Senate Resolution No.
1–Senators
Raggio and Titus
Senate RESOLUTION—Adopting the Rules of the Senate for the 19th Special Session of the Legislature.
1-1 Resolved by the Senate of the State of Nevada, That the
1-2 following Rules of the Senate for the 19th Special Session of the
1-3 Legislature are hereby adopted:
1-4 I. APPLICABILITY
1-5 Rule No. 1. Generally.
1-6 The Rules of the Senate for the 19th Special Session of the
1-7 Legislature are applicable only during the 19th Special Session of
1-8 the Legislature.
1-9 II. OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES
1-10 Duties of Officers
1-11 Rule No. 2. President.
1-12 The President shall take the chair and call the Senate to order
1-13 precisely at the hour appointed for meeting. He shall preserve
1-14 order and decorum, and in case of any disturbance or disorderly
1-15 conduct within the Senate Chamber, shall order the Sergeant at
1-16 Arms to suppress it, and may order the arrest of any person
1-17 creating any disturbance within the Senate Chamber. He may
1-18 speak to points of order in preference to members, rising from his
1-19 seat for that purpose, and shall decide questions of order without
1-20 debate, subject to an appeal to the Senate by two members, on
1-21 which appeal no member may speak more than once without leave
1-22 of the Senate. He shall sign all acts, addresses and joint
1-23 resolutions, and all writs, warrants and subpoenas issued by order
1-24 of the Senate; all of which must be attested by the Secretary. He
1-25 has general direction of the Senate Chamber.
1-26 Rule No. 3. President Pro Tem.
1-27 The President Pro Tem has all the power and shall discharge
1-28 all the duties of the President during his absence or inability to
1-29 discharge the duties of his office. In the absence or inability of the
1-30 President Pro Tem to discharge the duties of the President’s
1-31 office, the Senate shall elect one of its members as the presiding
1-32 officer for that occasion.
2-1 Rule No. 4. Secretary.
2-2 1. The Secretary of the Senate is elected by the Senate, and
2-3 shall:
2-4 (a) Interview and recommend persons to be considered for
2-5 employment to assist the Secretary.
2-6 (b) See that these employees perform their respective duties.
2-7 (c) Administer the daily business of the Senate, including the
2-8 provision of secretaries as needed.
2-9 (d) Unless otherwise ordered by the Senate, transmit as soon
2-10 as practicable those bills and resolutions upon which the next
2-11 action is to be taken by the Assembly.
2-12 2. The Secretary is responsible to the Majority Leader.
2-13 Rule No. 5. Sergeant at Arms.
2-14 1. The Sergeant at Arms shall attend the Senate during its
2-15 sittings, and execute its commands and all process issued by its
2-16 authority. He must be sworn to keep the secrets of the Senate.
2-17 2. The Sergeant at Arms shall:
2-18 (a) Superintend the upkeep of the Senate’s Chamber, private
2-19 lounge, and meeting rooms.
2-20 (b) Interview and recommend persons to be considered for
2-21 employment to assist the Sergeant at Arms.
2-22 3. The Sergeant at Arms is responsible to the Majority
2-23 Leader.
2-24 Rule No. 6. Assistant Sergeant at Arms.
2-25 The Assistant Sergeant at Arms shall be doorkeeper and shall
2-26 preserve order in the Senate Chamber and shall assist the
2-27 Sergeant at Arms. He shall be sworn to keep the secrets of the
2-28 Senate.
2-29 III. SESSIONS AND MEETINGS
2-30 Rule No. 7. Call of Senate—Moved by Three Members.
2-31 A Call of the Senate may be moved by three Senators, and if
2-32 carried by a majority of all present, the Secretary shall call the roll
2-33 and note the absentees, after which the names of the absentees
2-34 shall again be called over. The doors shall then be closed and the
2-35 Sergeant at Arms directed to take into custody all who may be
2-36 absent without leave, and all Senators so taken into custody shall
2-37 be presented at the bar of the Senate for such action as to the
2-38 Senate may seem proper.
2-39 Rule No. 8. Absence—Leave Required.
2-40 No Senator shall absent himself from the service of the Senate
2-41 without leave, except in case of accident or sickness, and if any
3-1 Senator or officer shall so absent himself his per diem shall not be
3-2 allowed him.
3-3 Rule No. 9. Open Meetings.
3-4 1. Except as otherwise provided in the Constitution of the
3-5 State of Nevada and in subsection 2 of this rule, all meetings of
3-6 the Senate and the Committee of the Whole must be open to the
3-7 public.
3-8 2. A meeting may be closed to consider the character, alleged
3-9 misconduct, professional competence, or physical or mental health
3-10 of a person.
3-11 IV. DECORUM AND DEBATE
3-12 Rule No. 10. Points of Order.
3-13 1. If any Senator, in speaking or otherwise, transgresses the
3-14 rules of the Senate, the President shall, or any Senator may, call
3-15 him to order. If a Senator is so called to order, he shall not
3-16 proceed without leave of the Senate. If such leave is granted, it
3-17 must be upon the motion, “That he be allowed to proceed in
3-18 order,” and the Senator shall confine himself to the question
3-19 under consideration and avoid personality.
3-20 2. Every decision of points of order made by the President is
3-21 subject to appeal, and a discussion of a question of order may be
3-22 allowed only upon the appeal of two Senators. In all cases of
3-23 appeal, the question must be, “Shall the decision of the Chair
3-24 stand as the judgment of the Senate?”
3-25 Rule No. 11. Breaches of Decorum.
3-26 1. In cases of breaches of decorum or propriety, any Senator,
3-27 officer or other person is liable to such censure or punishment as
3-28 the Senate may deem proper.
3-29 2. If any Senator is called to order for offensive or indecorous
3-30 language or conduct, the person calling him to order shall report
3-31 the offensive or indecorous language or conduct to the presiding
3-32 officer. No member may be held to answer for any language used
3-33 on the floor of the Senate if business has intervened before
3-34 exception to the language was taken.
3-35 3. Indecorous conduct or boisterous or unbecoming language
3-36 is not permitted in the Senate Chamber.
3-37 V. QUORUM, VOTING, ELECTIONS
3-38 Rule No. 12. Action Required to be Taken in Senate Chamber.
3-39 Any action taken by the Senate must be taken in the Senate
3-40 Chamber.
4-1 Rule No. 13. Recorded Vote—Three Required to Call For.
4-2 1. A recorded vote must be taken upon final passage of a bill
4-3 or joint resolution, and in any other case when called for by three
4-4 members. Every Senator within the bar of the Senate shall vote
4-5 “aye” or “no” or record himself as “not voting,” unless excused
4-6 by unanimous vote of the Senate.
4-7 2. The votes and names of those absent or recorded as “not
4-8 voting” and the names of Senators demanding the recorded vote
4-9 must be entered in the Journal.
4-10 Rule No. 14. President to Decide—Tie Vote.
4-11 A question is lost by a tie vote, but when the Senate is equally
4-12 divided on any question except the passage of a bill or joint
4-13 resolution, the President may give the deciding vote.
4-14 Rule No. 15. Manner of Election—Voting.
4-15 1. In all cases of election by the Senate, the vote must be
4-16 taken viva voce. In other cases, if a vote is to be recorded, it may
4-17 be taken by oral roll-call or by electronic recording.
4-18 2. When a recorded vote is taken, no Senator may:
4-19 (a) Vote except when at his seat;
4-20 (b) Vote upon any question in which he is in any way
4-21 personally or directly interested;
4-22 (c) Explain his vote or discuss the question while the voting is
4-23 in progress; or
4-24 (d) Change his vote after the result is announced.
4-25 3. The announcement of the result of any vote must not be
4-26 postponed.
4-27 VI. LEGISLATIVE BODIES
4-28 Rule No. 16. Committee of the Whole.
4-29 1. All bills and resolutions may be referred only to the
4-30 Committee of the Whole.
4-31 2. The Majority Leader shall preside as Chairman of the
4-32 Committee or name a Chairman to preside.
4-33 3. Any meeting of the Committee of the Whole may be
4-34 conducted outside the Senate Chamber, as designated by the
4-35 Chairman of the Committee.
4-36 4. A member of the Committee may speak only once on an
4-37 item listed on the Committee’s agenda, for a period of not more
4-38 than 10 minutes, unless he is granted leave of the Chairman to
4-39 speak for a longer period or more than once. If a member is
4-40 granted leave to speak for a longer period or more than once, the
4-41 Chairman may limit the length of additional time that the member
4-42 may speak.
5-1 5. The Chairman may require any vote of the Committee to
5-2 be recorded in the manner designated by the Chairman.
5-3 6. All amendments proposed by the Committee:
5-4 (a) Must first be approved by the Committee.
5-5 (b) Must be reported by the Chairman to the Senate.
5-6 7. The minutes of the Committee’s meetings must be entered
5-7 in the final Journal.
5-8 Rule No. 17. Rules Applicable to Committee of the Whole.
5-9 The Rules of the Senate shall apply to proceedings in
5-10 Committee of the Whole, except that the previous question shall
5-11 not be ordered. The rules of parliamentary practice contained in
5-12 Mason’s Manual of Legislative Procedure shall govern the
5-13 Committee in all cases in which they are applicable and in which
5-14 they are not inconsistent with the rules and orders of the Senate.
5-15 Rule No. 18. Motion to Rise Committee of the Whole.
5-16 A motion that the Committee rise shall always be in order, and
5-17 shall be decided without debate.
5-18 VII. RULES GOVERNING MOTIONS
5-19 A. Motions Generally
5-20 Rule No. 19. Entertaining.
5-21 1. No motion may be debated until it is announced by the
5-22 President.
5-23 2. By consent of the Senate, a motion may be withdrawn
5-24 before amendment or decision.
5-25 Rule No. 20. Precedence of Motions.
5-26 When a question is under debate, no motion shall be received
5-27 but the following, which shall have precedence in the order
5-28 named:
5-29 1. To adjourn.
5-30 2. For a call of the Senate.
5-31 3. To lay on the table.
5-32 4. For the previous question.
5-33 5. To postpone to a day certain.
5-34 6. To commit.
5-35 7. To amend.
5-36 8. To postpone indefinitely.
5-37 The first four shall be decided without debate.
6-1 Rule No. 21. When Not Entertained.
6-2 1. When a motion to commit, to postpone to a day certain, or
6-3 to postpone indefinitely has been decided, it must not be again
6-4 entertained on the same day.
6-5 2. When a question has been postponed indefinitely, it must
6-6 not again be introduced during the Special Session.
6-7 3. There must be no reconsideration of a vote on a motion to
6-8 postpone indefinitely.
6-9 B. Particular Motions
6-10 Rule No. 22. To Adjourn.
6-11 A motion to adjourn shall always be in order. The name of the
6-12 Senator moving to adjourn, and the time when the motion was
6-13 made, shall be entered in the Journal.
6-14 Rule No. 23. Lay on the Table.
6-15 A motion to lay on or take from the table shall be carried by a
6-16 majority vote.
6-17 Rule No. 24. To Strike Enacting Clause.
6-18 A motion to strike out the enacting clause of a bill or resolution
6-19 has precedence over a motion to commit or amend. If a motion to
6-20 strike out the enacting clause of a bill or resolution is carried, the
6-21 bill or resolution is rejected.
6-22 Rule No. 25. Division of Question.
6-23 1. Any Senator may call for a division of a question.
6-24 2. A question must be divided if it embraces subjects so
6-25 distinct that if one subject is taken away, a substantive proposition
6-26 remains for the decision of the Senate.
6-27 3. A motion to strike out and insert must not be divided.
6-28 Rule No. 26. Explanation of Motion.
6-29 Whenever a Senator movGreen numbers along left margin indicate location on the printed bill (e.g., 5-15 indicates page 5, line 15).es to change the usual disposition of a
6-30 bill or resolution, he shall describe the subject of the bill or
6-31 resolution and state the reasons for his requesting the change in
6-32 the processing of the bill or resolution.
6-33 VIII. DEBATE
6-34 Rule No. 27. Speaking on Question.
6-35 1. Every Senator who speaks shall, standing in his place,
6-36 address “Mr. or Madam President,” in a courteous manner, and
6-37 shall confine himself to the question before the Senate. When he
6-38 has finished, he shall sit down.
7-1 2. Except as otherwise provided in Senate Rules Nos. 10 and
7-2 45 of the 19th Special Session, a Senator may speak only once on
7-3 a question before the Senate, for a period of not more than 10
7-4 minutes, unless he is granted leave of the President to speak for a
7-5 longer period or more than once. If a Senator is granted leave to
7-6 speak for a longer period or more than once, the President may
7-7 limit the length of additional time that the member may speak.
7-8 3. Incidental and subsidiary questions arising during debate
7-9 shall not be considered the same question.
7-10 Rule No. 28. Previous Question.
7-11 The previous question shall not be put unless demanded by
7-12 three Senators, and it shall be in this form: “Shall the main
7-13 question be now put?” When sustained by a majority of Senators
7-14 present it shall put an end to all debate and bring the Senate to a
7-15 vote on the question or questions before it, and all incidental
7-16 questions arising after the motion was made shall be decided
7-17 without debate. A person who is speaking on a question shall not
7-18 while he has the floor move to put that question.
7-19 IX. CONDUCT OF BUSINESS
7-20 A. Generally
7-21 Rule No. 29. Mason’s Manual.
7-22 The rules of parliamentary practice contained in Mason’s
7-23 Manual of Legislative Procedure shall govern the Senate in all
7-24 cases in which they are applicable and in which they are not
7-25 inconsistent with the rules and orders of the Senate for the 19th
7-26 Special Session of the Legislature, and the Joint Rules of the
7-27 Senate and Assembly for the 19th Special Session of the
7-28 Legislature.
7-29 Rule No. 30. Suspension of Rule.
7-30 No rule or order of the Senate for the 19th Special Session of
7-31 the Legislature shall be rescinded or changed without a majority
7-32 vote of the Senate; but, except as otherwise provided in Senate
7-33 Rule No. 39 of the 19th Special Session of the Legislature, a rule
7-34 or order may be temporarily suspended for a special purpose by a
7-35 majority vote of the members present. When the suspension of a
7-36 rule is called for, and after due notice from the President no
7-37 objection is offered, he can announce the rule suspended and the
7-38 Senate may proceed accordingly; but this shall not apply to that
7-39 portion of Senate Rule No. 39 of the 19th Special Session of the
7-40 Legislature relating to the third reading of bills, which cannot be
7-41 suspended.
8-1 Rule No. 31. Protest.
8-2 Any Senator, or Senators, may protest against the action of the
8-3 Senate upon any question, and have such protest entered in the
8-4 Journal.
8-5 Rule No. 32. Privilege of the Floor.
8-6 1. To preserve decorum and facilitate the business of the
8-7 Senate, only the following persons may be present on the floor of
8-8 the Senate during formal sessions:
8-9 (a) State officers;
8-10 (b) Officers and members of the Senate;
8-11 (c) Employees of the Legislative Counsel Bureau;
8-12 (d) Attachés and employees of the Senate; and
8-13 (e) Members of the Assembly whose presence is required for
8-14 the transaction of business.
8-15 2. Guests of Senators must be seated in a section of the upper
8-16 or lower gallery of the Senate Chamber to be specially designated
8-17 by the Sergeant at Arms. The Majority Leader may specify special
8-18 occasions when guests may be seated on the floor of the Senate
8-19 with a Senator.
8-20 3. A majority of Senators may authorize the President to have
8-21 the Senate Chamber cleared of all persons except Senators and
8-22 officers of the Senate.
8-23 4. The Senate Chamber may not be used for any business
8-24 other than legislative business during a legislative session.
8-25 Rule No. 33. Material Placed on Legislators’ Desks.
8-26 1. Only the Sergeant at Arms and officers and employees of
8-27 the Senate may place papers, letters, notes, pamphlets and other
8-28 written material upon a Senator’s desk. Such material must
8-29 contain the name of the Legislator requesting the placement of the
8-30 material on the desk or a designation of the origin of the material.
8-31 2. This rule does not apply to books containing the legislative
8-32 bills and resolutions, the daily histories and daily journals of the
8-33 Senate or Assembly, or Legislative Counsel Bureau material.
8-34 Rule No. 34. Petitions and Memorials.
8-35 The contents of any petition or memorial shall be briefly stated
8-36 by the President or any Senator presenting it. It shall then lie on
8-37 the table or be referred, as the President or Senate may direct.
8-38 Rule No. 35. Objection to Reading of Paper.
8-39 Where the reading of any paper is called for, and is objected to
8-40 by any Senator, it shall be determined by a vote of the Senate, and
8-41 without debate.
9-1 Rule No. 36. Questions Relating to Priority of Business.
9-2 All questions relating to the priority of business shall be
9-3 decided without debate.
9-4 B. Bills
9-5 Rule No. 37. Requests for the Drafting of Bills, Resolutions and
9-6 Amendments.
9-7 The Legislative Counsel shall not honor a request for the
9-8 drafting of a bill, resolution or amendment to be introduced in the
9-9 Senate unless it is submitted by the Committee of the Whole, a
9-10 Conference Committee or the Governor.
9-11 Rule No. 38. Introduction of Bills.
9-12 1. Except as otherwise provided in this rule, no bill or
9-13 resolution may be introduced in the Senate unless it is first
9-14 approved by the Committee of the Whole.
9-15 2. The provisions of subsection 1 do not apply to a bill or
9-16 resolution that is:
9-17 (a) Required to carry out the business of the Senate or the
9-18 Legislature; or
9-19 (b) Requested by the Governor.
9-20 3. Skeleton bills may not be introduced.
9-21 Rule No. 39. Reading of Bills.
9-22 1. Every bill must receive three readings before its passage,
9-23 unless, in case of emergency, this rule is suspended by a two-thirds
9-24 vote of the members elected to the Senate.
9-25 2. The first reading of a bill is for information, and if there is
9-26 opposition to the bill, the question must be, “Shall this bill receive
9-27 no further consideration?” If there is no opposition to the bill, or
9-28 if the question to reject is defeated, the bill must then take the
9-29 usual course.
9-30 3. No bill may be committed until once read, nor amended
9-31 until twice read.
9-32 4. The third reading of every bill must be by sections.
9-33 Rule No. 40. Second Reading File—Consent Calendar.
9-34 1. All bills or joint resolutions reported by the Committee of
9-35 the Whole must be placed on a Second Reading File unless
9-36 recommended for placement on the Consent Calendar.
9-37 2. The Committee of the Whole shall not recommend a bill or
9-38 joint resolution for placement on the Consent Calendar if:
9-39 (a) An amendment of the bill or joint resolution is
9-40 recommended;
9-41 (b) It contains an appropriation;
10-1 (c) It requires a two-thirds vote of the Senate; or
10-2 (d) It is controversial in nature.
10-3 3. A bill or joint resolution must be removed from the
10-4 Consent Calendar at the request of any Senator. A bill or joint
10-5 resolution so removed must be immediately placed on the Second
10-6 Reading File for consideration in the usual order of business.
10-7 4. When the Consent Calendar is called, the bills remaining
10-8 on the Consent Calendar must be read by number and summary,
10-9 and the vote must be taken on their final passage as a group.
10-10 Rule No. 41. Reading of Bills—General File.
10-11 1. Upon reading of bills on the Second Reading File, Senate
10-12 and Assembly bills reported without amendments must be placed
10-13 on the General File.
10-14 2. Only amendments proposed by the Committee of the Whole
10-15 or a Conference Committee may be considered.
10-16 3. Amendments proposed by the Committee of the Whole and
10-17 reported with bills may be adopted by a majority vote of the
10-18 members present. Bills so amended must be reprinted, engrossed
10-19 or reengrossed, and placed on the General File. The File must be
10-20 posted in the Senate Chamber and made available to members of
10-21 the public each day by the Secretary.
10-22 Rule No. 42. Reconsideration of Vote on Bill.
10-23 No motion to reconsider a vote is in order.
10-24 C. Resolutions
10-25 Rule No. 43. Treated as Bills.
10-26 Resolutions addressed to Congress, or to either House thereof,
10-27 or to the President of the United States, or the heads of any of the
10-28 national departments, or proposing amendments to the State
10-29 Constitution are subject, in all respects, to the foregoing rules
10-30 governing the course of bills. A joint resolution proposing an
10-31 amendment to the constitution shall be entered in the journal in its
10-32 entirety.
10-33 Rule No. 44. Treated as Motions.
10-34 Resolutions, other than those referred to in Senate Rule No. 43
10-35 of the 19th Special Session of the Legislature, shall be treated as
10-36 motions in all proceedings of the Senate.
10-37 Rule No. 45. Order of Business.
10-38 1. Roll Call.
10-39 2. Prayer and Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.
10-40 3. Reading and Approval of the Journal.
10-41 4. Reports of the Committee of the Whole.
11-1 5. Messages from the Governor.
11-2 6. Messages from the Assembly.
11-3 7. Communications.
11-4 8. [Reserved.]
11-5 9. Motions, Resolutions and Notices.
11-6 10. Introduction, First Reading and Reference.
11-7 11. Consent Calendar.
11-8 12. Second Reading and Amendment.
11-9 13. General File and Third Reading.
11-10 14. Unfinished Business.
11-11 15. Special Orders of the Day.
11-12 16. Remarks from the Floor; Introduction of Guests. A
11-13 member may speak under this order of business for a period of not
11-14 more than 5 minutes each day.
11-15 Rule No. 46. Privilege.
11-16 Any Senator may rise and explain a matter personal to himself
11-17 by leave of the President, but he shall not discuss any pending
11-18 question in such explanation.
11-19 Rule No. 47. Preference to Speak.
11-20 When two or more Senators rise at the same time the President
11-21 shall name the one who may first speak—giving preference, when
11-22 practicable, to the mover or introducer of the subject under
11-23 consideration.
11-24 Rule No. 48. Special Order.
11-25 The President shall call the Senate to order on the arrival of
11-26 the time fixed for the consideration of a special order, and
11-27 announce that the special order is before the Senate, which shall
11-28 be considered, unless it be postponed by a two-thirds vote, and any
11-29 business before the Senate at the time of the announcement of the
11-30 special order shall go to Unfinished Business.
11-31 20~~~~~03