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 28. Vetoed Bills
Veto messages of the governor shall be read in the house and entered upon the journal. It shall then be in order to proceed to reconsider the bill, refer it, lay it on the table, or postpone its consideration to a day certain.
The merits of the bill may be debated before the vote is taken, but the vote on a vetoed bill cannot be reconsidered.
In case of a bill containing several sections or items, one or more of which has been objected to by the governor, each section or item so objected to shall be voted upon separately by the house. Action by the house upon all vetoed bills shall be endorsed upon the bill and certified by the speaker.
Vetoed bills originating in the house, which have not been passed notwithstanding the veto of the governor, shall remain in the custody of the officers of the house until the close of the term, after which they shall be filed with the secretary of state.