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.
Rule 5.01
Rule 4.30
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