2013 Assembly RESOLUTION 3

January 10, 2013 - Introduced by Representatives Vos, Barca, Suder, Kramer, Steineke, Ballweg, Jorgensen, Pasch and Zamarripa.

AR3,1,8 To repeal assembly rule 17d (2), assembly rule 53 (4), assembly rule 73 (9) and assembly rule 95 (58); to amend assembly rule 3 (1) (r), assembly rule 5 (2), assembly rule 11 (4), assembly rule 11 (5) (a), assembly rule 11 (10), assembly rule 29 (3), assembly rule 61 (5), assembly rule 73 (2) (a), assembly rule 73 (3) (a), assembly rule 73 (4) (c), assembly rule 93 (2), assembly rule 93 (3), assembly rule 95 (38), assembly rule 95 (50), assembly rule 95 (54) and assembly rule 95 (63); and to create assembly rule 5 (4) and assembly rule 9 (2) (cd); relating to: the assembly rules.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

This resolution makes the following substantive changes to the assembly rules:

Casting of votes in committee

The resolution provides that votes in committee must be held open after the adjournment of the committee session to permit an absent member to vote until 5:00 p.m. on the day on which the committee session is adjourned or 30 minutes after the adjournment, whichever is earlier. The absent member must cast his or her vote in the committee room where the meeting is held.

Committee notice for meeting on unintroduced proposals

The resolution requires that, if an unintroduced proposal will be considered at a committee meeting, the committee chairperson must provide a copy of the unintroduced proposal with the notice.

Provision of calendar to members

The resolution provides that, except during the final week of the last general-business floorperiod, the calendar must be provided to each member at least 24 hours before the calendar is to be acted upon. The current requirement is 18 hours.

Questions of assembly or personal privilege

Current assembly rules governing floor debate provide that questions of assembly or personal privilege have precedence only insofar as they require immediate consideration. The resolution provides that these questions may not be dilatory.

Power of speaker to make temporary committee appointments

The resolution authorizes the speaker of the assembly to make temporary replacements of members on committees who are unable temporarily to serve on the committee.

Determination of 24-hour notice rule for committee meetings

The resolution eliminates a rule that prohibited the counting of hours between 5:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. for purposes of calculating a 24-hour notice provision for committee executive action on introduced proposals.

Posting of notice for committee meetings during special, extraordinary, or extended sessions

The resolution provides that during a special, extraordinary, or extended session a notice of a committee meeting is not required other than posting on the legislative bulletin boards and the legislature's Internet site, and a schedule of committee activities need not be published. The current rule applies this provision only to committee hearings.

Power of assembly chief clerk during skeletal sessions

The resolution permits the assembly chief clerk to perform duties of the presiding officer during skeletal sessions, other than any duty related to the enactment of legislation or the adoption of a resolution.

Proposals that may be considered during special, extraordinary, or extended sessions

The resolution provides that during a special or extraordinary session an assembly proposal may not be considered unless it is recommended to be introduced, offered, or considered by the assembly committees on finance, organization, or rules, or by the joint committees on employment relations, finance, or organization. Currently, the only proposals that may be considered during a special or extraordinary session are those offered or introduced by these committees.

Duties of assembly chief clerk

The resolution permits the assembly chief clerk to delegate specific portions of the work assigned to the chief clerk or to the chief clerk's office to appropriate staff. This provision clarifies current rules which specifically permit the chief clerk to delegate specific portions of the work assigned to the chief clerk's office only to appropriate assistants.

Timing of reconsideration motions on amendments and proposals