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

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A RESOLUTION adopting the Rules of Procedure for the 2026 Regular Session of 1
the Senate. 2
Be it resolved by the Senate of the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of 3
Kentucky: 4
Section 1. The following Rules of Procedure are adopted to govern the 2026 5
Regular Session of the Senate. 6
Rule 1. Hours of Meeting. The Senate shall meet at the call of the members. 7
The official time shall be governed by the clock over the main entrance to the Senate 8
Chamber. 9
Rule 2. Quorum. A majority of the Senators elected to the Senate shall 10
constitute a quorum. If a quorum is not present at the time fixed for a meeting of the 11
Senate, four Senators may adjourn or recess from day to day or from time to time and 12
eight Senators may order a call of the Senate and send for absent Senators. 13
Rule 3. Call of the Senate. Upon a call of the Senate, the Clerk shall call the 14
roll, then call the absentees again. The doors of the Senate Chamber shall then be closed 15
and the absentees not excused by the Senate may be sent for and arrested by the Sergeant 16
at Arms. 17
The Senate shall determine upon wha t conditions they shall be discharged from 18
arrest. Senators who voluntarily appear shall be immediately admitted to the floor of the 19
Senate and their names entered upon the Journal as present, unless the Senate otherwise 20
directs. 21
ORDER OF BUSINESS 22
Rule 4. Order of Business. The order of business shall be as follows: 23
1. Invocation 24
2. Pledge of Allegiance 25
3. Roll Call 26
4. Approval of the Journal 27
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5. Second Reading of Bills 1
6. Report of Committees 2
7. First Reading of Bills 3
8.[ Introduction of Guests, Memorial Resolutions, Motions, and Citations 4
9. ]Introduction of New Bills and Resolutions 5
9[10]. Orders of the Day 6
10[11]. Meetings of the Committee on Committees and Rules Committee 7
11[12]. Report of Committees 8
12[13]. Motions, Petitions, Resolutions, Communications, and Announcements 9
13[14]. Introduction of Floor Amendments 10
14[15]. Introduction of New Bills and Resolutions 11
15[16]. Adjournment 12
No more than thirty minutes shall be allotted to Motions, Petitions, Resolutions, 13
Communications, and Announcements [Introduction of Guests, Memorial Resolutions, 14
Motions, and Citations]. During this order of business, priority shall be given to memorial 15
resolutions with family in attendance to be honored with their adoption, resolutions and 16
citations recognizing an indi vidual or group present in the Senate Chamber, and motions 17
necessary for the proper operation of the Senate. During this order of business, the Senate 18
President may, should there be sufficient time, permit Senators to communicate with 19
other members. [ All o ther resolutions shall be in order during the order of business 20
Motions, Petitions, Communications, and Announcements.] 21
Rule 5. Unfinished Business. Unfinished business which was being considered 22
upon adjournment shall have precedence in the class of busin ess to which it properly 23
belongs upon the next succeeding legislative day. 24
MOTIONS 25
Rule 6. Reading of Motions. When a motion has been made and seconded, it 26
shall be stated by the President, or, being in written form, it shall be read by the Clerk 27
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before debate, amendment or motion concerning it shall be in order. 1
Rule 7. Withdrawal of Motions. Every oral motion after it has been stated by 2
the President, and every written motion, bill, resolution or other paper, after it has been 3
read by the Clerk, shall be the property and in the possession of the Senate and shall not 4
be withdrawn without consent of the Senate. Every written motion, report or measure 5
may be committed or recommitted at the pleasure of the Senate. 6
Rule 8. Order of Questions. All questions, whether in Committee of the Whole 7
or in the Senate, when not a privileged question, shall be propounded in the order in 8
which they were moved, except that in filling blanks the smallest sum and the most 9
remote date shall be put first. 10
Rule 9. Precedence of Mo tions. When a question is under consideration, no 11
motion shall be in order except: 12
1. To call the Senate when there is no quorum present. 13
2. To fix the time to which the Senate shall adjourn. 14
3. To adjourn. 15
4. To take recess. 16
5. To lay on the table. 17
6. For the previous question. 18
7. To limit or extend limits of debate. 19
8. To postpone to a fixed time. 20
9. To lay on the Clerk’s desk. 21
10. To refer or commit. 22
11. To amend. 23
12. To postpone indefinitely. 24
The above several motions shall ha ve precedence in the order in which they are 25
arranged and the first seven of them shall not be debatable. 26
A second motion to adjourn, to take a recess, to lay on the table, for the previous 27
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question, to limit or extend limits of debate, to postpone to a ti me certain, to lay on the 1
Clerk’s desk, to refer or commit or to postpone indefinitely shall not be in order on the 2
same day, upon the same question, and at the same status unless other business 3
intervenes; provided, however, that amendments may be made to the time to which it is 4
proposed to adjourn, to take a recess or to postpone to a fixed time. 5
Rule 10. Motion to Adjourn. A motion to adjourn, to take a recess, or a motion 6
to adjourn to a time certain, shall always be in order, except when a Senator is s peaking, 7
while a vote is being taken, or when the Committee on Committees is reporting; subject, 8
however, to the limitations set out in Rule 9. 9
Rule 11. Motion to Table. The adoption of the motion to table, under these rules, 10
defeats the subject matter under consideration. The reconsideration of the motion to table 11
shall require approval of a majority of the members elected. 12
Rule 12. Previous Question. When the previous question has been ordered, a 13
vote shall be taken immediately upon the pending measure an d any pending amendments 14
as are in order. The effect of the previous question shall be to put an end to all debate, to 15
prevent the offering of additional amendments and to bring the Senate to an immediate 16
vote upon the measure and amendments aforesaid. The previous question may be ordered 17
by a majority of the Senators elected. On the call of the roll, no Senator shall be allowed 18
to speak more than three minutes to explain a vote and shall not speak at all if the 19
question is not a debatable question. 20
Rule 13. Motion to Set the Limits of Debate. A motion to extend a time limit 21
for debate on a measure beyond that permitted under Rule 12 shall be in order unless the 22
previous question shall have been ordered on the measure. The time limit set for debate 23
under thi s rule shall be allotted by the President evenly between the opponents of the 24
measure and the proponents of the measure. Adoption of a motion under this rule does 25
not prevent the offering of additional amendments. 26
Rule 14. Motion to Reconsider. A motion to reconsider a vote shall not be in 27
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order unless made by a Senator who voted upon the prevailing side of the question; nor 1
shall that motion be in order unless made within two legislative days in which the Senate 2
is in session next after the day the vote wa s taken; however, the motion to reconsider 3
when coupled with the additional motion to lay that motion upon the table may be made 4
by any Senator. A motion to reconsider a vote on a bill or resolution not in the possession 5
of the Senate shall not be in order. 6
Rule 15. Motion to Lay on Clerk’s Desk. The effect of the adoption of a motion 7
to lay on the Clerk’s desk under these rules is to place in charge of the Clerk the pending 8
question and everything adhering to it. A motion laid on the Clerk’s desk may be ta ken 9
from the desk and proceeded with at any time in the same order as when laid on the 10
Clerk’s desk. 11
Rule 16. Motion to Strike Out Enacting Clause. A motion to amend by striking 12
out the enacting words of a bill or resolution shall have precedence over a mo tion to 13
amend, and, if adopted, shall have the same effect as though the bill or resolution were 14
regularly voted upon and rejected. 15
Rule 17. Motion to Separate Part of a Measure. A motion to commit, 16
recommit, or postpone a part of a measure so as to separate that part of the measure from 17
the remainder shall not be in order. 18
Rule 18. Postponement of Measures. When a measure shall have been 19
postponed indefinitely it shall not be in order again during the session. 20
Rule 19. Reading of Pending Papers. Any pending bill, resolution, motion or 21
report shall be read by the Clerk upon the demand of any Senator, but it shall not again be 22
read on the same day unless so ordered by the Senate. 23
Rule 20. Nominations. In all elections a previous nomination shall be made. 24
MEMBERS 25
Rule 21. Attendance of Members. No Senator shall be absent from a session of 26
the Senate without leave from the Senate. 27
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Rule 22. Decorum of Members. No Senator shall designate another Senator by 1
name. Members shall wear appropriate professional business attire while on the floor of 2
the Senate. 3
Rule 23. Call to Order. If any Senator, in speech or otherwise, transgresses the 4
rules of order or decorum, the Senator shall immediatel y be called to order by the chair 5
and shall be seated. The Clerk shall reduce the objectionable words to writing and read 6
them to the Senate. After hearing a short explanation from the Senator called to order, or 7
upon the withdrawal of the objectionable la nguage, the President may permit the Senator 8
to proceed, or may require the Senator’s silence until the matter is disposed of. The ruling 9
of the chair shall be subject to an appeal to the Senate. A Senator offending the Senate 10
shall be liable to censure. 11
Rule 24. Debate. No Senator may speak more than once to the same subject until 12
all Senators desiring to be heard have spoken, but nothing in this rule shall do away with 13
the previous question if then in effect, nor permit debate on an undebatable motion. 14
No Senator shall speak more than fifteen minutes in the aggregate on any question 15
or measure, including debate on amendments and explanation of the member's vote. No 16
Senator shall be allowed to speak more than three minutes to explain a vote. At the end of 17
a member's allotted time, or any portion thereof, the floor shall be returned to the 18
President. 19
Rule 25. Members Shall Vote at Seats. A Senator shall vote only when at the 20
Senator’s seat or visibly approaching it. 21
OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES 22
Rule 26. President. On the first day of the Regular Session in an odd -numbered 23
year, or at any time there is a vacancy in the office of President, immediately following 24
the adoption of the Rules, the President of the Senate shall tak e the chair to receive 25
nominations from the floor and to preside over the election of the President. The member 26
who receives the votes of a majority of the members elected shall be the President. If 27
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there is more than one nominee, the election of each nomi nee shall be treated as an 1
alternative proposition, with each name being put to the Senate in the order in which 2
nominated. The first nominee receiving the votes of a majority of those elected to the 3
Senate shall be declared elected. If no member receives the votes of a majority of the 4
members elected, the election is of no effect. 5
The President shall take the chair every day precisely at the hour fixed for the 6
meeting of the Senate and shall call the Senate to order and direct the Clerk to call the 7
roll, whereupon, if there is a quorum present, the Order of Business shall be followed. 8
The President shall preserve decorum and order and, in the event of any disorder in 9
the gallery or in the Senate Chamber, may cause the same to be cleared of any persons 10
creating disturbances or disorders. 11
All writs, warrants, subpoenas or other processes shall be signed by the officer who 12
may be presiding over the Senate when the paper is issued; and the officer’s signature 13
shall be attested by the Clerk, when ordered by a majority of the Senators. 14
The President may designate any Senator to preside in the absence of both the 15
President and President Pro Tem and to perform all duties of the President, including 16
duties as a member of the Committee on Committees. This designation b y the President 17
may be made from time to time or for any period of time as the President may designate. 18
Rule 27. Appeal from Decision of Chair. The President while presiding may 19
speak to points of order in preference to Senators. The President shall decide points of 20
order and manner of procedure. If two or more Senators arise from their respective seats 21
and address the chair, the President shall determine who was first and recognize that 22
Senator. 23
Any decision made by the President shall be subject to appeal to the Senate. During 24
the pendency of any appeal to the Senate from a decision of the chair, the President shall 25
vacate the chair and call the President Pro Tem to preside. When the President Pro Tem is 26
presiding on an appeal to the Senate from a decision of the President, no motion or 27
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business shall be in order except the motion on appeal from the decision of the President, 1
and that motion shall not be debatable. Upon an appeal, the question put to the Senate 2
shall be stated as follows: "Shall the decisio n of the President stand as the judgment of 3
the Senate? An ‘Aye’ vote shall support the President’s ruling, and a ‘Nay’ vote shall 4
oppose the President’s ruling." The ruling of the President shall be sustained unless a 5
majority of the members elected to the Senate oppose the ruling. 6
Rule 28. President Pro Tempore. The Senate shall elect a President Pro Tem, 7
who shall perform the duties of the President when the President is absent from the 8
Senate, or when empowered by the President to perform the duties of the chair. 9
Rule 29. Duties of Clerk. The Clerk shall have charge and supervision of all the 10
clerical business of the Senate. The Clerk shall have charge of the Clerk’s section of the 11
Senate Chamber and shall see that no one is permitted therein except the Clerk and those 12
assisting the Clerk. 13
The Clerk shall read to the Senate papers ordered to be read; call the roll and note 14
and report the absentees when a call of the Senate is ordered; call the roll and note the 15
answers of members when a question is taken by yeas and nays; assist the President in 16
taking the count when any vote of the Senate is taken; notify committees of their 17
appointment and business referred to them; attest all writs, warrants and subpoenas issued 18
by order of the Senate; keep a calendar i ndicating bills entitled to their second reading 19
each day, distinguishing between House and Senate bills; superintend the engrossing and 20
enrolling of bills; certify to the passage of all bills and to the adoption of all joint and 21
concurrent resolutions by the General Assembly; and make all reports to the House, 22
unless otherwise ordered. 23
Rule 30. Journal of Proceedings. The Clerk shall cause to be kept the Journal of 24
the proceedings of the Senate. The Clerk shall note upon the Journal all questions of 25
order, together with the disposition of same, and the dates upon which all bills and 26
resolutions were sent to committee and returned to the Senate. The Senate may correct 27
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errors in the Journal the day the Journal containing errors is presented to the Senate. No 1
record which is in the hands of the Clerk and is required by law to be entered upon the 2
Journal of the Senate shall be copied by any person until same shall have been entered 3
upon the Journal and said Journal shall have been approved. Half an hour before t he time 4
fixed for the meeting of the Senate each day, the Clerk or an assistant shall be present at 5
the Clerk’s desk with the journal of the preceding session for the inspection of any 6
member of the Senate. 7
The Clerk shall transmit the Journal for each day as soon as it has been approved by 8
the Senate to the Legislative Research Commission, which shall deliver it to the public 9
printer. The Commission staff shall proofread and index the Journal upon return from the 10
printer and make necessary typographical corrections. 11
Rule 31. Custody of Papers. The Clerk shall have custody of all records, papers 12
and bills of the Senate and shall not allow them to be taken out of the Clerk’s possession 13
without the leave of the Senate, unless to be delivered to the chairman of a committee to 14
which they have been referred or to the Legislative Research Commission, as specified in 15
these rules, and then the Clerk shall take a proper receipt therefor. The Clerk shall 16
endorse on bills and papers brief notes of proceedings had thereo n by the Senate and 17
preserve the same in convenient files for reference. The Director of the Legislative 18
Research Commission shall implement a policy to provide for the maintenance and 19
distribution of the records, papers, and bills of the legislative branch. 20
Rule 32. Accounts of Expenditures. The Legislative Research Commission shall 21
keep the accounts for pay and mileage of members, officers and attaches, and for printing 22
and other contingent expenses of the House and Senate. 23
Rule 33. Printing of Senate Papers. The Legislative Research Commission shall 24
have supervision and charge of all printing done for the Senate as certified by the Clerk, 25
and the public printer shall print only those documents and other matters as the 26
Legislative Research Commission autho rizes. The Clerk shall report to the President, to 27
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be submitted to the Senate, every failure of the printer to execute work correctly and 1
promptly. 2
Rule 34. Duties of the Sergeant-at-Arms. It shall be the duty of the Sergeant -at-3
Arms and Doorkeeper to excl ude or remove all persons not entitled to the floor of the 4
Senate. One hour before convening of the Senate each day the Sergeant -at-Arms shall 5
announce in a loud distinct voice: "All persons not entitled to the floor of the Senate 6
under the rules thereof will now vacate the Senate Chamber." The Sergeant-at-Arms shall 7
then compel all persons who are not entitled to remain therein to leave the Senate 8
Chamber and shall prohibit their entry until thirty minutes after the Senate has adjourned. 9
The Sergeant -at-Arms of the Senate, before any joint session is to be held, shall 10
request the Sergeant -at-Arms of the House to arrange for the seating of the members of 11
the Senate in a body. The Senators will assemble in the Senate Chamber five minutes 12
before the meeting of any joint session and go to the House in a body. 13
Rule 35. Appointment and Conduct of Constitutional Employees. The 14
constitutional employees of the Senate shall be appointed by election during the regular 15
sessions of the General Assembly and shall serve on e year terms or until the election of 16
their successors. 17
All the constitutional employees of the Senate shall, one hour before the meeting of 18
the Senate each day, report to the Clerk, who shall report to the Committee on 19
Committees whether all of said emplo yees are on duty. The Committee on Committees, 20
whenever it deems it necessary, shall report to the Senate any dereliction of duty. 21
Rule 36. Other Employees. All other professional, clerical and other employees 22
required by the Senate or any of its committee s shall, as authorized by the Committee on 23
Committees, be provided by the Legislative Research Commission. Employees 24
performing those services shall be under the supervision of the Committee on 25
Committees. 26
No officer or employee of the Senate shall receive any fee, tip or compensation 27
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from any Senator and violation of this rule shall be ground for dismissal. 1
COMMITTEES 2
Rule 37. Committee on Committees. There shall be a Committee on 3
Committees composed of the President, the President Pro Tem, the Majority Fl oor 4
Leader, the Majority Caucus Chairman, the Majority Whip, the Minority Floor Leader, 5
the Minority Caucus Chairman, and the Minority Whip of the Senate. 6
The majority of this committee shall have full power to act on all matters referred to 7
the committee either by these rules or by action of the Senate. A meeting of the 8
Committee on Committees may be called by the President, the Majority Floor Leader, or 9
a majority of the committee members. 10
The President shall be Chairman of the Committee on Committees, an d in the 11
President’s absence, the Majority Floor Leader shall serve as Chairman. 12
All bills and resolutions bearing the force and effect of law shall, upon their 13
introduction, be automatically referred to the Committee on Committees, which may 14
refer same to the proper committee. 15
The Committee on Committees shall have supervision and control over all 16
employees of the Senate whether elected by the Senate or appointed by the Committee on 17
Committees or provided by the Legislative Research Commission, and the Com mittee on 18
Committees shall see that they perform all of their duties to the Senate and the members 19
thereof. The Committee on Committees is empowered to discharge any or all of said 20
employees and officers except the constitutional officers of the Senate. Th e Committee 21
on Committees shall appoint the members of all standing and special committees and 22
shall fill any vacancies thereon. 23
Rule 38. Standing Committees. The following shall be the standing committees 24
of the Senate: 25
1. Agriculture 26
2. Appropriations and Revenue 27
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3. Banking and Insurance 1
4. Economic Development, Tourism, and Labor 2
5. Education 3
6. Families and Children 4
7. Health Services 5
8. Judiciary 6
9. Licensing and Occupations 7
10. Natural Resources and Energy 8
11. State and Local Government 9
12. Transportation 10
13. Veterans, Military Affairs, and Public Protection 11
The standing committees of the Senate shall operate for the duration of a regular 12
session and thro ughout any special session. On sine die adjournment of the General 13
Assembly, the standing committees of the Senate shall be constituted subcommittees of 14
the Legislative Research Commission pursuant to KRS Chapter 7. 15
Rule 39. Appointment of Committees. The Committee on Committees shall 16
appoint the Chairman, Vice Chairman and the members of all standing and special 17
committees and shall fill any vacancies thereon. A member of the Committee on 18
Committees shall not serve as chairman of a standing committee. The Committee on 19
Committees shall select members of committees and standing subcommittees in 20
proportion to the representation of each political party in the Senate. The Vice Chairman 21
shall act in the absence of the Chairman. The Chairman of any committee may a ppoint 22
subcommittees and the chairmen thereof to conduct hearings or study any matters which 23
have been referred to the committee. 24
Before the Committee on Committees shall appoint the members of committees and 25
standing subcommittees, the number of members o n the committee to be appointed shall 26
be established by the Committee on Committees. At the same time, the Committee on 27
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Committees shall establish the number of members of the committee to be appointed 1
from the majority party and the number of members to b e appointed from the minority 2
party. 3
[The Committee on Committees shall not appoint more than twelve members to any 4
one standing committee, except the Committee on Appropriations and Revenue, the 5
Committee on Education, the Committee on Transportation, and the Committee on 6
Veterans, Military Affairs and Public Protection.] 7
In appointing the membership of standing committees, the Committee on 8
Committees shall consider the predominant business interests or occupation of each 9
member so that the private interes ts of a majority of a committee’s members do not 10
correspond to the jurisdiction of the standing committee. 11
Rule 39A. Impeachment Committee. In a trial of any impeachment, the Senate 12
President may direct the appointment of a committee to receive evidence an d take 13
testimony at such times and places as the committee may determine and make a finding 14
of whether the accused shall be convicted or acquitted of the charges found in the 15
Articles of Impeachment. The President of the Senate shall appoint a chairman of the 16
committee. The committee shall exercise all the powers and functions conferred upon it 17
by the Senate and President of the Senate under the impeachment rules of procedure in 18
the Senate when sitting as a court of impeachment. 19
Unless otherwise ordered by the Senate, the committee shall follow the 20
impeachment rules of procedure of the Senate when sitting as a court of impeachment. 21
The appointed committee shall present a written report of its findings to the full Senate 22
which shall include the recording of t he proceedings, evidence received and testimony 23
presented to the committee, and findings of whether the accused shall be convicted or 24
acquitted of the charges in the Articles of Impeachment. That report shall be received by 25
the Senate, and the evidence rec eived and the testimony taken shall be considered as 26
having been received and taken before the Senate, and subject to the right of the Senate to 27
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determine competency, relevancy, and materiality. Nothing herein shall prevent the 1
Senate from sending for any witness and hearing his or her testimony in the open Senate, 2
or by order of the Senate having the entire trial in the open Senate. 3
Rule 40. Jurisdiction of Standing Committees. The Committee on Committees 4
shall refer each bill to the Committee with control over the subject matter. All bills and 5
resolutions on the same subject matter shall be referred to the same committee. The 6
general jurisdiction of the several standing committees shall be: 7
1. Agriculture: matters pertaining to crop, livestock, poultry, aq uaculture, and 8
their marketing, disease control and warehousing; tobacco; stockyards; agricultural 9
cooperatives and marketing associations; regulation of amusement rides; pesticide 10
application and regulation; agriculture and commercial weights and measures ; national 11
food distribution programs; motor fuel quality; grain regulation and the trade of grains 12
and commodities; ethanol and cellulosic fuels; veterinarians; the State Fair; county fairs; 13
agriculture loan and grant programs; agritourism; farm safety an d education; the Tobacco 14
Master Settlement Agreement; the Department of Agriculture; and the Governor's Office 15
of Agriculture Policy. 16
2. Appropriations and Revenue: matters pertaining to the executive budget 17
and other appropriations of state monies; the le vying of state and local taxes, including 18
school taxes; property tax rates and assessments; the state debt; revenue bond projects; 19
claims upon the treasury; accounting of state funds by local officers; audits for state 20
purposes; budget and financial administration; payment, collection and refund of taxes. 21
3. Banking and Insurance: matters pertaining to banking; banks and trust 22
companies; building and loan associations; credit unions; investment companies; 23
industrial loan corporations; securities; the Blue S ky Law; mortgage guaranty insurance; 24
assessment and cooperative insurance; fraternal benefit societies; hospital service 25
corporations; burial associations; medical and dental service corporations; life, accident, 26
indemnity and other forms of insurance; sto ck and mutual insurance companies; banking 27
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and insurance aspects of the Uniform Commercial Code; interest and usury; 1
pawnbrokers; private credit; consumer credit; sale of checks; installment sales contracts; 2
legal investments; principal and income. 3
4. Economic Development, Tourism, and Labor: matters pertaining to 4
commerce, industry, economic and industrial development, the workforce and the 5
workplace, and tourism not specifically assigned to another committee; economic 6
development planning, international t rade and investment; investment companies and 7
industrial loan corporations as they relate to economic and industrial development; 8
recruitment of business and industry; small business matters relative to economic and 9
industrial development; financing of bus iness and industrial development; business 10
regulatory matters, including the Uniform Commercial Code, relative to economic and 11
industrial development; worker training; technology development and application; 12
chambers of commerce; convention centers and pub licly owned exhibition and parking 13
facilities; arts and arts exhibition facilities; state, interstate, and national parks and 14
historic sites; travel promotion and advertising; labor unions; collective bargaining; 15
liquefied petroleum gas and other flammable liquids; hotels; electricians; plumbers and 16
plumbing; wages and hours; garnishments; safety and health of employees; child labor; 17
employment agencies; apprenticeship; unemployment compensation; workers’ 18
compensation; consumer protection; industrial weights and measures. 19
5. Education: matters pertaining to public primary, secondary and higher 20
education; the State Board of Education; the State Department of Education; the powers 21
and duties of local boards of education; conduct of schools; attendance; state s upport of 22
education; the operation of school districts, teachers’ qualifications and tenure; school 23
curriculum; teachers’ retirement; school employees; pupil transportation; school property 24
and buildings; vocational education and rehabilitation; state univ ersities and colleges; 25
community colleges; regional education; educational television. 26
6. Families and Children: matters pertaining to child welfare; adoptions; 27
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assistance to children; children's homes; commitment and care of children and families; 1
child protective services; adult protective services; state guardianship; caregiver support 2
services; child support programs; support of dependents; family preservation programs; 3
social service programs; child care; senior citizens and aging; disabilities; rape c risis 4
centers; domestic violence shelters; sexual assault programs; public assistance programs 5
such as TANF, CCAP, SNAP, LIHEAP, and WIC. 6
7. Health Services: matters pertaining to health care and health care delivery; 7
human development; health outcomes; di sabled persons; mental health; health, medical, 8
and dental scholarships; public health; local health departments; vital statistics; 9
communicable diseases; epidemiology; certificate of need; hospitals, health clinics and 10
long-term care facilities; substance abuse; maternal and child health; foods, drugs and 11
poisons; hotel, restaurants, and trailer park regulations; sanitation plants; sanitation 12
districts; suicide prevention; physicians, osteopaths, and podiatrists; chiropractors; dentist 13
and dental specialis ts; nurses; pharmacists; embalmers and funeral directors; clinical 14
psychologists; optometrists; ophthalmic dispensers; physical therapists; Medicaid. 15
8. Judiciary: matters pertaining to contracts; the Uniform Commercial Code; 16
debtor-creditor relations; ownership and conveyance of property; private corporations 17
and associations; competency proceedings; administration of trusts and estates of persons 18
under disability; descent, wills and administration of decedents’ estates; domestic 19
relations; support of dependents; statutory actions and limitations; eminent domain; 20
arbitration; declaratory judgments; witnesses; evidence; legal notices; construction of 21
statutes; civil procedure; the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeals, circuit courts and 22
district courts; family courts; jurisdiction, rules, terms, judges, commissioners, selections, 23
districts, qualifications, compensation and retirement; clerks of courts; juries; attorney s; 24
receivers; court reporters; habeas corpus; crimes and punishments; criminal procedure; 25
probation and parole; correctional facilities; civil rights; and juvenile matters. 26
9. Licensing and Occupations: matters pertaining to professional licensing not 27
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assigned specifically to another committee; racing; prizefighting and wrestling; places of 1
entertainment; administrative regulations; alcoholic beverage control; private 2
corporations; cooperative corporations and marketing associations; religious, charitable 3
and educational societies; nonprofit corporations; professional service corporations; 4
cemeteries; barbers and cosmetologists; professional engineers and land surveyors; 5
architects; real estate brokers and agents; public accountants; detection of deception 6
examiners; auctioneers; business schools; warehouses and warehousemen; partnerships; 7
trade practices. 8
10. Natural Resources and Energy: matters pertaining to forestry; mining; fish 9
and wildlife resources; soil and water conservation; flood control and water usage, 10
drainage, and irrigation; geology and water resources; waterways and dams; oil, gas, and 11
salt water wells; water pollution; noise pollution; air pollution; protection of the 12
environment; management of waste; the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection 13
Cabinet; privately owned public utilities; rates, permits, and certifications of convenience 14
and necessity; water district rates; utilities in cities; public utility cooperatives; electric 15
and gas utilities and cooperatives; oil and gas transmis sion companies; telephone 16
companies and cooperatives; municipal utilities and water works; energy and fuel 17
development; energy waste disposal; the Public Service Commission; solar and other 18
renewable energy; hydroelectric and thermonuclear energy; and gaso hol and other 19
alternative fuels. 20
11. State and Local Government: matters pertaining to the sovereignty and 21
jurisdiction of the Commonwealth; the General Assembly, its committees, officers and 22
service agencies; redistricting; the Governor; the Lieutenant Governor; intergovernmental 23
cooperation; relations with the federa l government; administrative organization; [ 24
administrative regulations;] administrative agencies; Department of Law; constitutional 25
offices; state personnel; state retirement systems; public property and public printing; 26
public officers, their terms, appoi ntments, fees, compensation, removal, oaths and bonds; 27
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public information; state and regional planning; libraries, including library districts, city 1
and county libraries, and county law libraries; archives and records; public corporations; 2
Commonwealth’s a ttorneys; circuit clerks; the proposing of constitutional amendments 3
and the calling of a constitutional convention; ratification of amendments to the United 4
States Constitution; the election of officers to state, local and school board positions; 5
election commissioners, officers and precincts; qualifications, registration and purgation 6
of voters; conduct of regular and primary elections; presidential and congressional 7
elections; special elections to fill vacancies; contest of elections; corrupt practices a nd 8
election financing; election offenses and prosecutions; voting machines; absent ballots; 9
the officers, organization, government, and financing of county and city governments; 10
urban-county governments generally; county and city imposed taxes and licenses ; special 11
purpose assessment and taxing districts within a city; financing of local government 12
improvements; issuance of bonds for county, city, and special district projects; local 13
government indebtedness generally; compensation of county and city officer s and 14
employees; the imposition of duties and costs on local governments; interlocal 15
government cooperation and consolidation of services; local government employees civil 16
service and retirement; powers, duties, and composition of fiscal courts and municip al 17
legislative bodies; the offices of county judge/executive, magistrate, county attorney, 18
sheriff, constable, jailer, coroner, surveyor, and county clerk; forms of local government; 19
incorporation and classification of cities; housing projects; urban renew al and 20
redevelopment; planning and zoning; annexation of territory; public works; parks and 21
playgrounds; police and fire departments and their retirement systems; county roads; city 22
streets and sidewalks; local government utilities and waterworks; acquisit ion of 23
waterworks and water districts by local governments; sewers; metropolitan sewer and 24
sanitation districts; public road districts; water districts; fire protection districts; drainage 25
districts and local flood control and water usage; local air pollut ion control districts; 26
urban service districts; and special districts not assigned to another committee. 27
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12. Transportation: matters relating to airports and aviation; boats and boating; 1
licensing of motor vehicles; operators and trailers; financial respon sibility law; 2
nonresident motorists; motor vehicle sales; railroad rates, service and operating 3
regulations; motor carriers; matters pertaining to the construction and maintenance of the 4
state highway system; the Transportation Cabinet; state aid for local roads and streets; the 5
state police; the Federal Highway Safety Law; turnpike authority; state and federal 6
highways; limited access facilities; use of road bond monies; bill boards; automobile 7
recyclers; highway beautification; bridges, tunnels and ferrie s; traffic regulations; vehicle 8
equipment and storage; driver training schools. 9
13. Veterans, Military Affairs, and Public Protection: matters relating to 10
veterans, including veterans’ rights, benefits and education; veterans’ nursing homes; 11
military affai rs and civil defense; national guard; retention of military bases; safety of 12
citizens and security of public buildings and property; military memorials and cemeteries. 13
Rule 41. Rules Committee. There shall be a Rules Committee composed of the 14
same membership as the Committee on Committees. 15
All bills and resolutions having been reported out of the committee to which 16
referred and having received their second reading shall be referred to the Rules 17
Committee. The Rules Committee may refer any bill or resolution before it back to the 18
committee which has reported out the bill or resolution, to another committee of 19
jurisdiction, or to the Committee on Appropriations and Revenue in those instances in 20
which the fiscal implications of the measure may require additional consideration. 21
No bill or resolution may be considered by the Rules Committee except on call of 22
the Chairman or by a vote of a majority of the members of the committee. No bill or 23
resolution shall be referred back by the Rules Committee on more than one occasion. No 24
measure shall be posted in the Orders of the Day for final passage except by order of the 25
Rules Committee, unless otherwise ordered posted for the next succeeding legislative day 26
by a majority of the Senators voting. 27
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The Rules Committee shall arrange the Orders of the Day so that all measures for 1
the consideration of the Senate shall appear thereon, but the Rules Committee may not 2
place in the Orders of the Day any bill or other measure in the possession of a standing or 3
special committee of th e Senate.[ The Rules Committee shall post a notice in a regular 4
place in the Senate Chamber listing the bills to be considered in the Orders of the Day.] 5
Should the Senate not complete a day’s Orders of the Day, the bills and resolutions 6
remaining unconsidered shall go to the top of the Orders of the Day on the next day that 7
Orders of the Day are considered. 8
The President of the Senate shall be the Chairman of the Rules Committee. The 9
Majority Floor Leader of the Senate shall act for the Rules Committee in calling any bills 10
or resolutions from the Orders of the Day and shall be recognized by the President for 11
that purpose during all times that the Rules Committee is in charge of posting the Orders 12
of the Day. The President Pro Tem shall act as chairman in the absence of the President. 13
Meetings of the Rules Committee shall be open to members of the Senate, members 14
of the media, and others the committee may invite; except no cameras or other recording 15
devices shall be used while the committee is in session. No one other than a member of 16
the Rules Committee shall address the committee except upon invitation of the Chairman 17
or a majority of the members of the committee. 18
Rule 42. Standing Subcommittees. The Committee on Appropriations and 19
Revenue shall be divided i nto the following five standing subcommittees of at least three 20
members each: 21
1. Subcommittee on Economic Development and Tourism, Natural Resources 22
and Environmental Protection; 23
2. Subcommittee on Education; 24
3. Subcommittee on General Government, Finance, and Public Protection; 25
4. Subcommittee on Health and Family Services; 26
5. Subcommittee on Justice and Judiciary; 27
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6. Subcommittee on Transportation. 1
The Subcommittee on Economic Development and Tourism, Natural Resources and 2
Environmental Protection shall b e authorized to review all personal service contracts and 3
memoranda of agreement other than those issued by the Transportation Cabinet. The 4
Subcommittee on General Government, Finance, and Public Protection shall be 5
authorized to review capital projects and capital planning. 6
Of the members of each subcommittee, one shall be a member of the Committee on 7
Appropriations and Revenue designated by the chairman of that committee. The other 8
subcommittee members shall be appointed by the Committee on Committees. An y 9
member of the Senate may be appointed a member of a subcommittee. If a subcommittee 10
member is not a member of the Committee on Appropriations and Revenue, the member 11
shall be deemed a liaison of the standing committee from which the member was 12
appointed. 13
The liaison subcommittee members of a standing subcommittee shall have full 14
voting authority in all matters before the standing subcommittee. 15
The chairman of the Committee on Appropriations and Revenue shall appoint co -16
chairs of each standing subcommittee. A liaison member may be appointed as a co -chair. 17
The chairman and vice chairman of the Committee on Appropriations and Revenue shall 18
serve as ex officio members of each standing subcommittee. 19
Rule 43. Enrollment Committee. The Committee on Committees sha ll appoint 20
an Enrollment Committee of not more than five members. The Enrollment Committee 21
shall be responsible for the engrossment and enrollment of bills and resolutions. 22
Rule 44. Committee on Conference; Committee on Free Conference. When a 23
Senate bill has been amended in the House and the Senate refuses to concur in that 24
amendment, or when a House bill has been amended in the Senate and the House refuses 25
to concur in that amendment, and when neither will recede from such action, the 26
Committee on Committees shall appoint a Committee on Conference, of three members, 27
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to meet a like Committee from the House. The Committee on Conference shall confer 1
with the House Committee and report back to the Senate within a reasonable time, in the 2
same manner as reports are made for Senate bills. The conference report shall make no 3
recommendation other than agreement upon or rejection of the matter or matters in 4
controversy and shall be voted upon, and, if adopted, the bill shall immediately be put 5
upon its final passage. Second and subsequent conference committees may be appointed. 6
Should a Committee on Conference report its inability to submit a report, or if 7
either house refuses to adopt its report, each house may appoint a Committee on Free 8
Conference, consisting of th ree or more members. The Senate Committee on Free 9
Conference shall meet with a like committee from the House, and may propose any 10
amendment to the bill at issue, except the report of a Committee on Free Conference shall 11
not be in order if it proposes to ma ke a part of the measure at issue the substantial 12
insertion of the text of any other bill which has not passed both the House and the Senate, 13
or if it proposes the enactment of subject matter not previously considered at the session. 14
The President, when th e question is raised, shall rule as to the admissibility of the report 15
of the Committee on Free Conference, subject to appeal to the Senate. The free 16
conference report shall be voted upon; if adopted, the bill shall immediately be put upon 17
its final passage, provided, however, that if a motion to reconsider coupled with a motion 18
to lay on the table has been adopted by the Senate, the vote of a constitutional majority of 19
the Senate shall be required to adopt the report of the free conference. Second and 20
subsequent free conference committees may be appointed. 21
[Except for report of disagreement, the consideration of the report of a Committee 22
on Conference or a Committee on Free Conference, and final passage of the bill to which 23
the report is attached shall not be in order on the same legislative day as the bill and 24
report are received by the Senate.] 25
Rule 44A. Majority and Minority Caucuses. The majority and minority caucuses 26
of the Senate shall be committees, other than standing committees, of the Senate and 27
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General Assembly. Each member of the Senate shall be a presumptive member of the 1
caucus of his or her party affiliation. Notwithstanding the above provisions, by a two -2
thirds vote of the respective caucus, an individual member may be removed from or 3
added to that caucus. 4
Rule 44B. Open Meetings of Committees. The meetings of the committees of the 5
Senate, other than the majority and minority caucuses, shall be open to the public. 6
Rule 45. Meetings of Committees. No committee except the Committee on 7
Committees, the Rules Committee, the Committee on Enrollment, and a Committee on 8
Conference between the House and Senate shall sit while the Senate is in session, unless 9
by consent of the Senate. The Committee on Commi ttees, the Rules Committee, and the 10
Committee on Enrollment may report at any time except during a roll call or while a vote 11
is being taken. 12
The Committee on Committees, in conference with committee chairmen, shall 13
schedule a definite time and place for th e meetings of each committee, and that schedule 14
shall be posted in the Senate Chamber and published in the Legislative Record. A 15
committee shall meet at the scheduled time and place, so long as business is pending 16
before the committee. A committee chairman may recess a committee meeting on the 17
chairman’s own motion for a definite period of time, not to exceed fifteen minutes. [ Any 18
member of a committee who is physically present in his or her Capitol Annex office may 19
remotely participate in a committee meeti ng and vote on any measure pending before the 20
committee by utilizing previously approved videoconference technology.] 21
The Chairman shall keep a record of the attendance of members at meetings, which 22
record shall be filed with the Clerk. 23
The Director of the Legislative Research Commission, under the direction of the 24
Committee on Committees, shall assign a secretary to each committee and provide any 25
professional, clerical or other employees required by any committee. 26
Rule 46. Committee Reports. Every Committee should report the disposition of 27
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every bill and resolution referred to it as promptly as possible. A standing committee may 1
report a bill or resolution in the following manner: 2
"With the expression of opinion that the same should pass," or, 3
"With the exp ression of opinion that the same should pass, with the committee 4
amendment attached thereto," or, 5
"With the expression of opinion that the same should pass, with the committee 6
substitute attached thereto," or, 7
"Without expression of opinion." 8
Rule 47. Majority and Minority Reports. It shall require a majority of the 9
committee membership to report a bill or resolution. The chairman shall keep a record of 10
the vote of each member on the disposition of each bill which shall be filed with the 11
Clerk. The chairman may sign reports on behalf of a majority of the committee members. 12
The chairman’s signature shall attest to the action of a majority, but shall not be 13
construed as the chairman’s personal approval or disapproval of the bill. 14
A committee report may be acco mpanied by a minority report, signed by those 15
members who have dissented from the committee’s report; it shall be in order to move 16
the adoption of the minority report as a substitute for the committee’s report when the 17
committee offers its report. It shall require a majority of the members elected to adopt the 18
minority report. The committee’s report shall always be read before the minority report is 19
read. 20
Rule 48. Failure to Report. Whenever a committee fails or refuses to report a 21
bill submitted to it, any member may, upon filing with the Clerk a written petition to 22
determine if the committee has held the bill for an unreasonable time, call the petition for 23
consideration on the next succeeding legislative day after its filing. The petition is 24
deemed filed w hen it is read into the record by the Clerk of the Senate. If a majority of 25
the members elected to the Senate concur that the bill has been held an unreasonable time 26
by voting to approve the petition, the bill shall be considered as though it had been 27
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regularly reported and shall be given its first reading and thereafter treated as any other 1
bill which had been reported from a committee. 2
Rule 49. Procedure in Committee. The rules of procedure in the Senate shall be 3
observed in committee insofar as the same are applicable. 4
BILLS AND RESOLUTIONS 5
Rule 50. Form of Bills. All bills introduced shall be printed on the computerized 6
bill preparation system of the Legislative Research Commission, and none otherwise 7
prepared shall be accepted for introduction. Bills sh all be offered as one original and 8
three distinctly legible copies. The original shall be the official bill, and shall be retained 9
by the Clerk for the use of the Senate until engrossed and sent to the House. A 10
replacement original of a bill, generated pur suant to these Rules, shall thereafter be 11
considered the original and official bill. One copy shall be used for committees. One copy 12
shall be retained for the use of legislative staff. One copy shall be provided to the 13
Legislative Research Commission. All copies shall be backed with a protective cover as 14
provided for this purpose by the Legislative Research Commission. The title of the bill, 15
or a portion thereof, and the signature of the Senator introducing the bill shall be placed 16
on each cover. 17
In all bil ls, as introduced and as printed, which seek to amend existing sections of 18
the Kentucky Revised Statutes, any new matter contained therein shall be underscored; 19
when an amendment proposes the elimination of matter in an existing law, the 20
elimination shall be indicated on the bill by placing the material proposed to be 21
eliminated in brackets, and by striking through the material with slash marks so as not to 22
render the words illegible. Any section of a bill seeking to repeal a section or sections of 23
the Kentucky Revised Statutes shall set forth in addition to the statute section number the 24
statute section headnote as it appears in the Kentucky Revised Statutes. The Clerk shall 25
refer to the Legislative Research Commission any bills offered for introduction not 26
conforming with the computerized bill preparation system of the Legislative Research 27
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Commission. 1
Rule 51. Introduction of Bills. Bills and resolutions may be filed with the Clerk 2
any time the Clerk’s office is open. Bills and resolutions that have been fi led with the 3
Clerk shall be introduced in the regular Order of Business. The Clerk or an assistant 4
Clerk shall be present at the Clerk’s desk in the Senate Chamber one hour prior to the 5
time fixed for convening each day to receive bills and resolutions. Bi lls and resolutions 6
filed after the Senate has concluded Introduction of New Bills and Resolutions in the 7
Order of Business shall be introduced on the next legislative day. The Clerk shall number 8
bills in the order received, record their introduction, and transmit a copy immediately to 9
the Committee on Committees for reference to committee. In a regular session in an 10
even-numbered year, no bill or resolution having the force of law shall be introduced 11
after the 40th legislative day of the session. In a regular session in an odd-numbered year, 12
no bill or resolution having the force of law shall be introduced after the 13th legislative 13
day of the session. The two legislative days immediately prior to the veto recess shall be 14
reserved by the Senate exclusively for the business of concurring in amended Senate 15
bills. Any legislative day falling after the veto recess shall be reserved by the Senate 16
exclusively for the purpose of considering vetoed bills. 17
Rule 52. Statutory Fiscal Impact Statements. The staff of the Legislative 18
Research Commission shall analyze and prepare a fiscal statement for any bill which, if 19
enacted, would fiscally affect local governments in a significant manner through the 20
imposition of a local mandate; constitute a mandated health benefit; c hange the financial 21
liability of any public retirement system administered by an agency of state government; 22
or fiscally affect state or local corrections services in a significant manner, including any 23
bill which would modify or create a criminal penalty or otherwise affect the population of 24
a correctional system or facility. No measure for which the preparation of a fiscal 25
statement is required pursuant to this rule shall be placed in the Orders of the Day until 26
the fiscal statement is attached, unless th e requirement is waived by a vote of a majority 27
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of the members elected to the Senate. 1
Rule 52A. Member Requested Fiscal Notes. A sponsor of a bill which, if enacted, 2
would affect the revenues or expenditures of the Commonwealth generally, may at any 3
time by request cause the staff of the Legislative Research Commission to analyze and 4
prepare a fiscal note for the measure describing such impacts on revenues or 5
expenditures. The fiscal note, if requested, shall be delivered to the sponsor. 6
The chairman or a m ajority of the committee to which a bill has been referred may 7
require that a fiscal note be attached to the bill prior to final committee action. Members 8
may require, by majority vote, that a fiscal note be prepared for any bill on the Orders of 9
the Day. In that instance, the fiscal note shall be attached to the bill prior to final 10
consideration on the floor of the Senate. 11
Rule 53. Member Requested Fiscal Notes and Statutory Fiscal Impact 12
Statements for Amendments. Any member proposing an amendment from t he floor for 13
a measure to which a fiscal note or fiscal statement has been attached shall cause an 14
amended fiscal note or fiscal statement, as appropriate, to be prepared and attached to the 15
amendment. 16
Rule 54. Reference of Bills. The Committee on Committe es may refer any 17
introduced bill to the proper standing committee when the Senate is in session. When a 18
Senate bill has been amended in the House and has been returned to the Senate for 19
concurrence in the amendment, it shall be referred to the Rules Commit tee, which may 20
refer the bill to a standing committee or post the bill in the Orders of the Day. Bills 21
originating in and passed by the House when reported to the Senate shall be referred to 22
the Committee on Committees and shall take the same course as other bills. 23
Rule 55. Printing of Bills. Upon receipt of a bill, the Legislative Research 24
Commission shall examine the form of the bill, to ensure that it is free from errors of 25
form or typography and has been assigned the proper KRS section or chapter number s. If 26
a formal change is necessary, the Commission shall request the sponsor of the bill to sign 27
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a form approving the specified changes. If a bill is found to be correct, or corrections 1
have been approved, the Commission shall authorize its printing. 2
The L egislative Research Commission shall have printed for the use of the 3
members a sufficient number of [at least two hundred] copies of each bill or resolution 4
carrying the force and effect of law introduced in the Senate and of each bill or resolution 5
carrying the force and effect of law acted on by the House and reported to the Senate. 6
Bills shall be printed in the order in which they are introduced and shall be distributed to 7
members immediately upon receipt from the printer[being printed]. For the purposes of 8
this rule, printing and distribution of bills and resolutions shall be considered satisfied 9
when any bill or resolution is distributed electronically to each member's electronic bill 10
book, provided that any member may at any time request the additional printing of a 11
paper copy of any bill or resolution introduced in or reported to the Senate. 12
Rule 56. Readings of Bills. If a bill is reported without expression of opinion, a 13
vote may then be taken on whether it shall be read at length and be placed on the 14
Calendar, if a majority of the members elected to the Senate shall concur therein. When 15
reported favorably by the committee, the bill shall then be given its first reading at length 16
and shall be placed by the Clerk upon the Calendar, and shall then be ent itled to its 17
second reading the next succeeding legislative day. 18
Every bill shall be read at length on three different days; but the second and third 19
readings may be dispensed with by a majority of all the members elected to the Senate 20
and the bill read by its title. 21
Rule 57. Calendar; Consent Calendar. (1) In order to reduce the time required 22
for final passage of bills posted in the Orders of the Day, a consent procedure for the 23
consideration of uncontested bills shall be established and designated as follows: 24
(a) The Clerk shall keep a Regular Calendar and a Consent Calendar for each 25
legislative day, showing the bills receiving their second reading. 26
(b) The Clerk shall also keep a Regular Orders and a Consent Orders, showing 27
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bills posted for final passage by the Rules Committee. 1
(2) Bills reported by a Standing Committee with a regular "should pass" or 2
"should pass with committee amendment/substitute atta ched" recommendation shall be 3
shown in the Regular Calendar on the day on which they are entitled to a second reading. 4
(3) A Standing Committee may, at the time of favorably reporting any Senate or 5
House Bill, recommend that it be placed in the Consent Calendar, provided: 6
(a) The primary sponsor has so requested, when it is a Senate Bill, and 7
(b) The bill receives a "should pass" or "should pass with committee 8
amendment/substitute attached" recommendation from the committee by a unanimous 9
vote of the members present. 10
Any Senate or House Bill thus reported shall be first placed in the Consent Calendar 11
on the day on which it is entitled to a second reading and shall continue to be shown in 12
the Calendar until taken therefrom by the Rules Committee and posted in the Consent 13
Orders. Bills receiving a second reading should be so designated to distinguish them from 14
bills which have already received their second reading. 15
(4) A certificate shall be attached to each bill recommended for the Consent 16
Calendar, showing th e request of the sponsor of any Senate Bill, and the unanimous 17
recommendation of the members present, signed by the Chairman. 18
(5) After a sufficient number of bills have accumulated in the Consent Calendar, 19
the Rules Committee may post any or all of the bi lls to the Consent Orders for a day 20
certain. On that day certain the Consent Orders shall be called before the Regular Orders. 21
(6) Upon the call of the Consent Orders, each bill in those Orders shall be given a 22
third reading by title only. The President sh all then allow a reasonable time for questions 23
from the floor and any explanation necessary by the sponsor or committee chairman. 24
Consent Order bills may not be amended from the floor. 25
(7) The Clerk shall attach a roll call to each bill in the Consent Cale ndar and any 26
member may at any time prior to passage of the Consent Orders record with the Clerk a 27
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"nay" or "pass" vote on any bill within the Consent Calendar or Consent Orders. 1
(8) Upon the call for the question on the Consent Orders, the President shall 2
instruct the Clerk to announce the "nay" and "pass" votes previously filed on each bill in 3
the Consent Orders. All other members present in the chamber on the day and at the time 4
the Consent Orders are called shall be considered as having voted "aye" and the roll call 5
attached to each bill shall so reflect as the final vote. 6
(9) Upon the written petition of any five members objecting to the placement or 7
retention of any bill in the Consent Calendar or Consent Orders, that bill shall cease to be 8
so considered and shall be placed in the Regular Calendar or Regular Orders, as provided 9
in these rules. 10
Rule 58. Orders of the Day. When a bill has had its second reading it shall be 11
referred to the Rules Committee to be placed in the Orders of the Day, or be recommitted, 12
and when next reached in the Senate it shall be ready for recommitment, or to be read a 13
third time and placed upon its passage, and the President shall so announce to the Senate. 14
Except as provided in Rule 41, a bill may be recommitted or amended at any time 15
before its passage. Bills shall be placed in the Orders of the Day and shall be taken 16
therefrom in accordance with Rule 41. When a Senate bill is in the Orders of the Day, it 17
shall be in order on motion of the author to substitute for it an ident ical House bill which 18
is in the Calendar of the Senate. 19
No bill shall be taken from the Orders of the Day unless it shall have been 20
previously distributed to the members. No bill, amendment, or committee substitute 21
relating to congressional or legislative redistricting shall be taken from the Orders of the 22
Day unless it shall have been verified by Legislative Research Commission staff using 23
the Commission’s redistricting software, as evidenced by the Legislative Record 24
summary notation "PLAN INTEGRITY VERIF IED" and the "Geographic Integrity 25
Verified" notation on amendments. 26
Rule 59. Concurrence in Amendments and Reports of Conference 27
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Committees; Receding from Amendments; Final Passage. When a Senate bill and 1
message have been received from the House requesti ng concurrence in an amendment or 2
amendments adopted thereby, or when a report of a conference committee or a veto 3
message is received, the bill and message or report so received shall be referred to the 4
Rules Committee for posting to the Orders of the Day or referral of a bill for concurrence 5
to a standing committee as provided in Rule 54. The Clerk shall distribute appropriate 6
copies of the bill and its proposed amendment, report, or message to each member of the 7
appropriate committee. The Rules Committee may post those bills to Orders of the Day 8
for consideration of the amendment, report, or message, and final passage, giving 9
precedence to those over all other matters posted. 10
When bills with amendments for concurrence or with conference committee reports 11
are reached in Orders of the Day, the President shall first put the question of concurrence 12
in the amendment or report, and if the vote on that question is favorable, the bill shall be 13
put immediately upon its final passage. 14
Rule 60. Amendments to Bills. All amendments offered by a committee or by an 15
individual Senator shall be typewritten on forms with a proper heading, furnished by the 16
Legislative Research Commission. Each amendment shall bear in addition to the 17
signature of the Senators offering it, an indication of review by the staff of the Legislative 18
Research Commission. All amendments shall refer to the proper page and line of the 19
printed bill. An original and two copies of each amendment shall be filed. The Clerk shall 20
not acce pt for filing any amendment not conforming with this Rule as to form. 21
Amendments filed with the Clerk shall be introduced in the regular Order of Business. 22
Amendments may be filed with the Clerk any time the Clerk’s office is open, and at the 23
Clerk’s desk in the Senate Chamber while the Senate is in session. The Clerk shall 24
forward two copies to the Legislative Research Commission. No amendment shall be in 25
order that is not germane to the matter under consideration and that has not been filed 26
prior to adjou rnment at least one legislative day prior to consideration of the bill or 27
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resolution. The President, when the question is raised, shall rule as to the admissibility of 1
the proposed amendment, subject to appeal to the Senate. 2
No amendment to a bill under co nsideration shall be in order if it contains the 3
substantial text of the language of any other bill introduced during the session which has 4
not passed the Senate. When an amendment is drafted which contains the substantial text 5
of any bill introduced durin g the session, the staff of the Legislative Research 6
Commission shall identify the amendment. When a question is raised as to the identity of 7
a proposed amendment containing the substantial text of any other bill introduced during 8
the session which has not passed the Senate, the President shall rule thereon, subject to 9
appeal to the Senate. 10
If a proposed floor amendment to a branch budget bill will result, if adopted, in a 11
loss of revenues or an increase in expenditures for a budget unit, the amendment shal l 12
specify by budget unit the source of funds that will offset the loss of revenues or specify 13
the budget unit or other source of funds that will support the increased expenditures. If a 14
budget unit or other source of funds is specified, the amendment shall include all 15
necessary language to effect the changes. 16
A committee substitute, upon its adoption, shall be considered as the original bill 17
for purposes relating to the permissible degree of further amendment of the bill. Any 18
proposal to amend the title of a bill shall be by separate title amendment. The question of 19
adoption of an offered title amendment for a bill shall be presented to the body 20
immediately after adoption of the bill. 21
Rule 61. Engrossment of Bills. Every Senate bill and joint resolution, tog ether 22
with the amendments thereto, which has been passed by the Senate and not subject to 23
further amendment or motion, shall be engrossed by the Clerk. The Clerk shall endorse 24
thereon the day of passage or adoption. The bill shall be delivered to the House in open 25
session by the Clerk or someone designated by the Clerk, and the House concurrence 26
asked therein. A like procedure shall be observed toward House bills. 27
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When engrossing a bill, the Clerk may incorporate amendments by means of typing 1
or by generating a replacement original of the bill through computerized process. 2
Rule 62. Enrollment of Bills. All Senate bills and resolutions which have passed 3
both the Senate and the House shall be delivered by the Senate Clerk to the Enrolling 4
Clerk, taking a recei pt therefor. The Senate Clerk shall keep the number and title of all 5
bills and joint and concurrent resolutions carrying the force and effect of law, passed by 6
the House of Representatives and the Senate, in a suitable record book attesting the fact 7
and date of passage. 8
If a bill which originates in the Senate is amended by the House and the Senate 9
concurs in the amendments proposed and adopted by the House, the Clerk of the Senate 10
shall engross said amendments in the original copy of the bill by typing or may generate a 11
replacement original copy of the Senate bill through computerized process. The Clerk 12
shall deliver a printed copy of the original bill or replacement therefor, if applicable, to 13
the Legislative Research Commission, taking a receipt therefor. The Commission then 14
shall prepare the amended enrolled copy, and return the copy to the Enrolling Clerk of the 15
Senate. 16
The original bill or resolution or replacement therefor, if applicable, and the 17
enrolled copy prepared by the Legislative Research Commi ssion shall be delivered to the 18
Committee on Enrollment. The Enrolling Clerk shall certify that each is in the exact form 19
as finally passed prior to delivery. The Committee on Enrollment and the Enrolling Clerk 20
shall jointly compare the original bill with the enrollment copy, and if the enrollment is 21
ascertained to be correctly done, the Committee shall report the same to the Senate. If any 22
bill or resolution is found not correctly enrolled, it shall be returned to the Enrolling Clerk 23
to be properly enrolled and delivered to the Committee on Enrollment as is first provided 24
herein. 25
Rule 63. Signing of Bills. The Enrolling Clerk of the Senate shall deliver the 26
original and enrolled copies of Senate bills and resolutions signed by the President or the 27
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President Pro Tem to the Chairman of the Enrollment Committee of the House for 1
presentation to the Speaker of the House for the Speaker’s signature. When signed by the 2
Speaker of the House, the enrolled bill or resolution and the original copy thereof shall be 3
returned by the Enrolling Clerk to the Clerk of the Senate, who shall present the enrolled 4
bill or resolution to the Governor for approval and take the Governor’s receipt for same. 5
Rule 64. Resolutions. Resolutions having the force and effect of law shall be 6
treated and considered as bills in all respects under these rules. A simple or concurrent 7
resolution expressing the will of the Senate shall, upon its introduction, be referred to the 8
Committee on Committees, which may refer it to the floor if it is honorar y, benevolent, 9
and does not direct further action; otherwise, it shall be referred to a standing committee. 10
Resolutions referred to a standing committee may be considered for adoption only after 11
receiving a recommendation from a standing committee and bein g posted for passage by 12
the Rules Committee. All resolutions recommending a study by an interim committee, 13
task force, or special committee of the Legislative Research Commission shall include 14
the following language: "Provisions of this resolution to the contrary notwithstanding, the 15
Legislative Research Commission shall have the authority to alternatively assign the 16
issues identified herein to an interim joint committee or subcommittee thereof, and to 17
designate a study completion date." All resolutions rec ommending a study, or which 18
recommend creation of a task force or special committee of the Legislative Research 19
Commission shall be concurrent or joint resolutions. Simple and concurrent resolutions 20
shall not be in order on the floor unless referred to the floor by the Committee on 21
Committees and approved by the Majority Floor Leader. A motion to make all Senators 22
co-sponsors of a simple or concurrent resolution shall not be in order. 23
Rule 65. Legislative Citations. For the purpose of extending the commendations, 24
condolences or congratulations of the Senate[General Assembly] to a particular person, 25
or to recognize a particular event or occasion, there may be issued a "Legislative 26
Citation." Citations may not be used for procedural matters, matters of a contr oversial or 27
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partisan political nature, nor in place of resolutions memorializing the U.S. Congress, but 1
only when appropriate to express the feeling of the Senate [ or of the General Assembly] 2
with reference to a person or event. 3
Each citation shall be prepared in single copy on an artistically designed form, 4
suitable for framing, shall bear the signature of the sponsor and the name of the person or 5
event cited, and upon adoption shall be spread at length upon the Journal. Citation s shall 6
be considered in the order of business "Motions, Petitions, and Communications," and 7
without objection shall be adopted upon motion of the sponsor. Citations shall be offered 8
for consideration through presentation to the Clerk. 9
VOTING 10
Rule 66. Roll Call. Any member, with a second, may demand a roll call on any 11
matter pending before the Senate. The names of Senators shall be arranged alphabetically 12
when taking a yea and nay vote. 13
[Rule 67. Pairing. All pairs announced in the Senate shall be entered o n the 14
Journal.] 15
Rule 67[A]. Participation in committee by videoconferencing. A member of 16
the Senate shall be allowed to participate and vote via videoconferencing in all matters 17
before a Senate committee if the following conditions are met: 18
1. The member i s experiencing a short-term physical condition, because of which a 19
physician states the member shall not travel from home or hospital. The member shall file 20
with the Rules Committee the physician’s written statement verifying the member’s 21
inability to travel; and 22
2. The member’s illness or incapacity does not permit travel for at least one week 23
but not more than four weeks; and 24
3. The member pays all expenses related to implementing the videoconferencing 25
connection between the committee meeting rooms and th e member’s remote location; 26
and 27
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4. The Rules Committee approves the member’s request for implementation of a 1
videoconferencing connection. 2
If the Rules Committee approves the member’s request to participate via 3
videoconferencing, the Committee on Committee s shall arrange for committees to which 4
the member belongs to meet in rooms equipped with videoconferencing capability. If the 5
only meeting room available is scheduled to be occupied by a committee of the House of 6
Representatives, the Committee on Committe es shall make a written request to the Clerk 7
of the House, asking that arrangements be made to exchange meeting rooms with the 8
Senate committee which seeks to use the videoconferencing room. 9
Rule 68. Division of the Senate. If the President is in doubt as to the result of a 10
viva voce, or a division is demanded, the Senate shall divide. Those voting in the 11
affirmative shall first rise and be counted, and the President shall announce the number of 12
those so voting. Those voting in the negative shall then rise and be counted and the 13
President shall announce the number so voting. The President may appoint tellers to 14
count those voting. 15
Rule 69. Adjournment Extended During Roll Call. When the roll is being 16
called in taking a yea and nay vote, and the hour of adjou rnment arrives, the same shall 17
stand extended until after the yea and nay vote has been completed and the result 18
announced. 19
PRIVILEGE OF THE FLOOR 20
Rule 70. Persons Entitled to the Floor. When the Senate is in session, including 21
any time that the Senate has resolved itself into a committee of the whole, and one hour 22
before and one -half hour after no person shall be permitted upon the floor, except the 23
present members of the General Assembly and all officers and employees of the Senate 24
and members of the imme diate family of Senators. Former Senate members may be 25
granted floor privileges with permission of the presiding officer. Bona fide news media 26
correspondents shall be admitted to the floor when recommended by the Committee on 27
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Committees and shall be govern ed by the rules of the Senate and assigned by the 1
Committee on Committees to a press section specifically set aside for them. The clerk of 2
the Senate shall provide proper identification for families of Senators. The doorkeepers 3
shall not admit these persons without proper identification. 4
[Any person may be extended the privilege of the floor by invitation previously 5
extended by a majority vote of members of the Senate, but that privilege shall be 6
extended only for a specified time and purpose. ]No person who shall have been extended 7
the privilege of the floor for a specified time shall engage in any activities for or against 8
any bill, motion or other proceeding upon the floor of the Senate while in session. No 9
privilege of the floor shall be granted to any r egistered or unregistered lobbyist or 10
legislative agent if the same be known by the Senate, and it shall be the duty of any 11
Senator having this knowledge to bring it to the attention of the Senate, and lobbying 12
shall be grounds for revocation of this privilege. 13
[A special section of the gallery shall be reserved for the guests of members, who 14
shall be admitted upon presentation of an identification card. Senators may submit the 15
names of guests to the Clerk, who shall read the names to the Senate.] 16
Rule 71. Restriction of lobbying and access to the Senate Chambers and 17
office areas. No person shall engage in lobbying for or against any measure while the 18
Senate is in session, or in recess, in any of the corridors or passages or in any of the 19
rooms [in ]that are a part of the Senate Chambers, which includes the building where 20
the Senate convenes, as well as the corridors, passages, and stairways leading to the 21
building in which the Senate convenes and any adjacent portion of the Capitol Annex 22
designated as part o f the Senate Chambers by the Committee on Committees or the 23
Legislative Research Commission. [Capitol assigned to the use of the Senate, and] No 24
registered lobbyist shall enter any[that] part of the Senate Chambers[Capitol] while the 25
Senate is in session, including any time the Senate has resolved itself into a committee of 26
the whole. [ This rule shall not be construed to prohibit the use of the corridors or 27
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passages in going to and from the Senate galleries by any person.] 1
Only authorized persons shall be allowed access to the Senate Chambers and office 2
areas assigned for use of the members and staff of the Senate. For the purposes of the 3
Senate Chambers[this paragraph], "authorized person" means a member of the General 4
Assembly, immediate family members of a member, or an employee of the General 5
Assembly or Legislative Research Commission . For the purposes of the office areas 6
assigned for use of the members and staff of the Senate, "authorized person" also 7
includes[, or] a person having obtained specific acce ss authorization from a member or 8
employee. For the purposes of this paragraph, "office areas" means the second[fourth] 9
floor of the Capitol Annex. 10
Rule 72. Restrictions. No article, booklet, pamphlet or any other printed matter, 11
other than documents sent by a member identified on the face of the document or its 12
attachments to any other member, shall be placed upon the Chamber desk of any member 13
unless the article, booklet, pamphlet or other printed matter is authorized by the Senate 14
President’s office and contains the signature of the author, or the party interested in the 15
distribution thereof is clearly identified. The Sergeant -at-Arms shall be charged with the 16
duty of enforcing this rule and seeing that no individual other than Senate members or 17
employees of the Senate under the direction of the Clerk shall cause materials of any 18
nature to be distributed in the Chamber. Questions as to the propriety of materials shall be 19
referred to the Committee on Committees for resolution. Any unauthorized material shal l 20
be collected from members’ desks by the Clerk's staff[Janitor] and treated as litter. No 21
material may be displayed upon the screen at the front of the Chamber without 22
authorization of the President. Any member or guest requesting to display props, charts , 23
or other visual aids in the Chamber during the debate of a bill, resolution, or amendment 24
shall, one legislative day preceding the deliberation of the matter under consideration, 25
deliver to the Senate Clerk a petition of the material intended for display . The petition 26
shall be referred to the Rules Committee. No props, charts, or other visual aids shall be 27
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displayed in the Senate Chamber during the debate of a bill, resolution, or amendment 1
without prior consent of the Rules Committee. 2
SENATE CONFIRMATION 3
Rule 73. Requests for Confirmation of Executive Appointments. When a 4
communication is received by the Senate requesting its confirmation of an appointment 5
of an officer or officers to membership on an executive agency body the question of the 6
confirmation shall be referred to the Committee on Committees for its consideration and 7
action. The Committee on Committees shall refer the matter to a standing committee, to 8
the Senate sitting as a committee of the whole, or directly to the Rules Committee. Any 9
question of confirmation of an appointment reported to the floor by a standing committee 10
or the Senate sitting as a committee of the whole shall then be referred to the Rules 11
Committee. Any person whose confirmation of appointment is under consideration by a 12
standing committee or the Senate sitting as a committee of the whole shall appear for the 13
purpose of offering testimony before the committee at its direction prior to final 14
committee action on the matter, unless the appearance is waived by vote of the 15
committee. 16
RULES 17
Rule 74. Mason’s Manual. In the absence of a specific rule of the Senate, the 18
most recent edition of Mason's Manual of Legislative Procedure adopted by the National 19
Conference of State Legislatures shall govern the proceedings, except that in al l cases 20
where general parliamentary law provides for a rule of two thirds, it shall mean in this 21
Senate a majority of all the members elected to the Senate. Any issue not addressed by 22
the Rules of the Senate or Mason's Manual of Legislative Procedure shall be decided by 23
the normal rules of statutory construction. 24
Rule 75. Change of Rules. The Rules of the Senate, after their adoption, shall not 25
be altered, changed, amended, suspended or interrupted, unless the same be done by a 26
majority of the members elect ed to the Senate; notwithstanding any other rule of the 27
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Senate to the contrary, a constitutional majority of the Senate may suspend the rules at 1
any time for any purpose. Whenever a rule is suspended, no measure shall be considered 2
under suspension except the measure or measures in whose favor the suspension was 3
invoked, and only for that day. 4