4693

PERMANENT RULES OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

FIFTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE

1993-1994

Duties of Committees

Sec. 1. HR 4608 Rule 24 is amended to read as follows:

Rule 24. House committees shall operate as follows:

(A) NOTICE OF COMMITTEE MEETING. The chief clerk shall make public the time, place and subjects to be discussed at committee meetings. All public hearings held by committees shall be scheduled at least five (5) days in advance and shall be given adequate publicity: PROVIDED, That when less than eight (8) days remain for action on a bill, the Speaker may authorize a reduction of the five‑day notice period when required by the circumstances, including but not limited to the time remaining for action on the bill, the nature of the subject, and the number of prior hearings on the subject.

(B) COMMITTEE QUORUM. A majority of any committee shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.

(D) DUTIES OF STANDING COMMITTEES.

(1) Only such bills as are included on the written notice of a committee meeting may be considered at that meeting except upon the vote of a majority of the entire membership of the committee to consider another bill.

(2) A majority recommendation of a committee must be signed by a majority of the entire membership of the committee in a regularly called meeting before a bill, memorial or resolution may be reported out: PROVIDED, That by motion under the eighth order of business, a majority of the members elected to the house may relieve a committee of a bill and place it on the second reading calendar.

Majority recommendations of a committee can only be "do pass", "do pass as amended" or that "the substitute bill be substituted therefor and that the substitute bill do pass."

(3) Members of the committee not concurring in the majority report may prepare a written minority report containing a recommendation of "do not pass" or "without recommendation", which shall be signed by those members of the committee subscribing thereto, and submitted with the majority report.

(4) All committee reports shall be spread upon the journal. The journal of the house shall contain an exact copy of all committee reports, together with the names of the members signing such reports.

(5) Every vote to report a bill out of committee shall be taken by the yeas and nays, and the names of the members voting for and against, as well as the names of members absent, shall be recorded on the committee report and spread upon the journal. Any member may call for a recorded vote, which shall include the names of absent members, on any substantive question before the committee. A copy of all recorded committee votes shall be kept by the chief clerk and shall be available for public inspection.

(6) All bills having a direct appropriation shall be referred to the appropriate fiscal committee before their final passage. For purposes of this subsection, fiscal committee means the appropriations, capital budget, revenue, and transportation committees.

(7) No standing committee shall vote by secret written ballot on any issue.

(8) During its consideration of or vote on any bill, resolution or memorial, the deliberations of any standing committee of the house of representatives shall be open to the public.

(9) A standing committee to which a bill was originally referred shall, prior to voting the bill out of committee, consider whether the bill authorizes rule-making powers or requires the exercise of rule-making powers and, if so, consider:

(a) The nature of the new rule-making powers; and

(b) To which agencies the new rule-making powers would be delegated and which agencies, if any, may have related rule-making powers.

This subsection (9) takes effect April 1, 1994.