RULES OF THE HOUSE. Call for Bill or other Subject. 39. On the call of a member for bill or other subject, on the table of the House, the question shall be decided without debate or amendment. Bills Introduced Without Previous Notice Given. 40. Any bill or joint resolution may be introduced by a member in his place without giving previous notice. Negatived Bills. 41. The recommendation by a committee that a bill be negatived shall not affect its consideration by the House, but the words "negative recommendation" shall be printed conspicuously on a line above the title of the bill, but such bill shall not be placed upon the calendar except by a vote of the majority of the members elected to the House: Provided, That a motion to place negatived bills on the calendar shall be made in writing when resolutions are in order, and the motion shall then lie over until that order is again reached, but if such motion be negatived once it shall not be renewed. Bills not to be Amended by adding Irrelevant Matter. 42. No bill or resolution shall at any time be amended by annexing thereto, or incorporating therewith, any other bill or resolution pending before the House, nor shall a motion or proposition be entertained under color of such an amendment; nor shall any bill or resolution be amended by substituting therefor, under a motion to strike out, or otherwise, any other bill or resolution, on a subject different from that under consideration, without the unanimous consent of the House. PERSONS PRIVILEGED. Persons Permitted to Come within the Bar-Sergeant-at-arms or Doorkeeper to give Notice. 43. None but members of the Senate, their officers, the Governor and heads of departments, judges of the courts of this Commonwealth, former members of the Legislature, and duly accredited representatives of the press, shall be permitted to come within the bar of the House during its session, unless specially introduced by a member. And n person, not a member of the Legislature, shall be allowed to come upon the floor of the House, or sit in any seats appropriated for members, or interrupt a member by speaking to him in his seat while the House is in session; and it shall be the duty of the sergeant-at-arms or doorkeeper to give notice to any person offending against this rule. No Smoking Allowed-Entering Transcribing Clerks' Room Prohibited. 44. It is not permitted to any person to smoke tobacco at any time within the chamber of the House. 45. No person or persons shall, at any time, be permitted to enter the room of the transcribing clerks, except the members and officers of the General Assembly, and it shall be the duty of the sergeant-at-arms and doorkeeper to see that the foregoing rules are observed. OATH OF OFFICERS. Oath Administered to Officers. 46. The Speaker of the House shall administer to the officers of the House an oath or affirmation that they will severally support the Constitution of Pennsylvania and of the United States, and that they will also discharge the duties of their respective offices with fidelity; and that they will not knowingly demand or receive, directly or indirectly, any money or other valuable thing for the performance or non-performance of any act or duty pertaining to their office, other than the compensation allowed by law. RULES. Not to be Altered. 47. No rule shall be altered or dispensed with during the session for which it has been adopted, but by two-thirds of all the members present. 48. The rules shall be published in Smull's Legislative Hand-Book, a copy of which shall be delivered to each member at the commencement of each session. MISCELLANEOUS. Reports to be in Writing. 49. All reports of committees shall be in writing: Provided, That the minority of a committee may make report in writing, setting forth the reasons of their dissent. Communications from the Senate. 50. Communications from the Senate to the House shall be read and information shall be given to the Senate whenever any proposition coming from that body shall be concurred in. Order of Calling the Roll. 51. When the names of the members shall be called, it shall be done in alphabetical order, except, "Mr. Speaker," who shall be called last. Yeas and Nays-Reason for Votes. 52. The yeas and nays of the members on any question shall, at the desire of any two of them, be entered on the journals, and the members shall have the right to insert the reasons of their votes on the journals. Absence. 53. No member shall absent himself without obtaining leave of the House. Voting. 54. No member shall be permitted to vote on any question unless he be within the bar, and when the yeas and nays are called he be present to answer to his name. Changing of Votes. 55. On the call of the yeas and nays, the clerk shall read the names of the members after they have been called, and no member shall be permitted to change his vote, unless he, at that time, declares that he voted under a mistake of the question. Senate Amendments. 56. When amendments made by the Senate to bills are on second reading, it shall be the duty of the Speaker, without a motion, to put the question, "Will the House concur in the amendment (or amendments) made by the Senate?" and the vote be immediately taken: Provided, The members of the House shall first have been furnished with printed copies of the bill so amended, unless a motion to postpone or refer shall be made. When less than a quorum Vote, Bar of the House to be Closed. 57. When less than a quorum vote on any subject under the consideration of the House, it shall be the duty of the Speaker forthwith to order the bar of the House to be closed, and that the roll of members be called by the clerk, and if it is ascertained that a quorum is present, either by answering to their names or by their presence in the House, the yeas and nays shall again be ordered by the Speaker, and if any member present refuses to vote, such refusal shall be deemed a contempt; and, unless purged, the Speaker shall order the sergeant-at-arms to remove said member or members without the bar of the House, and all privilege of membership shall be refused the person or persons so offending, until the contempt be duly purged. Bills Returned by the Governor Vetoed. 58. All veto messages, upon being announced by the Speaker, shall be read and the reconsideration of the bill proceeded with. Sessions on Mondays and Fridays. 59. The House will convene on Mondays at 8 o'clock p. m. and adjourn at 10 o'clock p. m., and on Fridays will convene at 9 o'clock a. m. and adjourn at 11 o'clock a. m. Peddling within the Bar of the House Prohibited. 60. No person shall be permitted to hawk, peddle or offer for sale any apples, candies, nuts, or other articles of traffic at any time within the hall of the House; and it shall be the duty of the sergeant-at-arms and the doorkeeper to strictly enforce this rule. Members not Permitted to Record Votes in Certain Cases. 61. No member shall be permitted to record his vote who neglects to vote when his name is first called by the clerk, if he is within the hall of the House when his name is called; and if he is without the hall of the House when his name is called, he shall not be permitted to record his vote. When Committees May be Discharged from Consideration of a Bill. 62. That after a bill has been ten days in the hands of a committee, after having been referred to it, a majority of votes shall be sufficient to discharge the committee from a further consideration of the same: Provided, That if ready to report, it shall not be so discharged. Lounging Prohibited in the Hall. 63. That it shall be the duty of the sergeant-at-arms, doorkeeper, and their assistants to prevent all persons not connected with the Legislature or the departments, or introduced by a member, from assembling in the halls at any time when the body is not in session, for the purpose of lounging, loafing, or gossiping. For the purpose of enforcing this rule, at least two of said officers shall be in attendance at all times, and the persistent neglect or disregard of this rule shall be cause of dismissal by the Speaker. Final Adjournment. 64. A resolution providing for the final adjournment of the Legisla ture may be read as a question of privilege and laid on the table, and, after one day, may be called up by a member as a question of privilege. Reports of Conference Committees. 65. Reports of Conference Committees shall be presented, printed, and placed upon the files of amended bills before the same shall be considered. Appropriations. 66. No bills appropriating money for charitable or benevolent purposes will be considered further than second reading until after the general appropriation bill shall have been reported from committee. Bills read in place shall be accompanied by copies thereof. 67. That every bill read in place shall be accompanied by a copy thereof certified by the member presenting the same to be a true and correct copy of the original, which copy shall be filed with the resident clerk for the use of the members of the press. Duties of Committee to Compare Bills. 68. That every transcribed bill shall be reported to the House by the chairman of the Committee tc Compare Bills, or a member thereof, upon a call of the standing committees, and that every such reported bill shall have endorsed thereon a certificate signed by the clerk of said committee that the same is a true and correct copy of the bill as the same shall have passed the House. Index to Decisions of the House of Representatives. A. Page. Adjourn, motion to, not in order when previous question called and sustained, 1105 1105 not in order to entertain two consecutive motions to, 1105 1105 motion to, takes precedence over motion to adjourn to a stated time, 1105 two-thirds vote not necessary to extend time for, Adjournment, final motion to amend resolution for, from Wednesday until Monday, not in contravention of Constitu- Advertisement of notice of local or special bills must be published in two papers, proof of publication of, must be exhibited before final vote on seal of the court not necessary to verify signature of justice to to Constitution proposed by one Legislature, not amendable by 1121 made in committee of the whole, fall when leave to sit again is re- 1109 agreed to, motion to strike out certain words of, in order, 1109 1121 Senate bills referred and reported with, must be reprinted, 1113 1109 1109 containing the subject matter of another pending bill not in order, 1109 1115 motion to go into committee of the whole for special, amendable, made in committee of the whole, fall when committee rises, and 1121 limiting the operation of certain acts unconstitutional, 1110 made by house, not to be changed by standing committee, 1119 to bills legislating for all cities, must include legal classification inserted on second reading cannot be stricken out on third reading, 1110 1110 imposing conditions when an appropriation should become avail- 1110 rendering bills unconstitutional, out of order, 1111 to local laws, unconstitutional, 1116 manner of offering and adopting where entire sections are stricken 1111 remarks of members must be confined to one under consideration, 1111 1111 1125 |