"motions and resolutions." In case such order or resolution is not reached under that order of business at the next succeeding session it shall be considered thereafter under the order of "unfinished business." Motions for the Previous Question. Method of Ordering. Rule 51. The method of ordering the previous question shall be as follows: Any member may move the previous question. This being seconded by at least ten members, the chair shall put the question, "Shall the main question now be put?" This shall be ordered only by a majority of the members present and voting. After the seconding of the previous question and prior to ordering the same, a call of the house may be moved and ordered, but after ordering the previous question nothing shall be in order prior to the decision of the pending questions, except demands for the yeas and nays, points of order and appeals from the decision of the chair, which shall be decided without debate. The effect of the previous question shall be to put an end to all debate and bring the house to a direct vote upon all pending questions in their order down to and including the main question. When a motion to reconsider is taken under the previous question and is decided in the affirmative, the previous question shall have no operation upon the question to be reconsidered. If the house shall refuse to order the main question, the consideration of the subject shall be resumed as though no motion for the previous question had been made. Motions to Reconsider. Motion for Reconsideration. Rule 52. Any member may move for a reconsideration of any question on the same or next succeeding day; and such motion shall take precedence of all other questions, except a motion to adjourn and a motion to take a recess, but shall not be renewed on the same day. A motion to reconsider any question if laid on the table may be taken therefrom and disposed of at any time within the period allowed by this rule for moving a reconsideration. The motion to postpone indefinitely shall require the votes of a majority of the members-elect, and shall not be reconsidered. Notice of Reconsideration. Rule 53. A notice of intention to move for a reconsideration of any bill may be given by any member, and the bill shall be retained by the clerk of the house until after the time expires during which, under rule 52, the motion can be made, unless such notice is given within three days of the time when the house will cease to transact business. Majority Vote. Rule 54. Any proposition which requires for its adoption a twothirds vote may, upon failure of adoption, be reconsidered by a majority Motions for Calls of the House. Ordering Calls of the House. Rule 55. Calls of the house may be ordered upon motion by a majority of the members present, but such majority shall not be less than fifteen in number. A motion for a call of the house shall not be entertained after the previous question is ordered. Procedure. Rule 56. After a call of the house is ordered the members shall not be permitted to go without the bar of the house without leave of the house. The roll of the house shall be called by the clerk and the absenteees noted. The doors shall then be closed and the sergeant-atarms may, upon motion, be dispatched after the absentees. In such case a list of the absentees shall be furnished by the clerk to the sergeant-at-arms, who shall report such absentees at the bar of the house with all possible speed. In case the sergeant-at-arms shall require assistance in addition to the regularly appointed assistant sergeants-at-arms of the house, the speaker may, upon motion, deputize any person properly qualified as a special assistant sergeant-at-arms. Introduction. BILLS. Rule 57. A bill may be introduced in order at any time, without notice, unless it has for its purpose the changing of the charter of a corporation, in which case at least one day's notice shall be given, which notice shall be in writing and shall contain the title of the bill. All bills shall be introduced in duplicate and shall be in typewritten or printed form. ORDER OF CONSIDERATION. Rule 58. The regular order to be taken by bills introduced in the house shall be as follows: 1. Notice of introduction (if a bill proposing an amendment to an act of incorporation). 2. Introduction, first and second readings of title and reference to a committee by the speaker. 3. Report by the committee and placing on the general orders (if an appropriation bill, or one involving the expenditure of money from the general fund of the State treasury, reference to the Committee on Ways and Means, report by that committee and then placing on general orders.) 4. Consideration in the committee of the whole in order of reference. 5. Report by the committee of the whole and placing on order of third reading of bills. 6. Third reading at length and vote on passage. 7. 8. Transmission to senate (if passed). Return by the senate, and, if not amended by senate, reference to the clerk for enrollment printing; if amended by the senate, laying over one day, and consideration the following day under the same order of business (Messages from the Senate); and (if amendments are concurred in) reference to the clerk for enrollment printing. 9. Report by clerk of enrollment printing and presentation to the governor. Senate bills shall, as far as possible, take the same course as house bills. All resolutions proposing amendments to the constitution shall take the same course as bills. Nothing in this rule contained shall be construed to prevent a majority of the members-elect of the house from discharging a committee from the further consideration of any measure. A notice of at least one day shall be given of a motion to discharge any such committee, said notice to be in writing and entered in the journal. In case a committee of the house is discharged from the further consideration of a bill, the bill shall be printed, referred to the committee of the whole and placed on the general orders. The notice above mentioned may, if the motion made thereunder does not prevail, be offered again on succeeding days of the same legislative session, but not upon the same day. Reading. Rule 59. Every bill shall receive three several readings previous to its passage. The first and second readings may be by its title only, but the third reading shall be in full unless otherwise ordered by the house, and on a day subsequent to that on which it receives its second reading or passed the committee of the whole house. No bill shall be passed until it has been printed and in the possession of the house for at least five days. A request by a member that a bill be printed out of regular order must be in writing and shall be referred to the committee on printing for determination. Commitment and Amendment. Rule 60. No bill shall be committed or amended until it has passed its first and second readings. No bill shall be altered or amended on its passage through the house so as to change its original purpose. Amendment; Vote. Rule 61. Bills which have been considered in committee of the whole may be amended by the house by a majority vote of all the members-elect. When any bill considered in committee of the whole shall have been recommitted, any amendments made thereto by the committee may be concurred in by a majority vote of the members present and voting thereon. Rule 62. Bills placed on the order of third reading, or their final passage, without having been considered in committee of the whole, may be amended prior to their passage by a majority vote of the members present and voting thereon. Majority Vote on Bills. Rule 63. On the final passage of every bill the vote shall be taken by yeas and nays and entered on the journal. No bill shall be declared passed, unless a majority of all the members elected to the house shall have voted in favor of its passage. Two-Thirds Vote. Rule 64. No bill appropriating the public money or property for local or private purposes, or providing for the incorporation of trust companies or corporations for banking purposes, or regulating the business thereof, or amending or repealing any law providing for such incorporation or regulation shall be passed, unless two-thirds of the members elected to the house shall have voted in favor of the passage thereof. Title; Object; Reference to Compiler's Sections. Rule 65. No bill shall embrace more than one object, which shall be expressed in its title. If the bill proposes any amendment to existing laws enacted prior to the last general compilation, the title shall contain also a reference to the compiler's section or sections of the compiled laws. SPECIAL ORDERS. Rule 66. Any subject matter made the special order for a particular day not having been reached on that day shall come up for consideration, under the order of "unfinished business" on the next succeeding legislative day. Reading. CHAPTER VI. MISCELLANEOUS. READING AND ENDORSEMENT OF PAPERS. Rule 67. When the reading of a paper is called for and an objection is raised to such reading, the house shall determine whether or not the paper shall be read. Endorsement. Rule 68. Every member presenting a paper containing subject matter for the consideration of the house shall endorse the same with a statement of its subject or contents and his name. YEAS AND NAYS. How Called. Rule 69. In taking the yeas and nays upon any question the names of the members shall be called alphabetically. Demands for Yeas and Nays. Rule 70. Upon the passage of any question the vote shall be taken by yeas and nays and entered upon the journal of the house on the demand by any ten members. RULES AND PRACTICE. Amendment or Suspension of Rules. Rule 71. Any rule of the house may be altered by a majority vote of the members-elect, but no rule shall be amended unless such amendment is in writing and in possession of the house five days prior to its consideration. A rule may be suspended by a vote of two-thirds of the members shown to be present by the journal entries. Practice. Rule 72. The rules of parliamentary practice comprised in Cushing's "Law and Practice of Legislative Assemblies" shall govern in all cases in which they are not inconsistent with the standing rules and orders of the house or the Constitution of the State of Michigan. Form of Question. APPEALS. Rule 73. On all appeals from the decisions of the chair, the question shall be "Shall the judgment of the chair stand as the judgment of the house?" which question shall be decided by a rising vote, unless otherwise ordered by the house. Debate. Rule 74. No member shall speak more than once on the question of an appeal without leave of the house. Tabling Appeals. Rule 75. An appeal may be laid on the table but shall not carry with it subject matter before the house at the time such appeal is taken. Mr. Wiley offered the following resolution: Resolved, That the Speaker appoint a special committee, consisting of three Representatives, to inform the Senate that the House has completed its organization and is ready for the transaction of business. The resolution was adopted. The Speaker appointed as such committee Messrs. Wiley, John Schmidt and Glaspie. Mr. Croll offered the following resolution: Resolved, That a committee of three be appointed by the Speaker, on the part of the House, to join a committee on the part of the Senate, the two committees to wait on the Governor and notify him that the two houses have completed their organizations and will be pleased to meet in joint convention, at such time as he may designate, to receive his message. The resolution was adopted. The Speaker appointed as such committee, Messrs. Croll, Gettel and Cowan. |