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above rule shall apply to all other subjects in Committee of of the Whole as well as bills.

72. It shall be in order to introduce and discuss any resolution, when in Committee of the Whole, with a view to test the sense of the Senate upon the question proposed.

73. All questions, whether in Committee of the Whole or in the Senate (not privileged questions) shall be propounded in the order in which they were moved, except that in filling up blanks, the largest sum and longest time shall be first put.

74. The rules of proceeding in the Senate shall be observed in committee, so far as the same are applicable.

EXECUTIVE BUSINESS.

75. All communications from the Governor may be taken up for consideration as ordered by the Senate.

76. All nominations of officers made by the Governor except of notaries public, shall be referred to and reported upon by an appropriate committee, before they are acted up on by the Senate, and this rule shall not be suspended except by vote of two-thirds of all senators elected. Such nominations shall be considered in executive session before they are acted upon by the Senate.

When the Senate goes into executive session, no one shall be present except the President, the senators, the sergeant-at-arms, the door-keeper, and the clerks of the Senate, the latter three of whom shall be sworn to secrecy. A motion to go into executive session shall take precedence of any motion except privileged motions.

77. When the Senate shall advise and consent to a nomination made by the Governor, or reject the same, it shall be the duty of the clerk to inform the Governor thereof, unless otherwise ordered by the Senate.

REPORTS AND MESSAGES FROM THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

78. Bills originating in and passed by the House of Representatives, when reported to the Senate, shall be received and immediately read at length by the clerk of the Senate, which shall be their first reading; and shall then take the same course as Senate bills.

79. The clerk shall make all reports to the House of Representatives, unless otherwise ordered.

80. When the roll is being called registering a yea and

nay vote, except on a motion to adjourn or to extend the session, and the hour of adjournment strikes, the time for adjournment shall stand extended until after said yea and nay vote has been completed, and the announcement of the result made.

81. The regular hour of meeting shall be 10:30 A. M., and the hour of adjournment shall be 1 o'clock P. M.. standard time.

82. All pairs announced in the Senate shall be entered on the Journal.

83. There shall be printed 250 copies of each bill and joint resolution offered.

84. In the absence of a rule of the Senate, general Parliamentary law shall govern the proceedings thereof.

WM. GOEBEL,

R. C. CRENSHAW,
J. M. THOMAS,

G. T. FARRIS,
L. H. CARTER,
R. E. PURYEAR,
W. O. JONES.

RULES

OF THE

House of Representatives.

JANUARY SESSION, 1900.

The Committee on Rules respectfully report to the House the accompanying rules for its government during the present session:

QUORUM OF THE HOUSE.

Rule 1. Five members of the House shall constitute a quorum for the purpose of adjourning; fifteen members for the purpose of calling a House, of sending for absent members, and of making an order for their censure and fine; a majority of the members may proceed to business, and the numbers mentioned in this rule shall have power in the absence of the Speaker, to elect a Speaker pro tem. for the purpose above designated.

HOUR OF MEETING AND ADJOURNMENT.

Rule 2. The standing hour of meeting each day shall be ten (10) o'clock a. m., standard time, and the standing hour of adjournment shall be 1:30 P. M., standard time, except on Monday, when the hour of meeting shall be 11 A. M., and the hour of adjournment 2 P. M.: Provided, however, That a majority of the House may extend the sitting of any session to any time within their discretion.

THE POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE SPEAKER.

Rule 3. The Speaker shall take the chair every day at the hour to which the House adjourned on the preceding day; he shall immediately call the members to order, and, a quorum being present, shall call the Journal of the preceding day to be read.

Rule 4. He shall preserve decorum and order and in case of disturbance and disorderly conduct in the gallery or lobbies, may cause the same to be cleared. He shall have general control, except as provided by rule or law, of the hall of the House, and of the corridors and passages and of the unappropriated rooms in that part of the capitol assigned to the use of the House, until further ordered. He may speak to points of order in preference to other members, rising from the chair for that purpose. He shall decide questions of order, subject to an appeal to the House on request of any two members, and the members appealing shall reduce the appeal to writing.

Rule 5. The standing committees of the House, hereinafter named, shall be appointed by the Speaker.

Rule 6. The Speaker may state a question sitting, but shall rise to put a question.

Rule 7. Questions shall be distinctly put in this form, viz.: "Gentlemen, you who are of opinion that (as the question may be), say, 'Aye;' you of the contrary opinion, say, 'No.''

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Rule 8. If the Speaker be in doubt as to the result of a vote, or a division be called for, the House shall divide; those in the affirmative of the question shall rise from their seats, afterwards those in the negative. If the Speaker still be in doubt, or a count be requested, the Speaker shall name two members, one from each side, to count those in the affirmative and the negative; which being reported, he shall rise and state the decision of the House: Provided, however, That such division or count shall not be allowed after the House shall have proceeded to other business.

Rule 9. The Speaker shall have the right to name any member to perform the duties of the chair, but such Speaker pro tem. shall not be empowered to act beyond a period of five (5) days.

Rule 10. It shall be the duty of the Speaker to direct the door-keeper and sergeant-at-arms to exclude all persons from the bar of the House, except the Governor, members of the Senate, officials of the several departments persons included in rule 11. members of the Federal Congress, members of the last preceding General Assembly of this State.

Rule 11. The Speaker shall name the persons who shall act as reporters for the public press but no reporter shall be admitted to the floor who is not an authorized represen

tative of a newspaper. The reporters so named shall be entitled to such seats as the Speaker may designate.

DEBATE.

Rule 12. When a member is about to speak in debate or deliver any matter to the House, he shall rise from his seat and respectfully address the Speaker of the House as "Mr. Speaker," but shall not proceed until recognized by the Speaker.

Rule 13. If any member, in speaking or otherwise, transgress the rules of the House, the Speaker shall, or any member may, through the Speaker, call the offender to order; and the member called to order shall immediately sit down, unless permitted to explain, and the House if appealed to, shall decide on the case without debate. If the decision be in favor of the member called to order, he shall be at liberty to proceed; if against him, and the case require it, he shall be liable to the censure of the House.

Rule 14. When two or more members rise at once, the Speaker shall name the member who is first to speak.

Rule 15. No member shall speak more than twice on the same questions without leave of the House, and he shall not speak more than once until every member of the House choosing to speak has spoken. No member shall be allowed to speak longer than one hour in the aggregate.

Rule 16. While the Speaker is putting any question or addressing the House, no one shall walk about the House or leave; neither in such a case, nor when a member is speaking, shall any one talk or pass between the chair and the member who is speaking.

Rule 17. No member shall, in debate, name another member.

UNDEBATABLE MOTIONS.

Rule 18. Motions to proceed or dispense with the orders of the day, to dispense with any rule of the House, to take up business out of its regular order, to commit or recommit, except with instructions, shall be propounded without debate.

Rule 19. No explanation of any vote shall be permitted pending the call of the yeas and nays on an undebatable motion.

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