LRB-0831/1
RAC:kjf
2017 - 2018 LEGISLATURE
January 13, 2017 - Introduced by Senators S. Fitzgerald, Roth and Vukmir.
Referred to Committee on Senate Organization.
SR2,1,4 1To repeal senate rule 25 (1) (a); to amend senate rule 6 (2) (f), senate rule 13m (8),
2senate rule 18 (4), senate rule 24, senate rule 26, senate rule 46 (2) (c) and
3senate rule 58; to repeal and recreate senate rule 25 (4) (a); and to create
4senate rule 97m; relating to: the senate rules.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
This resolution makes the following changes to the senate rules:
Condition of senate chamber on floor session days
The resolution eliminates a requirement that the senate chamber be “properly
ventilated” before each daily session.
Electronic devices in senate gallery
The resolution requires that individuals in the senate gallery silence and
conceal all electronic devices. Currently, the devices must be shut off.
Delayed calendars
The resolution permits delayed calendars to be referred to the Committee on
Senate Organization. Currently, the calendars, unless ordered to a different time by
the Committee on Senate Organization, must be taken up after completion of the
ninth order of business of the current calendar day, but before consideration of the
tenth order.
Participation in committee meetings
Current rules permit a member who is connected to a meeting of a committee
via teleconference to be considered present. This may occur only with the consent

of the committee chairperson. The resolution provides that the member may
participate by telephone or by other means of telecommunication or electronic
communication, with the consent of the committee chairperson.
Timing of public hearings
The resolution eliminates a requirement that a committee chairperson who
determines to hold a committee hearing must schedule the hearing as early as
practicable.
Voting in committee by polling
Under current rules, a committee may not conduct an executive session on a
proposal, amendment, appointment, or proposed administrative rule by polling
unless the chairperson of the committee determines that voting by polling is
necessary in an emergency for the preservation of the public peace, health, safety, or
welfare.
The resolution provides that a committee member who was recorded as present
at an executive session may vote by polling on a proposal, amendment, appointment,
or proposed administrative rule considered at that executive session. However, if a
committee member was not recorded as present, the committee member may not vote
by polling unless the committee chairperson determines that voting by polling is
necessary in an emergency for the preservation of the public peace, health, safety, or
welfare.
Withdrawal from committee
Current rules provide that the president may, with the consent of a committee
chairperson and the chairperson of the Committee on Senate Organization,
withdraw a proposal or appointment from the committee to which it is referred and
rerefer it to another committee, except that such a withdrawal may not take effect
during the 7 days preceding any scheduled committee hearing or the 7 days following
the committee hearing. The resolution eliminates the “7 days preceding” and “7 days
following” exception.
Senator out of order
The resolution eliminates the requirement that when a senator is called to
order for words spoken, the exceptional words must be taken down in writing.
Use of legislative staff for certain meetings
The resolution provides that a member may not hold in a committee room a
meeting of a formally constituted group or caucus that was not created by the
Committee on Senate Organization, other than a meeting of a partisan caucus, or
receive staff assistance at such a meeting from the office of the sergeant at arms or
a legislative service agency, unless the meeting is approved by the Committee on
Senate Organization. Requests for assistance from the office of the sergeant at arms
or a legislative service agency for meetings in a committee room with constituent
groups does not require approval from the Committee on Senate Organization.
SR2,2,1 1Resolved by the senate, That:
SR2,1
1Section 1. Senate rule 6 (2) (f) is amended to read:
SR2,3,4 2Senate Rule 6 (2) (f) Ensure that the chamber is properly ventilated and is
3open for the use of the members as directed by the presiding officer or from one hour
4preceding each daily session until one hour after that day's adjournment.
SR2,2 5Section 2. Senate rule 13m (8) is amended to read:
SR2,3,6 6Senate Rule 13m (8) Shall turn off silence and conceal all electronic devices.
SR2,3 7Section 3. Senate rule 18 (4) is amended to read:
SR2,3,11 8Senate Rule 18 (4) Unless referred to, or otherwise ordered at a time
9designated by, the committee on senate organization, after completion of the 9th
10order of business of the current calendar day, and before consideration of the 10th
11and succeeding orders, unfinished calendars shall be taken up and completed.
SR2,4 12Section 4. Senate rule 24 is amended to read:
SR2,3,22 13Senate Rule 24. Committee quorum; subcommittees. A majority of any
14committee constitutes a quorum for the transaction of business. For the purpose of
15determining a quorum of a committee necessary to transact business, and with the
16consent of the committee chairperson, a member who is connected to participates in
17a meeting of the committee via teleconference by telephone or by other means of
18telecommunication or electronic communication
is considered present.
19Subcommittees may be appointed to take charge of any part of the committee's
20business and to report to the committee. Motions to reconsider may be made in
21committee, before the papers are reported to the senate. Rereference gives the
22committee full power to act without reconsidering its former action.
SR2,5 23Section 5. Senate rule 25 (1) (a) is repealed.
SR2,6 24Section 6. Senate rule 25 (4) (a) is repealed and recreated to read:
SR2,4,4
1Senate Rule 25 (4) (a) 1. A committee member who was recorded as present
2at an executive session may vote by polling on a proposal, amendment, appointment,
3or proposed administrative rule considered at that executive session. The committee
4member may vote by polling on all applicable motions.
SR2,4,115 2. If a committee member was not recorded as present at an executive session,
6the committee member may not vote by polling on a proposal, amendment,
7appointment, or proposed administrative rule considered at that executive session
8unless the chairperson of the committee determines that voting by polling is
9necessary in an emergency for the preservation of the public peace, health, safety, or
10welfare. If the chairperson determines that a committee member may vote by
11polling, the committee member may vote on all applicable motions.
SR2,7 12Section 7. Senate rule 26 is amended to read:
SR2,4,18 13Senate Rule 26. Schedule of committee activities. The chairperson of each
14senate committee shall file with the chief clerk a copy of each notice of a public
15hearing or executive session before that committee in accordance with rule 25 (1).
16The chairperson shall file the copy of the notice with the chief clerk immediately after
17posting the notice. All such notices shall be published, on a daily basis, on the
18legislature's committee Internet Web site website.
SR2,8 19Section 8. Senate rule 46 (2) (c) is amended to read:
SR2,5,3 20Senate Rule 46 (2) (c) After the time of initial referral by the president under
21rule 36 (2), the president may, with the consent of the chairperson of the standing
22committee and the chairperson of the committee on senate organization, withdraw
23a proposal or appointment from the standing committee to which it is referred and
24rerefer it to another standing committee, except that such a withdrawal may not take
25effect during the 7 days preceding any scheduled committee hearing or the 7 days

1following the date on which a committee hearing is held
. Rereferral under this rule
2may be made at any time, but may not be used to satisfy section 13.093 (1) of the
3statutes.
SR2,9 4Section 9. Senate rule 58 is amended to read:
SR2,5,9 5Senate Rule 58. Member out of order. A member called to order shall sit
6down, and may not speak, except in explanation, until it is determined whether or
7not the member was in order. When a member is called to order for words spoken,
8the exceptional words shall be taken down in writing to better enable the presiding
9officer to judge whether they are in violation of the rules.
SR2,10 10Section 10. Senate rule 97m is created to read:
SR2,5,19 11Senate Rule 97m. Use of committee rooms and legislative staff for
12certain meetings.
A member may not hold in a committee room a meeting of a
13formally constituted group or caucus that was not created by the committee on senate
14organization, other than a meeting of a partisan caucus, or receive staff assistance
15at such a meeting from the office of the sergeant at arms or a legislative service
16agency, unless the meeting is approved by the committee on senate organization.
17Requests for assistance from the office of the sergeant at arms or a legislative service
18agency for meetings in a committee room with constituent groups does not require
19approval from the committee on senate organization.
SR2,5,2020 (End)
Loading...
Loading...