as adopted by senate, January 13, 2021

 

senate resolution no.2

Senator Lauwers offered the following resolution:

A resolution prescribing the Standing Rules of the Senate.

CHAPTER I     SECTION I

SENATE ORGANIZATION

 

1.100 TRANSMISSION OF MESSAGES.

Per Joint Rule 1, all messages necessary for conducting legislative business between the two houses shall be communicated in writing and delivered electronically by the Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the House of Representatives.

 

1.101 PRESIDING OFFICER

a) The Lieutenant Governor shall be the President of the Senate and shall preside over all sessions of the Senate. If the Lieutenant governor is absent, the President pro tempore, Assistant President pro tempore, or Associate President pro tempore shall preside.

b) The Lieutenant Governor may vote only when the Senators are equally divided in their vote (see Const. Art. 5, Sec. 25).

c) In the absence of the President of the Senate, President pro tempore, Assistant President pro tempore, and Associate President pro tempore, the Secretary of the Senate shall preside until the Senate shall appoint a Senator to act as presiding officer or until the President of the Senate, President pro tempore, Assistant President pro tempore, or Associate President pro tempore shall appear. In the absence of all Senators, or all but one Senator, the Secretary of the Senate shall preside.

 

1.102 AUTHORITY OF THE  PRESIDING OFFICER

a) The presiding officer shall call the Senate to order at the hours provided by the Constitution and these rules and at the hour established by the Senate at its last meeting.

b) Except as proved in Rule 1.205(b), following the invocation and Pledge of Allegiance, the presiding officer shall instruct the Secretary of the Senate to record the attendance. The attendance roll call shall be taken using the electronic voting system for one minute; however, on the first session in January, or if the electronic voting system is not operational, the presiding officer shall instruct the Secretary of the Senate to call the roll orally and record and announce the results.

 

1.103 THE PRESIDING OFFICER   S CONTROL WITHIN THE CHAMBER

The presiding officer shall preserve order and decorum and shall have general control within the Chamber. During every session of the Senate, the Sergeant at Arms is under the direct supervision of the presiding officer. Every question of order and procedure shall be decided by the presiding officer, subject to an appeal by the Senate.

 

1.104 ELECTION OF SENATE OFFICERS

a) At the first session of a quadrennium, a President pro tempore, Assistant President pro tempore, and Associate President pro tempore shall be elected by a vote of a majority of the Senators elected and serving. All officers elected by the Senate hold office until their successors are elected and qualified or until the expiration of their Senate term, whichever occurs first.

b) Prior to the commencement of the quadrennium session, the majority party shall meet in an organizational caucus and elect a Majority Leader, Majority Floor Leader, Majority Whip, Majority Caucus Chairperson, Assistant Majority Leader, Assistant Majority Floor Leader, Assistant Majority Whip, and Assistant Majority Caucus Chairperson. At a similar organizational caucus, the minority party shall elect a Minority Leader, Minority Floor Leader, Minority Whip, Minority Caucus Chairperson, Assistant Minority Leader, Assistant Minority Floor Leader, Assistant Minority Whip, and Assistant Minority Caucus Chairperson.

c) All majority party Senate officers shall serve at the pleasure of the majority party caucus. All minority party Senate officers shall serve at the pleasure of the minority party caucus.

d) All majority and minority party caucuses shall be subject to Section 8 of the Open Meetings Act (see MCL 15.268).

 

1.105 APPOINTMENT OF COMMITTEES

a) The Senate Majority Leader shall make appointments of senators to committees and subcommittees established under these rules. The Senate Majority Leader shall make appointments of minority party members from a list submitted by the Senate Minority Leader, and shall consider the preferences, seniority, and experience of the members in making appointments. The Senate Majority Leader may accept the list submitted by the Senate Minority Leader in whole or in part. If the Senate Majority Leader rejects names on the list and their corresponding committee assignments, the Senate Minority Leader shall submit replacement nominations.

b) The Senate Majority Leader may remove members from their appointment to committees and subcommittees established under these rules.

c) All appointments to standing and select committees and subcommittees are subject to the approval of the Senate by a majority of the Senators elected and serving. All removals from committees and subcommittees and all  appointments to conference committees shall be effective upon the removal or appointment until disapproved by the Senate by a majority of the Senators elected and serving.

 

1.106 ELECTION OF SECRETARY OF THE SENATE

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