2023 -- H 5136

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LC000643

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2023

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H O U S E   R E S O L U T I O N

AMENDING THE RULES OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES FOR THE YEARS

2021 AND 2022

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Newberry, and Place

     Date Introduced: January 13, 2023

     Referred To: House Rules

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     RESOLVED, That section (7) of the rules for the House of Representatives adopted by

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the House of Representatives at its January session A.D. 2021 entitled " Adopting the Rules of

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the House of Representatives for the years 2021 and 2022", be and the same is hereby amended to

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read as follows:

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     Rules Pertaining to the Order of Business

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     (7)(a) The Speaker, or the Speaker’s designee, shall prepare the floor calendar for each

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legislative day. The calendar shall be printed or made available electronically to the members

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daily. During the legislative session, the House shall convene at 4 p.m. provided that the Speaker,

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with adequate notice to the members, may convene the House at another time.

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     (b) At the commencement of each day's session the roll shall be called or taken by use of

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the electronic voting system. If a quorum is determined to be present the Speaker shall seek

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approval of the previous day’s journal and thereafter proceed to business. The order of business,

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unless the Speaker determines otherwise, shall be as follows:

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     (i) Reports of standing and select committees.

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     (ii) Introduction and reference of new business.

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     (iii) Communications, including communications from the Senate.

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     (iv) Unfinished business in which the House was engaged at the time of last adjournment.

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     (v) Consent calendar.

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     (vi) Calendar.

 

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     (vii) Introduction of guests and announcements.

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     (viii) Matters of personal privilege.

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     (ix) Recess or adjournment.

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     (c) A representative desiring to introduce a bill or resolution shall file the same with the

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Clerk of the House. At the request of any representative, an announcement presented to the

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Speaker may be placed directly in the House Journal noting his or her absence from session. The

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Speaker, in his or her discretion, may authorize the use of electronic signatures to facilitate the

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legislative process. If the Speaker authorizes the utilization of electronic signatures by members,

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the following shall apply:

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     (i) Members shall be provided the option to utilize electronic signatures only by means of

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a secure electronic signature procedure provided by the Speaker to the members;

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     (ii) An electronic signature executed pursuant to this rule shall be deemed and interpreted

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as the member’s legal and binding signature;

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     (iii) Only a member of the House may execute an electronic signature pursuant to this

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rule. A member shall be strictly prohibited to request or permit another person to execute an

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electronic signature on his or her behalf.

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     (d) All bills and resolutions shall be filed no later than February 11, 2021 (for the 2021

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session) and February 10, 2022 (for the 2022 session). The provisions of this section shall not

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apply to city or town bills, to bills for the reinstatement of corporate charters, to bills relating to

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the solemnization of marriages, appropriations and budget bills, or to bills to create or extend the

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reporting dates of study commissions. Further, a member may introduce a public bill or resolution

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after this date in February if one day previous to such introduction, the member shall have

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notified the House of his or her intention to introduce such bill or resolution by reading the title

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and giving a brief explanation of its purpose. A member may avail himself or herself of the

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opportunity afforded by this rule three (3) times only in each calendar year, but in no event after

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the fortieth (40th) legislative day unless the matter is submitted with the approval of the Speaker.

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House Committees may, but shall not be obligated to, hear and consider public bills or resolutions

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approved for introduction pursuant to this rule.

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     (e) Any bill or resolution introduced on or before April 13, 2021 (for the 2021 session)

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and on or before April 12, 2022 (for the 2022 session):

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     (i) if filed after the convening of the session, shall be in order for the first reading and

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where appropriate, assignment to committee, as early as the next legislative day and shall be

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considered a part of the days business, provided that the Speaker may direct that any given

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measure may be treated in accord with subparagraph (ii) below, and

 

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     (ii) if filed prior to the convening of the session in the instance where the desk has been

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left open to receive matters, shall be in order for the first reading and, where appropriate,

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assignment to committee, as early as that day.

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     (iii) All bills or resolutions introduced after April 13, 2021 (for the 2021 session) and

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after April 12, 2022 (for the 2022 session) shall be in order for the first reading and, may be

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assigned to committee, as early as the day of introduction.

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     (iv) In the discretion of the Speaker, any bill filed after the convening of the session on

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the last legislative day of any week shall also be in order for the first reading as early as the next

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day and assigned to committee as if the desk were left open.

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     (f) The Clerk of the House shall cause the title and numbers of all bills and resolutions

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introduced, along with the names of up to ten (10) co-sponsors, to be published in the House

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Journal for the day on which said bill or resolution is deemed, as herein provided, to have been

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introduced.

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     (g) Whenever a member has requested that the text of a resolution be read into the House

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Journal, the Speaker may, at his or her discretion, comply with the request and have the resolution

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read either during a recess, while the House is at ease or following adjournment. The decorum of

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the House shall be maintained throughout the requested reading of the resolution.

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     (h) The Clerk of the House shall cause the following to be published in the House

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Journal:

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     (1) Any appeals of each and every question decided by the Speaker;

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     (2) Any appeal made by any member to the ruling of the Speaker;

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     (3) Any and all reasons assigned by the Speaker with respect to any ruling made by the

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Speaker;

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     (4) The substance of any comments made by any member with respect to any ruling of

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the Speaker;

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     (5) The vote or decision made by the members of the House with respect to any appeal

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made by a member to a decision made by the Speaker on any question.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

H O U S E   R E S O L U T I O N

AMENDING THE RULES OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES FOR THE YEARS

2021 AND 2022

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     This resolution would require the House Clerk to publish appeals of every question

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decided by the Speaker, any appeal by a member of a ruling of the Speaker and reasons for the

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ruling, the substance of any comments made by members with respect to any ruling and the vote

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or decision made by House members with respect to any appeal made by members to the

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Speaker's decisions.

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