House rules

Rule 11. Reading of Bills

Every bill shall be read on three separate days: PROVIDED, That this rule may be temporarily suspended at any time by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the members present; and that on and after the fifth day prior to the day of adjournment sine die of any session, as determined pursuant to Article II, section 12 of the state Constitution or concurrent resolution, or on and after the third day prior to the day a bill must be reported from the house as established by concurrent resolution, this rule may be suspended by a majority vote.

A bill may be returned to second reading for the purpose of amendment by a suspension of the rules: PROVIDED, That on and after the fifth day prior to the day of adjournment sine die of any session, as determined pursuant to Article II, section 12 of the state Constitution or concurrent resolution, or on and after the third day prior to the day a bill must be reported from the house as established by concurrent resolution, this rule may be suspended and a bill returned to second reading for the purpose of amendment by a majority vote.

(A) FIRST READING. The first reading of a bill shall be by title only, unless a majority of the members present demand a reading in full.

After the first reading the bill shall be referred to an appropriate committee.

Upon being reported out of committee, all bills shall be referred to the rules committee, unless otherwise ordered by the house.

The rules committee may, by majority vote, refer any bill in its possession to a committee for further consideration. Such referral shall be reported to the house and entered in the journal under the fifth order of business.

(B) SECOND READING. Upon second reading, the bill number and short title and the last line of the bill shall be read unless a majority of the members present shall demand its reading in full. The bill shall be subject to amendment section by section. No amendment shall be considered by the house until it has been sent to the chief clerk's desk in writing or electronically, distributed to the desk of each member or made available to each member electronically, and read by the clerk. All amendments adopted during second reading shall be securely fastened to the original bill. All amendments rejected by the house shall be passed to the minute clerk, and the journal shall show the disposition of such amendments.

When no further amendments shall be offered, the speaker shall declare the bill has passed its second reading.

(C) SUBSTITUTE BILLS. When a committee reports a substitute for an original bill with the recommendation that the substitute bill do pass, it shall be in order to read the substitute the first time and have the same printed. A motion for the substitution shall not be in order until the second reading of the original bill.

(D) THIRD READING. Only the last line of bills shall be read on third reading unless a majority of the members present demand a reading in full. No amendments to a bill shall be received on third reading but it may be referred or recommitted for the purpose of amendment.

(E) SUSPENSION CALENDAR. Bills may be placed on the second reading suspension calendar by the rules committee if at least two minority party members of the rules committee join in such motion. Bills on the second reading suspension calendar shall not be subject to amendment or substitution except as recommended in the committee report. When a bill is before the house on the suspension calendar, the question shall be to adopt the committee recommendations and advance the bill to third reading. If the question fails to receive a two-thirds vote of the members present, the bill shall be referred to the rules committee for second reading.

(F) HOUSE RESOLUTIONS. House resolutions shall be filed with the chief clerk who shall transmit them to the rules committee. If a rules committee meeting is not scheduled to occur prior to a time necessitated by the purpose of a house resolution, the majority leader and minority leader by agreement may waive transmission to the rules committee to permit consideration of the resolution by the house. The rules committee may adopt house resolutions by a sixty percent majority vote of its entire membership or may, by a majority vote of its members, place them on the motions calendar for consideration by the house. House resolutions are not subject to debate, except for resolutions necessary for the operation of the house, and resolutions commemorating Children's Day, Day of Remembrance, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, National Guard Day, and President's Day.

(G) CONCURRENT RESOLUTIONS. Reading of concurrent resolutions may be advanced by majority vote.