S-3201.1 _______________________________________________
SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 8414
_______________________________________________
State of Washington 55th Legislature 1997 Regular Session
By Senators Snyder, Loveland, Thibaudeau, Franklin, Bauer, Wojahn, Kline, Prentice, Haugen, Rasmussen, Kohl, McAuliffe, Spanel, Goings, Sheldon and Swanson
Read first time 04/16/97. Referred to Committee on Rules.
BE IT RESOLVED, By the Senate, the House of Representatives concurring, That the following be adopted as the Joint Rules of the Fifty-Fifth Legislature:
JOINT RULES
OF THE SENATE AND THE
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
FIFTY‑((THIRD))
FIFTH LEGISLATURE
((1994))
1997
JOINT RULE NO.
Rule 1Code of ethics.
Rule 2((Legislative conflict of interest.
Rule 3Independence of legislative judgment.
Rule 4Undue influence of legislator.
Rule 5Abuse of legislative position.
Rule 6Employee actions.
Rule 7Prohibited political activity.
Rule 8))Personal interest of a legislator.
Rule 3Legislative compensation.
Rule 4Improper influence.
Rule 5Prohibited campaign activity.
Rule 6Legislative questionnaires.
((Rule 9Study of legislative and electoral activities.))
Rule ((10)) 7Sessions of the legislature.
Rule ((11)) 8Joint session.
Rule ((12)) 9Motions for joint session.
Rule ((13)) 10Business limited.
Rule ((14)) 11Joint legislative committees.
Rule ((15)) 12Joint committee hearings.
Rule ((16)) 13Joint and concurrent resolutions: Memorials.
Rule ((17)) 14Amendatory bills.
Rule ((18)) 15Amendatory bills, how drawn.
Rule ((19)) 16Amendments to state Constitution: Action by
legislature.
Rule ((20)) 17Publicity of proposed amendments to state
Constitution.
Rule ((21)) 18Initiative petition before the legislature.
Rule ((22)) 19Conference committee.
Rule ((23)) 20Conference committee appointees.
Rule ((24)) 21Failure to agree.
Rule ((25)) 22Report of conference committee, how made out;
whom returned to.
Rule ((26)) 23Adoption of reports.
Rule ((27)) 24Messages between the two houses.
Rule ((28)) 25Bills to be engrossed.
Rule ((29)) 26Final action on bills, how communicated.
Rule ((30)) 27Enrolled bills‑-Presiding officer to sign.
Rule ((31)) 28Disposition of enrolled bills.
Rule ((32)) 29Adjournment.
Rule ((33)) 30Adjournment sine die.
Rule ((34)) 31Each house judge of its own membership.
Rule ((35)) 32Convening special legislative sessions.
Rule ((36)) 33Amendments to joint rules.
Rule ((37)) 34Joint rules to apply for biennium.
Code of Ethics
((Rule 1. Rules
2 through 7 of these Joint Rules constitute a Code of Legislative Ethics which
shall be administered under the provisions of RCW 44.60.010 through 44.60.130.
Disciplinary actions for violation include: In the case of a legislator,
reprimand, censure, or expulsion, and when applicable, restitution; and in the
case of a legislative employee, reprimand, suspension, or dismissal, and when
applicable, restitution.
Legislative
Conflict of Interest
Rule 2. A legislator has a
personal interest which is in conflict with the proper discharge of legislative
duties if the legislator has reason to believe or expect that a direct monetary
gain or a direct monetary loss will be derived by reason of the legislator's official
activity.
However, a legislator
does not have a personal interest which is in conflict with the proper
discharge of legislative duties if no benefit or detriment accrues to the
legislator as a member of a business, profession, occupation, or group, to a
greater extent than to any other member of such business, profession,
occupation, or group.
Independence
of Legislative Judgment
Rule 3. Actions which destroy
public confidence in the independence of judgment of a legislator:
Section 1. A legislator
shall not vote on or influence legislation in committee or on the floor of
either house, where the legislator has a personal interest which is in conflict
with the proper discharge of legislative duties.
Section 2. A legislator
shall not accept any gratuity or compensation for services rendered in
connection with legislative employment other than legislative salary.
Section 3. A legislator
shall not accept an honorarium if it can be reasonably concluded that the
honorarium would not have been made but for the legislator's status as a
legislator.
Section 4. A legislator
shall not ask, receive, or agree to receive anything of value upon any
understanding that the legislator's vote, opinion, judgment, or action will be
influenced thereby.
Section 5. A legislator
shall not solicit, receive, or accept a gift, favor or service under
circumstances where it could be reasonably inferred that such action would
influence the legislator in the discharge of legislative duties, or was a
reward.
Section 6. A legislator
shall not accept any remuneration other than legislative compensation for
legislative advice or assistance.
Section 7. A legislator
shall not appear before any department of state government for compensation
that is contingent upon action by that department of state government unless
the fee is set or approved by that department.
Undue
Influence of a Legislator
Rule 4. Actions which involve
undue influence upon any state agency, court, or governmental subdivision:
Section 1. A legislator
shall not represent clients for compensation in proceedings or hearings before
state agencies, boards or commissions involving claims of state employees.
Section 2. A legislator,
singularly or through others, shall not use or attempt to use improper means to
influence a state agency, board or commission.
Section 3. A legislator
may use an official title or stationery in connection with a matter or
proceeding before a state agency, board or commission, only if done without
compensation, in connection with legislative duties.
Section 4. A legislator
shall not represent any claimant for compensation in any claim placed before
the legislature.
Section 5. A legislator
shall not receive compensation for an appearance before a state agency as an
expert witness.
Abuse of
Legislative Position
Rule 5. Actions which constitute
an abuse of official position or a violation of public trust:
Section 1. A legislator
shall not accept employment, or engage in any business, or be involved in any
activity which one might reasonably expect would require the disclosure of
privileged information gained by virtue of holding legislative office.
Section 2. A legislator
shall not enter into any contract with a state agency involving services or
property, unless the contract is made after public notice and competitive
bidding; except in cases where public notice and competitive bidding are not
required, the contract or agreement shall be filed with the Board of Ethics.
Section 3. A legislator
shall not solicit, directly or indirectly, a political contribution from a
legislative employee.
Employee Actions
Rule 6. Employee actions that
impair independence of judgment, constitute an abuse of employment position, or
constitute political activity prohibited by statute or legislative policy or
both:
Section 1. A legislative
employee shall not accept any gratuity or compensation for services rendered in
connection with legislative employment other than legislative salary. A
legislative employee shall not accept any employment or serve in any position,
in addition to legislative employment, which would impair the employee's
independence of judgment. Except within the scope of employment, a legislative
employee shall not provide any service to a lobbyist or any other person.
Section 2. A legislative
employee shall not accept an honorarium if it can be reasonably concluded that
the honorarium would not have been made but for the employee's status as a
legislative employee.
Section 3. A legislative
employee shall not use or attempt to use the employee's official position to
(1) personally obtain any privilege, exemption, special treatment or any other
thing of value, or (2) obtain any such benefit for others except as required to
perform duties within the scope of employment.
Section 4. A legislative
employee shall not accept or solicit anything of value for personal benefit or
for the benefit of others under circumstances in which it can be reasonably
inferred that the legislative employee's independence of judgment is impaired
or is intended as a reward for any official action.
Section 5. A legislative
employee shall not disclose confidential information acquired by reason of the
employee's official position to any person or group not entitled to receive
such information, nor shall the employee use such information for personal gain
or benefit or for the benefit of others.
Section 6. A legislative
employee shall not enter into any contract with a state agency involving
services or property, unless the contract is made after public notice and
competitive bidding; except in cases where public notice and competitive
bidding are not required, the contract or agreement shall be filed with the appropriate
board of ethics.
Section 7. A legislative
employee shall not solicit or accept contributions for any candidate or
political committee during working hours. At no time shall a legislative
employee directly or indirectly solicit a contribution from another legislative
employee for any legislative candidate, caucus, or leadership committee, nor
coerce another employee into making a contribution to any candidate or
political committee. No legislative employee, as a condition of becoming or
remaining employed, may directly or indirectly be required to make any
contribution to a political candidate, committee, or party.
Prohibited
Political Activity
Rule 7. Actions of legislators
and legislative employees that constitute political campaign activity
prohibited by statute or legislative policy:
Section 1. Other than
activities that are part of the normal and regular conduct of the legislature,
no legislator or legislative employee may use or authorize the use of any of
the facilities of the legislature, directly or indirectly, for the purpose of
assisting a campaign for election of any person to any office or for the
promotion or opposition to any ballot proposition. Facilities of the
legislature include, but are not limited to, use of stationery, postage
machines, and equipment, use of employees of the legislature during working
hours, vehicles, office space, publications of the legislature, and
constituent, interest group, or lobbyist lists of persons developed by the
legislature.
Section 2. No
legislative caucus or political organization of legislators or legislative
leadership may conduct a political fund-raising event during the period the
legislature is convened in regular or special session.
Section 3. No
retaliation shall be permitted against any legislative employee who in good
faith cooperates or has cooperated with the public disclosure commission in
bringing to light potential violations of law or legislative policy.))
Rule 1. Rules 1 through 5 of these joint rules constitute the ethics rules of the legislature. These rules incorporate the provisions of RCW 42.52.010 through 42.52.190. These rules may be administered by the legislative ethics board or by the senate or the house of representatives. Violations are subject to sanctions imposed by the board and/or disciplinary action by the senate or the house of representatives.
Personal Interest of a Legislator
Rule 2. Section 1. A legislator does not have a personal interest that is in conflict with the proper discharge of legislative duties if no benefit or detriment accrues to the legislator as a member of a business, profession, occupation, or group, to a greater extent than to any other member of such business, profession, occupation, or group.
Section 2. A legislator shall not vote on or influence legislation in committee or on the floor of either house, where the legislator has a personal interest as defined in this rule. A ruling by the presiding officer of either house shall be accepted as a final determination of a question of personal interest for purposes of this section.
Legislative Compensation
Rule 3. Section 1. A legislator or legislative employee shall not accept any remuneration other than legislative compensation for legislative advice or assistance.
Section 2. A legislator shall not appear before any state agency for compensation that is contingent upon action by that agency unless the fee is set or approved by that agency.
Section 3. A legislator shall not represent clients for compensation in proceedings or hearings before state agencies involving claims of state employees.
Section 4. A legislator shall not represent any claimant for compensation in any claim placed before the legislature.
Section 5. A legislator shall not receive compensation for an appearance before a state agency as an expert witness.
Improper Influence
Rule 4. Section 1. A legislator or legislative employee, singularly or through others, shall not use or attempt to use improper means to influence a state agency.
Section 2. A legislator or legislative employee may use an official title or stationery in connection with a matter or proceeding before a state agency only if done without compensation, in connection with legislative duties.
Prohibited Campaign Activity
Rule 5. Section 1. A legislator shall not solicit, directly or indirectly, a political contribution from a legislative employee.
Section 2. A legislative employee shall not solicit or accept contributions for any candidate or political committee during working hours. At no time shall a legislative employee directly or indirectly solicit a contribution from another legislative employee for any legislative candidate, caucus, or leadership committee, nor coerce another employee into making a contribution to any candidate or political committee. No legislative employee, as a condition of becoming or remaining employed, may directly or indirectly be required to make any contribution to a political candidate, committee, or party.
Section 3. No legislative caucus or political organization of legislators or legislative leadership may conduct political fundraising during the period the legislature is convened in regular or special session.
Section 4. No retaliation shall be permitted against any legislative employee who in good faith cooperates or has cooperated with the public disclosure commission in bringing to light potential violations of law or legislative policy.
Legislative Questionnaires
Rule ((8)) 6. The use of public funds by
a legislator or legislative committee for mailed questionnaires is authorized
only when the following criteria are met:
(1) The questionnaire is authorized by a legislator, and confined to soliciting opinions or facts relative to legislative issues or studies;
(2) The identity of the legislator or legislative committee sponsoring the questionnaire is disclosed on the questionnaire;
(3) Except as otherwise provided in this section, a legislator may authorize mailing of a questionnaire at any time.
During the twelve-month period preceding the expiration of a state legislator's term in office, mass mailing of a questionnaire is allowed only if it is included in the identical newsletter to constituents permitted at the beginning of a legislative session under RCW 42.17.132.
In any year in which a legislator is a candidate for another public office, no questionnaire may be sponsored by or on behalf of such legislator during the period between June 1st and the general election day of that year or, in the event of a special election, no questionnaire may be sponsored by or on behalf of such legislator during the period between either sixty days prior to the election or the date of the filing of the legislator for the office subject to special election, whichever occurs last, and the special election.
A legislative committee may authorize a questionnaire at any time if the questionnaire conforms to subsections (1), (2), and (4) of this rule; and
(4) The questionnaire complies with all other pertinent laws and rules.
((Study of Separation
of Legislative from Electoral Activities
Rule 9. The executive rules
committee of the house of representatives and the facilities and operations
committee of the senate shall cause a joint study to be undertaken and
completed prior to December 31, 1993, bearing on the separation of legislative
from electoral activities, including:
Section 1. Prohibiting
legislative employees from recruiting or campaigning for legislative
candidates.
Section 2. Preventing
benefits from being paid to employees on leave without pay for purposes of
campaigning.
Section 3. Removing the
block-out of the last four digits for members' telephone records.
Section 4. Reviewing all
partisan staff positions to determine which require partisan affiliation and
which should be converted to nonpartisan.
Section 5. Reviewing
whether additional or more specific disciplinary procedures are required for
violations of the Joint Standards of Conduct Regarding Use of Public
Facilities.
Section 6. Reviewing the
appropriate employment status of legislative employees who become candidates
for legislative or state-wide elective office.))
Sessions of the Legislature
Rule ((10)) 7. The sessions of the
legislature shall be held annually, convening at 12:00 o'clock noon on the
second Monday of January each year, as provided by RCW 44.04.010 in accordance
with Art. 2, section 12 of the state Constitution.
Joint Session
Rule ((11)) 8. Whenever there shall be a
joint session of the two houses, the proceedings shall be entered at length
upon the journal of each house. The lieutenant governor or president of the
senate shall preside over such joint session, and the clerk of the house shall
act as the clerk thereof, except in the case of the joint session held for the
purpose of canvassing the votes of constitutional elective state officers, when
the speaker shall preside over such joint sessions. The lieutenant governor in
no case shall have the right to give the deciding vote.
Motions for Joint Session
Rule ((12)) 9. All motions for a joint
session shall be made by concurrent resolution to be introduced by the house in
which such joint session is to be held; and when an agreement has once been
made, it shall not be altered or annulled, except by concurrent resolution.
Business Limited
Rule ((13)) 10. No business shall be
considered in joint session other than that which may be agreed upon before the
joint session is called.
Joint Legislative Committees
Rule ((14)) 11. Joint legislative committees
may be created by concurrent resolution originating in either house and passed
by a majority vote of both houses.
Joint legislative committees may have the powers of subpoena, the power to administer oaths, and the power to issue commissions for the examination of witnesses in accordance with the provisions of chapter 44.16 RCW. Before a joint legislative committee may issue any process, the committee chairperson shall submit for approval of both the executive rules committee of the house of representatives and the rules committee of the senate, a statement of purpose setting forth the name or names of those subject to process. The process shall not be issued prior to approval by both the executive rules committee of the house of representatives and the rules committee of the senate. The process shall be limited to the named individuals.
Joint Committee Hearings
Rule ((15)) 12. All public hearings held by
joint committees or held jointly by house of representatives and senate
standing committees shall be scheduled in accordance with the public notice
requirements of both the senate and the house of representatives.
Joint and Concurrent Resolutions; Memorials
Rule ((16)) 13. All memorials and
resolutions from the legislature addressed to the President of the United
States, to the Congress or either house thereof, to any other branch of the
Federal government, to any other branch of state government, or to any unit of
local government shall be in the form of joint memorials. Proposed amendments
to the state Constitution shall be in the form of joint resolutions. Business
between the two houses such as joint sessions, amendments to redistricting
plans submitted by a redistricting commission created under chapter 44.05 RCW,
adopting or amending joint rules, creating or empowering joint committees,
opening and closing business of the legislature and all such related matters
shall be in the form of concurrent resolutions. Joint memorials, joint
resolutions, and concurrent resolutions, up to and including the signing
thereof by the presiding officer of each house, shall be subject to the rules
governing the course of bills. Concurrent resolutions may be adopted without a
roll call. Concurrent resolutions amending a redistricting plan submitted by a
redistricting commission, authorizing investigations or authorizing the
expenditure or allocation of any money or relating to any joint committee must
be adopted by roll call, and the yeas and nays recorded in the journal.
Concurrent resolutions amending a redistricting plan as well as all amendments
to those resolutions must be agreed to by two-thirds of the members elected or
appointed to each house.
Amendatory Bills
Rule ((17)) 14. All amendatory bills shall
refer to the section or sections of the official codes and statutes of
Washington, and supplements thereto and to the respective Session Laws, to be
amended.
Amendatory Bills, How Drawn
Rule ((18)) 15. Bills introduced in either
house intended to amend existing statutes shall have the words which are
amendatory to such existing statutes underlined. Any matter to be deleted from
the existing statutes shall be indicated by lining out such matter with a
broken line and enclosing the lined out material within double parentheses, and
no bill shall be printed or acted upon until the provisions of this rule shall
have been complied with.
New sections need not be underlined but shall be designated "NEW SECTION." in upper case type and such designation shall be underlined.
No bill shall be introduced by title only, and, in the event a bill is not complete, at least section 1 shall be set forth in full before the bill may be accepted for introduction.
Amendments to bills will be acted upon in the manner provided in the Rules of the Senate and in the Rules of the House. No amendment to a bill shall be considered which strikes the entire subject matter of a bill, and substitutes in lieu thereof entirely new subject matter not germane to the original or engrossed bill.
Amendments to State Constitution; Action by Legislature
Rule ((19)) 16. Amendments to the state
Constitution may be proposed in either branch of the legislature by joint
resolution; and if the same shall be agreed to by two‑thirds of the
members elected to each of the two houses, such proposed amendment or
amendments shall be entered on their respective journals with the ayes and nays
thereon. (Const., art. 23, sec. 1.)
Publicity of Proposed Amendments to State Constitution
Rule ((20)) 17. The legislature shall
provide methods of publicity of all laws or parts of laws, and amendments to
the Constitution referred to the people with arguments for and against the laws
and amendments so referred, so that each voter of the state shall receive the
publication as soon as possible before the election at which they are to be
voted upon. (Const., art. 2, sec. 1e.)
Initiative Petition Before the Legislature
Rule ((21)) 18. Initiative petitions filed
with the secretary of state not less than ten days before any regular session
of the legislature shall take precedence over all other measures in the
legislature except appropriation bills and shall be either enacted or rejected
without change or amendment by the legislature before the end of such regular
session. Upon certification from the secretary of state that an initiative to
the legislature has received sufficient valid signatures, the secretary of
state shall submit certified copies of the said initiative to the state senate
and the house of representatives. Upon receipt of said initiative, each body
of the legislature through its presiding officers shall refer the certified
copies of the initiative to a proper committee.
Upon receipt of a committee report on an initiative to the legislature, each house shall treat the measure in the same manner as bills, memorials and resolutions, except that initiatives cannot be placed on the calendar for amendment. After the action of each body has been recorded on the final passage or any other action by resolution or otherwise which may refer the initiative to the people has been recorded, the president and secretary of the senate and the speaker and chief clerk of the house will certify, each for its own body, to the secretary of state the action taken. (Const., art. 2, sec. 1a.)
Conference Committee
Rule ((22)) 19. Section 1. In every
case of difference between the two houses, upon any subject of legislation,
either house may request a conference and appoint a committee of three for that
purpose, and the other house may grant the request for a conference and appoint
a like committee to confer. The committees, at the earliest possible hour,
shall confer upon the differences between the two houses indicated by the
amendment or amendments adopted in one house and rejected in the other.
Section 2. Conference committee deliberations shall be conducted in a manner consistent with the provisions of Senate Rule 45(3) and House Rule 24(8) applicable to deliberations of standing committees.
Section 3. Public notice of a conference committee meeting shall be given by the secretary of the senate, for house bills, and the chief clerk of the house of representatives, for senate bills, prior to the convening of the meeting as follows:
(1) By posting a written notice in the following locations:
(a) The office of the secretary or clerk, as appropriate;
(b) Near the doors of the appropriate chamber;
(c) The legislative bill room; or
(d) The public legislative message center.
(2) By announcing meetings during sessions of the senate and house of representatives; or
(3) By posting meeting notices on the legislature's electronic mail system.
Section 4. The papers shall be left with the conferees of the house if a senate bill, and with the conferees of the senate, if a house bill, and the holders of the papers shall first present the report of the committee to their house. Every report of a conference committee must have the signatures of a majority of the conference committee members of each house. Conference committee reports must be signed at a meeting duly convened by the chief clerk of the house for senate bills or the secretary of the senate for house bills.
Conference Committee Appointees
Rule ((23)) 20. The presiding officer of
each house shall appoint on each conference committee three members, selecting
them so as to represent, in each case, the majority and minority positions to
the extent possible as relates to the subject matter, and the majority and
minority political parties.
Failure to Agree
Rule ((24)) 21. In case of failure of the
conferees to agree on matters directly at issue between the two houses, the
committee may in addition consider new proposed items within the scope and
object of the bill in conference. A report proposing new items shall include
all amendments to the bill or resolution agreed upon by the conference
committee. The proposed report may be in the form of a new bill or resolution
and such report must have the signatures of a majority of the members of the
committee appointed from each house.
Report of Conference Committee, How
Made Out; Whom Returned to
Rule ((25)) 22. The conference committee
shall submit the bill as amended together with three signed copies of its
report to the house if a senate bill, and to the senate, if a house bill. A
copy of the report shall be placed upon the desk of each member of the
legislature at the time the report is received by this house. If this house
acts to approve the report and pass the bill as amended, it shall then transmit
its action, the bill, and two copies of the report to the other house.
Adoption of Reports
Rule ((26)) 23. No floor vote may be taken
on any conference committee report without a distribution to all members of a
summary of additions, changes, and deletions made by the conference committee
with a reference in each instance to the page and line number or numbers in the
report containing said additions, changes, or deletions. The clerk and the
secretary shall place the reports on the desks of the members as soon as
possible.
Each house shall have twenty-four hours from the time of proper receipt, by the chief clerk of the house and the secretary of the senate, and by distribution to the desks of the members before considering reports from a conference committee which has proposed new items within the scope and object of the bill in conference. The report shall be read in full.
The foregoing provisions
relating to twenty-four hour intervals and reading of the report in full may be
suspended by the senate or the house of representatives by two-thirds vote of
the members present, ((or, on May 6, 1993, by a majority vote of the members
present,)) and such suspension shall apply only to the house voting to
suspend these provisions.
The report must be voted upon in its entirety and cannot be amended. The report of a conference committee may be adopted by acclamation.
Passage of a bill as amended by conference report shall be by roll call and ayes and nays shall be entered on the journals of the respective house. Passage requires a constitutional majority in both houses, except in the case of constitutional amendments, which require a two-thirds vote.
Messages Between the Two Houses
Rule ((27)) 24. Messages from the senate to
the house of representatives shall be delivered by the secretary or the
secretary's designee, and messages from the house of representatives to the
senate shall be delivered by the chief clerk or the chief clerk's designee.
Bills to be Engrossed
Rule ((28)) 25. Any bill amended in the
house of its origin shall be engrossed before being transmitted to the other
house. The secretary or clerk of the receiving house, as the case may be, may
waive the right to receive an engrossed bill.
Final Action on Bills, How Communicated
Rule ((29)) 26. Each house shall communicate
its final action on any bill or resolution, or matter in which the other may be
interested, in writing, signed by the secretary or clerk of the house from
which such notice is sent.
Enrolled Bills - Presiding Officer to Sign
Rule ((30)) 27. After a bill shall have
passed both houses and all amendments have been engrossed therein, it shall be
signed by the presiding officer of each house in open session, first in the
house in which it originated. The secretary of the senate or the chief clerk
of the house shall present the original bill to the governor for signature.
Disposition of Enrolled Bills
Rule ((31)) 28. Whenever any bill shall have
passed both houses, the house transmitting the bill in its final form to the
governor shall also file with the secretary of state a copy of the bill
together with the history of such bill up to the time of transmission to the
governor.
Adjournment
Rule ((32)) 29. Neither house shall adjourn
for more than three days, nor to any place other than that in which they may be
sitting, without the consent of the other. (Const., art. 2, sec. 11.)
Adjournment Sine Die
Rule ((33)) 30. Adjournment sine die shall
be made only by concurrent resolution.
Each House Judge of Its Own Membership
Rule ((34)) 31. Each house of the
legislature is the judge of the qualifications and election of its members, and
shall try all contested elections of its members in such manner as it may
direct. (Const., art. 2, sec. 8.)
Convening Special Legislative Sessions
Rule ((35)) 32. The legislature may convene
a special legislative session as follows:
(1) A resolution calling for convening a special legislative session shall set forth the date and time for convening the session, the duration of the session which shall not exceed thirty days, together with the purpose or purposes for which such session is called. Members of the house or senate may present a proposed resolution for the convening of a special legislative session to the committee on rules of their respective houses.
(2) The authority to place a resolution convening a special legislative session before the legislature is vested in the committee on rules of the house of representatives and the committee on rules of the senate.
(3) Upon a majority vote of both the committee on rules of the house and the committee on rules of the senate in favor of a resolution convening a special legislative session, a vote of the house and senate shall be taken on such resolution.
(4) The chief clerk of the house and the secretary of the senate shall conduct the vote on the resolution by written ballot of the members of their respective houses under such procedures as may be ordered by the committee on rules of their house. The results of such vote shall be transmitted to the members of the legislature and shall be a public record and shall be entered upon the journal of the house and senate at the convening of the next legislative session.
(5) If two‑thirds of the members elected or appointed to each house vote in favor of the resolution, then a special legislative session shall be convened in accordance with the resolution. (Const., art. 2, sec. 12.)
Amendments to Joint Rules
Rule ((36)) 33. These joint rules may be
amended by concurrent resolution agreed to by a majority of the members of each
house, provided one day's notice be given of the motion thereof.
Joint Rules to Apply for Biennium
Rule ((37))
34. The
permanent joint rules adopted by the legislature shall govern any session
called during the same legislative biennium.
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