Senate Rules; amend Rule 65 to provide for removal of members of the Rules Committee.

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To: Rules
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Senator(s) Blackwell

SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 4

A RESOLUTION TO AMEND SENATE RULE 65 TO PROVIDE FOR THE 1
REMOVAL OF MEMBERS OF THE RULES COMMITTEE. 2
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF 3
MISSISSIPPI, That Senate Rule 65 is amended to read as follows: 4
RULES COMMITTEE 5
65. (1) (a) There shall be a standing Committee on Rules 6
which shall consist of the President (who shall be a nonvoting 7
member), the President Pro Tempore, and four (4) Senators, each 8
having served at least four (4) years in the Senate, one (1) from 9
each congressional district of the state as constituted on January 10
1, 2004, to be selected by the Senators from their respective 11
congressional districts by caucus. Each congressional district 12
caucus shall hold an organizational meeting and shall elect a 13
chairman and vice chairman of the caucus. Meetings of the caucus 14
may be called at any time by the chairman or if requested by a 15
majority of the caucus. The voting precinct of the Senator * * * 16
shall determine the congressional district caucus in which the 17
Senator shall participate and for which the Senator may hold 18
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membership on the Rules Committee. A Senator representing a 19
congressional district on the Rules Committee may be removed at 20
any time by a caucus vote of at least three-fourths (3/4) of the 21
Senators from his respective congressional district. 22
(b) The President Pro Tempore shall serve as Chairman 23
of the Rules Committee; the vice chairman shall be appointed by 24
the President Pro Tempore from among the Senators on the 25
committee. 26
(2) The Rules Committee shall, in addition to the functions 27
of a standing committee and any other responsibilities assigned by 28
the Senate, perform the following duties: 29
(a) Conduct the business affairs of the Senate; 30
(b) Pursuant to authority granted in Section 29-5-2, 31
Mississippi Code of 1972, assign such space in the Capitol or in 32
such other buildings or parts thereof as may be reserved for the 33
Senate and have complete control, authority and jurisdiction over 34
such rooms, chambers, offices and other areas. Any assignment of 35
space shall be subject to change by the Rules Committee. No other 36
branch of the government, or a department or agency thereof, shall 37
use any such room, chamber, office or other area without specific 38
written authorization from the Rules Committee. The Rules 39
Committee may delegate its powers with regard to any such room, 40
chamber, office or other area in connection with the use, 41
maintenance, repairing, construction, reconstruction and 42
refurbishing thereof in such a manner as it deems advisable; 43
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(c) Assign staff for interim and special committees; 44
(d) Assign staff for standing committees; 45
(e) Continually assess ways and means to improve the 46
organization, procedures, facilities and working conditions of the 47
Senate; 48
(f) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (5) for 49
the staffing of the office of the President and the office of the 50
President Pro Tempore, the Rules Committee shall have the 51
authority to employ all personnel necessary to execute the duties 52
and responsibilities of the Senate. Unless otherwise specifically 53
provided, the Rules Committee shall have full and exclusive 54
authority over the employees of the Senate. All such employees 55
shall serve at the pleasure of the Rules Committee. Complaints 56
with respect to any misconduct, inefficiency or omission by the 57
Secretary, the Sergeant-at-Arms or employees of the Senate shall 58
be heard by the Rules Committee, which may discharge the employees 59
therefor and may recommend to the full Senate the discharge of the 60
Secretary and the Sergeant-at-Arms; 61
(g) Fix the salaries of the Senate officials and 62
employees; 63
(h) Assign news, radio and television reporters wishing 64
to take down or broadcast the debates and proceedings of the 65
Senate, places in the Senate so as not to interfere with the 66
convenience of the Senate; 67
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(i) Authorize the reimbursement of Senators and Senate 68
officials and employees who are required to travel in the 69
performance of their official duties. The Rules Committee may 70
establish regulations governing such travel which include the 71
prior approval of such travel by the Rules Committee. Senators 72
attending out-of-state conventions or conferences at state expense 73
shall make a report to the Senate, including the purpose, work and 74
recommendations resulting from the out-of-state meeting attended. 75
If more than one (1) Senator attends such convention or 76
conference, one (1) report may be made as the report of the 77
delegation; and 78
(j) Upon request of the chairman of any standing or 79
select committee of the Senate, authorize expenses, to include per 80
diem, mileage, meals and lodging, to be paid for members attending 81
the meeting of any such committee or subcommittee thereof during 82
the period in which the Legislature is not in session. The Rules 83
Committee may adopt rules and regulations concerning time, places 84
and number of meetings that may be held for which members will be 85
compensated, such rules and regulations to require prior approval 86
of meetings in order for members to be compensated. 87
(3) The committee may designate the Secretary of the Senate 88
to be responsible for the day-to-day administration of the duties 89
assigned to the committee and for implementing the policies of the 90
committee adopted pursuant to this rule. 91
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(4) The committee shall function on a year-round basis; and, 92
when the Legislature is not in session, members of the committee 93
shall be compensated as provided in Section 25-3-69, Mississippi 94
Code of 1972, for each day spent in actual discharge of their 95
duties and shall receive the expense allowance and mileage 96
reimbursement provided in Section 5-1-47, Mississippi Code of 97
1972. No committee member may incur per diem, travel or expense 98
allowance unless authorized by vote at a meeting of the committee, 99
which action shall be recorded in the official minutes of the 100
committee. The Rules Committee shall meet at such times as are 101
necessary for the proper exercise of its functions and may adopt 102
rules and regulations, not inconsistent with the rules of the 103
Senate, as it deems necessary for the efficient operation of the 104
committee. Action by a majority vote of the Rules Committee shall 105
be conclusive on any matter properly within the jurisdiction of 106
the committee. 107
(5) (a) In providing for the staffing of the President's 108
office, the Rules Committee shall fill up to eight (8) positions 109
when requested by the President, and the persons employed for such 110
positions shall be hired with the approval of the President. The 111
President shall recommend the compensation to be paid to the 112
President's staff, and the Rules Committee may pay the 113
compensation so established. 114
(b) In providing for the staffing of the President Pro 115
Tempore's office, the Rules Committee shall fill one (1) staff 116
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position as requested by the President Pro Tempore, and the person 117
employed for such position shall be hired with the approval of the 118
President Pro Tempore. The President Pro Tempore shall recommend 119
the compensation to be paid to the person so employed, and the 120
Rules Committee may pay the compensation so established. 121
(c) Persons employed under this subsection to staff the 122
President's office shall serve at the will and pleasure of the 123
President; persons employed to staff the President Pro Tempore's 124
office shall serve at the will and pleasure of the President Pro 125
Tempore. 126
(6) In providing for the staffing of committees, the Rules 127
Committee shall have the responsibility for determining the 128
necessity of any staff positions requested by the chairman of a 129
committee. 130
(7) The Rules Committee shall cooperate with the House 131
Management Committee in maintaining a Joint Legislative Printing 132
Office and a Reference Library which shall contain, but shall not 133
be limited to, study reports and information gathered by the 134
departments and the various committees of the Legislature so as to 135
provide a continuity of information from year to year. 136
(8) The Rules Committee shall have the responsibility for 137
the proper operation of the Senate Legislative Services Office. 138
(9) The Rules Committee shall have jurisdiction over any 139
questions concerning improper or unethical conduct by members of 140
the Senate. 141
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ST: Senate Rules; amend Rule 65 to provide for
removal of members of the Rules Committee.
(10) The funds necessary to carry out the provisions of this 142
rule shall be paid from the Senate Contingent Fund. 143
(11) The Rules Committee may meet jointly with the House 144
Management Committee when necessary to more effectively carry out 145
the provisions of this rule. 146