jr84(1)
(1)
Meetings. Meet, on call of the chairperson, in the capitol. As authorized by section
13.123 (3) (a) of the statutes, any committee may, with the prior consent of the committee on senate organization in the case of senate committees or of all of the officers required by assembly rule in the case of assembly committees, meet at such other locations throughout this state as the chairperson announces. Each committee meeting shall be given due public notice. No such committee may schedule an executive session outside the capitol unless the executive session is held in conjunction with a public meeting of the committee.
jr84(2)
(2)
Public notice. In compliance with the appropriate senate and assembly rules, hold public hearings and executive sessions and conduct any other committee business on the proposals that have been referred to the committee.
jr84(3)
(3)
Studies, investigations,
and reviews. Conduct, on instruction by the appropriate house or on the motion of the chairperson with majority vote approval by the committee, studies, investigations, and reviews, within the subject matter area customarily within the purview of the respective committee, regarding any matter that may then be appropriate to legislative inquiry. In case of duplication or of overlapping areas of original inquiry the committee on senate organization in the case of senate committees, the speaker in the case of assembly committees, or the joint committee on legislative organization in the case of joint committees, shall define and delimit the subject matter area assigned to each committee and determine the scope of the inquiry conducted by each committee.
jr84(4)
(4)
Technical assistance. Request the legislative council staff, legislative reference bureau, legislative technology services bureau, and legislative fiscal bureau for the necessary technical assistance appropriate to the completion of the committee's tasks. The joint committee on legislative organization shall coordinate the assignment of staff under this subsection. Any chairperson who determines that the attendance of staff is necessary to the proper conduct of any meeting scheduled at a location other than the capitol may, with the prior authorization of the committee on senate organization in the case of a senate committee chairperson or the speaker in the case of an assembly committee chairperson, authorize the reimbursement of such staff for actual and necessary expenses incurred in attending the meeting, from the general program operations appropriation to the senate or assembly under section
20.765 (1) (a) or
(b) of the statutes.
jr85
Joint Rule 85.
Reimbursement for expenses. For any day on which a member of the legislature is in Madison on legislative business pursuant to section
13.123 (1) of the statutes or attends a legislative committee meeting in Madison, the member shall be reimbursed the per diem provided in section
13.123 (1) (a) of the statutes. Any legislator who attends a committee meeting outside Madison authorized under joint rule
84 (1) shall be reimbursed for the actual and necessary expenses incurred in attending the committee meeting as provided by section
13.123 (3) of the statutes, or for the round-trip cost of traveling to the meeting from Madison.
jr86
Joint Rule 86.
Continuation of employees during periods of committee work. During any period of committee work, the chief clerks and sergeants at arms of the 2 houses shall retain on their staffs only the employees necessary for the conduct of legislative business during that period before the commencement of the next succeeding legislative session biennium, the chief clerk and the sergeant at arms of each house shall consult with the committee on organization of that house to determine the number of employees required for the commencement of that session. Employees who were laid off following the final (veto review) scheduled floorperiod of the current session shall be given preference in the filling of vacancies in anticipation of the commencement of the next succeeding session.
jr87
J
oint Rule 87.
Duties of the chief clerk after floorperiods and sessions. Following the adjournment of any scheduled floorperiod or any special or extraordinary session, the chief clerk of each house shall:
jr87(1)
(1)
Message final actions. Message to the other house all proposals originating in the other house and on which the chief clerk's house has taken final action. The chief clerk shall similarly message to the other house all proposals originating in the chief clerk's house and requiring the consent of the other house and on which the chief clerk's house has taken final action. Any motion under joint rule
7 for a joint certificate of commendation, congratulation, or condolence, adopted by one house and already signed by the cosponsor from the other house, shall be treated as though it had been adopted by both houses, but any such motion adopted by one house only and lacking the signature of the cosponsor from the other house shall be treated as though it had been offered as a motion for a certificate by one house only.
jr87(2)
(2)
Maintain records. Enter on the records of the chief clerk's house all messages received and customarily entered on the records, whether the messages emanate from the other house, the office of the governor, or from any other source.
jr87(3)
(3)
Journals and bulletins. Compile and publish:
jr87(3)(b)
(b) Such journals as are necessary, showing the chief clerk's entries for all business received by the chief clerk's office after the floorperiod or special or extraordinary session.
jr87(3)(c)
(c) In cooperation with the legislative reference bureau, the bulletin of proceedings shall be published in accordance with joint rules
76 and
77.
Chapter 10:
LEGISLATIVE EMPLOYEES
jr91
Joint Rule 91.
Compensation and classification plan. Unless otherwise specifically provided, all legislative employees shall be paid in accordance with the compensation and classification plan adopted by the joint committee on legislative organization. If the joint committee does not adopt a compensation and classification plan, the committee on organization of either house may adopt a plan for the employees of that house. Appointments shall be for the legislative session, unless earlier terminated by the appointing officer.
jr92
Joint Rule 92.
Retirement system agents for legislative employees. The chief clerks of the senate and of the assembly are designated to act in matters pertaining to the retirement system for the members and employees of their respective houses as required by section
40.02 (36) of the statutes. In matters relating to the chief clerks, the president of the senate and the speaker of the assembly shall act.
Chapter 11:
JOINT RULES
jr96
J
oint Rule 96.
Changing or suspending rules. jr96(1)(1) The joint rules of the legislature may be changed only with the approval of a majority of the current membership of each house. The vote is taken by ayes and noes.
jr96(2)
(2) Any proposal to change a joint rule shall be offered as a joint resolution stating the proposed change. Except as authorized by unanimous consent or by vote of two‐thirds of the members present, the joint resolution may not be acted upon in either house until the joint resolution has been made available to the members for 24 hours.
jr96(3)
(3) Any joint rule may be suspended in either house by vote of two‐thirds of the members present. The vote is determined by ayes and noes unless unanimous consent is given.
jr97
Joint Rule 97.
Continuity of joint rules. The joint rules remain in effect until amended or superseded, and continue in effect at the beginning of any succeeding regular session of the legislature until superseded by the joint rules adopted by that legislature.
jr98
J
oint Rule 98.
Publishing of joint rules. jr98(1)(1) Within one week after the adoption and concurrence of any joint resolution significantly changing the joint rules, the chief clerk of the house of origin shall direct the reproduction of a new pamphlet incorporating the entire text of the joint rules as affected by that joint resolution unless, in the judgment of the president of the senate and the speaker of the assembly, additional rule changes may soon be agreed to by the 2 houses.
jr98(2)(a)(a) The chief clerk shall make the spelling and other minor corrections authorized by joint rule
56 and shall consult with the legislative reference bureau to make any references to provisions of the constitution, statutes, joint rules, senate rules, or assembly rules conform to the numbers then assigned to the provisions.
jr98(2)(b)
(b) Each pamphlet edition shall contain a revised table of contents and index prepared by the legislative reference bureau.
jr98(2)(c)
(c) Each pamphlet edition shall also contain the biennial session schedule adopted under section
13.02 (3) of the statutes.
jr98(3)
(3) The chief clerk of each house shall supervise the reproduction of the joint rules.
jr98(4)
(4) As directed by the chief clerk of the house of origin, any joint resolution amending the joint rules may be enrolled and may be duplicated for distribution.
jr99
Joint Rule 99.
Definitions. The following are definitions of the major terms used in joint rules
1 to
99 or traditionally used in deliberations on the floor and statutes governing legislative proceedings:
jr99(1)
(1)
Act: A bill that has passed both houses of the legislature, been enrolled, and been approved by the governor or passed over the governor's veto, or that becomes law without the signature of the governor, and published.
jr99(2)
(2)
Adjourn: To conclude a legislative day's business [see also sub.
(79)].
jr99(3)
(3)
Adoption: Approval of a motion, amendment, substitute amendment, simple resolution, or joint resolution [see also subs.
(16) and
(54)].
jr99(4)
(4)
Amendment: A suggested alteration in any proposal or amendment, often referred to as a simple amendment in distinction to a substitute amendment, which is intended to take the place of the proposal.
jr99(5)
(5)
Appeal: A member's challenge of a ruling on a point of order. To prevail, an appeal requires the support of a majority of the members present, pursuant to the rules of a house.
jr99(6)
(6)
Assembly chamber: The entire area west of the easternmost doors of the assembly, including the visitor's galleries, lobbies, offices of the speaker, majority leader, and minority leader and hallways.
jr99(7)
(7)
Bill: A proposed change of law originating in either house, requiring passage by one house and concurrence of the other house of the legislature and approval of the governor, or passage notwithstanding the objections of the governor by a two-thirds vote in each house, or that becomes law without the signature of the governor, before becoming effective.
jr99(8)
(8)
Calendar: The agenda for any legislative day.
jr99(9)
(9)
Call of the house: A procedure for requiring the attendance of absent members.
jr99(10)
(10)
Certificate or “citation": A formal legislative document of commendation, congratulations, or condolences.
jr99(11)
(11)
Chair: The position that the presiding officer fills.
jr99(12)
(12)
Chief clerk: The officer elected to perform and direct the clerical and personnel functions of a house.
jr99(13)
(13)
Committee chairperson: The head of a committee.
jr99(14)
(14)
Committee executive action: The action of a committee on any proposal or veto.
jr99(14m)
(14m)
Committee of conference: A committee of representatives to the assembly and of senators, appointed to resolve differences on a specific proposal.
jr99(15)
(15)
Committee of the whole: The membership of one house organized in committee for the discussion of a specific matter.
jr99(16)
(16)
Concurrence: The action by which one house agrees to a proposal or action of the other house [see also subs.
(3) and
(54)].
jr99(18)
(18)
Contested seat: A district in which 2 or more persons claim the right to represent the district.
jr99(20)
(20)
Current membership: The members of one of the houses omitting those who have resigned, have been removed, or have died.
jr99(22)
(22)
Dilatory: To delay.
jr99(23)
(23)
Division of the question: To break a question into 2 or more separate propositions.
jr99(24)
(24)
Elected membership: The members of one of the houses, certified as elected in the last general election, including those who have subsequently resigned, have been removed, or have died.
jr99(25)
(25)
Engrossed proposal: A proposal incorporating all adopted amendments and all approved technical corrections in the house of origin, whether or not it is reproduced as engrossed.
jr99(26)
(26)
Enrolled proposal: A proposal that was passed, or adopted, and concurred in, incorporating any amendments and corrections that were approved by both houses.
jr99(27)
(27)
Expunge: To remove material from the record and thus undo some action.
jr99(27m)
(27m)
Extraordinary session: The convening of the legislature by the committees on organization of each house or by petition or joint resolution of the legislature to accomplish the business specified in the action calling the session. When used to continue a floorperiod of the biennial session for a limited purpose, the extraordinary session is referred to as an extended session.
jr99(28)
(28)
Fiscal estimate: A memorandum pursuant to joint rules
41 to
50 and the rules of each house, explaining the impact of a bill on state or local finances.
jr99(29)
(29)
Floor of the assembly: That portion of the assembly chamber that is reserved for members, assembly officers, and persons granted the privilege of the floor.
jr99(29m)
(29m)
Floor of the senate: That portion of the senate chamber that is reserved for members, senate officers, and persons granted the privilege of the floor.
jr99(30)
(30)
Floor amendment: Any amendment offered for consideration at the 2nd reading stage, or for committee consideration, but not drafted by the legislative reference bureau.
jr99(31)
(31)
Germaneness: The relevance or appropriateness of amendments.
jr99(32)
(32)
Hearing: A committee meeting at which the public is invited to testify on a proposal or issue.
jr99(33)
(33)
History: A record of actions on any given proposal.
jr99(33m)
(33m)
History file: The list of entries made by the chief clerk in the bulletin of proceedings, recording the actions of the legislature on a proposal.
jr99(34)
(34)
Incidental motions and requests: A group of motions and requests that generally relates to the proceedings, procedures, and subsidiary questions during debate, and that must be disposed of before proceeding to the main question under consideration. Incidental questions have lower precedence than privileged questions but higher precedence than subsidiary and main motions.
jr99(35)
(35)
Indefinite postponement: A motion to kill a proposal in its house of origin for a legislative session.
jr99(36)
(36)
Introduction: The formal presentation of a bill before one of the houses [see also sub.
(50m)].
jr99(37)
(37)
Joint convention, also called “joint session." A joint meeting of the senate and the assembly.
jr99(38)
(38)
Joint hearing: A hearing held by committees of both houses.
jr99(39)
(39)
Joint resolution: A proposal requiring adoption by both houses, to: a) express the opinion of the legislature; b) change joint rules of the legislature; c) propose an amendment to the state constitution; or d) propose or ratify an amendment to the U.S. constitution.
jr99(40)
(40)
Joint rules: Common rules of proceedings adopted by both houses.
jr99(41)
(41)
Journal: The official publication of one of the houses.
jr99(42)
(42)
Leave: Permission to be absent from one of the houses.
jr99(43)
(43)
Legislative day: Any day on which the legislature is in session.
jr99(44)
(44)
Main motions and questions: The final affirmative question concerning a proposal during any stage of its consideration or any motion made or question raised when no other matter is before the house. Main questions have lower precedence than privileged, incidental, and subsidiary questions.
jr99(45)
(45)
Majority: One more than one-half.
jr99(46)
(46)
Manual: The publication containing the rules of a house, the joint rules, the session schedule, the state constitution, alphabetical indexes, and other materials considered relevant to a legislator's job.
jr99(47)
(47)
Member: A duly elected senator or representative to the assembly.
