker must not entertain a request to
suspend this Rule or present the request of a member for unanimous consent to
suspend this Rule.
2.41 MEDIA
NEWS REPORTERS. Accredited
representatives of the press, press associations, and radio and television
stations must be given equal press privileges by the House. A person wishing to report proceedings of the
House may apply to the Chief Sergeant at Arms for a media pass and assignment
to suitable available space. The
Sergeant may coordinate the issuance of media passes with the appropriate
senate authority.
Television
stations must be permitted to televise sessions of the House. Media representatives must be allowed access
to both wells in the gallery of the House chambers.
ARTICLE 3 –
MOTIONS, AMENDMENTS, AND OTHER PROPOSITIONS
3.01 AMENDMENTS
AND OTHER MOTIONS. An amendment or other
motion must not be debated until after it is stated by the Speaker.
After an
amendment or other motion is stated by the Speaker it is in possession of the
House, but the mover may withdraw it at any time before it is amended or
decided. Unless a motion, resolution, or
amendment is withdrawn on the day it is made, it must be entered in the
Journal, with the name of the member offering it.
Except as
otherwise permitted by the Speaker, an amendment or other motion must be in
writing, and five copies of it must be given to the Chief Clerk.
3.02 ORDER
OF PUTTING QUESTION; FILLING BLANKS. Except
for a privileged question, questions before the House or a committee or
division must be put in the order they are moved. In filling a blank, a motion for the largest
sum or the longest time must be put first.
3.03 DIVISION
OF A QUESTION. A member may request the
division of a question that contains more than one separate and distinct point. A motion to strike and insert is not
divisible. The failure of a motion to
strike does not preclude another motion to amend or to strike and insert.
3.10 PRECEDENCE
OF MOTIONS. While a question is under
consideration, only the following motions may be received:
(1) To fix
the time of adjournment
(2) To
adjourn
(3) To lay
on the table
(4) For the
previous question
(5) To
refer
(6) To
postpone to a day certain
(7) To
amend
(8) To
postpone indefinitely
(9) To pass
The first
four motions must be decided without debate.
The motions
have precedence in the order listed, except that if the motion for the previous
question has been properly made, and if necessary seconded, and the main
question ordered, the motion to lay on the table is not in order.
3.11 MOTION
TO ADJOURN. A motion to adjourn is
always in order except during a roll call.
After a
motion to adjourn is made, before putting the question, the Speaker may permit
any member to state reasons why adjournment might be improper at that time. A statement is not debatable and must be
limited to two minutes.
3.12 MOTION
TO LAY ON THE TABLE. A motion to lay on
the table is not in order on a motion to amend, except that a motion to amend
the Rules may be tabled.
3.13 THE
PREVIOUS QUESTION. The previous question
may be moved by a member who is seconded by 15 members.
If the
motion for the previous question is ordered by a majority of members present,
its effect is to put an end to all debate and bring the House to direct vote
upon the question.
Before the
presiding officer submits a motion for the previous question to the House, a
call of the House is in order. After a
majority has ordered the previous question, a call of the House is not in order
before the decision on the main question.
When the
previous question is decided in the negative, the main question remains under
debate until it is disposed of by a vote on the question, by a subsequent
motion calling for the previous question under this Rule, or in some other
manner.
All
incidental questions of order arising after a motion is made for the previous
question and before the vote on the main question must be decided without
debate.
3.14 MOTION
TO RECONSIDER. After a question is
decided either in the affirmative or negative, a member who voted with the
prevailing side may move to reconsider it.
The motion must be made on the same day the vote was taken or on either
of the next two days that the House meets in session and has possession of the
matter. The motion may be made at any
time in the Order of Business. It takes
precedence over any other question except a motion to adjourn and a notice of
intent to move to reconsider. The motion
to reconsider, or notice of intent to make it, must not be made if the
document, bill, resolution, message, report or other subject of official action
on which the vote was taken has left the possession of the House.
When a
member gives notice of intent to move to reconsider the final action of the
House on a bill, resolution, message, report or other subject of official
action, the Chief Clerk must keep it until the matter is disposed of or the
time has expired for the motion. In
regular session, notice of intent to move to reconsider must not be made in an
odd-numbered year after the fifth Monday preceding the last Monday that the
House may meet in regular session and in an even-numbered year after a date
specified by the Committee on Rules and Legislative Administration.
On the last
day allowed for the motion to reconsider, a member who voted on the prevailing
side may make the motion, unless the matter has been already disposed of.
If a motion
to reconsider fails, it must not be renewed.
3.15 MOTION
TO RESCIND. A motion to rescind is not
in order at any time in any proceeding in the House or in any committee or
division of the House.
3.20 AMENDMENTS
TO AMENDMENTS. An amendment may be
amended, but an amendment to an amendment must not be amended.
3.21 MOTIONS
AND PROPOSITIONS MUST BE GERMANE. A
motion or proposition on a subject different from that under consideration must
not be admitted under guise of its being an amendment. A motion, amendment, or other proposition
offered to the House is out of order if it is not germane to the matter under
consideration. Whether a proposition is
germane to the matter under consideration is a question to be decided by the
presiding officer, who may put the question to the House.
3.22 AMENDMENT
TO INCREASE AN APPROPRIATION OR TAX. The
concurrence of a majority of the whole House, determined by a roll call vote,
is required to adopt an amendment increasing an appropriation or a tax.
3.23
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS. A
constitutional amendment may not be offered as an amendment to a bill on the
floor.
3.30 EXPENDITURE
OF HOUSE FUNDS. The concurrence of a
majority of the whole House, determined by a roll call vote, is required for
favorable action on a resolution or motion involving the expenditure of money
appropriated by the Legislature to the House.
The resolution or motion must be referred to the Committee on Rules and
Legislative Administration before being acted on by the House.
ARTICLE 4 –
BILLS AND RESOLUTIONS
4.01 BILL
AND RESOLUTION FORM. A bill or
resolution must not be introduced until it has been examined and approved by
the Revisor of Statutes as to form and compliance with these Rules and the
Joint Rules of the House and Senate. The
Revisor's approval must be endorsed on the bill or resolution.
A bill that
is divided into articles may include or be accompanied by a table of contents.
4.02 RESOLUTIONS. A statement of facts being forwarded for
action to a governmental official, agency, or body or other similar proposal is
a memorial and must be introduced in the same form and take the same course as
a bill. A joint resolution and any
resolution requiring the signature of the governor must be introduced in the
same form and take the same course as a bill.
A
resolution must not authorize expenditure from any source other than the money
appropriated by the Legislature to the House.
Congratulatory
resolutions do not require consideration or adoption by the House.
A
resolution must not be changed to a bill, and a bill must not be changed to a
resolution.
4.03 WAYS
AND MEANS COMMITTEE; BUDGET RESOLUTION; EFFECT ON EXPENDITURE AND REVENUE BILLS. (a) The Committee on Ways and Means must hold
hearings as necessary to determine state expenditures and revenues for the
fiscal biennium.
(b) Within
25 days after the last state general fund revenue and expenditure forecast for
the next fiscal biennium becomes available during the regular session in the
odd-numbered year, the Committee on Ways and Means must adopt a budget
resolution. The budget resolution: (1) must set the maximum limit on net
expenditures for the next fiscal biennium for the general fund, (2) must set an
amount or amounts to be set aside as a budget reserve and a cash flow account,
(3) must set net spending limits for each budget category represented by the
major finance and revenue bills identified in paragraph (e), and (4) may set
limits for expenditures from funds other than the general fund. The budget resolution must not specify,
limit, or prescribe revenues or expenditures by any category other than those
specified in clauses (1), (2), (3), and (4).
After the Committee adopts the budget resolution, the limits in the
resolution are effective during the regular session in the year in which the
resolution is adopted, unless a different or amended resolution is adopted.
(c) During
the regular session in the even-numbered year, before the Committee on Ways and
Means reports a bill containing net increases or decreases in expenditures as
compared to general fund expenditures in the current fiscal biennium estimated
by the most recent state budget forecast, the Committee may adopt a budget
resolution. If adopted, the resolution
must account for the net changes in expenditures. The resolution may also (1) set limits for
changes in net expenditures for each budget category represented by the major
finance and revenue bills identified in paragraph (e), and (2) set limits for
expenditures from funds other than the general fund.
If the
Committee adopts a budget resolution, it is effective during the regular
session that year, unless a different or amended resolution is adopted.
(d) The
major finance or revenue bills may be combined or separated by a majority vote
of either the Committee on Ways and Means or the Committee on Rules and
Legislative Administration. Combined or
separated bills must conform to the limits in the resolution as those limits
apply to the accounts in those bills.
(e) Major
finance and revenue bills are:
the
agriculture and rural development finance bill;
the capital
investment bill;
the
education finance bill;
the
environment, energy and natural resources finance bill;
the health
and human services finance bill;
the higher
education finance bill;
the jobs and
economic development finance bill;
the
judiciary finance bill;
the public
safety finance bill;
the state
government finance bill;
the tax
bill; and
the
transportation finance bill.
(f) After
the adoption of a resolution by the Committee on Ways and Means, each finance
committee, and the Committee on Taxes must reconcile each bill described in
Rule 4.10 with the resolution. When
reporting a finance or revenue bill, each committee or division must provide to
the Committee on Ways and Means a fiscal statement reconciling the bill with
the resolution.
(g) After
the adoption of a resolution by the Committee on Ways and Means, the Committee
on Ways and Means must reconcile finance and revenue bills with the resolution. When reporting a bill, the chair of the
Committee must certify to the House that the Committee has reconciled the bill
with the resolution.
(h) After
the adoption of a resolution by the Committee on Ways and Means, an amendment
to a bill is out of order if it would cause any of the limits specified in the
resolution to be exceeded. Whether an
amendment is out of order under this Rule is a question to be decided on the
Floor by the Speaker or other presiding officer and in Committee or Division by
the person chairing the Committee or Division meeting. In making the determination, the Speaker or
other presiding officer or the Committee or Division chair may consider: (1) the limits in a resolution; (2) the
effect of existing laws on revenues and expenditures; (3) the effect of
amendments previously adopted to the bill under consideration; (4) the effect
of bills previously recommended by a Committee or Division or bills previously
passed in the legislative session by the House or by the legislature; (5)
whether expenditure increases or revenue decreases that would result from the
amendment are offset by decreases in other expenditures or increases in other
revenue specified by the amendment; and (6) other information reasonably
related to expenditure and revenue amounts.
(i) After a
resolution is adopted by the Committee on Ways and Means, the Committee must
make available a summary of the estimated fiscal effect on the general fund of
each bill that has been referred to the Committee on Ways and Means by a
finance committee or a division of a finance committee, or the Committee on
Taxes and of each bill that has been reported by the Committee on Ways and
Means.
4.05
AMENDMENT LIMITS. An amendment to a bill
that has received its second reading and is being considered by the House is
out of order if that amendment would increase the spending or spending base
from any fund from which appropriations are made in that bill, or would
increase the spending or spending base in total from all funds in the bill or
in the bill with the proposed amendment.
This rule is only in effect when a budget resolution adopted under Rule
4.03 is not in effect.
In the
absence of an adopted budget resolution, this rule does not apply after the
last Thursday on which the Legislature can meet in regular session in
odd-numbered years, and after the last Thursday on which the Legislature
intended, when it adopted the concurrent resolution required by Joint Rule
2.03, to meet in regular session in even-numbered years, or after a date
specified by the Committee on Rules and Legislative Administration.
4.10 BILLS
AFFECTING STATE REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES.
(a) Except as provided in Rule 1.15, a House or Senate bill that
directly, substantially, and specifically affects any present or future
financial obligation, budget policy, or revenue of the State must be referred
as provided in paragraphs (b) and (c) to the appropriate Committee before the
bill receives its second reading. A bill
that negligibly affects any present or future financial obligation, budget
policy, or revenue of the State is not subject to mandatory referral under this
rule.
(b) A bill
subject to paragraph (a) reported by a finance committee must, if recommended
to pass, be subsequently referred to the Ways and Means Committee, unless the
bill has a negligible fiscal impact and is subject to direct reference to the
Floor under Rule 6.05.
(c) A bill
with a substantial impact on the tax revenues or tax policies of the State must
be referred to the Committee on Taxes. A
bill reported by the Committee on Taxes containing a substantial fiscal impact
must be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means. For purposes of this paragraph,
"tax" excludes any fee, charge, exaction, or assessment, a primary
purpose of which is to recover direct or indirect costs incurred by the state
or other governmental entity or as a payment for benefits received.
(d) The
chairs of the Committees on Taxes and Ways and Means shall advise the Speaker
on the application of this rule and may determine whether or not any given
piece of legislation must be referred to the committee they chair.
4.12 BILLS
AFFECTING DEBT AND CAPITAL PROJECTS. The
Committee on Capital Investment has jurisdiction over legislation affecting
debt obligations issued by the state and capital projects of the state,
including the planning, acquiring and bettering of public lands and buildings
and other state projects of a capital nature.
Except as provided in Rule 1.15, a House or Senate bill that directly
and specifically affects debt obligations or capital projects of the state must
be referred to the Committee on Capital Investment before the bill receives its
second reading.
Referral is
not required by this Rule if the bill deals primarily with the financing of state
capital facilities using trunk highway funds, with transportation projects
financed without debt obligations of the state, or with the local financing of
capital facilities of local governments.
Referral is not required by this Rule if the bill has a negligible
effect on debt obligations and capital projects of the state as determined by
the chair of the Committee on Ways and Means, in conjunction with the chair of
the Committee on Capital Investment. Referral
is not required by this Rule if the bill is a major finance or revenue bill
identified in Rule 4.03, unless the bill directly and specifically affects debt
obligations of the state, but if a major finance or revenue bill contains a
provision that directly and specifically affects capital projects of the state,
the chair of the finance or tax committee reporting the bill must notify the
chair of the Committee on Ways and Means and the chair of the Committee on
Capital Investment of the provision before the bill is considered by the House.
The Speaker,
by announcement, must assign to each finance committee the appropriate
jurisdiction for recommendations on debt obligations and capital projects of
the state. Finance committees must
submit recommendations within their jurisdiction to the Committee on Capital
Investment for further disposition.
A bill with
a fiscal effect reported by the Committee on Capital Investment must be
accompanied by a statement of its fiscal effect, is exempt from the referral
required by Rule 4.10, is subject to the same committee deadlines as the
Committee on Ways and Means, and must be referred to the Committee on Ways and
Means. This referral is not required if
the bill has a negligible fiscal effect, as determined by the chair of the
Committee on Capital Investment with the concurrence of the chair of the
Committee on Ways and Means.
4.13 BILLS
AFFECTING STATE GOVERNMENT POWERS AND STRUCTURE. The Committee on Government Operations and
Elections has jurisdiction over a House or Senate bill that:
(a)
establishes or reestablishes a department, agency, commission, board, task
force, advisory committee or council, or bureau, or other like entity;
(b)
delegates rulemaking authority to, or exempts from rulemaking, a department or
agency of state government; or
(c)
substantially changes the organization of a department or agency of state
government or substantially changes, vests or divests the official rights,
powers, or duties of an official, department or agency of state government or
an institution under its control.
Except as
otherwise provided in this Rule and Rule 1.15, a bill that is within the
jurisdiction of the Committee on Government Operations and Elections must be
referred to that Committee before it receives its second reading. A committee or division (other than the
Committee on Government Operations and Elections) reporting such a bill must
recommend its re-referral to the Committee on Government Operations and
Elections if reporting before the deadline for action on the bill by that
Committee; if reporting after the deadline, the committee or division must
recommend re-referral to the Committee on Rules and Legislative Administration.
The
re-referral requirements of this Rule do not apply to the major finance and
revenue bills identified in Rule 4.03. If
a major finance or revenue bill contains a provision specified in clause (a) or
(b) of the definition in this Rule, the chair of the finance or tax committee
reporting the bill must notify the chair of the Committee on Rules and
Legislative Administration before the bill is considered by the House.
The
re-referral requirements of this Rule do not apply to other bills reported by a
finance committee or division or the tax committee or division, except bills
that contain a provision specified in clauses (a) and (b) of the definition in
this Rule.
4.14 BILLS
PROPOSING MEMORIALS. A bill or amendment
that proposes to have a memorial placed in the Capitol area must be referred to
the Committee on Rules and Legislative Administration.
4.15 BILLS
PROPOSING CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS. A
House or Senate bill that proposes a constitutional amendment must be referred
to the Committee on Rules and Legislative Administration before it receives its
second reading. When reporting such a
bill, a committee or division, other than the Committee on Rules and
Legislative Administration, must recommend re-referral to the Committee on
Rules and Legislative Administration.
4.20 DISPOSITION
OF BILLS DURING INTERIM. Adjournment of
the regular session in an odd-numbered year to a day certain in the next year
is the same as daily adjournment except that a bill on the Consent Calendar,
Calendar for the Day, Fiscal Calendar, or General Register must be returned to
the standing committee or division that last acted on the bill.
4.30 RECALLING
BILL FROM COMMITTEE OR DIVISION. A bill
or resolution may be recalled from a committee or division at any time by
majority vote of the whole House, be given a second reading and be placed on
the General Register. A motion to recall
a bill or resolution is in order only under the order of business "Motions
and Resolutions." This Rule does not apply in a special session or after
the deadline for committee reports on House files.
4.31 TIME
LIMIT TO CONSIDER BILLS. If 20 legislative
days after a bill has been referred to a committee or division (other than the
Committee on Ways and Means, the Committee on Taxes, or a division of one of
those committees) a report has not been made on it by the committee or
division, its chief author may request that it be returned to the House. The request must be entered in the Journal.
The
committee or division must vote on the bill requested within ten calendar days
after the day of the request.
If the
committee or division fails to vote on it within ten days, the chief author may
present a written demand to the Speaker for its immediate return to the House. The demand must be presented within five
calendar days after the day that the committee or division is required to vote. If the demand is presented in the time
allowed, it must be entered in the Journal and is the demand of the House. The bill is then considered to be in the
possession of the House and must be given its second reading and placed on the
General Register.
The bill
may be re-referred by a majority vote of the whole House. If the motion to re-refer is made on the day
of the demand or on the next House legislative day, the motion takes precedence
over all other motions except privileged motions and is in order at any time.
ARTICLE 5 –
PARLIAMENTARY PRACTICE
5.01 SUSPENSION
OR AMENDMENT OF THE RULES. The
concurrence of two-thirds of the whole House is required to suspend or amend a
Rule of the House, except that any amendment to the Rules reported by the
Committee on Rules and Legislative Administration may be adopted by a majority
of the whole House.
Except as
provided in Rule 5.02, a motion to suspend or amend any Rule of the House must
be made under the order of business "Motions and Resolutions." If the
motion is made at another time, unanimous consent is required before the
Speaker may entertain the motion.
A motion to
suspend the Rules, together with the subject matter to which it pertains, is
debatable, but the previous question may be applied to the motion under Rule
3.13.
5.02 SUSPENSION
OF RULES TO ADVANCE A BILL. A bill must
be reported on three different days as provided in Rule 1.04, except that in
case of urgency, a two-thirds majority of the whole House may suspend this
requirement. A motion to suspend the
Rules to advance a bill for consideration out of its regular order is in order
under the order of business "Motions and Resolutions" or at any time
the bill is before the House. The motion
must be presented to the Speaker in writing and must describe the status of the
bill.
5.03 DEFINITIONS. In these Rules the terms "majority
vote" and "vote of the House" mean a majority of members present
for the vote. The term "vote of the
whole House" means a majority of all the members elected to the House.
Singular
words used in these Rules include the plural, unless the context indicates a
contrary intention.
5.04 AUTHORIZED
MANUAL OF PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE. "Mason's
Manual of Legislative Procedure" governs the House in all applicable cases
if it is not inconsistent with these Rules, the Joint Rules of the Senate and
House of Representatives, or established custom and usage.
5.05 CONFLICT
OF RULES. When there is a conflict
between a single House Rule and a single Joint Rule, the Speaker shall make a
ruling as to which applies.
ARTICLE 6 –
COMMITTEES, DIVISIONS, AND REPORTS
6.01 COMMITTEES
AND DIVISIONS. Standing committees and
divisions of the House must be appointed by the Speaker as follows:
Agriculture
and Rural Development Policy and Finance
Capital
Investment
Civil Law
Commerce and
Regulatory Reform
Education
Finance
Education
Reform
Environment,
Energy and Natural Resources Policy and Finance
Legacy
Funding Division
Ethics
Government
Operations and Elections
Health and
Human Services Finance
Health and
Human Services Reform
Higher
Education Policy and Finance
Jobs and
Economic Development Finance
Judiciary
Policy and Finance
Public
Safety and Crime Prevention Policy and Finance
Redistricting
Rules and Legislative
Administration
State
Government Finance
Veterans
Services Division
Taxes
Property and
Local Tax Division
Transportation
Policy and Finance
Ways and
Means
6.02 COMMITTEE
AND DIVISION MEMBERSHIP. At least 30
days before the start of a regular session of the Legislature, the
Speaker-designate must provide the minority political party caucuses with a
list of the standing committees and divisions proposed for the session. The Speaker-designate must prescribe the
number of minority caucus members to be appointed to each committee and
division and may require general membership guidelines to be followed in the
selection of committee and division members.
If the
minority leader submits to the Speaker-designate, at least 15 days before the
start of the session, a list of proposed committee and division assignments for
the minority caucus that complies with the numbers and guidelines provided, the
Speaker must make the proposed assignments with the purpose of attaining
proportionate representation on the committees and divisions for the minority
caucus.
A committee
of the House must not have exclusive membership from one profession, occupation
or vocation.
A member
must not serve as the chair of the same standing committee or division, or a
standing committee or division with substantially the same jurisdiction, during
more than the three immediately prior consecutive regular biennial sessions. This Rule does not apply to service as chair
of the Committee on Rules and Legislative Administration.
6.03 APPOINTMENTS
TO BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS. Upon the
convening of the biennial session, the Speaker must notify the members of the
House of each board or commission to which a member of the House may be
appointed by the Speaker. The Speaker must
request advice from the minority leader on these appointments.
6.04 SUBCOMMITTEES. The chair of a committee or division must
appoint the chair and members of each subcommittee with the advice and consent
of the Speaker. The chair or the
committee or division may refer bills to a subcommittee. A subcommittee may exercise the authority
delegated to it by the chair or by the committee or division.
6.05 DIVISIONS. (a) If the Speaker or the House refers a bill
to a division, the bill remains in that division until the House moves the bill
from the division or approves a report from the division that moved the bill
from that division. A division report
under this paragraph is subject to Rule 6.30.
(b) The
chair of a committee may refer a bill within the possession of the committee to
a division of that committee. When the
chair refers a bill to a division under this paragraph, the chair may recall
the bill from the division. A committee
chair referring or recalling a bill under this paragraph must give written
notice of the referral or recall as soon as possible to the Chief Clerk for
publication. To the extent practical,
the Chief Clerk must attempt to provide notice on the House Web site of
referrals and recalls of bills under this paragraph.
(c) The
chair of a division must cause division records to be kept in a manner
consistent with Rule 6.24.
(d)
Division meetings are subject to Rule 6.20.
(e)
Divisions are subject to Rule 6.21.
6.10 THE
COMMITTEE ON ETHICS. The Speaker must
appoint a Committee on Ethics consisting of four members: two members from the majority political party
caucus, and two from the minority caucus.
One alternate from each caucus must also be appointed. The committee must adopt written procedures,
which must include due process requirements, for handling complaints and
issuing guidelines.
A complaint
may be brought about conduct by a member that violates a rule or administrative
policy of the House, that violates accepted norms of House behavior, that
betrays the public trust, or that tends to bring the House into dishonor or
disrepute.
A complaint
about a member's conduct must present with specificity the factual evidence
supporting the complaint. A complaint
must be in writing, under oath and signed by two or more members of the House,
and submitted to the Speaker. Before
submitting the complaint to the Speaker, the complainants must cause a copy of
it and any supporting materials to be delivered to any member named in the
complaint. Within seven days after receiving
a complaint, the Speaker must refer the complaint to the Ethics Committee for
processing by the committee according to its rules of procedure.
The
existence and substance of a complaint, including any supporting materials, and
all proceedings, meetings, hearings, and records of the Ethics Committee are
public; except that the committee, upon a majority vote of the whole committee,
may meet in executive session to consider or determine the question of probable
cause, to consider a member's medical or other health records, or to protect
the privacy of a victim or a third party.
A complaint
of a breach of confidentiality by a member or employee of the House must be
immediately referred by the Speaker to the Ethics Committee for disciplinary
action.
The
committee must act in an investigatory capacity and may make recommendations
regarding complaints submitted to the Speaker before adjournment sine die. With the approval of the Speaker, the
committee may retain a retired judge or other nonpartisan legal advisor to
advise and assist the committee, as the committee considers appropriate and
necessary in the circumstances of the case, in conducting the proceedings and
obtaining a complete and accurate understanding of the information relevant to
the conduct in question.
Ethics
Committee recommendations for disciplinary action must be supported by clear
and convincing evidence and must be reported to the House for final disposition.
6.20
COMMITTEE MEETING SCHEDULE; DEADLINES. The
Speaker must prepare and publish a schedule of committee meetings, fixing as
far as practicable the regular meeting day and time of each committee.
The chair of
a committee must give written notice of a special meeting or a change in the
regular schedule of meetings. The notice
may be announced from the desk and must be posted in public notice locations
maintained by the House. The notice must
be posted at least one day in advance of the change.
As far as
practicable, the chair of a committee must give three days notice of the date,
time, place and agenda for each meeting.
Meeting
notices must indicate when alternative media will be used to conduct the
meeting.
During the
first ten weeks of the session in the odd-numbered year and the first five
weeks of the session in the even-numbered year, a standing committee must not
have a regularly scheduled meeting after noon on Friday, but the Speaker may
approve a special meeting of a committee during this time.
A committee
must not meet between 12:00 midnight and 7:00 a.m.
Only the
Committee on Rules and Legislative Administration may meet during a daily
session of the House without leave.
The House
shall establish deadlines for each regular session by resolution.
6.21 COMMITTEE
PROCEDURES. Meetings of House committees
must be open to the public except for executive sessions that the committee on
ethics considers necessary under Rule 6.10.
For purposes of this requirement, a meeting occurs when a quorum is
present and action is taken regarding a matter within the jurisdiction of the
committee. This requirement does not
apply to a meeting of members of a committee from the same political party
caucus.
A majority
of members of a committee is a quorum.
The Rules
of the House must be observed in committee if they are applicable.
An
amendment offered in committee must be on a subject that is within the
jurisdiction of the committee. Whether
an amendment is on a subject that is within the jurisdiction of the committee
is a question to be decided by the person chairing the meeting, who may put the
question to the committee.
A member of
a committee may demand a roll call vote on any bill, resolution, report, motion
or amendment before the committee. If a
demand is made, the roll must be called.
The name of the member demanding the roll call and the vote of each
member must be recorded in the committee minutes.
A committee
may reconsider an action while the matter remains in the possession of the
committee. A committee member need not
have voted with the prevailing side to move to reconsider the action.
The chair
of a committee, after consultation with the Speaker, may establish written
procedures for the submission of amendments to the committee, the setting of
committee agendas, and other matters pertaining to the conduct of the
committee's business. Before
implementing the written procedures, the chair must provide a copy of them to
the Speaker and to each member of the House and must make copies available to
others upon request.
6.22 PUBLIC
TESTIMONY. Public testimony from
proponents and opponents must be allowed on every bill or resolution before a
standing committee, division or subcommittee of the House.
6.23 OPEN
MEETING ENFORCEMENT. A person may submit
to the Speaker a complaint alleging a violation of the open meeting
requirements of Rule 6.21. The complaint
must be in writing. On receiving a
complaint, the Speaker, or a person designated by the Speaker, must investigate
the complaint promptly. If the Speaker
concludes, following investigation, that a violation of the open meeting Rule
may have occurred, the Speaker must refer the complaint to the Committee on
Ethics for further proceedings.
6.24 COMMITTEE
RECORDS. The chair of a standing
committee must cause a committee record to be kept, in the form prescribed by
the Committee on Rules and Legislative Administration. The record must include the record of
committee proceedings on each bill referred to the committee and the minutes of
the committee and any subcommittees.
The
committee and subcommittee minutes must include:
a. the time
and place of each hearing or meeting;
b. the
names of committee or subcommittee members who are present;
c. the name
and address, at the Chair's discretion, of each person appearing before the
committee or subcommittee, together with the name and address of the person,
association, firm or corporation in whose behalf the appearance is made;
d. the
language of each motion, the name of the member making the motion, the result
of a vote on the motion, and, on a roll call vote, the names of those in favor
and those opposed;
e. the date
on which a subcommittee is established, the names of its members and the file
number of bills referred to it and reported by it;
f. other important
matters related to the work of the committee or subcommittee.
The minutes
must be approved at the next regular meeting of the committee or subcommittee.
At the end
of two business days after approval by the committee or subcommittee, copies of
the minutes must be filed with the Chief Clerk and be open to public inspection
in the Chief Clerk's office and on the House Web site.
At the end
of the legislative biennium minutes and other records must be delivered to the
Director of the Legislative Reference Library.
Audio
recordings of Committee and Subcommittee meetings must be made available for
public use by the end of the business day following each meeting. The chair of a committee who elects not to
release the recording of a committee meeting until the minutes of the meeting
are approved by the committee must make a copy of the recording available by
the end of the next business day after a written request for it is made to the
committee. The House must keep the
recordings of committee meetings available for public use during the
legislative biennium in which they were created and, at the end of the
legislative biennium, must transmit a copy of the recordings to the Director of
the Legislative Reference Library.
The
Legislative Reference Library must keep committee records and recordings
available for public use under its rules for eight years after the end of the
legislative biennium during which the materials were created and then may
preserve or dispose of the recordings as the Library sees fit.
A person
may obtain a copy of a recording during the legislative biennium in which it is
created by paying a fee determined by the House Controller to cover the cost of
preparing the copy. A person may obtain
a copy of a recording while it is kept in the Library by paying a fee
determined by the House Controller to cover the cost of preparing the copy. A person may obtain a copy of a page of
committee minutes or other records for a fee determined by the House Controller
to cover the cost of preparing the copy.
A copy of a recording must be provided free to a member or staff of the
House upon request for use in legislative business.
Testimony
and discussion preserved under this Rule are not intended to be admissible in a
court or administrative proceeding on an issue of legislative intent.
6.30 COMMITTEE
REPORTS. The House must adopt or reject
a committee report on a bill or resolution without amendment.
The chair
of a standing committee reporting to the House on a bill or resolution must use
the form provided for committee reports.
Each bill or resolution must be reported separately. The report must state the action taken by the
committee and the date of the action. The
report must be authenticated by the signature of the chair.
Before a
committee reports favorably on a bill or resolution, the chair must see that
the form of the bill or resolution conforms to these Rules and the Joint Rules
of the House and Senate.
Except
during the last seven legislative days in a year, the committee report and any
minority report must be submitted to the Chief Clerk at least four hours before
the convening of the daily session. But
the Committee on Rules and Legislative Administration may report at any time.
6.31 SUBSTITUTION
OF BILLS. A standing or special
committee or division or its members must not report a substitute for a bill
referred to the committee or division if the substitute relates to a different
subject, is intended to accomplish a different purpose, or requires a title
essentially different from that of the bill referred. If the House is advised that a substitute
bill reported to the House violates this Rule, the report must not be adopted.
6.32 MINORITY
REPORTS. A minority report must be made
separately from the majority report and must be considered before the majority
report. If the minority report is
adopted the majority report must not be considered. If the minority report is not adopted the
majority report must then be considered.
6.40 REPORTS
OF CONFERENCE COMMITTEES. A conference
committee may report at any time and may meet during a daily session of the
House without leave. A conference
committee report must be electronically available or printed.
A
conference committee report must include only subject matter contained in the
House or Senate versions of the bill for which that conference committee was
appointed, or like subject matter contained in a bill passed by the House or
Senate. The member presenting the
conference committee report to the House must disclose all substantive changes
from the House version of the bill.
6.50 COMMITTEE
OR DIVISION REPORT LAID OVER. The report
of any committee or division may be laid over one day and printed in the
Journal, if so ordered by the House.
ARTICLE 7 –
OFFICERS OF THE HOUSE
7.01 DUTIES
AND PRIVILEGES OF THE SPEAKER. The
Speaker must preside over the House and has all the powers and duties of the
presiding officer.
The Speaker
must preserve order and decorum. The
Speaker may order the lobby or galleries cleared in the case of disorderly
conduct or other disturbance.
Except as
otherwise provided by rule or law, the Speaker has general control of the
Chamber of the House and of the corridors, passages and rooms in the Capitol
and State Office Building under the jurisdiction of the House.
The Speaker
must sign all acts, addresses, joint resolutions, writs, warrants and subpoenas
of the House or issued by order of the House.
The Speaker must sign all abstracts for the payment of money from funds
appropriated by the Legislature to the House; but money must not be paid unless
the abstract is also signed by the Controller of the House. Abstracts for compensation of members must be
signed by the Chief Clerk pursuant to law.
The Speaker
must appoint the Chief Sergeant at Arms or must designate that officer from
among the Sergeants at Arms elected by the House or appointed by the Committee
on Rules and Legislative Administration.
When an
elected office of the House becomes vacant, the Speaker must designate a person
to exercise the powers and discharge the duties of the office as necessary
until a successor is elected by the House.
7.02 SUCCESSOR
IN OFFICE OF SPEAKER. When the office of
Speaker becomes vacant, the Chair of the Committee on Rules and Legislative
Administration has the powers and must discharge the duties of the office as
necessary, until a Speaker is elected by the House or until a speaker-designate
is selected as provided in this Rule. The
House must elect a Speaker when the House is next called to order. If the Legislature is not in session, within
30 days after the office of Speaker becomes vacant the Committee on Rules and
Legislative Administration must meet and select a speaker-designate to exercise
the powers and discharge the duties of the office as necessary until a Speaker
is elected by the House.
7.05 SPEAKER
PRO TEMPORE. The Speaker must appoint
one or more members as Speaker pro tempore.
A Speaker pro tempore must preside in the Speaker's absence. In the absence of the Speaker and a Speaker
pro tempore, a member selected by the Speaker must preside until the Speaker or
Speaker pro tempore returns.
7.06
SPEAKER EMERITUS. Any current member
having served the House in the capacity of Speaker will, subsequent to that
service, be known as Speaker Emeritus, and may perform such ceremonial
functions and duties as assigned by the Speaker.
7.10 DUTIES
OF CHIEF CLERK. The Chief Clerk has
general supervision of all clerical duties pertaining to the business of the
House. The Chief Clerk must perform,
under the direction of the Speaker, all the duties of the office of Chief Clerk. The Chief Clerk must keep records showing the
status and progress of all bills, memorials and resolutions.
During a
temporary absence of the Chief Clerk, the First Assistant Chief Clerk has all
the usual responsibilities of the Chief Clerk and may sign the daily journal,
enrollments, abstracts and other legislative documents.
The Chief
Clerk must supervise the engrossment and enrollment of bills. The Chief Clerk must see that a record is
kept, by file number, of the bills introduced in the House that passed both
houses and are enrolled.
The Chief
Clerk must ensure that locations accessible to the public are available to post
a list of committee and subcommittee meetings and any other announcements or
notices the House may require.
The Index
Clerk, supervised by the Chief Clerk, must prepare an index in which bills may
be indexed by topic, number, author, subject, section of the statutes amended,
committees, divisions, and any other method that will make it a complete and
comprehensive index.
The index
must be open for public inspection during the legislative session and must be
printed in the permanent Journal.
7.20 DUTIES
OF THE SERGEANT AT ARMS. The Sergeant at
Arms must carry out all orders of the House or the Speaker and perform all
other services pertaining to the office of Sergeant at Arms, including: maintaining order in the Chamber and other
areas used for the business of the House and its committees and divisions and
members; supervising the entering and exiting from the Chamber and the other
areas; and promptly delivering messages.
ARTICLE 8 –
ADMINISTRATION OF THE HOUSE
8.01 BUDGET
AND FINANCIAL AFFAIRS. The House
Controller must prepare a biennial budget for the House. The budget must be approved by the Committee
on Rules and Legislative Administration before it is submitted to the State
Government Finance Committee. By the
15th day of April, July, October, and January of each year, the Controller must
submit a detailed report of House expenditures during the previous quarter to
the Speaker and the Committee on Rules and Legislative Administration.
The House
Controller must arrange for the purchase of goods and services for the House. The Controller must seek the lowest possible
prices consistent with satisfactory quality and dependability. A contract of the House, or an amendment to a
contract, authorizing an expenditure of more than $500 must be signed by the
Speaker or the Controller. A contract,
or an amendment to a contract, authorizing an expenditure of up to $500 may be
executed by an employee authorized and directed in writing by the Controller to
act for the Controller on the contract or contracts of its type. A contract or amendment to a contract entered
into in violation of this Rule is not binding on the House. The House Controller must consult with an
adaptive technology expert to identify commercially available upgrades for
computers and Internet technology that are compatible with adaptive speech
technology prior to purchasing upgrades.
Employees
of the House must be reimbursed for actual expenses in the same manner as state
employees.
During
session, for travel away from the Capitol, members must be reimbursed for
actual expenses, in addition to per diem expense allowances, in the manner and
amount prescribed by the Committee on Rules and Legislative Administration.
8.02 MEMBER
OFFICES. Members not seeking re-election
are required to vacate their House offices by December 1 of their last year of
service. Members who are not re-elected
are required to vacate their House offices by December 15 of their last year of
service. The Sergeants Office will
arrange usable space for these members after their offices are vacated, if
requested to do so, and shall accommodate all serving members in the event of a
special session.
8.10 COMMITTEE
AND DIVISION BUDGETS AND EXPENSES. The
Committee on Rules and Legislative Administration must establish a budget for
each standing committee and division of the House for expenses incurred by the
committee or division, its members, and its staff in conducting its legislative
business. Per diem expense allowances
paid to members during sessions or at times set by the Speaker or the Committee
on Rules and Legislative Administration must not be charged against the budget. A committee or division must not incur
expenses in excess of its authorized budget.
All charges
against the committee or division budget must be approved by the chair before
payment is made.
8.20 APPOINTMENT
OF EMPLOYEES. The Committee on Rules and
Legislative Administration must designate the position of and appoint each
employee of the House and set the compensation of each officer and employee. A record of the appointments, including
positions and compensation, must be kept in the office of the House Controller
and must be available for inspection by the public.
The
Committee on Rules and Legislative Administration must establish the procedure
for filling employment vacancies when the Legislature is not in session.
An employee
of the House may be assigned to other duties, suspended or discharged at any
time by the Committee on Rules and Legislative Administration.
8.30 LEGAL
REPRESENTATION. An employee of the
nonpartisan House Research Department may not represent the House or its
members as counsel of record, in a judicial or administrative proceeding.
ARTICLE 9 –
CONDUCT
9.01 CODE
OF CONDUCT. The Committee on Rules and
Legislative Administration, after receiving the recommendation of the Committee
on Ethics, must establish and maintain a code of conduct for members, officers
and employees of the House.
9.05 CAMPAIGN
ACTIVITIES. An employee of the House
must not participate in campaign activity during working hours. An employee must not be obliged to
participate in campaign activities as a condition of employment. A member is not an employee of the House for
purposes of this Rule. House equipment
must not be used for campaign activities.
The Committee on Rules and Legislative Administration must define the
terms of and implement this Rule.
9.10 SOLICITATIONS
DURING LEGISLATIVE SESSION. During
regular or special session, a member of the House, a political party caucus,
the member's principal campaign committee, a political committee with the
member's name or title, or a committee authorized by the member that benefits
the member, must not solicit or accept a contribution from a registered
lobbyist, corporation, labor union, political committee, dissolving principal
campaign committee, political fund, or a tribal organization.
A member
must not accept compensation for lobbying.
9.20 ACCEPTANCE
OF AN HONORARIUM BY A MEMBER. A member
must not accept an honorarium for a service performed for an individual or
organization that has a direct interest in the business of the House,
including, but not limited to, a registered lobbyist or an organization a
lobbyist represents. The term
"honorarium" does not include reimbursement for expenses incurred and
actually paid by a member in performing a service.
Alleged
violations of this Rule must be referred to the Committee on Ethics under Rule
6.10. If the Committee on Ethics finds
that an honorarium was accepted in violation of this Rule, the Committee must
direct its return. If it is not
returned, the committee may recommend disciplinary action under Rule 6.10.
9.21 ACCEPTANCE
OF TRAVEL AND LODGING BY A MEMBER OR EMPLOYEE.
A member or employee of the House must not accept travel or lodging from
any foreign government, private for-profit business, labor union, registered
lobbyist, or an association thereof, except payment permitted by law of
expenses that relate to the member's or employee's participation as a
legislator or legislative employee in a meeting or conference. This Rule does not apply to travel or lodging
provided to a member in the regular course of the member's employment or
business.
9.30 DENIAL
OF COMPENSATION WHILE DETAINED. A member
must not receive compensation, mileage, or living expenses while the member is
incarcerated or on home detention due to a criminal conviction.
9.35 BAN ON
LOBBYING. Former state legislators must
not register as lobbyists within one year from the date they leave office.
9.40 NO
SMOKING IN HOUSE AREAS. Smoking is
prohibited in the areas of the Capitol and State Office Building under the
jurisdiction of the House, including the House Chamber and Retiring Room and
galleries, hearing rooms, minor corridors and offices, private offices, and
lounges.
FISCAL CALENDAR
Pursuant to rule 1.22, Holberg requested
immediate consideration of H. F. No. 130.
H. F. No. 130, A bill for an act relating
to state government finance; making appropriation reductions for fiscal year
2011, policy changes, and appropriation reductions for fiscal years 2012 and
2013; making changes to tax aids and credits and reducing payments; amending
Minnesota Statutes 2010, sections 256B.766; 270A.03, subdivision 7; 273.1384,
subdivision 6, by adding a subdivision; 289A.02, subdivision 7; 289A.50,
subdivision 1; 290.01, subdivisions 6, 19, 19a, 19c, 31; 290A.03, subdivisions
11, 13, 15; 290C.07; 477A.0124, by adding a subdivision; 477A.013, subdivision
9, by adding a subdivision; 477A.03; Laws 2010, First Special Session chapter
1, article 5, sections 4; 5; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota
Statutes, chapter 43A; repealing Minnesota Statutes 2010, sections 10A.322,
subdivision 4; 13.4967, subdivision 2; 290.06, subdivision 23.
The bill was read for the third time and
placed upon its final passage.
The question was taken on the passage of the bill and the roll
was called. There were 68 yeas and 63
nays as follows:
Those who
voted in the affirmative were:
Abeler
Anderson, B.
Anderson, D.
Anderson, P.
Anderson, S.
Barrett
Beard
Benson, M.
Bills
Buesgens
Cornish
Crawford
Daudt
Davids
Dean
Dettmer
Doepke
Downey
Drazkowski
Erickson
Fabian
Franson
Garofalo
Gottwalt
Gruenhagen
Gunther
Hackbarth
Hamilton
Hancock
Holberg
Hoppe
Howes
Kelly
Kieffer
Kiffmeyer
Lanning
Leidiger
LeMieur
Lohmer
Loon
Mack
Mazorol
McDonald
McElfatrick
McFarlane
McNamara
Murdock
Myhra
Nornes
O'Driscoll
Peppin
Petersen, B.
Quam
Runbeck
Sanders
Schomacker
Scott
Shimanski
Smith
Stensrud
Swedzinski
Torkelson
Urdahl
Vogel
Wardlow
Westrom
Woodard
Spk. Zellers
Those who
voted in the negative were:
Anzelc
Atkins
Banaian
Benson, J.
Brynaert
Carlson
Champion
Clark
Davnie
Dittrich
Eken
Falk
Fritz
Gauthier
Greene
Greiling
Hansen
Hausman
Hayden
Hilstrom
Hilty
Hornstein
Hortman
Hosch
Huntley
Johnson
Kahn
Kath
Kiel
Knuth
Koenen
Kriesel
Lenczewski
Lesch
Liebling
Lillie
Loeffler
Mahoney
Mariani
Marquart
Moran
Morrow
Mullery
Murphy, E.
Murphy, M.
Murray
Nelson
Norton
Paymar
Pelowski
Persell
Peterson, S.
Poppe
Rukavina
Scalze
Simon
Slawik
Slocum
Thissen
Tillberry
Wagenius
Ward
Winkler
The bill was passed and its title agreed to.
MOTIONS AND
RESOLUTIONS
Peppin
moved that the name of Abeler be added as an author on
H. F. No. 52. The motion
prevailed.
Drazkowski
moved that the name of Westrom be added as an author on
H. F. No. 64. The motion
prevailed.
Garofalo
moved that the name of Smith be added as an author on
H. F. No. 68. The motion
prevailed.
Holberg
moved that the name of Dill be added as an author on
H. F. No. 124. The motion
prevailed.
Kieffer
moved that the name of Simon be added as an author on
H. F. No. 183. The motion
prevailed.
Urdahl
moved that the name of Holberg be added as an author on
H. F. No. 186. The motion
prevailed.
Gottwalt
moved that the name of Kahn be added as an author on
H. F. No. 200. The motion
prevailed.
Norton
moved that the name of Brynaert be added as an author on
H. F. No. 204. The motion
prevailed.
Gottwalt
moved that the name of Kiffmeyer be added as an author on
H. F. No. 222. The motion
prevailed.
Downey
moved that the name of Anderson, S., be added as an author on
H. F. No. 229. The motion
prevailed.
Sanders
moved that the names of Kiffmeyer and Holberg be added as authors on
H. F. No. 233. The motion
prevailed.
ADJOURNMENT
Dean moved
that when the House adjourns today it adjourn until 3:00 p.m., Monday, January
31, 2011. The motion prevailed.
Dean moved
that the House adjourn. The motion
prevailed, and the Speaker declared the House stands adjourned until 3:00 p.m.,
Monday, January 31, 2011.
Albin A. Mathiowetz, Chief Clerk, House of Representatives