A RESOLUTION adopting the Rules of Procedure for the 2026 Regular Session of the House of Representatives.

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A RESOLUTION adopting the Rules of Procedure for the 2026 Regular Session of 1
the House of Representatives. 2
Be it resolved by the House of Representatives of the G eneral Assembly of the 3
Commonwealth of Kentucky: 4
Section 1. The following Rules of Procedure are adopted to govern the 2026 5
Regular Session of the House of Representatives. 6
Rule 1. Hours of Meeting. The House shall meet at times set by the Committee 7
on Committees. 8
Rule 2. Quorum. A majority of the members elect ed to the House shall 9
constitute a quorum. If a quorum is not present at the time fixed for a meeting of the 10
House, five members may adjourn or recess from day to day or from time to time and 11
fifteen members may order a call of the House and send for absent members. 12
[On any session day during which remote voting is authorized under House Rule 13
67A or alternative voting is authorized under House Rule 68A, the determination of a 14
quorum shall include those members physically present in the House Chamber, as wel l as 15
those members physically present in their Capitol Annex office or in their automobile on 16
the Capitol Campus, as applicable, and whose presence has been verified by the Speaker 17
or other presiding officer under Rule 26 through appropriate means, includi ng but not 18
limited to a video call in which the member’s face can be seen.] 19
Rule 3. Call of the House. Upon a call of the House, the Clerk shall call the 20
roll. Absentees are then only noted, but no excuses shall be made until the full roll is 21
called. The C lerk shall then call the absentees again. Excuses will be heard at this time. 22
The doors of the House Chamber shall then be closed and the absentees not excused by 23
the House may be sent for and arrested by the Sergeant -at-Arms and the House shall 24
determine upon what conditions they shall be discharged from arrest. Members who 25
voluntarily appear shall be immediately admitted to the floor of the House and names 26
returned upon the Journal as present unless the House otherwise directs. Excuses for 27
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leaves of absence must receive a consent approval of two-thirds of the members elected. 1
[On any session day during which remote voting is authorized under House Rule 2
67A or alternative voting is authorized under House Rule 68A, any member physically 3
present in the House Chamber or any member physically present in their Capitol Annex 4
office or in their automobile on the Capitol Campus, as applicable, and whose presence 5
has been verified by the Speaker or other presiding officer under Rule 26 through 6
appropriate means, inc luding but not limited to a video call in which the member’s face 7
can be seen, shall be permitted to answer the convening roll call.] 8
ORDER OF BUSINESS 9
Rule 4. Order of Business. The order of business shall be as follows: 10
1. Invocation. 11
2. Pledge of Allegiance. 12
3. Roll Call. 13
4. Reading and Approval of the Journal. 14
5. [Introduction of Guests. 15
6. ]Second Reading of Bills. 16
6[7]. Report of Committees and First Reading of Bills. 17
7[8]. Orders of the Day. 18
8[9]. Motions, Petitions, Communications, and Announcements. 19
9[10]. Introduction of Bills and Resolutions. 20
10[11]. Meeting and Report of the Committee on Committees and the Rules 21
Committee. 22
11[12]. Introduction of Floor Amendments. 23
12[13]. Adjournment. 24
[Under the order of business Introduction of Guests, the Majority Caucus Chair and 25
the Minority Caucus Chair shall be recognized to read a cumulative list of the guests for 26
the day. ] No more than 15[30] minutes shall be allotted to Motions, Petitions, 27
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Communications, and Announcements. 1
Rule 5. Unfinished Business. Unfinished business which was being considered 2
upon adjournment shall have precedence in the class of business to which it properly 3
belongs upon the next succeeding legislative day. 4
MOTIONS 5
Rule 6. Reading of Motions. When a motion has been made and seconded, it 6
shall be stated by the Speaker, or, being in written form, it shall be read by the Clerk 7
before debate, amendment or motion concerning it shall be in order. 8
Rule 7. Withdrawal of Motions. Every oral motion after it has been stated by 9
the Speaker, and every written motion, bill, resolution or other paper, after it has been 10
read by the Clerk, shall be the property and in the possession of the House and shall not 11
be with drawn without consent of the House. Every written motion, report or measure 12
may be committed or recommitted at the pleasure of the House. 13
Rule 8. Order of Questions. All questions, whether in Committee of the Whole 14
or in the House, when not privileged questions, shall be propounded in the order in which 15
they were moved, except that in filling blanks the smallest sum and the most remote date 16
shall be put first. 17
Rule 9. Precedence of Motions. When a question is under consideration, no 18
motion shall be in order except: 19
1. To call the House when there is no quorum present. 20
2. To fix the time to which the House shall adjourn. 21
3. To adjourn. 22
4. To take recess. 23
5. To lay on the table. 24
6. For the previous question. 25
7. To limit or extend limits of debate. 26
8. To postpone to a fixed time. 27
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9. To lay on the Clerk’s desk. 1
10. To refer or commit. 2
11. To amend. 3
12. To postpone indefinitely. 4
The above several motions shall have precedence in the order in which they are 5
arranged and the first seven of them shall not be debatable. 6
A second motion to adjourn, to take a recess, to lay on the table, for the previous 7
question, to limit or extend limits of debate, to postpone to a time certain, to lay on the 8
Clerk’s desk, to refer or co mmit or to postpone indefinitely shall not be in order on the 9
same day, upon the same question, and at the same status unless other business 10
intervenes; provided, however, that amendments may be made to the time to which it is 11
proposed to adjourn, to take a recess or to postpone to a fixed time. 12
Rule 10. Motion to Adjourn. A motion to adjourn, to take a recess, or a motion 13
to adjourn to a time certain, shall always be in order, except when a member is speaking, 14
while a vote is being taken or when the Commit tee on Committees is reporting; subject, 15
however, to the limitations set out in Rule 9. A motion to adjourn or a motion to adjourn 16
to a time certain shall be taken by roll call vote, unless the motion is made after the 17
House has reached adjournment in the order of business under Rule 4, in which case 18
adjournment shall be by voice vote unless a roll call is ordered by a majority of the 19
members. 20
Rule 11. Motion to Table. The adoption of the motion to table, under these rules, 21
defeats the subject matter under consideration. The reconsideration of the motion to table 22
shall require approval of a majority of the members elected. 23
Rule 12. Previous Question. The previous question may be ordered by a three -24
fifths majority of the members elected. The effect of the pre vious question shall be to put 25
an end to debate on any pending amendment; to prevent the offering of additional 26
amendments and to bring the House to an immediate vote upon any amendment that has 27
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been called and is in order. Once the previous question has b een ordered, and any 1
pending amendment has been voted upon, all debate shall cease and the House shall 2
immediately vote on the main question. In any case when the previous question is 3
ordered, no member shall be permitted to debate or explain their vote. 4
Rule 13. Motion to Set the Limits on Debate. A motion to set a time limit for 5
debate on a measure, which may include a time limit for explanation of votes, in excess 6
of that permitted under Rule 12, shall be in order unless the previous question shall have 7
been ordered on the measure. The time limit set for debate and explanation of votes under 8
this rule shall be allotted by the Speaker evenly between the opponents of the measure 9
and the proponents of the measure. Adoption of a motion under this rule does no t prevent 10
the offering of additional amendments. 11
Rule 14. Motion to Reconsider. A motion to reconsider a vote shall not be in 12
order unless made by a member who voted upon the prevailing side of the question, nor 13
shall that motion be in order unless made wi thin two legislative days in which the House 14
is in session next after the date the vote was taken and the bill or resolution is in the 15
possession of the House; however, the motion to reconsider when coupled with the 16
additional motion to lay that motion upo n the table may be made by any member. For 17
purposes of this rule, a member who is recorded as "not voting" on a proposition which 18
failed is considered to have voted on the prevailing side. Procedural motions, such as a 19
motion to lay on the table or lay on the clerk’s desk, shall not be subject to a motion to 20
reconsider. 21
Rule 15. Motion to Lay on Clerk’s Desk. The effect of the adoption of a motion 22
to lay on the Clerk’s desk under these rules is to place in charge of the Clerk the pending 23
question and everyt hing adhering to it. A motion laid on the Clerk’s desk may be taken 24
from the desk and proceeded with at any time in the same order as when laid on the 25
Clerk’s desk. 26
Rule 16. Motion to Strike Out Enacting Clause. A motion to amend by striking 27
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out the enacti ng words of a bill or resolution shall have precedence over a motion to 1
amend; and, if adopted, shall have the same effect as though the bill or resolution were 2
regularly voted upon and rejected. 3
Rule 17. Motion to Separate Part of a Measure. A motion to c ommit, 4
recommit, or postpone a part of a measure so as to separate that part of the measure from 5
the remainder shall not be in order. A motion to divide a measure shall refer to and be 6
accompanied by an introduced House floor amendment. 7
Rule 18. Postponement of Measure. When a measure shall have been postponed 8
indefinitely it shall not be in order again during the session. 9
Rule 19. Reading of Pending Papers. Any pending bill, resolution, motion or 10
report shall be read upon the request of any member, with th e concurrence of a majority 11
of the members elected to the House, but it shall not again be read on the same day unless 12
so ordered by the House. 13
Rule 20. Nominations. In all elections a previous nomination shall be made. 14
MEMBERS 15
Rule 21. Attendance of Members. No member shall be absent from a session of 16
the House without leave from the House. [For the purposes of this rule, a member shall 17
be considered present if the member is in his or her Capitol Annex office during any 18
session when remote voting is author ized pursuant to House Rule 67A or if the member 19
is in his or her automobile on the Capitol Campus during any session when alternative 20
voting is authorized pursuant to House Rule 68A.] 21
Rule 22. Decorum of Members. No member shall designate another member b y 22
name. All members shall treat fellow members with the utmost courtesy and respect. All 23
members’ remarks in debate shall be confined to the subject under debate, avoiding 24
personality. A sign, poster, or any other object, the purpose of which can be reason ably 25
construed to indicate support or opposition to any measure before the House, and which 26
is large enough to be generally visible from the chair, shall not be displayed in the House 27
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Chamber[, or in a member’s Capitol Annex office during any session when remote voting 1
is authorized pursuant to House Rule 67A,] by any member while the House is in session. 2
Rule 22A. Point of Personal Privilege. To be in order, a point of personal 3
privilege must relate to allegations regarding the rights, reputation, or condu ct of a 4
member personally, in the member’s capacity as a representative, that, if true, would 5
incapacitate them for membership. Members who have the floor after claiming a point of 6
personal privilege shall confine themselves to defending their own rights, reputations, or 7
conduct, and not those of other members. Members wishing to make general comments 8
about pending legislation, media coverage, or other matters that would be out of order if 9
raised as a point of personal privilege shall use Motions, Petitions , Communications, and 10
Announcements. 11
Rule 22B. Required Training. Each member of the House shall complete 12
workplace harassment prevention training at the beginning of each session of the General 13
Assembly. 14
Rule 23. Call to Order. If any member, in speech o r otherwise, transgresses the 15
rules of order or decorum, the member shall immediately be called to order by the chair 16
and shall be seated. After hearing a short explanation from the member called to order, or 17
upon the withdrawal of the objectionable langua ge, the Speaker may permit the member 18
to proceed, or may compel silence upon the member until the matter is disposed of. The 19
ruling of the chair shall be subject to an appeal to the House. A member offending the 20
House shall be liable to censure. 21
Rule 24. Debate. No member may speak more than once to the same subject until 22
all members desiring to be heard have spoken, but nothing in this rule shall do away with 23
the previous question if then in effect, nor permit debate on an undebatable motion. 24
No member sha ll speak more than thirty minutes in the aggregate on any question 25
or measure, at the end of which period, or any portion thereof, the floor shall be returned 26
to the Speaker. 27
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Rule 25. Members Shall Vote at Seats. [Except when remote voting is 1
authorized pu rsuant to House Rule 67A or alternative voting is authorized pursuant to 2
House Rule 68A, ] A member shall vote only when at the member’s seat or visibly 3
approaching it. 4
OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES 5
Rule 26. Duties of Speaker. The Speaker shall take the chair every day precisely 6
at the hour fixed for the meeting of the House and on the appearance of a quorum, shall 7
cause the Journal of the preceding day to be read, unless the reading of the same is 8
dispensed with by the House. 9
The Speaker shall preserve decorum and order and, in the event of any disorder [in 10
the gallery or ] in the House Chamber, may cause the same to be cleared of any persons 11
creating disturbances or disorders. 12
All writs, warrants, subpoenas or other processes s hall be signed by the officer who 13
may be presiding over the House when the paper is issued; and the presiding officer’s 14
signature shall be attested by the Clerk, when ordered by a majority of the members. 15
Any reference made to the Speaker in these rules sh all refer to the Speaker of the 16
House or, in the proper context, any member, including the Speaker Pro Tempore, who is 17
acting as the presiding officer. 18
Rule 27. Appeal from Decision of Chair. The Speaker while presiding may 19
speak to points of order in pref erence to members. The Speaker shall decide points of 20
order and manner of procedure. If two or more members arise from their respective seats 21
and address the chair, the Speaker shall determine who was first and recognize that 22
member. 23
Any decision made by t he Speaker shall be subject to appeal to the House. Every 24
appeal shall be in writing and signed by at least two members. During the pendency of an 25
appeal to the House from a decision of the chair, the Speaker shall vacate the chair and 26
call the Speaker Pro Tempore to preside. When the Speaker Pro Tempore is presiding on 27
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an appeal to the House from a decision of the Chair, no motion or business shall be in 1
order except the motion on appeal from the decision of the Chair, and that motion shall 2
not be debatabl e. The ruling of the Speaker shall be sustained unless a majority of the 3
members elected to the House oppose the ruling. 4
For purposes of an appeal, the Chair includes the Speaker, Speaker Pro Tempore, or 5
other designee of the Speaker or Speaker Pro Tempore, or other member serving as Chair 6
in the absence of the Speaker or Speaker Pro Tempore. 7
Rule 28. Speaker Pro Tempore. The House shall elect a Speaker Pro Tempore. 8
The Speaker Pro Tempore shall perform the duties of the Speaker in the absence of the 9
Speaker or when empowered by the Speaker to perform the duties of the Chair. 10
Rule 29. Duties of the Clerk. The Clerk shall have charge of all clerical, 11
technical and procedural matters which relate to legislation including but not limited to: 12
notification of committees of their appointment and business referred to them; keeping a 13
calendar showing such bills as are entitled to their second reading each day, 14
distinguishing between House and Senate bills; supervising the engrossing and enrolling 15
of bills; and such o ther matters as are assigned by the Committee on Committees. The 16
Clerk shall read to the House papers ordered to be read; call the roll and note the answers 17
of members when a question is taken by yeas and nays; assist the Speaker in taking the 18
count when a ny vote of the House is taken; attest all writs, warrants, and subpoenas 19
issued by order of the House; certify to the passage of all bills and to the adoption of all 20
joint and concurrent resolutions by the General Assembly; and make all reports to the 21
Senate. The Clerk shall perform such other duties as are assigned by the Committee on 22
Committees. 23
Rule 29A. Duties of the Legislative Research Commission. The Legislative 24
Research Commission staff shall have charge of clerical and administrative functions as 25
assigned by the Clerk and shall cooperate with the Clerk to facilitate the work of the 26
House. 27
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Rule 30. Journal of Proceedings. The Clerk shall cause to be kept the Journal of 1
the proceedings of the House. The Clerk shall note upon the Journal all questions of 2
order, together with the disposition of same, and the dates upon which all bills and 3
resolutions were sent to committee and returned to the House. The House may correct 4
errors in the Journal the day the Journal containing errors is presented to the Hous e. No 5
record which is in the hands of the Clerk and is required by law to be entered upon the 6
Journal of the House shall be copied by any person until same shall have been entered 7
upon the Journal and that Journal shall have been approved. 8
Half an hour before the time fixed for the meeting of the House each day, the Clerk 9
or an assistant shall be present at the Clerk’s desk with the Journal of the preceding 10
session for inspection of any member of the House. 11
The Clerk or an assistant shall transmit the Journ al for each day, as soon as it has 12
been approved by the House, to the Legislative Research Commission, which shall 13
deliver it to the public printer. The Commission staff shall proofread and index the 14
Journal upon return from the printer and make necessary typographical corrections. 15
Rule 31. Custody of Papers. The Clerk shall have custody of all records, 16
minutes, reports, and documents pertaining to legislation, and shall not allow them to be 17
taken from his or her possession without the leave of the House, u nless to be delivered to 18
the chair of a committee to which they have been referred or to the Legislative Research 19
Commission. The Clerk shall cause to be enclosed on bills and papers brief notes of 20
proceedings had thereon by the House and preserve the same in convenient files for 21
reference. The Director of the Legislative Research Commission shall implement a policy 22
to provide for the maintenance and distribution of the records, papers, and bills of the 23
legislative branch. 24
Rule 32. Accounts of Expenditures. The Legislative Research Commission shall 25
keep the accounts for pay and mileage of members, officers and attaches, and for printing 26
and other contingent expenses of the House and Senate. 27
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Rule 33. Printing of House Papers. The Legislative Research Commission shall 1
have supervision and charge of all printing done for the House as certified by the Clerk 2
and the public printer shall print only such documents and other matter as the Legislative 3
Research Commission authorizes. The Clerk shall report to the Speak er every failure to 4
execute printing work correctly and promptly. 5
Rule 34. Duties of the Sergeant-at-Arms. It shall be the duty of the Sergeant -at-6
Arms and the Doorkeeper to exclude or remove all persons not entitled to the floor of the 7
House. One hour bef ore convening of the House each day the Sergeant -at-Arms shall 8
announce in a loud, distinct voice: "All persons not entitled to the floor of the House 9
under the rules thereof will now vacate the House Chamber." The Sergeant -at-Arms shall 10
then compel all pe rsons who are not entitled to remain therein to leave the House 11
Chambers and shall prohibit their entry until one hour after the House has adjourned. 12
Rule 35. Appointment and Conduct of Constitutional Employees. The 13
constitutional employees of the House sh all be appointed by election during the regular 14
sessions of the General Assembly and shall serve one year terms or until the election of 15
their successors. 16
All the constitutional employees of the House, shall, one hour before the meeting of 17
the House each d ay, report to the Clerk, who shall report to the Committee on 18
Committees whether or not all of the employees are on duty. The Committee on 19
Committees, whenever it deems it necessary, shall report to the House any dereliction of 20
duty. 21
Rule 36. Other Employe es. All other professional, clerical and other services 22
required by the House or its committees shall be furnished by the Legislative Research 23
Commission, upon the request of the Committee on Committees. Employees performing 24
such services shall be under the supervision of the Committee on Committees. 25
No officer or employee of the House shall receive any fee, tip or compensation 26
from any member and violation of this rule shall be ground for dismissal. 27
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COMMITTEES 1
Rule 37. Committee on Committees. There shall be a Committee on 2
Committees composed of the Speaker of the House, the Speaker Pro Tempore, the 3
Majority Caucus Chair, the Majority Floor Leader of the House, the Majority Whip, the 4
Minority Floor Leader of the House, the Minority Caucus Chair , and the Minority Whip. 5
The Speaker shall be Chair of the Committee and the majority of the Committee shall 6
have full power to act on all matters referred to the Committee, either by these rules or by 7
the action of the House. All bills and joint or concur rent resolutions shall, upon their 8
introduction, be automatically referred to the Committee on Committees , which[who] 9
shall refer same to the proper Committee not later than the fifth day in which the House is 10
in session after the date of introduction. In the event of a vacancy on the Committee on 11
Committees, the other remaining members of the majority or minority party’s leadership 12
serving on the Committee on Committees may determine whether there is a vacancy on 13
the Committee on Committees and shall appoint a replacement for that member. 14
The Committee on Committees shall have supervision and control over all 15
employees of the House, whether elected by the House or provided by the Legislative 16
Research Commission, and the Committee on Committees shall see tha t they perform all 17
of their duties to the House and the members thereof. The Committee on Committees is 18
empowered to discharge any or all said employees and officers except the constitutional 19
officers of the House. The Committee on Committees shall appoint the members of all 20
standing and special committees and shall fill any vacancies thereon in accordance with 21
Rule 39. 22
Rule 38. Standing Committees. The following shall be the standing committees 23
of the House: 24
1. Agriculture 25
2. Appropriations and Revenue 26
3. Banking and Insurance 27
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4. Economic Development and Workforce Investment 1
5. Primary and Secondary Education 2
6. Postsecondary Education 3
7. Elections, Constitutional Amendments and Intergovernmental Affairs 4
8. Families and Children 5
9. Health Services 6
10. Judiciary 7
11. Licensing, Occupations and Administrative Regulations 8
12. Local Government 9
13. Natural Resources and Energy 10
14. Small Business and Information Technology 11
15. State Government 12
16. Tourism and Outdoor Recreation 13
17. Transportation 14
18. Veterans, Military Affairs and Public Protection 15
Rule 39. Appointment of Committees. The Committee on Committees shall 16
appoint the Chair, Vice -Chairs and the members of all standing and special committees 17
and shall fill any vacancies thereon. In making the appointmen ts to standing committees, 18
the Committee on Committees shall appoint a member with service in the immediately 19
preceding regular session to at least one committee on which the member served in that 20
previous regular session. That appointment to the one commi ttee shall be at the 21
preference of the member, and the Committee on Committees shall be bound by the 22
member’s preference for that one committee; provided, however, a member who was a 23
committee chair in the preceding regular session shall select for reappoi ntment the 24
committee the member so chaired if the member wishes to be considered for the 25
chairmanship of that committee; if another selection is made, the member shall not be 26
reappointed chair of the committee which the member chaired in the preceding regu lar 27
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session. A member of the Committee on Committees shall not serve as chair of a standing 1
committee. A chair of a standing committee shall not serve as a member of the 2
Committee on Appropriations and Revenue. The Committee on Committees shall select 3
members of each standing and special committee in proportion to the representation of 4
each political party in the House. The Vice -Chair shall act in the absence of the Chair. 5
The Chair of any committee may appoint subcommittees to conduct hearings or study 6
any matters which have been referred to the committee. 7
Before the Committee on Committees shall appoint the members of standing and 8
special committees, the number of members on the committee to be appointed shall be 9
established by the Committee on Committees. At the same time, the Committee on 10
Committees shall establish the number of members of the committee of the majority 11
party and the minority party. 12
Every member of the House shall be appointed to at least one standing committee. 13
In appointing the membershi p of standing committees, the Committee on 14
Committees shall consider the predominant business interests or occupation of each 15
member so that the private interests of a majority of a committee’s members do not 16
correspond to the jurisdiction of the standing committee. 17
Rule 40. Jurisdiction of Standing Committees. The Committee on Committees 18
shall refer each bill to the Committee with control over the subject matter. All bills and 19
resolutions on the same subject matter shall be referred to the same committee. The 20
general jurisdiction of the several standing committees shall be: 21
1. Agriculture: matters pertaining to crops, livestock, poultry and their 22
marketing; disease control and warehousing; tobacco; stockyards; agricultural 23
cooperatives and marketing associations; agriculture weights and measures; veterinarians; 24
the State Fair; county fairs. 25
2. Appropriations and Revenue: matters pertaining to the executive budget 26
and other appropriations of state monies; the levying of state and local taxes, including 27
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school taxes; property tax rates and assessments; the state debt; revenue bond projects; 1
claims upon the treasury; accounting of state funds by local officers; audits for state 2
purposes; budget and financial administration; payment, collection and refund of taxes. 3
3. Banking and Insurance: matters pertaining to banking , financing, and 4
investment; trust business ; banks and trust companies; consumer loan companies; [ 5
building and loan associations;] credit unions; mortgage loan companies, brokers, and 6
originators; d eferred deposit service businesses and check cashing; money 7
transmitters; student loan servicers; investment companies; [ industrial loan 8
corporations;] securities; money transmission and other currency-related services; other 9
types of financial institution s, products, and services; entities and individuals 10
chartered, licensed, registered, or otherwise authorized by law to engage in the 11
business of, offer, or provide financial services, securities, or investments; the Blue Sky 12
Law; mortgage guaranty insuranc e; assessment and cooperative insurance; fraternal 13
benefit societies; hospital, medical, and dental service corporations; burial associations;[ 14
medical and dental service corporations;] life, accident, health, indemnity, property, 15
casualty, and other forms of insurance; annuities; stock and mutual insurance 16
companies; insurance agents, adjusters, administrators, and other producers; other 17
types of insurers, insurance products, and insurance services; entities and individuals 18
licensed, registered, or otherwi se authorized by law to engage in the business of, offer, 19
or provide insurance, annuities, or related services; banking, financing, investment, 20
and insurance aspects of the Uniform Commercial Code; interest and usury; 21
pawnbrokers;[ private credit;] commercial and consumer loans and credit; security 22
interests and other forms of collateral [sale of checks] ; installment sales contracts; legal 23
investments; financial aspects of trust and estate administration[principal and income]. 24
4. Economic Development and Wo rkforce Investment: matters pertaining to 25
commerce, industry, and economic and industrial development; the workforce and the 26
workplace; economic development planning, international trade and investment; 27
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investment companies and industrial loan corporations as they relate to economic and 1
industrial development; recruitment of business and industry; small business matters 2
relative to economic and industrial development; financing of business and industrial 3
development; business regulatory matters, including t he Uniform Commercial Code, 4
relative to economic and industrial development; worker training; technology 5
development and application; chambers of commerce; convention centers and publicly 6
owned exhibition and parking facilities; arts and arts exhibition fa cilities; state, interstate, 7
and national parks and historic sites; travel promotion and advertising; wages and hours; 8
garnishments; safety and health of employees; child labor; employment agencies; 9
apprenticeship; unemployment compensation; workers’ compe nsation; consumer 10
protection; industrial weights and measures. 11
5. Primary and Secondary Education: matters pertaining to public primary 12
and secondary education; the State Board of Education; the State Department of 13
Education; the powers and duties of local boards of education; conduct of schools; 14
attendance; state support of education; the operation of school districts, teachers’ 15
qualifications and tenure; the school curriculum; teachers’ retirement; school employees; 16
pupil transportation; school property a nd buildings; vocational education and 17
rehabilitation; educational television. 18
6. Postsecondary Education: matters pertaining to higher education; 19
universities and colleges; community colleges; regional education; postsecondary 20
education property and buildings. 21
7. Elections, Constitutional Amendments and Intergovernmental Affairs: 22
matters pertaining to the proposing of constitutional amendments and the calling of a 23
constitutional convention; ratification of amendments to the United States Constitution; 24
the election of officers to state, local and school board positions; election commissioners, 25
officers and precincts; qualifications, registration and purging of voters; regular elections; 26
primary elections; presidential and congressional elections; special ele ctions to fill 27
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vacancies; contest of elections; corrupt practices and election financing; election offenses 1
and prosecutions; voting machines; absentee ballots; intergovernmental cooperation; 2
state-federal relations; interstate compacts. 3
8. Families and Ch ildren: matters pertaining to child welfare; adoptions; 4
assistance to children; children's homes; commitment and care of children and families; 5
child protective services; adult protective services; state guardianship; caregiver support 6
services; child supp ort programs; support of dependents; family preservation programs; 7
social service programs; child care; senior citizens and aging; disabilities; rape crisis 8
centers; domestic violence shelters; sexual assault programs; public assistance programs 9
such as TANF, CCAP, SNAP, LIHEAP, and WIC. 10
9. Health Services: matters pertaining to health care and health care delivery; 11
human development; health outcomes; disabled persons; mental health; health, medical, 12
and dental scholarships; public health; local health departments; vital statistics; 13
communicable diseases; ep idemiology; certificate of need; hospitals, health clinics, and 14
long-term care facilities; substance abuse; maternal and child health; foods, drugs, and 15
poisons; hotel, restaurant, and trailer park regulations; sanitation plants; sanitation 16
districts; suic ide prevention; physicians, osteopaths, and podiatrists; chiropractors; 17
dentists and dental specialists; nurses; pharmacists; embalmers and funeral directors; 18
clinical psychologists; optometrists and ophthalmic dispensers; physical therapists; 19
Medicaid. 20
10. Judiciary: matters pertaining to contracts; the Uniform Commercial Code; 21
debtor-creditor relations; ownership and conveyance of property; private corporations 22
and associations; competency proceedings; administration of trusts and estates of persons 23
under disability; descent, wills and administration of decedents’ estates; domestic 24
relations; support of dependents; statutory actions and limitations; eminent domain; 25
arbitration; declaratory judgments; witnesses; evidence; legal notices; construction of 26
statutes; civil procedure; the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeals, circuit courts and 27
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district courts; family courts; jurisdiction, rules, terms, judges, commissioners, selections, 1
districts, qualifications, compensation and retirement; clerks of courts; juri es, attorneys; 2
receivers; court reporters; habeas corpus; crimes and punishments; criminal procedure; 3
probation and parole; correctional facilities; civil rights; and juvenile matters. 4
11. Licensing, Occupations and Administrative Regulations: matters 5
pertaining to professional licensing not assigned specifically to another committee; 6
racing; prize fighting and wrestling; places of entertainment; alcoholic beverage control; 7
private corporations; cooperative corporations and marketing associatio ns; religious, 8
charitable and educational societies; nonprofit corporations; professional service 9
corporations; cemeteries; barbers and cosmetologists; professional engineers and land 10
surveyors; architects; real estate brokers and agents; public accountant s; detection of 11
deception examiners; auctioneers; business schools; warehouses; partnerships; trade 12
practices; building codes; [review of ]administrative regulations. 13
12. Local Government: matters pertaining to the officers, organization, 14
government and fi nancing of city and county governments; city and county imposed 15
taxes and licenses; special purpose assessment and taxing districts within a city; city 16
revenue bond projects; city indebtedness; incorporation and classification of cities; forms 17
of city gove rnment; charter county, urban -county, and consolidated local governments 18
generally; county and special district debt; city and county finances and revenue; the 19
imposition of duties and costs on cities and counties; special districts not assigned to 20
another committee; the powers, duties and composition of fiscal court; compensation of 21
city and county officers and employees; local government civil service systems and local 22
government retirement systems; planning and zoning; interlocal cooperation and 23
consolidation of local government services; county roads; public road districts; city 24
streets and sidewalks; housing; manufactured housing; urban renewal and redevelopment; 25
water districts; acquisition of waterworks and water districts by cities; financing of 26
municipal improvements; urban service districts; fire protection districts; police 27
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departments, fire departments and local public safety agencies; issuance of bonds for 1
county and special district projects; sewers; metropolitan sewer and sanitation districts; 2
local air pollution control districts; city and county libraries; library districts; annexation 3
of territory; public works; parks and playgrounds. 4
13. Natural Resources and Energy: matters pertaining to forestry; mining; soil 5
and water conservation; flood control and water usage; drainage and irrigation; geology 6
and water resources; waterways and dams; oil, gas and salt water wells; state and national 7
parks; drainage districts; water pollution; air pollution; management of waste; protection 8
of the environme nt; Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Cabinet; privately 9
owned public utilities; rates, permits and certifications of convenience and necessity; 10
water district rates; utilities in cities; public utility cooperatives; electric and gas utilities 11
and cooperatives; oil and gas transmission companies; municipal utilities and water 12
works; energy and fuel development; energy waste disposal; the Public Service 13
Commission; solar and other renewable energy; hydroelectric and thermonuclear energy; 14
gasohol and other alternative fuels. 15
14. Small Business and Information Technology: development and support of 16
small businesses; job creation and job -training programs; federal, state and local 17
regulations that impact small businesses and their employees; all oth er matters not 18
specifically assigned to another committee relating to administrative, regulatory or 19
operating issues which, because of their smaller size, uniquely impact small business; 20
information technology planning; statewide standards related to infor mation technology; 21
broadband Internet; Internet service providers. 22
15. State Government: matters pertaining to the sovereignty and jurisdiction of 23
the Commonwealth; the General Assembly, its committees, officers and service agencies; 24
redistricting; the Gov ernor; the Lieutenant Governor; administrative organization; 25
administrative regulations; administrative agencies; Department of Law; constitutional 26
offices; state personnel; state retirement systems; public property and public printing; 27
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public officers, their terms, appointments, fees, compensation, removal, oaths and bonds; 1
public information; disaster and emergency services; state and regional planning; 2
libraries; archives and records; public corporations; Commonwealth’s attorneys; circuit 3
clerks. 4
16. Tourism and Outdoor Recreation: matters relating to tourism and travel 5
promotion and development; state, interstate, and national parks and historic sites; fish 6
and wildlife; small business matters relative to tourism development; hotels and motels 7
generally; hotel and restaurant regulations; billboards; advertising related to tourism 8
development; entertainment establishments; campgrounds; the Tourism Cabinet; hunting 9
and fishing; boating; horseback riding; hiking; bird watching; rock climbing; recreational 10
use of all-terrain vehicles; mountain biking; cycling; kayaking; recreational land use. 11
17. Transportation: matters relating to airports and aviation; boats and boating; 12
licensing of motor vehicles; operators and trailers; financial responsibility law; 13
nonresident motorists; motor vehicle sales; railroad rates, service and operating 14
regulations; motor carriers; matters pertaining to the construction and maintenance of the 15
state highway system; the Transportation Cabinet; state aid for local roads and streets; the 16
state police; the Federal Highway Safety Law; turnpike authority; state and federal 17
highways; limited access facilities; use of road bond monies; automobile recyclers; 18
highway beautification; bridges, tunnels and ferries; traffic regulations; vehicle 19
equipment and storage; driver training schools. 20
18. Veterans, Military Affairs and Public Protection: military affairs and civil 21
defense; national guard; veterans; retention of military bases; veterans’ rights, benefits, 22
and education; veterans’ nursing h omes; military memorials and cemeteries; fire 23
prevention and protection; foods, drugs, and poisons; pure foods and drugs; trailer park 24
regulations; hotel and restaurant regulations as they pertain to public health; sanitation 25
plants; garbage and refuse disposal. 26
Rule 41. Rules Committee. There shall be a Rules Committee composed of the 27
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Speaker of the House, the Speaker Pro Tempore, the Majority Floor Leader, the Majority 1
Caucus Chair, the Majority Whip, the Minority Floor Leader, the Minority Caucus Chair, 2
and the Minority Whip. All bills and resolutions having been reported out of the 3
committee to which referred and having received their second reading shall be referred to 4
the Rules Committee. The Rules Committee may refer any bill or resolution before it 5
back to a standing committee. If a bill which includes incarceration as a possible penalty 6
has been received by the Rules Committee from a standing committee other than the 7
Committee on Judiciary, the bill shall be referred to the Committee on Judiciary. No bill 8
or resolution shall be referred back by the Rules Committee on more than one occasion. 9
All meetings of the Rules Committee shall be open. In the event of a vacancy on the 10
Rules Committee, the other remaining members of the majority or minority party’ s 11
leadership serving on the Rules Committee may determine whether there is a vacancy on 12
the Rules Committee and shall appoint a replacement for that member. 13
The Majority Floor Leader shall while the Rules Committee is in session call bills 14
and resolutions for consideration by the Rules Committee. A bill or resolution may be 15
placed for consideration in the first order of business at the next regular Rules Committee 16
meeting by a majority of the membership voting for such consideration. 17
Each member shall be given an opportunity upon request to appear before the Rules 18
Committee when a bill of which the member is a sponsor or co -sponsor is under 19
consideration including the subsequent vote thereon. No measure shall be posted in the 20
Orders of the Day for final pass age except by order of the Rules Committee unless 21
otherwise ordered posted for the next succeeding legislative day by a majority of the 22
members voting. The Rules Committee shall arrange the Orders of the Day so that all 23
measures shall appear thereon for th e consideration of the House, but the Rules 24
Committee may not place in the Orders of the Day any bill or other measure in the 25
possession of a standing or special committee of the House. The Rules Committee, prior 26
to each day’s session, shall post a notice in a regular place in the House Chamber listing 27
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the bills to be considered that day in the Orders of the Day. Should the House not 1
complete any day’s Orders of the Day, the bills and resolutions remaining unconsidered 2
shall go to the top of the Orders of t he Day on the next day that Orders of the Day are 3
considered. 4
The Speaker of the House shall be the Chair of the Rules Committee. The Majority 5
Floor Leader of the House shall act for the Rules Committee in calling from the Orders of 6
the Day any bills or re solutions in the order the Majority Floor Leader deems proper and 7
shall be recognized by the Speaker for that purpose during all times that the Rules 8
Committee is in charge of posting the Orders of the Day. The Speaker Pro Tempore shall 9
act as chair in the absence of the Speaker. 10
Rule 42. Liaison Subcommittees. The Committee on Appropriations and 11
Revenue shall be divided into the following eight standing subcommittees of no more 12
than ten members each: 13
1. Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Protecti on, Tourism and 14
Energy; 15
2. Subcommittee on Personnel, Public Retirement and Finance; 16
3. Subcommittee on General Government; 17
4. Subcommittee on Justice, Public Safety and Judiciary; 18
5. Subcommittee on Primary and Secondary Education and Workforce 19
Development; 20
6. Subcommittee on Postsecondary Education; 21
7. Subcommittee on Transportation; 22
8. Subcommittee on Health and Family Services. 23
The Committee on Committees shall appoint to each standing subcommittee no 24
more than four members of the Committee on Appropria tions and Revenue and no more 25
than six members from the membership of one or more of the remaining standing 26
committees of the House. No member of the Committee on Committees shall serve as a 27
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member of a liaison subcommittee. A member of the Committee on Ap propriations and 1
Revenue shall serve on no more than one standing subcommittee. The chair of each 2
standing subcommittee shall be appointed by the Committee on Committees from among 3
the members of the Committee on Appropriations and Revenue serving on the p articular 4
standing subcommittee. 5
The liaison subcommittee members of a standing subcommittee shall have full 6
voting authority in all matters before a standing subcommittee. 7
The Committee on Committees may assign the chair of a standing committee as an 8
ex o fficio non -voting member of a standing subcommittee. The chairman and vice 9
chairman of the Committee on Appropriations and Revenue shall serve as ex officio 10
members of each standing subcommittee. 11
Rule 42A. Budget Review. The standing budget review subcommittees shall notify 12
the membership of the standing substantive committees whose jurisdictional area will be 13
affected by their action of any meetings or hearings and the members of the standing 14
committees may participate as non-voting members. 15
When the budge t review subcommittees have concluded their hearings and 16
formulated their recommendations they shall communicate their recommendations to the 17
affected standing committee or committees who may thereafter file a written response to 18
the recommendations, which response shall be transmitted to the full Committee on 19
Appropriations and Revenue with the subcommittee recommendations. 20
When the full Committee on Appropriations and Revenue has reported the final 21
budget bill or bills to the floor, it shall notify the af fected standing committees of the 22
content of the budget relating to their areas of jurisdiction. 23
The Rules Committee shall not post for passage any budget bill less than one day 24
after the bill has been finally reported out of committee, and no budget bill or amendment 25
thereto shall be voted upon without providing at least twenty -four hours for review after 26
the bill is posted for passage. 27
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Rule 43. Enrollment Committee. The Committee on Committees shall appoint 1
an Enrollment Committee of not more than seven members. The Enrollment Committee 2
shall be responsible for the engrossment and enrollment of bills and resolutions. 3
Rule 44. Conference Committees. When a House bill has been amended in the 4
Senate and the House refuses to concur in the amendment, or when a Senate bill has been 5
amended in the House and the Senate refuses to concur in the amendment and w hen 6
neither will recede from that action, the Committee on Committees shall appoint a 7
Conference Committee to meet a like committee from the Senate. The Conference 8
Committee shall confer with the Senate Committee and report back to the House within a 9
reasonable time, in the same manner as reports are made for House bills. The conference 10
report shall make no recommendation other than agreement upon or rejection of the 11
matter or matters in controversy, and shall be voted upon, and, if adopted the bill shall 12
immediately be put upon its final passage. 13
Should a conference committee report its inability to submit a report, or if either 14
house refuses to adopt its report, each house may appoint a free conference committee, 15
consisting of three or more members. A free conference committee shall propose no new 16
appropriation or any appropriation above the level originally designed by either chamber. 17
The free conference report shall be voted on, and if adopted, the bill shall immediately be 18
put upon its final passage. 19
A conference committee or free conference committee report shall be signed by a 20
majority from each house or it shall not be in order. 21
Where both majority and minority conference or free conference reports are 22
submitted, a motion to adopt the majority report s hall first be considered and a motion to 23
adopt a minority report shall not be in order unless a motion to adopt the majority report 24
fails. Once the majority or minority report is adopted, the bill shall immediately be put 25
upon its final passage. 26
Rule 44A. Majority and Minority Caucuses. The majority and minority caucuses 27
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of the House of Representatives shall be committees, other than standing committees, of 1
the House of Representatives and General Assembly. Each member of the House shall be 2
a presumptive me mber of the caucus of his or her party affiliation. Notwithstanding the 3
above provisions, by a two -thirds vote of the respective caucus, an individual member 4
may be removed from or added to that caucus. 5
Rule 45. Meetings of Committees. No committee except the Committee on 6
Committees, the Enrollment Committee and a Conference Committee between the House 7
and the Senate shall sit while the House is in session, unless by consent of the House. The 8
Committee on Committees and Enrollment Committee may report at an y time except 9
during roll call or while a vote is being taken. 10
The Committee on Committees, in conference with committee chairs, shall 11
schedule a definite time and place for the regular weekly meetings of each committee, 12
and that schedule shall be posted i n the House Chamber and published in the Legislative 13
Record. A committee shall meet at the regular weekly scheduled time and place so long 14
as business is pending before the committee. The Chair or a majority of any committee 15
may call a special meeting in addition to those regularly scheduled. 16
The Chair shall keep a record of the attendance of members at meetings, which 17
record shall be filed with the Clerk. 18
The Director of the Legislative Research Commission, under the direction of the 19
Committee on Committee s, shall assign a secretary to each committee and provide any 20
professional, clerical or other employees required by any committee. 21
The Committee on Committees shall meet on call of the Speaker or on call of a 22
majority of the members of the Committee on Committees. 23
Rule 46. Committee Reports. No bill or resolution shall be considered by the 24
House except on report of committee. A standing committee may report a bill or 25
resolution in the following manner: 26
"With the expression of opinion that the same should pass," or 27
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"With the expression of opinion that the same should pass, with the committee 1
amendment attached thereto," or 2
"With the expression of opinion that the same should pass, with the committee 3
substitute attached thereto," or 4
"With the expression of opinion that the same should not pass." 5
Rule 47. Standing and Special Committee Reports. It shall require a majority 6
of the committee membership to report a bill or resolution. The chair shall keep a record 7
of the vote of each member on the disposition of eac h bill, and shall report the total vote 8
on each side to the House. The chair may sign reports on behalf of a majority of the 9
committee members. The chair’s signature shall attest to the action of a majority, but 10
shall not be construed as the chair’s personal approval or disapproval of the bill. 11
A committee report may be accompanied by a minority report, signed by those 12
members who have dissented from the committee’s report, and it shall be in order to 13
move the adoption of the minority report as a substitute for the committee’s report when 14
the committee offers its report. It shall require a majority of the members elected to adopt 15
the minority report. The committee’s report shall always be read before the minority 16
report is read. Where both majority and minor ity reports are submitted, a motion to adopt 17
the majority report shall first be considered, and a motion to adopt a minority report shall 18
not be in order unless a motion to adopt the majority report fails. 19
Rule 48. Discharge Petition. Whenever a committee fails or refuses to report a 20
bill submitted to it, any member may, upon filing with the Clerk a written petition to 21
determine if the committee has held the bill for an unreasonable time, call the petition for 22
consideration on the next succeeding legislativ e day after its filing. The petition is 23
deemed filed when it is read into the record by the Clerk of the House. If a majority of the 24
members elected to the House concur that the bill has been held an unreasonable time by 25
signing the petition, the bill shal l be considered as though it had been regularly reported 26
and shall be given its first reading and thereafter treated as any other bill which had been 27
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reported from a committee. 1
Rule 49. Procedure in Committee. The rules of procedure in the House shall be 2
observed in committee insofar as the same are applicable. Any bill or resolution referred 3
to a committee by the Committee on Committees shall be considered eligible for 4
consideration and action thereon by the committee at the discretion of the committee 5
chair. 6
BILLS AND RESOLUTIONS 7
Rule 50. Form of Bills. All bills introduced shall be printed on the computerized 8
bill preparation system of the Legislative Research Commission, and none otherwise 9
prepared shall be accepted for introduction. Bills shall be offer ed as one original for 10
introduction[ and three distinctly legible copies] . Identical bills for introduction in the 11
other chamber may be exact reproductions of the original bill, provided the[one] copy is 12
authenticated by the Director of the Legislative Res earch Commission as the original to 13
be introduced in the other chamber. The original shall be the official bill, and shall be 14
retained by the Clerk for the use of the House until engrossed and sent to the Senate. A 15
replacement original of a bill, generated pursuant to these Rules, shall thereafter be 16
considered the original and official bill. [One copy shall be used by committees; one copy 17
shall be retained for the use of legislative staff; and one copy shall be provided to the 18
Legislative Research Commissi on. ]The original bill [Each copy] shall be backed with a 19
protective cover, as provided for this purpose by the Legislative Research Commission. 20
The title of the bill, or a portion thereof, and the signature of the member introducing the 21
bill shall be placed on the[each] cover. 22
In all bills, as introduced and as printed, any new matter contained therein shall be 23
underscored; and when an amendment proposes the elimination of matter in an existing 24
law, that elimination shall be indicated on the bill by placing the material proposed to be 25
eliminated in brackets, and by striking through the words to be eliminated with a single 26
line so as not to render those words illegible. In any bill seeking to repeal existing 27
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sections of the Kentucky Revised Statutes, the sect ions sought to be repealed shall be 1
identified by way of inclusion of the headnotes applied to each section as it appears in the 2
Kentucky Revised Statutes. All bills recommending or reauthorizing a study by an 3
interim committee, task force, or special comm ittee of the Legislative Research 4
Commission shall include the following language: "Provisions of this statute to the 5
contrary notwithstanding, the Legislative Research Commission shall have the authority 6
to alternatively assign the issues identified herei n to an interim joint committee or 7
subcommittee thereof, and to designate a study completion date." The Legislative 8
Research Commission staff shall see that all bills introduced have been prepared through 9
the computerized bill preparation system of the Legislative Research Commission. 10
Rule 51. Introduction of Bills. A member may introduce bills and resolutions by 11
filing them with the House Clerk on the floor or in the Clerk’s office at any time the 12
office is open. The member filing the bill or resolution shall be the primary sponsor of the 13
bill or resolution, and with the sponsor’s permission, one member may sign the bill as 14
primary co-sponsor. Other members may co -sponsor the bill or resolution only with the 15
sponsor’s permission and by either filing the pro per papers with the Clerk or by 16
indicating their desire to co -sponsor the bill or resolution in the electronic bill book co -17
sponsorship form [Legislative Research Commission Remote Voting System] or, upon 18
motion by the primary sponsor of a simple resolution to allow co -sponsorship by a roll 19
call vote made immediately following adoption of the resolution, by indicating their 20
desire to co -sponsor the resolution by an affirmative vote. Bills and resolutions must be 21
signed by the sponsors and co -sponsors with th e member’s legislative district numbers 22
beside their signature, except in the case of co-sponsorship by the electronic bill book co-23
sponsorship form[Legislative Research Commission Remote Voting System] or roll call 24
vote as permitted by this rule. A co -sponsor may withdraw co -sponsorship of the bill or 25
resolution with or without the sponsor’s permission by filing the proper papers with the 26
Clerk. Bills and resolutions filed after the House has concluded the Introduction and 27
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Reading of New Bills, in Rule 4, Order of Business, shall be considered as having been 1
introduced the next succeeding legislative day. The House Clerk shall number bills in the 2
order received and transmit a copy immediately after intro duction on the House floor to 3
the Committee on Committees for reference to committee. 4
In a regular session in an even-numbered year, no bill or resolution having the force 5
of law shall be introduced after the thirty -eighth legislative day of the session. I n a 6
regular session in an odd -numbered year, no bill or resolution having the force of law 7
shall be introduced after the fourteenth legislative day of the session. 8
The last two legislative days preceding the veto recess shall be reserved by the 9
House exclusively for the business of concurring in amended House bills, receding from 10
House amendments, considering conference and free conference committee reports, and 11
final passage and enrollment of legislation. No House bills or House resolutions having 12
the forc e of law, other than those referred to in the previous sentence, shall be placed 13
upon their passage later than the fifty -third legislative day in even -year regular sessions, 14
nor later than the twenty -fifth legislative day in odd -year regular sessions; and on the 15
fifty-fourth legislative day in an even -year regular session and on the twenty -sixth 16
legislative day in an odd -year regular session, all bills other than those referred to in the 17
previous sentence that remain in the Orders of the Day shall be return ed to the Rules 18
Committee. 19
The House shall not consider any bills or resolutions having the force of law for 20
concurrence, recession, adoption of conference or free conference committee reports, or 21
final passage if they are received after 5 p.m. on the final concurrence day of a regu lar 22
session. Any legislative day falling after the veto recess shall be reserved by the House 23
exclusively for the purposes of considering gubernatorial veto messages. 24
Rule 52. Statutory Fiscal Impact Statements. The staff of the Legislative 25
Research Commission shall analyze and prepare a fiscal statement for any bill which, if 26
enacted, would fiscally affect local governments in a significant manner through the 27
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imposition of a local mandate; constitute a mandated health benefit; change the financial 1
liability of any public retirement system administered by an agency of state government; 2
or fiscally affect state or local corrections services in a significant manner, including any 3
bill which would modify or create a criminal penalty or otherwise affect the population of 4
a correctional system or facility. No measure for which the preparation of a fiscal 5
statement has been requested or is required pursuant to this rule shall be placed in the 6
Orders of the Day until the fiscal statement is attached, unless the requ irement is waived 7
by a vote of a majority of the members elected to the House. 8
Rule 52A. Member Requested Fiscal Notes. A sponsor of a bill which, if enacted, 9
would affect the revenues or expenditures of the Commonwealth generally, may at any 10
time by reque st cause the staff of the Legislative Research Commission to analyze and 11
prepare a fiscal note for the measure describing such impacts on revenues or 12
expenditures. The fiscal note, if requested, shall be delivered to the sponsor. 13
The chair or a majority of the committee to which a bill has been referred may 14
require that a fiscal note be attached to the bill prior to final committee action. 15
Members may require, by majority vote, that a fiscal note be prepared for any bill 16
on the Orders of the Day. In that instance, the fiscal note shall be attached to the bill prior 17
to final consideration on the floor of the House. 18
Rule 53. Member Requested Fiscal Notes and Statutory Fiscal Impact 19
Statements for Amendments. Any member proposing an amendment from the floor for 20
a measure to which a fiscal note or fiscal statement has been attached shall cause an 21
amended fiscal note or fiscal statement, as appropriate, to be prepared and attached to the 22
amendment. 23
Rule 54. Reference of Bills. The Committee on Committees shall refer all bills to 24
the proper standing committee not later than the fifth day in which the House is in session 25
after the date of introduction. When a House bill has been amended in the Senate and has 26
been returned to the House for concurrence in the amendment , it shall be referred to the 27
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Rules Committee. In these instances, the Clerk shall distribute copies of the bill and its 1
proposed amendment to each member of the Rules Committee. The Rules Committee 2
may post these bills to the Orders of the Day for conside ration of the amendment, and 3
final passage, giving precedence to these bills over all other matters posted. When bills 4
with amendments for concurrence are reached in the Orders of the Day, the Speaker shall 5
first put the question of concurrence in the amen dment, whereupon if that is favorable, 6
the bill shall be put immediately upon its final passage. Bills originating in and passed by 7
the Senate when reported to the House shall be referred to the Committee on Committees 8
and shall take the same course as other bills. 9
Rule 55. Printing of Bills. Upon receipt of a bill, the Legislative Research 10
Commission shall examine the form of the bill to ensure that it is free from errors of form 11
or typography and has been assigned the proper KRS section or chapter numbers . If a 12
formal change is necessary the Commission shall request the sponsor of the bill to sign a 13
form approving the specified changes. If a bill is found to be correct, or corrections have 14
been approved, the Commission shall authorize its printing. 15
The Leg islative Research Commission shall have printed for the use of the 16
members a sufficient number of copies of each bill or resolution carrying the force and 17
effect of law introduced in the House and of each bill or resolution carrying the force and 18
effect of law acted on by the Senate and reported to the House. Bills shall be printed in 19
the order in which they are introduced and shall be distributed to members immediately 20
upon receipt from the printer. For the purposes of this rule, printing and distribution of 21
bills and resolutions shall be considered satisfied when any bill or resolution is 22
distributed electronically to each member’s electronic bill book, provided that any 23
member may at any time request the additional printing of a paper copy of any bill or 24
resolution introduced in or reported to the House. 25
Rule 56. Readings of Bills. If a bill is reported with the expression of opinion 26
that it should not pass, a vote may then be taken on whether it shall be read at length and 27
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be placed on the Calendar, if a majority of the members elected to the House shall concur 1
therein. When reported favorably by the committee, the bill shall then be given its first 2
reading at length and shall be placed by the Clerk upon the Calendar, and shall then be 3
entitled to its second reading the next succeeding legislative day. 4
Every bill shall be read at length on three different legislative days; but the second 5
and third readings may be dispensed with by a majority of all the members elected to the 6
House. 7
Rule 57. Calendar[; Conse nt Calendar] . (1) The Clerk shall keep a Regular 8
Calendar for each legislative day showing the bills receiving their second reading. 9
(2) The Clerk shall also keep a Regular Orders [ and, when necessary, a Consent 10
Orders] showing bills posted for final passage by the Rules Committee. 11
(3) Bills reported by a Standing Committee with a regular "should pass" or 12
"should pass with committee amendment/substitute attached" recommendation shall be 13
shown in the Regular Calendar on the day on which they are entitled to a second reading. 14
[(4) A consent procedure for the consideration of noncontroversial bills shall be 15
established and designated as follows: 16
(a) The Rules Committee may recommend that any House or Senate Bill having 17
been favorably reported by a Standing Comm ittee be placed in the Consent Orders, 18
provided the bill receives a recommendation from the Rules Committee by a unanimous 19
vote of the members present. 20
(b) The Rules Committee may post any or all of those bills to the Consent Orders 21
for a day certain. On t hat day, the Consent Orders shall be called before the Regular 22
Orders. 23
(c) Upon the call of the Consent Orders each bill in those Orders shall be given a 24
third reading by title only. The Speaker shall then allow a reasonable time for questions 25
from the floor and any explanation necessary by the sponsor or committee chair. Consent 26
Order bills may not be amended from the floor. 27
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(d) The Clerk shall attach a roll call to each bill in the Consent Orders and any 1
member may at any time prior to passage of the Cons ent Orders record with the Clerk a 2
"nay" vote on any bill within the Consent Orders. 3
(e) Upon the call for the question on the Consent Orders, the Speaker shall 4
instruct the Clerk to announce the "nay" votes previously filed on each bill in the Consent 5
Orders. All other members present in the chamber on the day and at the time the Consent 6
Orders are called shall be considered as having voted "aye" and the roll call attached to 7
each bill shall so reflect as the final vote.] 8
Rule 58. Orders of the Day. When a bill has had its second reading it shall be 9
referred to the Rules Committee for consideration of whether it shall be placed in the 10
Orders of the Day, or be recommitted, and when next reached in the House it shall be 11
ready for recommitment, or to be read a third time and placed upon its passage, and the 12
Speaker shall so announce to the House. 13
A bill may be recommitted or amended in accordance with these rules at any time 14
before its passage. Bills shall be placed in the Orders of the Day in the order in whic h 15
they have been given their first reading, and shall be taken therefrom in accordance with 16
Rule 41. When a House bill is in the Orders of the Day, it shall be in order on motion of 17
the author to substitute for it an identical Senate bill which is in the C alendar of the 18
House. 19
No bill shall be taken from the Orders of the Day unless it shall have been printed 20
and previously distributed to members, which for the purposes of this rule shall include 21
electronic distribution to each member’s electronic bill book . No bill, amendment, or 22
committee substitute relating to congressional or legislative redistricting shall be taken 23
from the Orders of the Day unless it shall have been verified by Legislative Research 24
Commission staff using the Commission’s redistricting software, for plan integrity and 25
geographic integrity. The verification shall be evidenced by the Legislative Record 26
summary notation "PLAN INTEGRITY VERIFIED" and the "Geographic Integrity 27
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Verified" notation on amendments. 1
Rule 59. Final Passage. When a House bill has been amended in the Senate and 2
the House has concurred in the amendment, or a Senate bill has been amended in the 3
House, but the Senate refuses to concur, and the House recedes from its amendment, the 4
bill shall immediately be placed upon its passage. 5
Rule 60. Amendments to Bills. All amendments offered shall be on sheets with a 6
proper heading printed in black, furnished by the Commission staff, and shall bear the 7
signature and district number of the members offering the same. An amendment pre pared 8
for one member but signed by another shall be considered the amendment of the member 9
signing the amendment. All amendments shall give the proper page and line of the 10
printed bill. An original and one copy of each amendment shall be introduced. No 11
amendment shall be in order that is not germane to the matter under consideration and 12
unless it shall have been printed and previously distributed by the Clerk to members at 13
least one legislative day prior to consideration of the bill or resolution; and the S peaker, 14
when the question is raised, shall rule as to the admissibility of the proposed amendment, 15
subject to appeal to the House. 16
No amendment to a bill under consideration shall be in order if it contains the 17
substantial text of the language of any other bill introduced during the session which has 18
not passed the House. The commission staff shall cause those amendments to be 19
identified when the bill proposed to be amended thereby is posted on the Orders of the 20
Day. When a question is raised as to the iden tity of the proposed amendment containing 21
the substantial text of any other bill introduced during the session, the Speaker shall rule 22
thereon, subject to appeal to the House. 23
A committee substitute, upon its adoption, shall be considered as the original b ill 24
for purposes relating to the permissible degree of further amendment of the bill. 25
A proposal to amend the title of a bill shall be by separate title amendment. The 26
question of adoption of an offered title amendment for a bill shall be presented to the 27
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body immediately after adoption of the bill. 1
A proposal to amend the Constitution of Kentucky shall be introduced as a bill, and 2
no such proposal shall be in order if it is offered as an amendment to any bill. 3
If a proposed floor amendment to a branch budget bill will result, if adopted, in a 4
loss of revenues or an increase in expenditures for a budget unit, the amendment shall 5
specify by budget unit the amount and source of funds that will offset the loss of revenues 6
or specify the budget unit or other source of funds that will support the increased 7
expenditures. If a budget unit or other source of funds is specified, the amendment shall 8
include all necessary language to effect the changes. It shall be out of or der for a floor 9
amendment to a branch budget bill to: (a) specify in general language that funds to 10
support the change shall come from broadly defined sources, such as the budget of a 11
particular cabinet, branch of government, or multiple unrelated budget u nits, unless the 12
effect on each of these is specifically defined by program and amount; (b) require or 13
permit any other branch or unit of government to determine which specific programs 14
would be affected; or (c) reduce the Budget Reserve Trust Fund. 15
Rule 61. Engrossment of Bills. Every House bill and joint resolution, together 16
with the amendments thereto, which has been passed by the House and not subject to 17
further amendment or motion, shall be engrossed by the Clerk. The Clerk shall endorse 18
thereon the da y of passage or adoption. The bill shall be delivered to the Senate in open 19
session by the Clerk or someone designated by the Clerk, and Senate concurrence asked 20
therein. A like procedure shall be observed toward Senate bills. 21
When engrossing a bill, the Clerk may incorporate amendments by means of typing 22
or by generating a replacement original of the bill through computerized process. 23
Rule 62. Enrollment of Bills. All House bills and resolutions which have passed 24
both the Senate and the House shall be deli vered by the Clerk to the Enrolling Clerk, 25
taking a receipt therefor, in the order in which passed. The Clerk shall keep the number 26
and title of all bills and joint and concurrent resolutions carrying the force and effect of 27
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law, passed by the House of Rep resentatives and the Senate in a suitable record book 1
attesting the fact and date of passage. 2
If a bill which originates in the House is amended by the Senate and the House 3
concurs in the amendments proposed and adopted by the Senate, the Clerk shall engro ss 4
those amendments in the original copy of the bill by typing or may generate a 5
replacement original copy of the House bill through computerized process, before 6
delivering the bill to the Enrolling Clerk of the House. 7
In cases of extreme emergency and dur ing the last three days prior to sine die 8
adjournment, where no correct printed copy can be produced, the Enrolling Clerk may 9
enroll the bill or resolution by typing the same. 10
The original bill or resolution or replacement therefor, if applicable, and an e nrolled 11
copy shall be delivered to the Committee on Enrollment. The Enrolling Clerk shall certify 12
that each is in the exact form as finally passed prior to their delivery. The Committee on 13
Enrollment and the Enrolling Clerk shall jointly compare the origin al bill with the 14
enrolled copy, and if the enrollment is ascertained to be correctly done, the Committee 15
shall report the same to the House. If any bill or resolution is found not correctly enrolled, 16
it shall be returned to the Enrolling Clerk to be proper ly enrolled and delivered to the 17
Committee on Enrollment as is first provided herein. 18
Rule 63. Signing of Bills. The Enrolling Clerk of the House shall deliver the 19
enrolled copies of House bills and resolutions signed by the Speaker to the Chair of the 20
Enrollment Committee of the Senate for presentation to the President of the Senate for 21
the President’s signature. When signed by the President of the Senate, the enrolled bill or 22
resolution shall be returned by the Enrolling Clerk to the Clerk of the House wh o shall 23
present the enrolled bill or resolution to the Governor for the Governor’s approval and 24
take a receipt for same. 25
Rule 64. Resolutions. Resolutions having the force and effect of law shall be 26
treated and considered as bills in all respects under the se rules. A simple resolution 27
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expressing the will of the House shall upon its introduction be automatically referred to 1
the Committee on Committees, which may refer it to the floor if it is honorary, 2
benevolent, and does not direct further action; otherwis e, it shall be referred to a standing 3
committee. Simple resolutions referred to a standing committee may be considered for 4
adoption only after receiving a recommendation from a standing committee and being 5
posted for passage by the Rules Committee. A resol ution shall not be accepted for 6
introduction if offered in lieu of a legislative citation. No resolution shall be considered 7
unless it shall have been distributed to all members. All resolutions recommending or 8
reauthorizing a study by an interim committee , task force, or special committee of the 9
Legislative Research Commission shall include the following language: "Provisions of 10
this resolution to the contrary notwithstanding, the Legislative Research Commission 11
shall have the authority to alternatively as sign the issues identified herein to an interim 12
joint committee or subcommittee thereof, and to designate a study completion date." All 13
resolutions recommending or reauthorizing a study, or which recommend or reauthorize 14
creation of a task force or special committee of the Legislative Research Commission 15
shall be concurrent or joint resolutions. 16
Rule 65. Legislative Citations. For the purpose of extending the commendations, 17
condolences or congratulations of the General Assembly to a particular person, or to 18
recognize a particular event or occasion, there may be issued a "Legislative Citation." 19
Citations may not be used for procedural matters, matters of a controversial or partisan 20
political nature, nor in place of resolutions memorializing the U.S. Congress, but only 21
when appropriate to express the feeling of the House or of the General Assembly with 22
reference to a person or event. 23
Staff of the Legislative Research Commission shall prepare proposed legislative 24
citations for adoption by the House and shall ass ign those citations a number. The 25
sponsor shall receive the original citation and a copy shall also be transmitted to the Clerk 26
of the House prior to adoption. Each citation shall bear the signature of the sponsor and 27
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the name of the person or event cited, and upon adoption shall be spread at length upon 1
the Journal. Citations shall be read by title and sponsor only and considered in the order 2
of business "Motions, Petitions, Communications and Announcements." 3
VOTING 4
Rule 66. Roll Call. Any member, with a s econd, may require a roll call on any 5
matter pending before the House. The names of members shall be arranged alphabetically 6
when taking a yea and nay vote. 7
Any time these rules require a roll -call vote, or a yea and a nay vote of the 8
members, that vote ma y be taken by either a voice roll call or the electronic[electrical] 9
voting system, as ordered by the Speaker. 10
The Speaker, before each roll-call vote is taken, shall instruct the Clerk to sound the 11
warning chimes installed in that part of the Capitol assigned to the use of the House. 12
During a roll call any one member, with a second, may request and be afforded a 13
delay of two minutes prior to the closing of the roll. [Except when remote voting is 14
authorized pursuant to House Rule 67A or alternative voting i s authorized pursuant to 15
House Rule 68A, ]Only one such motion shall be observed during any one roll call. 16
Rule 67. Electronic[Electrical] Voting System. When the House is ready to vote 17
upon any question requiring a roll call, and the vote is to be taken b y the 18
electronic[electrical] roll call system, the Speaker shall announce: 19
"The question is on the passage of (designating the matter to be voted upon). All in 20
favor of the question shall vote ‘yea,’ and all opposed shall vote ‘nay.’ The House roll is 21
now open for voting." 22
The Speaker shall recognize any member who rises for the purpose of explaining a 23
vote. No member shall be allowed to speak more than two minutes to explain a vote, and 24
no more than one minute if the member has already spoken on the measur e, and shall not 25
speak at all if the question is not a debatable question. The recognition of a member for 26
the purpose of explaining a vote and the time limit allotted by this rule for explanation are 27
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subject to, and may be further limited by, a motion to set limits on debate. 1
When sufficient time has been allowed the members to vote and to explain their 2
vote, the Speaker shall announce: "Have all voted?" "Does anyone desire to change their 3
vote?" and, after sufficient pause, shall lock the roll call system and instruct the Clerk to 4
record the vote. [Except when alternative voting is authorized pursuant to House Rule 5
68A, ] It shall be the responsibility of each member to determine the accuracy of the 6
member’s individual vote as registered opposite the member ’s name on the 7
electronic[electrical] roll call board and advise the Speaker of any desired change before 8
the roll call system is locked. [If alternative voting is authorized pursuant to House Rule 9
68A, either the member or the designee of the member’s cau cus that is permitted to cast 10
votes on behalf of the member may determine the accuracy of the member’s individual 11
vote and advise the Speaker of any desired change before the roll call system is locked. In 12
the case of alternative voting, the Speaker shall recognize each caucus designee that is 13
permitted to cast votes on behalf of any member for an affirmation that all member votes 14
are registered correctly before the roll call system is locked.] 15
The Clerk shall immediately start the recording equipment, and when completely 16
recorded, shall present the result to the Speaker who shall announce same to the House. 17
The Clerk shall enter upon the Journal the result in the manner provided by the rules of 18
the House. 19
At the same time the vote is recorded by the electronic[electric] recording 20
equipment an original and five duplicate roll call sheets shall be made showing the vote, 21
two of which duplicates shall be for use of the press, and one copy shall be furnished to 22
the Legislative Research Commission. 23
With respect to any roll call vote on a question that is not on the passage of a bill, 24
adoption of an amendment or committee substitute, concurrence or recession from a 25
Senate amendment, adoption of a conference committee or free conference committee 26
report, or override of a gubernatorial veto, the electronic[electrical] voting system shall 27
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indicate that the question subject of the roll call vote is procedural in nature, and the roll 1
call vote shall be described as a procedural vote on the original roll call sheet and on all 2
duplicates. 3
Rule 67A. [Remote Voting Permitted. At any time, the Speaker, or other presiding 4
officer as specified in House Rule 26, may authorize remote voting procedures for the 5
members on any matter pending before the House. At any time, a committee chair may 6
authorize remote voting procedures for the members of the committee on any matter 7
pending before the committee. 8
If remote voting is authorized in the House, any member physically present in their 9
Capitol Annex office may cast a vote on any matter pending before the House by 10
utilizing the Legislative Research Commission Remote Voting System to indicate the 11
member’s yea or nay vote on the matter. Any votes cast by members in person in a 12
member’s Capitol Annex office through the Legislative Research Commission Remote 13
Voting System shall be reflected on the electrical voting system. 14
Rule 67B. ]Vote Modification. Following the close of any vote, a member may 15
only enter a new vote or modify a previously cast vote by motion, and only if the 16
member’s vote will not change the outcome of the original vote on the measure. If the 17
member’s motion is granted, the member shall file with the Clerk the vote the member 18
wishes the Clerk to enter or modify on a form provided by the Clerk, and the Clerk shall 19
thereafter enter upon the Journal the member’s new or modified vote; provided that no 20
vote cast or modified by motion under this rule shall amend an original roll call sheet. 21
Rule 68. Voting for Others Prohibited. [Except when alternative voting is 22
authorized pursuant to House Rule 68A, ] No member shall vote for another member, nor 23
shall any person not a member cast a vote for a member. In addition to any penalties as 24
may be prescribed by law, any member who shall vote or attempt to vote for another 25
member [who is no t authorized to vote for the member by House Rule 68A ] may be 26
punished in a manner as the House may determine. If a person not a member shall vote or 27
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attempt to vote for any member, that person shall be barred from the floor of the House 1
for the remainder of the session and may be further punished in any manner as the House 2
may deem proper, in addition to the punishment as may be prescribed by law. 3
[Rule 68A. Alternative Voting for Others Permitted. If any member is diagnosed 4
with COVID -19 or is under a qua rantine order related to COVID -19, the Speaker, or 5
other presiding officer as specified in House Rule 26, may authorize alternative voting 6
procedures for the member. 7
If alternative voting is authorized for a member, and if the member is physically 8
present in their automobile on the Capitol Campus, the member may cast a vote on any 9
matter pending before the House by advising the Speaker, the Clerk, or a designee of the 10
member’s caucus who will be physically present during a session of the House of the 11
member’s yea or nay vote on the matter. 12
Prior to the Speaker, the Clerk, or the caucus designee accepting and casting a vote 13
for another member, the Speaker, the Clerk, or the caucus designee shall verify the 14
member’s identity and desired vote on a specific measure under consideration through 15
appropriate means, including but not limited to a video call in which the member’s face 16
can be seen and their desired vote on a specific measure can be clearly communicated. 17
At the appropriate time, the Speaker shall announce the specific measure to be 18
considered and announce in open session any votes received by him or her directly, as 19
well as any votes received by the Clerk. The Speake r shall then recognize the caucus 20
designees who shall announce in open session any votes received by them on behalf of 21
any other members. All of the announced votes, as well as any votes cast by members in 22
person, shall be reflected on the electrical voting system. 23
The Clerk shall enter upon the Journal the result in the manner provided by the 24
rules of the House.] 25
[Rule 69. Pairing. All pairs announced in the House shall be entered on the 26
Journal.] 27
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Rule 69[70]. Adjournment Extended During Roll Call. When the roll is 1
being called in taking a yea and nay vote, and the hour of an adjournment arrives, the 2
same shall stand extended until after the yea and nay vote has been completed and the 3
result announced. 4
PRIVILEGE OF THE FLOOR 5
Rule 70[71]. Persons Entitled to the Floor. No person shall be permitted upon 6
the floor of the House[ or within the member’s offices on the third and fourth floor of the 7
Capitol Annex] when the House is in session and upon the floor of the Ho use one hour 8
before and after the House is in session except the present members of the General 9
Assembly[, former members of the General Assembly,] and all officers and employees of 10
the General Assembly or Legislative Research Commission . Bona fide news me dia 11
correspondents shall be admitted to the floor of the House [gallery] when recommended 12
by the Committee on Committees and shall be governed by the rules of the House and 13
assigned by the Committee on Committees to a media section specifically set aside fo r 14
them. 15
[Members may submit the names of guests to their caucus chair. The Majority 16
Caucus Chair and the Minority Caucus Chair shall read the names of their respective 17
caucus members’ guests to the House. Members shall not introduce guests from the 18
floor.] 19
Rule 71[72]. Restriction of Lobbying and Access to the House Chambers 20
and Office Areas. No person shall engage in lobbying for or against any measure while 21
the House is in session, or in recess, in any of the corridors or passages or in any of the 22
rooms [in ] that are a part of the [ Capitol or Capitol Annex assigned to the use of the 23
House,] House Chambers, which includes the building where the House convenes, as 24
well as any corridors, passages, or stairways leading to the building in which the 25
House convenes and any adjacent portion of the Capitol Annex designated as part of 26
the House Chambers by the Committee on Committees or the Legislative Research 27
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Commission. [and ] No registered lobbyist shall enter any[that] part of the House 1
Chambers[Capitol or the me mber’s offices on the third and fourth floor of the Capitol 2
Annex] while the House is in session.[ This rule shall not be construed to prohibit the use 3
of the corridors or passages in going to and from the House gallery by any person. 4
A sign, poster, or an y other object, the purpose of which can be reasonably 5
construed to indicate support or opposition to any measure before the House, and which 6
is large enough to be generally visible from the House floor, shall not be permitted in the 7
gallery.] 8
Only authorized persons shall be allowed access to the House Chambers and office 9
areas assigned for use of the members and staff of the House. For the purposes of the 10
House Chambers[this paragraph], "authorized person" means a member of the General 11
Assembly[,] or an e mployee of the General Assembly or Legislative Research 12
Commission. For the purposes of the office areas assigned for the use of the members 13
and staff of the House, "authorized person" also includes [, or] a person having 14
obtained specific access authorizat ion from a member or employee. For the purposes of 15
this paragraph, "office areas" means the [fourth floor of the Capitol, that part of the third 16
floor of the Capitol assigned to the use of the House, and the ] third and fourth floors of 17
the Capitol Annex. 18
For the purposes of this rule, the Governor or his or her designee shall be 19
allowed access to a designated space in or adjacent to the House Chambers for the 20
limited purpose of receiving bills from the House or Senate. The access granted by this 21
paragraph shall be limited to periods when either the House or the Senate is in session 22
and for a reasonable time following adjournment to allow the Clerk of either house to 23
deliver bills to the Governor or his or her designee. 24
Rule 72[73]. Restrictions. For purposes of this rule, "material" shall mean any 25
letter, report, writing, article, booklet, pamphlet, image, photograph, object, or any other 26
item, including any physical object or electronic transmission containing audio, video, or 27
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electronic communication, which is requested to be placed upon either the desk of a 1
member on the House floor or in a member’s office in the Annex. This material shall not 2
be distributed unless the party interested in the distribution of the material is clearly and 3
physically identified on the material to be distributed. All this material shall conform to 4
accepted public taste, shall contain no matter appealing to prurient interest or without 5
redeeming social value, and shall uphold the dignity of the legislative process. Material 6
originating from the general public shall be delivered to the administrative offices of the 7
Legislative Research Commission or the Clerk of the House and shall upon direction of 8
the Clerk, after inspection, be placed on the members’ desk in the Capitol Annex 9
provided the following conditions are met: 10
(1) Unless 100 copies are provided, all material should be individually addressed 11
to each member expected to receive a copy; 12
(2) If several pages or items are to be provided to each member, they should be 13
securely fastened or placed together in an envelope; and 14
(3) Sufficient copies of all material should be provided; staff shall not make 15
additional copies of material. 16
Material that may be distributed by the Clerk in the House Chamber is restricted to 17
official communi cations relating to pending legislation or the operation of the House, 18
material sent by a member clearly identified on the face of the material or its attachments 19
to any other member, or other material as designated by the Speaker’s Office. The 20
Sergeant-at-Arms shall be charged with the duty of ensuring that no individual other than 21
employees of the House under the direction of the Clerk or House members shall cause 22
materials of any nature to be distributed in the House Chamber. Members shall not 23
circumvent this rule by reading from materials in the House Chamber that do not conform 24
to this rule or that have not been distributed to all House members. Questions as to the 25
propriety of materials shall be referred to the Committee on Committees for resolution. 26
Any material distributed by unauthorized individuals shall be collected from the 27
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members’ desks and treated as litter, and any material submitted but not distributed that is 1
unclaimed after one week shall be discarded. Material which is received via e -mail or via 2
any digital storage device or media with a request for distribution electronically by LRC 3
staff shall be refused or returned to the sender. Nothing in this rule restricts the right of 4
any person to communicate directly with any member, either electronically or through the 5
United States mail. 6
RULES 7
Rule 73[74]. Mason’s Manual. In the absence of a specific rule of the House, 8
the most recent edition of Mason’s Manual of Legislative Procedure , as adopted by the 9
National Conference of State Legislatures, shall govern the proceedings, except that in all 10
cases where general parliamentary law provides for a rule of two -thirds, it shall mean in 11
this House a majority of all members elected thereto. 12
Rule 74[75]. Change of Rules. The rules of the House, after their adoption 13
shall not be altered, changed, amended, suspended or interrupted, unless the same be 14
done by a majority of the members elected to the House. No rule shall be suspended for 15
the purpose of any action affecting the passage of a bill or resolution carrying the force of 16
law unless the rule is suspended by a majority of the members elected to the House. 17
Whenever a rule is suspended, no measure shall be considered under suspension except 18
the measure or measures in whose favor the suspension was invoked, and only for that 19
day. 20