A house RESOLUTION

TO AMEND RULE 4.6 OF THE RULES OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, RELATING TO REQUESTS BY MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE FOR COMMITTEES TO TAKE UP THEIR BILLS, SO AS TO ADD the requirement that the chairman of the committee set bills and resolutions with thirty or more sponsors for consideration of the measure by the full committee or subcommittee within seven days of its referral to the committee; and to amend rule 5.1, relating to introduction of bills and resolutions and their referral to committees, so as to require bills and resolutions sponsored by a majority of the House to be placed on the calendar.

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:

(1) That Rule 4.6 of the Rules of the House of Representatives is amended to read:

            4.6       a.         After twenty days from the date of reference, the Chairman of the Committee in possession of a measure shall, upon written request of a sponsor or, in the case of a Senate measure, a House member, set a time for consideration of the measure by the full committee or subcommittee which shall be no later than seven legislative working days thereafter.  Provided, however, that a member may request consideration of a bill or resolution pursuant to this rule only one time per bill or resolution during a legislative session.

                        b.         The Chairman of the Committee must set bills and resolutions with thirty or more sponsors for consideration of the measure by the full committee or subcommittee within seven days of its referral to the committee. At the subcommittee level, public comment or input must be allowed upon consideration of the measure.

(2) That Rule 5.1 of the Rules of the House of Representatives is amended to read:

            5.1       a.         No notice shall be required of a member of his intention to introduce a bill or resolution.  Bills and resolutions shall be referred by the Speaker of the House to the appropriate committee or committees which may then consider them at such times as the committee meets.  Provided, however, the Speaker may delay referral of a bill or resolution for one statewide legislative day in order to review the legislation's subject matter content.  Any matter acted upon favorably by any committee may be reported out by the committee when the House reconvenes and need not thereafter be sent to any committee but shall then be ready, upon compliance with other Rules of the House, for second reading consideration; provided, however, that bills appropriating revenue shall be referred to the Ways and Means Committee.  Provided, further, that bills and resolutions creating study committees shall first be referred to the appropriate standing committee having jurisdiction of the subject matter of the bill or resolution.

            b.         Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection a., a bill or resolution sponsored by a majority of the House must be placed on the House calendar for consideration and not referred first to a committee.

            c.         The Speaker may establish procedures and dates for prefiling legislation prior to the first day of the convening or reconvening of the General Assembly.  All bills received prior to the first day of the convening or reconvening of the General Assembly shall receive first reading on the first day of the session.

            d.         In those years in which all seats of the House are up for election, no bill shall be received for prefiling between the dates of adjournment sine die and the date of completion of the Organizational Session of the House.

            e.         When the House of Representatives is not in session and bills are being prefiled and assigned to committees, any member who wishes to have their name added as a sponsor of a bill may do so by notifying the Clerk of the House in writing.  The Clerk shall then notify the Chairman of the committee to which the bill has been assigned and their name shall be added.  If a member wishes to sponsor a bill individually then they shall so indicate on the face of the bill and no additional sponsors shall be allowed.

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