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