House rules
The Washington State House rules establish procedures and protocols for conducting legislative business in the House of Representatives. These rules provide the framework for how bills are processed, committees operate, and representatives conduct official business.
Preface
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That ​permanent House Rules for the Sixty-Eighth Legislature be adopted as follows:
PERMANENT RULES OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES SIXTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE 2023-2024
- Rule 1. Definitions
- Rule 2. Chief Clerk to Call to Order
- Rule 3. Election of Officers
- Rule 4. Powers and Duties of the Speaker
- Rule 5 . Chief Clerk
- Rule 6. Executive Rules Committee
- Rule 7. Duties of Employees
- Rule 8. Admission to the House
- Rule 9. Absentees and Courtesy
- Rule 10. Bills, Memorials and Resolutions - Introductions
- Rule 11. Reading of Bills
- Rule 12. Amendments
- Rule 13. Final Passage
- Rule 14. Hour of Meeting, Roll Call and Quorum
- Rule 15. Daily Calendar and Order of Business
- Rule 16. Motions
- Rule 17. Remote Participation and Voting Permitted Upon Authorization
- Rule 18. Members' Right to Debate
- Rule 19. Rules of Debate
- Rule 20. Ending of Debate - Previous Question
- Rule 21. Voting
- Rule 22. Reconsideration
- Rule 23. Call of the House
- Rule 24. Appeal from Decision of Chair
- Rule 25. Standing Committees
- Rule 26. Duties of Committees
- Rule 27. Standing Committees - Expenses - Subpoena Power
- Rule 28. Vetoed Bills
- Rule 29. Suspension of Compensation
- Rule 30. Smoking and Vaping
- Rule 31. Liquor
- Rule 32. Parliamentary Rules
- Rule 33. Standing Rules Amendment
- Rule 34. Rules to Apply for Assembly
- Rule 35. Legislative Publications
- Rule 36. Emergency Resolution Authorized
Rule 13. Final Passage
Rules relating to bills on final passage are as follows:
(A) BUDGET BILLS. No final passage vote may be taken on an operating budget, transportation budget, or capital budget bill until twenty-four (24) hours after the bill is placed on the third reading calendar. The twenty-four (24) hour requirement does not apply to conference reports, which are governed by the Joint Rules of the Senate and the House of Representatives, or to bills placed on the third reading calendar by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the members present.
(B) RECOMMITMENT BEFORE FINAL PASSAGE. A bill may be recommitted at any time before its final passage.
(C) FINAL PASSAGE. No bill shall become a law unless on its final passage the vote be taken by yeas and nays, the names of the members voting for and against the same be entered on the journal of each house, and a majority of the members elected to each house be recorded thereon as voting in its favor. (Article II, section 22)
(D) BILLS PASSED - CERTIFICATION. When a bill passes, it shall be certified to by the chief clerk, said certification to show the date of its passage together with the vote thereon.