When on taking the previous question, the House shall decide that the main question shall not now be put, the main question shall be considered as still remaining under debate. The "main question" shall be on the Main quespassage of the bill, resolution or other matter under tion. consideration.

CHAPTER XIII.

OF THE ASSEMBLY CHAMBER, AND THE PRIVILEGES OF

ADMISSION TO THE FLOOR THEREOF.

55. The use of the Assembly Chamber may be Who may granted to the State Agricultural Society, the State use. Medical Society, and such other societies as are required by law to report to the Legislature; but in no case shall it be granted to other societies or to individuals. Application for the use of the chamber for these purposes may be acted on when offered, but without debate.

56. The following classes of persons and no others, Who may may be admitted to the floor of the House during the beadmitted. sessions thereof, viz:

1. The Governor and Lieutenant-Governor.

2. The members of the Senate.

3. The State Officers.

4. The Regents of the University.

5. Persons in the exercise of an official duty.

6. The reporters for the press.

7. Such other persons as the Speaker may invite.

CHAPTER XIV.

MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS.

57. In all cases of the absence of a quorum during Absence of the sessions of the House, the members present may quorum. take such measures as they shall deem necessary to secure the presence of a quorum, and may inflict such censure or pecuniary penalty as they may deem just, on those who, on being called on for that purpose, shall render no sufficient excuse for their absence.

C 2

Tie vote.

Questions
when to be

divided.
The Journal

Yeas and

nays.

Journal to

58. When the House shall be equally divided on any question, including the Speaker's vote, the question shall be deemed to be lost.

59. If any question contain several distinct propositions, it may be divided by the House; but a motion to strike out and insert shall be indivisible.

60. In all cases where a bill, order, motion or resolu tion shall be entered on the journal, the name of the member introducing or moving the same shall also be entered on the journal.

61. The yeas and nays may be taken on any question, whenever so required by any ten members (unless a division by yeas and nays be already pending), and when so taken shall be entered on the journal.

62. The journal of each day's proceedings of the be printed. House shall be printed so that it shall be laid on the tables of members within four days after its approval, and the Sergeant-at-Arms shall cause the printed journals to be kept on files in the same manner as other printed documents.

No rule to be suspended except on notice.

63. No standing rule or order of the House may be suspended, changed or rescinded, except upon one day's notice being given of the motion therefor, by the vote of a majority of all the members elected. Such notice and motion shall in all cases state specifically the object of the suspension, and every case of suspension of a rule under such notice and motion shall be held to apply only to the object specified therein. Nor shall the forty-second rule, so far as it applies to two-third bills, be altered, rescinded or suspended, unless twothirds of all the members elected to the House agree to such alteration, rescinding or suspension.

JOINT RULES

OF THE

SENATE AND ASSEMBLY,

ADOPTED FEBRUARY 17, 1858.

1. Each House shall transmit to the other all papers Papers to be on which any bill or resolution shall be founded.

transmitted

2. When a bill or resolution which shall have passed Bills rein one House shall be rejected in the other, notice jected. thereof shall be given to the House in which the same may have passed.

3. Messages from one House to the other shall be Messages communicated by their Clerks respectively, unless the delivered House transmitting the message shall specially direct Clerks. otherwise.

by the

ments.

4. It shall be in the power of either House to amend Amendany amendment made by the other to any bill or resolution.

committees

5. In every case of difference between the two In case of Houses, upon any subject of legislation, either House difference, may request a conference, and appoint a committee to be apfor that purpose, and the other shall also appoint a pointed, committee to confer. The committee shall meet at such hour and place as shall be appointed by the chairman of the committee on the part of the House requesting such conference. The conferees shall state to each other verbally, or in writing, as either shall choose, the reasons of their respective Houses, and confer freely thereon. The committee shall report in writing, and shall be authorized to report such modifications or amendments as they think advisable. But no committee on conference shall consider or report on any matters except those directly at issue between the

Matters of

how settled.

two Houses. The papers shall be left with the conferees of the House assenting to such conference, and they shall present the report of the committee to their House. When such house shall have acted thereon, they shall transmit the same, and the papers relating thereto, to the other, with a message certifying its action thereon.

6. It shall be in order for either House to recede difference, from any subject matter of difference subsisting between the two Houses at any time previous to conference, whether the papers on which such difference arose are before the House receding, formally or informally; and on such vote to recede, the same number shall be required to constitute a quorum to act thereon, and to assent to such receding, as was required on the original question out of which the difference arose.

Bills, when 7. After each House shall have adhered to their disdeemed lost. agreement, the bill which is the subject of difference shall be deemed lost, and shall not be again revived during the same session in either House.

Joint committee.

Final read

8. All joint committees of the two Houses, and all committees of conference, shall consist of three Senators and five Members of Assembly, unless otherwise specially ordered by concurrent resolution.

9. No bill which shall have passed one House shall ing of bills. have its final reading in the other in less than two days thereafter, without the consent of two-thirds of the members thereof present; and whenever ten or more bills shall be in readiness for final reading in either House, such House shall assign a day for the final reading of such bills, which day shall be within one week thereafter. At the time appointed, such House shall proceed to the final reading of said bills, and continue the same from day to day, under the order of business of third reading of bills, until all such bills then in readiness for final reading shall have been read, unless this order of business shall in either House, by the vote of two-thirds of the members present, be suspended or laid on the table. All such bills shall have their last

reading in each House in the order in which the same shall have been ordered to a final reading in such House, unless the bill to be read be laid on the table. In all cases where a bill shall be so ordered to lie on the table, it shall retain its place in the order of the final reading of bills, but shall not be called up for consideration unless by the vote of a majority of the members present.

create more

10. The same bill shall not, specially or by name, No bill shall create, renew or continue more than one incorporation, than one innor contain any provisions in relation to the altering corporation. of more than one incorporation by name; but this rule shall not be construed to apply to corporations to be formed under general laws according to the eighth article of the Constitution, nor to bills for consolidating corporations.

certified and

11. Whenever there shall be an election of officers Election of by the joint action of the two Houses, the result shall officers to be be certified by the President of the Senate and Speaker reported by of the Assembly, and shall be reported by the pre- presiding siding officer of each House to their respective Houses, officer. and be entered on the journals of each, and shall be communicated to the Governor by the Clerks of the two Houses.

ber of bills

12. There shall be printed, of course, and without Usual num, order, 340 copies of all original bills reported by com- and documittees of either House; and 800 copies of all messages ments to be from the Governor (except messages certifying his printed. approval of bills), all reports of standing or select committees, and all reports or communications made in pursuance of law; and 796 copies of the journal of each House, which number shall be denominated the usual number.

13. Neither House shall order the printing or pur- Printing or chasing of books for the use of members or for distri- purchase of books. bution, except by joint resolution, upon which the ayes and noes shall be called, and which must receive the votes of a majority of each House; and no printing shall be done by order of either House, which is not embraced in the contract for doing the public printing.