Senate rules

6. A majority report of a committee must carry the signatures of a majority of the members of the committee. In the event a committee has a quorum pursuant to subsection 4 of this rule, a majority of the members present may act on a measure, subject to obtaining the signatures of a majority of the members of the committee on the majority report. If, after executive action on a measure, the signatures of all members are not included on either a majority or minority report, the committee shall hold the signature sheets for the measure for 24 hours, not counting Saturdays or Sundays, from adjournment of the committee hearing at which executive action was taken on the measure. This 24-hour hold period applies even if a majority of the members of the committee has signed the majority report. After the 24-hour hold period, the signature sheets must be submitted to the workroom if there is a majority of signatures on the majority report. Once signature sheets have been submitted to the senate workroom by committee staff, a member may not sign or remove his or her signature from a majority or minority signature sheet. If a majority of members of the committee have not signed the majority report, the measure or appointment remains in the possession of the committee. The 24-hour hold period does not apply within the five days preceding any cutoff date and does not apply to a biennial or supplemental omnibus operating budget, omnibus capital budget, or omnibus transportation budget.

7. Any measure, appointment, substitute bill, or amendment still within a committee's possession before it has been reported out to the full senate may be reconsidered to correct an error, change language, or otherwise accurately reflect the will of the committee in its majority and minority reports to the full senate. Any such reconsideration may be made at any time, by any member of the committee, provided that the committee has not yet reported the measure, appointment, substitute bill, or amendment out to the full senate. Any such reconsideration made after a vote has been taken or signatures obtained will require a new vote and signature sheet. Any measure which does not receive a majority vote of the members present may be reconsidered at that meeting and may again be considered upon motion of any committee member if one day's notice of said motion is provided to all committee members.​

11. All reports of standing committees must be on the secretary's desk one hour prior to convening of the session in order to be read at said session. During any special session of the legislature or within the three days preceding any cut-off date or sine die, this rule may be suspended by a majority vote of those present. This rule does not apply to reports of biennial or supplemental omnibus operating budget, omnibus capital budget, or omnibus transportation budget bill.

12. For purposes of this rule, a committee is deemed to have reported a measure, appointment, substitute bill, or amendment out when it has delivered its majority and minority reports to the senate workroom. After such delivery, the committee no longer has possession of the measure, appointment, substitute bill, or amendment and no further committee action, including reconsideration or a member adding or removing his or her signature to a majority or minority report, may be taken.

13. All committees will rely upon and use the Electronic Bill Book. Committee staff should add all materials relating to hearings, work sessions, or executive sessions to the Electronic Bill Book as early as possible or when the material has been made public. Paper copies will not be provided to members. All materials submitted by the public shall be submitted electronically.

14. All committees will use the online Committee Sign-In system. All committee members will be able to view the list of individuals who have signed in to testify on each measure or appointment. Members of the public wishing to testify in-person or remotely may sign up remotely no later than one hour before the committee is scheduled to meet.

15. With the exception of the ways and means and transportation committees, the chairs of standing committees must publish the list of measures and appointments that may be considered for executive session by 4:00 p.m. two days preceding executive session. The chairs of the ways and means committee and the transportation committee must publish the list of measures and appointments that may be considered for executive session by 7:00 p.m. two days preceding executive session. A chair, with the consent of the ranking member, has discretion to waive this deadline in extraordinary circumstances. A published measure or appointment may be rescheduled for executive action at the committee's next meeting without additional notice, provided no additional amendments are considered.

16. Members must have amendment requests to nonpartisan committee staff by 12:00 p.m. the day before scheduled executive action. A chair, with the consent of the ranking member, has discretion to waive this deadline in extraordinary circumstances or to accept technical revisions to perfect an amendment. Members should be considerate of staff and turn in amendment requests earlier if they are long or complex, keeping in mind the final deadline for consideration of amendments.

17. All amendments, including substitutes, must be sponsored by a committee member. All amendments and effect statements must be either drafted or reviewed, or both, by nonpartisan committee staff. To be eligible for consideration at an executive session in a committee meeting scheduled to begin prior to 12:00 p.m., amendments must be released from confidentiality and posted to the Electronic Bill Book for committee members and the public by 4:00 p.m. the day before the executive session or the amendments will be considered out of order. To be eligible for consideration at an executive session in a committee meeting scheduled to begin on or after 12:00 p.m., amendments must be released from confidentiality and posted to the Electronic Bill Book for committee members and the public by 7:00 p.m. the day before the executive session or the amendments will be considered out of order. A chair with the consent of the ranking member has discretion to waive this deadline in extraordinary circumstances or to accept technical revisions to perfect an amendment.

18. ​​A committee chair may choose to allow committee members to participate remotely in committee meetings. The committee chair shall notify the secretary of the senate prior to the first day of the legislative session if the chair will allow committee members to participate remotely. A chair that initially chooses to allow only in-person participation may later choose to allow remote participation but must provide the secretary of the senate with notice of the change at least 24 hours prior to the committee hearing in which the change will become effective. Once a chair has chosen to allow members to participate remotely, this choice cannot be changed during the remainder of the session. If a chair allows committee members to participate remotely, those members will be considered "present" for the purposes of this rule and Senate Rule 49. All committee meetings shall be chaired in person. A chair may participate remotely in a committee meeting when another member of the committee is acting as chair. Members participating remotely shall be allowed to participate in committee activities to the same extent as those attending in person.