Assembly Resolution No. 3–Committee on Elections,
Procedures, and Ethics
FILE
NUMBER....
Assembly RESOLUTION—Adopting the Standing Rules of the Assembly for the 71st
legislative session.
Resolved by the Assembly of
the State of Nevada, That the Assembly Standing Rules as amended by the
70th session are adopted, with the following changes, as the Standing Rules of
the Assembly for the 71st session of the Legislature:
1-1 I. OFFICERS
AND EMPLOYEES
1-2 Duties of Officers
1-3 Rule No. 1. Speaker of the Assembly.
1-4 1. All officers of the Assembly are subordinate
to the Speaker in all
1-5 that relates
to the prompt, efficient and correct discharge of their official
1-6 duties under
the Speaker’s supervision.
1-7 2. Possessing the powers and performing the
duties described in this
1-8 rule, the
Speaker shall:
1-9 (a) Take the
chair at the hour to which the Assembly stands adjourned,
1-10 call the
members to order, and upon the appearance of a quorum, proceed
1-11 to business.
1-12 (b) Preserve
order and decorum and have general direction of the
1-13 chamber of
the Assembly and the approaches thereto. In the event of any
1-14 disturbance
or disorderly conduct therein, order the same to be cleared.
1-15 (c) Decide
all questions of order, subject to a member’s right to appeal
1-16 to the
Assembly. On appeal from such decisions, the Speaker has the right,
1-17 in the
Speaker’s place, to assign the reason for the decision.
1-18 (d) Have the
right to name any member to perform the duties of the
1-19 chair, but
such substitution must not extend beyond one legislative day.
1-20 (e) When the
Assembly resolves itself into Committee of the Whole,
1-21 name a
chairman to preside thereover and call him to the chair.
1-22 (f) Have the
power to accredit the persons who act as representatives of
1-23 the news
media and assign them seats.
1-24 (g) Sign all
bills and resolutions passed by the Legislature as provided
1-25 by law.
1-26 (h) Sign all
subpoenas issued by the Assembly .
[or any committee
1-27 thereof.]
1-28 (i) Receive
all messages and communications from other departments of
1-29 the
government and announce them to the Assembly.
1-30 (j) Represent
the Assembly, declare its will and in all things obey its
1-31 commands.
1-32 (k) Vote on
final passage of a bill or resolution, but the Speaker shall
1-33 not be
required to vote in ordinary legislative proceedings except where
1-34 the
Speaker’s vote would be decisive. In all yea and nay votes, the
1-35 Speaker’s
name must be called last.
2-1 3. If a vacancy occurs in the office of Speaker,
through death,
2-2 resignation or disability of the Speaker, the
Speaker pro Tempore shall
2-3 temporarily
and for the period of vacancy or disability conduct the
2-4 necessary
business of the Assembly.
2-5 4. If a permanent vacancy occurs in the office
of Speaker, the
2-6 Assembly
shall select a new Speaker.
2-7 Rule No. 2. Reserved.
2-8 Rule No. 3. Reserved.
2-9 Rule No. 4. Reserved.
2-10 Rule No. 5. Reserved.
2-11 Rule No. 6. Reserved.
2-12 The next rule is 10.
2-13 II. SESSIONS
AND MEETINGS
2-14 Rule No. 10. Time of Meeting.
2-15 The Assembly
shall meet each day at 11 a.m., unless the Assembly
2-16 adjourns to
some other hour.
2-17 Rule No. 11. Open Meetings.
2-18 All meetings
of the Assembly and its [standing] committees must be
2-19 open to the
public.
2-20 Rule No. 12. Reserved.
2-21 The next rule is 20.
2-22 III. DECORUM
AND DEBATE
2-23 Rule No. 20. Points of Order.
2-24 If any
member, in speaking or otherwise, transgresses the rules of the
2-25 Assembly,
the Speaker shall, or any member may, call to order, in which
2-26 case the
member so called to order shall immediately sit down, unless
2-27 permitted to
explain; and if called to order by a member, such member
2-28 shall
immediately state the point of order. If the point of order be sustained
2-29 by the
presiding officer, the member shall not be allowed to proceed; but if
2-30 it be not
sustained, then he shall be permitted to go on. Every such
2-31 decision
from the presiding officer shall be subject to an appeal to the
2-32 House; but
no discussion of the question of order shall be allowed unless
2-33 an appeal be
taken from the decision of the presiding officer.
2-34 Rule No. 21. [Reserved.] Portable electronic communication devices.
2-35 1. A
person who is within the Assembly Chambers shall not engage
2-36 in a telephone conversation via the use of a
portable telephone.
2-37 2. Before
entering the Assembly Chambers, any person who
2-38 possesses a portable electronic communication
device, such as a pager
2-39 or telephone, that emits an audible alert,
such as a ringing or beeping
2-40 sound, to signal an incoming message or call
shall turn the audible alert
2-41 off. A device that contains a nonaudible
alert, such as a silent vibration,
2-42 may be operated in a nonaudible manner within
the Assembly
2-43 Chambers.
2-44 Rule No. 22. Reserved.
3-1 Rule No. 23. Committee on Ethics; Legislative Ethics.
3-2 1. The Committee on Ethics consists of:
3-3 (a) Two
members of the Assembly appointed by the Speaker from the
3-4 majority
political party;
3-5 (b) One
member of the Assembly appointed by the Minority Leader
3-6 from the
minority political party; and
3-7 (c) Two
qualified electors of the state chosen by the members of the
3-8 committee
who are appointed pursuant to paragraphs (a) and (b), neither
3-9 of whom is a
present or former member of the Legislature or employed by
3-10 the State of
Nevada.
3-11 2. The Speaker shall appoint two members of the
Assembly, one from
3-12 the majority
political party and one from the minority political party to
3-13 serve as
alternate members of the committee. If a member is disqualified,
3-14 the
alternate appointed from the same political party shall serve as a
3-15 member of
the committee during the consideration of a specific question.
3-16 3. A member is disqualified if he is the
requester of advice concerning
3-17 a question
of ethics or conflict of interest, or if the advice is requested by
3-18 another
member of the Assembly and a reasonable person in his situation
3-19 could not
exercise independent judgment on the matter in question.
3-20 4. The committee shall hear complaints on
alleged breaches of ethics
3-21 and
conflicts of interest, brought by Legislators and others, and it may
3-22 advise
Legislators on questions of breaches of ethics and conflicts of
3-23 interest.
All proceedings held to consider the character, alleged
3-24 misconduct,
professional competence or physical or mental health of any
3-25 person by
the committee on matters of ethics or conflicts of interest are
3-26 confidential
unless a Legislator:
3-27 (a) Against
whom a complaint is brought requests a public hearing;
3-28 (b) Discloses
the opinion of the committee at any time after his hearing;
3-29 or
3-30 (c) Discloses
the content of an advisory opinion issued to him by the
3-31 committee.
3-32 5. A complaint which alleges a breach of ethics
or a conflict of interest
3-33 must be in
writing and signed by the person making the allegation. The
3-34 complaint
must be filed with the chairman. The chairman shall send a
3-35 copy of the
complaint, within 24 hours after receiving it, to the Legislator
3-36 against whom
the complaint is brought.
3-37 6. The criterion to be applied by the committee
in determining whether
3-38 a Legislator
has a conflict of interest is whether the independence of
3-39 judgment of
a reasonable person in his position upon the matter in
3-40 question
would be materially affected by:
3-41 (a) His
acceptance of a gift or loan; or
3-42 (b) His
private economic interest.
3-43 7. A Legislator who determines that he has a
conflict of interest may
3-44 vote upon,
advocate or oppose any measure as to which a potential conflict
3-45 exists if he
makes a general disclosure of the conflict. In determining
3-46 whether to
vote upon, advocate or oppose the measure, the Legislator
3-47 should
consider whether:
3-48 (a) The
conflict impedes his independence of judgment;
3-49 (b) His
participation will produce a negative effect on the public’s
3-50 confidence
in the integrity of the Legislature;
3-51 (c) His
participation is likely to have any significant effect on the
3-52 disposition
of the measure; and
4-1 (d) His
interest is greater than the interests of an entire class of persons
4-2 similarly situated.
4-3 The next rule is 30.
4-4 IV. QUORUM,
VOTING, ELECTIONS
4-5 Rule No. 30. Manner of Voting.
4-6 1. The presiding officer shall declare all
votes, but the yeas and nays
4-7 must be
taken when called for by three members present, and the names of
4-8 those
calling for the yeas and nays must be entered in the Journal by the
4-9 Chief Clerk.
4-10 2. The presiding officer shall call for yeas and
nays by a division or by
4-11 a roll call,
either electronic or oral.
4-12 3. When taking the yeas and nays on any
question, the electronic roll
4-13 call system
may be used, and when so used shall have the force and effect
4-14 of any roll
call under these rules.
4-15 4. When taking the yeas and nays by oral roll
call, the Chief Clerk
4-16 shall take
the names of members alphabetically, except that the Speaker’s
4-17 name must be
called last.
4-18 5. The electronic roll call system may be used
to determine the
4-19 presence of
a quorum.
4-20 6. The yeas and nays must not be taken with the
electronic roll call
4-21 system until
all members present are at their desks. The presiding officer
4-22 may vote at
the rostrum.
4-23 7. Only a member [,] who:
4-24 (a) Has been certified by the Committee
on [Credentials] Elections,
4-25 Procedures, and Ethics or special committee of the
Assembly [,] ; and
4-26 (b) Is physically present within the Assembly
Chambers,
4-27 may cast a vote in the Assembly.
4-28 8. A member shall not vote for
another member on any roll call, either
4-29 electronic
or oral. Any member who votes for another member may be
4-30 punished in
any manner deemed appropriate by the Assembly.
4-31 Rule No. 31. Reserved.
4-32 Rule No. 32. Announcement of the Vote.
4-33 1. A member may change his vote at any time
before the
4-34 announcement
of the vote if the voting is by voice, or at any time before
4-35 the votes
are electronically recorded if the voting is conducted
4-36 electronically.
4-37 2. The announcement of the result of any vote
shall not be postponed.
4-38 Rule No. 33. Voting by Division.
4-39 Upon a
division and count of the Assembly on any question, no person
4-40 without the
bar shall be counted.
4-41 The next rule is 40.
4-42 V. LEGISLATIVE
BODIES
4-43 Rule No. 40. Standing Committees.
4-44 The standing
committees of the Assembly are as follows:
4-45 1. Ways and Means, fourteen members.
4-46 2. Judiciary, fourteen members.
5-1 3. Taxation, [thirteen]
twelve members.
5-2 4. Education, twelve members.
5-3 5. Elections, Procedures, and Ethics, [nine]
twelve members.
5-4 6. Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Mining, [thirteen]
twelve
5-5 members.
5-6 7. Transportation, [thirteen]
twelve members.
5-7 8. Commerce and Labor, fourteen members.
5-8 9. Health and Human Services, twelve members.
5-9 10. Government Affairs, fourteen members.
5-10 11. Constitutional Amendments, [seven]
eight members.
5-11 Rule No. 41. Appointment of Committees.
5-12 1. Except as otherwise provided in Assembly
Standing Rule No. 23, all
5-13 committees
must be appointed by the Speaker, unless otherwise directed
5-14 by the
Assembly. The Speaker shall designate the chairman and vice
5-15 chairman of
each committee.
5-16 2. To facilitate the full participation of the
members during an
5-17 adjournment
called pursuant to NRS 218.115, the Speaker may
5-18 temporarily
appoint a member to a standing committee that is scheduled to
5-19 meet during
the adjournment if none of the committees to which the
5-20 member is
regularly assigned will be meeting during the adjournment.
5-21 Rule No. 42. Committee Action.
5-22 1. The committee shall have regular meetings
scheduled by the
5-23 Assembly
leadership. A quorum of the committee is a majority of its
5-24 members and
may transact business except as limited by this rule.
5-25 2. [Motions may
be moved, seconded and passed by voice vote by]
5-26 Except as limited by this rule, a
simple majority of those present [.] may
5-27 move, second and pass a motion by voice vote.
5-28 3. Definite action on a bill or resolution will
require a majority of the
5-29 entire
committee.
5-30 4. A two-thirds majority of [all]
the entire committee
is required to
5-31 reconsider
action on a bill or resolution.
5-32 5. Committee introduction of legislative
measures which are not
5-33 prefiled requires
concurrence of two-thirds of the entire
committee and
5-34 does not
imply commitment to support final passage.
5-35 6. The chairman shall vote on all final action
regarding bills or
5-36 resolutions.
5-37 7. No member of the committee may vote by proxy
under any
5-38 circumstances.
5-39 8. A
committee shall not take a vote on the question of whether to
5-40 exercise its statutory authority to issue a
legislative subpoena unless the
5-41 chairman has informed the Speaker of the
intention of the committee to
5-42 consider such a question.
5-43 Rule No. 43. Subcommittees.
5-44 Subcommittees
made up of committee members may be appointed by
5-45 the chairman
to consider and report back on specific subjects or bills.
5-46 Rule No. 44. Committee on Elections, Procedures, and Ethics.
5-47 The Committee
on Elections, Procedures, and Ethics has jurisdiction
5-48 over matters
relating to personnel. It shall recommend by resolution the
5-49 appointment
of all attachés and employees of the Assembly not otherwise
5-50 provided for
by law. It may suspend or remove any such attaché or
5-51 employee for
incompetency or dereliction of duty. It shall function as the
5-52 Committee on
Rules and as the Committee on Credentials of the
5-53 Assembly.
6-1 Rule No. 45. Procedure for Election Contests.
6-2 1. Upon receipt of a statement of contest from
the Secretary of State
6-3 pursuant to
NRS 293.427, the Speaker shall, as soon as practicable,
6-4 appoint a
special committee to hear the contest or refer the contest to the
6-5 Standing
Committee on Elections, Procedures, and Ethics. The committee
6-6 shall
conduct a hearing to consider the contest. The committee shall keep
6-7 written
minutes of the hearing. The contestant has the burden of proving
6-8 that any
irregularities shown were of such a nature as to establish that the
6-9 result of
the election was changed thereby.
6-10 2. The contest must be submitted so far as may
be possible upon
6-11 depositions
or by written or oral arguments as the Assembly may order.
6-12 Any party to
a contest may take the deposition of any witness at any time
6-13 after the
statement of contest is filed with the Secretary of State and before
6-14 the contest
is finally decided. At least 3 days’ notice must be given to the
6-15 prospective
deponent and to the other party. If oral statements are made at
6-16 any hearing
before the Assembly or a committee thereof which purport to
6-17 establish
matters of fact, they must be made under oath. Strict rules of
6-18 evidence do
not apply.
6-19 3. The committee shall, not later than 5
calendar days after the contest
6-20 was referred
to the committee, report to the Assembly its findings on
6-21 whether the
contestant has met the burden of proving that any
6-22 irregularities shown were of such a nature as to establish that
the result of
6-23 the election
was changed thereby. The committee shall then report to the
6-24 Assembly its
recommendation on which person should be declared elected
6-25 or report
that it has no recommendation. The Assembly shall, as soon as
6-26 practicable
thereafter but not later than 7 calendar days after the Speaker
6-27 received the
statement of contest, vote whether to accept or reject the
6-28 committee’s
recommendation without amendment, if a recommendation is
6-29 made. If the
recommendation is accepted, the Speaker shall declare the
6-30 recommended
person elected. If the recommendation is rejected or the
6-31 committee
did not make a recommendation, the Assembly shall consider
6-32 immediately
which person should be declared elected. The Speaker shall
6-33 not adjourn
the Assembly until it has declared a person to be elected.
6-34 4. The Speaker shall inform the Governor of the
identity of the person
6-35 declared to
be elected by the Assembly.
6-36 Rule No. 46. Committee Action on Reports.
6-37 Committee
reports must be adopted at a committee session actually
6-38 assembled and
meeting as a committee with a quorum present. Every
6-39 committee
vote on a matter pertaining to a bill or resolution must be
6-40 recorded.
The vote may be taken by roll call at the discretion of the
6-41 chairman.
6-42 Rule No. 47. Committee Records.
6-43 The chairman
of each committee shall keep, or cause to be kept, a
6-44 complete
record of the committee proceedings in which there must be
6-45 entered:
6-46 1. The time and place of each meeting;
6-47 2. The attendance and absence of members;
6-48 3. The names of all persons appearing before the
committee, with the
6-49 names of
persons, firms, corporations or associations in whose behalf such
6-50 appearance
is made; and
6-51 4. The subjects or measures considered and action
taken.
7-1 Rule No. 48. Disposition of Committee Records.
7-2 All minutes,
records and documents in the possession of committees and
7-3 their
chairmen must be filed in the offices of the Legislative Counsel
7-4 Bureau upon
adjournment sine die.
7-5 Rule No. 49. Committee Hearings.
7-6 1. The presence of a quorum of the committee is
desirable but not
7-7 required to
conduct a public hearing. At the
discretion of the chairman,
7-8 members of the committee may attend,
participate in and, if applicable,
7-9 vote during the hearing via simultaneous
telephone or video conference.
7-10 2. Public hearings are opened
by the chairman who announces the
7-11 subject
under consideration and provides for those wishing to address the
7-12 committee to
be heard. These persons shall rise in an order determined by
7-13 the
chairman, address the chair and furnish their names, addresses and
7-14 firms or
other organizations represented. Committee members may
7-15 address the
chairman for permission to question the witness. [When all
7-16 persons present have been heard, the chairman
may declare closed the
7-17 portion of the meeting wherein the committee
will accept public testimony
7-18 on the matter before proceeding to other
matters.]
7-19 Rule No. 50. Reserved.
7-20 Rule No. 51. Reserved.
7-21 Rule No. 52. Concurrent Referrals.
7-22 When a bill
or resolution is referred to two committees , the bill or
7-23 resolution
must go to the first committee named. If the first committee
7-24 votes to
amend the bill or resolution, it must be reprinted with
7-25 amendments
and then returned to the first committee or sent immediately
7-26 to the next
committee. If there is no amendment proposed by the first
7-27 committee,
or if the first committee acts upon the bill or resolution after
7-28 amendment,
the bill or resolution must be sent with the committee
7-29 recommendation immediately to the second committee.
7-30 The next rule is 60.
7-31 VI. RULES
GOVERNING MOTIONS
7-32 Rule No. 60. Entertaining.
7-33 No motion may
be debated until it is distinctly announced by the
7-34 presiding
officer. If desired by the presiding officer or any member, the
7-35 motion must
be reduced to writing and be read by the Chief Clerk before
7-36 the motion
is debated. A motion may be withdrawn by the maker at any
7-37 time before
amendment or before the motion is put to vote.
7-38 Rule No. 61. Reserved.
7-39 Rule No. 62. Reserved.
7-40 Particular Motions
7-41 Rule No. 63. Reserved.
7-42 Rule No. 64. Reserved.
7-43 Rule No. 65. Indefinite Postponement.
7-44 When a
question is postponed indefinitely, the same question must not
7-45 be
considered again during the session and the question is not subject to a
7-46 motion for
reconsideration.
8-1 Rule No. 66. To Strike Enacting Clause.
8-2 A motion to
strike out the enacting clause of a bill or resolution does not
8-3 take
precedence over any other subsidiary motion. If the motion is carried,
8-4 it shall be
considered equivalent to the rejection of such bill or resolution.
8-5 Rule No. 67. Division of Question.
8-6 Any member
may call for a division of the question, which shall be
8-7 divided, if
it comprehends propositions in substance so distinct that, one
8-8 being taken
away, a substantive proposition shall remain for the decision
8-9 of the
Assembly. A motion to strike out being lost shall preclude neither
8-10 amendment
nor a motion to strike out and insert. A motion to strike out
8-11 and insert
shall be deemed indivisible.
8-12 Rule No. 68. To Reconsider—Precedence of.
8-13 A motion to
reconsider shall have precedence over every other motion,
8-14 except a
motion to adjourn, or to fix the time to which to adjourn; and
8-15 when the
Assembly adjourns, while a motion to reconsider is pending, or
8-16 before
passing the order of business of Motions, Resolutions and Notices,
8-17 the right to
move a reconsideration shall continue to the next day of
8-18 sitting. No
notice of reconsideration of any final vote shall be in order on
8-19 the
[day] :
8-20 1. Last
day on which final action is allowed; or
8-21 2. Day
preceding
the last day of the session.
8-22 The next rule is 80.
8-23 VII. DEBATE
8-24 Rule No. 80. Speaking on Question.
8-25 No member
shall speak more than twice during the consideration of any
8-26 one
question, on the same day, and at the same stage of proceedings,
8-27 without
leave. Members who have once spoken shall not again be entitled
8-28 to the floor
(except for explanation) to the exclusion of others who have
8-29 not spoken.Green numbers along left margin indicate location on the printed bill
(e.g., 5-15 indicates page 5, line 15).
8-30 Rule No. 81. Previous Question.
8-31 The previous
question shall be put only when demanded by three
8-32 members. The
previous question shall not be moved by the member last
8-33 speaking on
the question.
8-34 Rule No. 82. Privilege of Closing Debate.
8-35 The author of a bill, a resolution or a main
question shall have the
8-36 privilege of closing the debate, unless the
previous question has been
8-37 sustained.
8-38 The next rule is 90.
8-39 VIII. CONDUCT OF BUSINESS
8-40 A. Rules and Procedure
8-41 Rule No. 90. Mason’s Manual.
8-42 The rules of
parliamentary practice contained in Mason’s Manual of
8-43 Legislative
Procedure shall govern the Assembly in all cases in which they
8-44 are
applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with the Standing
9-1 Rules and orders of the Assembly, and the Joint
Rules of the Senate and
9-2 Assembly.
9-3 Rule No. 91. Rescission, Change or Suspension of Rule.
9-4 No standing
rule or order of the Assembly shall be rescinded or changed
9-5 without a
vote of two-thirds of the members elected, and one day’s notice
9-6 being given
of the motion therefor; but a rule or order may be suspended
9-7 temporarily
by a vote of two-thirds of the members present.
9-8 Rule No. 92. Notices of Bills, Topics and Public Hearings.
9-9 1. Except as otherwise provided in subsection 3,
all committees shall
9-10 provide
adequate notice of public hearings on bills, resolutions or other
9-11 topics which
are to come before the committees. The notice must include
9-12 the date,
time, place and agenda to be covered. The notice must be posted
9-13 conspicuously in the legislative building, appear in the daily
history and be
9-14 made
available to the news media. The daily history must include the most
9-15 current
version of the notice that is available at the time the daily history is
9-16 created and
an informational statement informing the public where more
9-17 current
information, if any, regarding such notices may be found.
9-18 2. The noticing requirements of this rule may be
suspended for
9-19 emergency
situations but only after approval by a two-thirds vote of a
9-20 committee.
9-21 3. Subsection 1 does not apply to:
9-22 (a) Committee
meetings held on the floor of the Assembly during a
9-23 recess; or
9-24 (b) Conference
committee meetings.
9-25 Rule No. 93. Reserved.
9-26 Rule No. 94. Privilege of the Floor and Lobbying.
9-27 No person,
except Senators, former Assemblymen and state officers,
9-28 may be admitted
at the bar of the Assembly, except by special invitation
9-29 on the part
of some member; but a majority may authorize the Speaker to
9-30 have the
Assembly cleared of all such persons. No person may do any
9-31 lobbying
upon the floor of the Assembly at any time, and it is the duty of
9-32 the Sergeant
at Arms to remove any person violating any of the provisions
9-33 of this
rule.
9-34 Rule No. 95. Material Placed on Legislators’ Desks.
9-35 All papers,
letters, notes, pamphlets and other written material placed
9-36 upon an
Assemblyman’s desk shall contain the signature of the Legislator
9-37 requesting
the placement of such material on the desk or shall contain a
9-38 designation
of the origin of such material. This rule does not apply to
9-39 books
containing the legislative bills and resolutions, the legislative daily
9-40 histories,
the legislative daily journals or Legislative Counsel Bureau
9-41 material.
9-42 Rule No. 96. Peddling, Begging and Soliciting.
9-43 1. Peddling, begging and soliciting are strictly
forbidden in the
9-44 Assembly
Chamber, and in the lobby, gallery and halls adjacent thereto.
9-45 2. No part of [said chamber or halls]
the Assembly Chamber may
be
9-46 used for, or
occupied by signs or other devices for any kind of advertising.
9-47 3. No
part of the hallways adjacent to the Assembly Chambers may
9-48 be used for or occupied by signs or other
devices for any kind of
9-49 advertising for commercial or personal gain.
Notices for nonprofit,
9-50 nonpartisan, civic or special legislative
events may be posted in a
9-51 designated area of the hallways adjacent to
the Assembly Chambers with
9-52 the approval of the Chief Clerk.
10-1 Rule No. 97. Petitions and Memorials.
10-2 Petitions,
memorials and other papers addressed to the Assembly, shall
10-3 be presented
by the Speaker, or by a member in the Speaker’s place. A
10-4 brief
statement of the contents thereof shall be made by the introducer.
10-5 They shall
not be debated on the day of their being presented, but shall be
10-6 on the
table, or be referred, as the Assembly shall determine.
10-7 Rule No. 98. Request of Purpose.
10-8 A member may
request the purpose of a bill or joint resolution upon its
10-9 introduction.
10-10 Rule No. 99. Remarks.
10-11 It shall be in
order for members to make remarks and to have such
10-12 remarks
entered in the Journal.
10-13 Rule No. 100. Precedence of Parliamentary Authority.
10-14 The precedence
of parliamentary authority in the Assembly is:
10-15 1. The Constitution of the State of Nevada.
10-16 2. The Statutes of the State of Nevada.
10-17 3. The Standing Rules of the Assembly and the
Joint Standing Rules of
10-18 the Senate
and Assembly.
10-19 4. Mason’s Manual of Legislative Procedure.
10-20 Rule No. 101. Reserved.
10-21 Rule No. 102. [Reserved.] Privileged Questions.
10-22 Privileged questions have precedence of all
others in the following
10-23 order:
10-24 1. Motions
to fix the time to which the Assembly shall adjourn.
10-25 2. Motions
to adjourn.
10-26 3. Questions
relating to the rights and privileges of the Assembly or
10-27 any of its members.
10-28 4. A
call of the House.
10-29 5. Motions
for special orders.
10-30 Rule No. 103. Reserved.
10-31 B. Bills
10-32 Rule No. 104. Reserved.
10-33 Rule No. 105. Substitute Bills.
10-34 A substitute
bill shall be deemed and held to be an amendment, and
10-35 treated in
all respects as such. However, a substitute bill may be amended
10-36 after its
adoption, in the same manner as if it were an original bill.
10-37 Rule No. 106. Skeleton Bills.
10-38 The
introduction of skeleton bills is authorized when, in the opinion of
10-39 the sponsor
and the Legislative Counsel, the full drafting of the bill would
10-40 entail
extensive research or be of considerable length. A skeleton bill will
10-41 be provided
for purposes of introduction and committee referral. Such a
10-42 bill will be
a presentation of ideas or statements of purpose, sufficient in
10-43 style and
expression to enable the Legislature and the committee to which
10-44 the bill may
be referred to consider the substantive merits of the legislation
10-45 proposed.
10-46 Rule No. 107. Reserved.
10-47 Rule No. 108. Reserved.
10-48 Rule No. 109. Reading of Bills.
10-49 The presiding
officer shall announce at each reading of a bill whether it
10-50 be the
first, second or third reading. The first reading of a bill shall be for
11-1 information. If there is objection, the question
shall be, “Shall the bill be
11-2 rejected?” If the question to reject fails to
receive a majority vote by the
11-3 members
present, or if there is no objection, the bill shall take the proper
11-4 course. No
bill shall be referred to a committee until after the first reading,
11-5 nor amended
until after the second reading.
11-6 Rule No. 110. Second Reading and Amendment of Bills.
11-7 1. All bills must be read the second time on the
first legislative day
11-8 after which
they are reported by committee, unless a different day is
11-9 designated
by motion. Upon second reading, Assembly bills reported
11-10 without
amendments shall be placed on the General File and Senate bills
11-11 reported
without amendments shall be placed on the General File.
11-12 Committee
amendments reported with bills shall be considered upon their
11-13 second
reading, and such amendments may be adopted by a majority vote
11-14 of the
members present. Any amendment which is numbered, copied and
11-15 made
available to all members must be moved and voted upon by number
11-16 unless any
member moves that it be read in full. Assembly bills so
11-17 amended must
be reprinted, engrossed, and placed on the General File.
11-18 Senate bills
so amended must be reprinted, then engrossed or reengrossed,
11-19 as
applicable, and placed on the General File.
11-20 2. Any member may move to amend a bill during
its second or third
11-21 reading, and
such a motion to amend may be adopted by a majority vote of
11-22 the members
present. Bills so amended on second reading must be treated
11-23 the same as
bills with committee amendments. Any bill so amended upon
11-24 the General
File must be reprinted and then engrossed or reengrossed, as
11-25 applicable.
11-26 3. The reprinting of amended bills may be
dispensed with only in
11-27 accordance
with the provisions of law.
11-28 Rule No. 111. Consent Calendar.
11-29 1. A standing committee may by unanimous vote of
the members
11-30 present
report a bill with the recommendation that it be placed on the
11-31 consent
calendar. The question of recommending a bill for the consent
11-32 calendar may
be voted upon in committee only after the bill has been
11-33 recommended
for passage and only if no amendment is recommended.
11-34 2. The Chief Clerk shall maintain a list of
bills recommended for the
11-35 consent
calendar. The list must be printed in the daily history and must
11-36 include the
summary of each bill, and the date the bill is scheduled for
11-37 consideration on final passage.
11-38 3. At any time before the presiding officer calls
for a vote on the
11-39 passage of
the consent calendar, a member may give written notice to the
11-40 Chief Clerk
or state orally from the floor of the Assembly in session that
11-41 he [objects to the inclusion]
requests the removal of
a particular bill [on]
11-42 from the consent calendar.
If a member so [objects,] requests, the Chief
11-43 Clerk shall
remove the bill from the consent calendar and transfer it to the
11-44 second
reading file. A bill removed from the consent calendar may not be
11-45 restored to
that calendar.
11-46 4. During floor consideration of the consent
calendar, members may
11-47 ask
questions and offer explanations relating to the respective bills.
11-48 5. When the consent calendar is brought to a
vote, the bills remaining
11-49 on the
consent calendar must be read by number and summary and the
11-50 vote must be
taken on their final passage as a group.
11-51 Rule No. 112. Reserved.
12-1 Rule No. 113. General File.
12-2 All bills
reported to the Assembly, by either standing or special
12-3 committees,
after receiving their second readings must be placed upon a
12-4 General
File, to be kept by the Chief Clerk. [No bill
shall be considered by
12-5 the Assembly until the regular order of business
shall have been gone
12-6 through. Then bills shall] Bills must be
taken from the General File and
12-7 acted upon
in the order in which they were reported, unless otherwise
12-8 specially
ordered by the Assembly. But engrossed bills shall be placed at
12-9 the head of
the file, in the order in which they are received. The Chief
12-10 Clerk shall
post [, in a conspicuous place in the chamber,] a daily
12-11 statement of
the bills on the General File, setting forth the order in which
12-12 they are
filed, and specifying the alterations arising from the disposal of
12-13 business
each day. The Chief Clerk shall likewise post notices of special
12-14 orders as
made.
12-15 Rule No. 114. Reserved.
12-16 Rule No. 115. Reconsideration of Vote on Bill.
12-17 On the first
legislative day that the Assembly is in session succeeding
12-18 that on
which a final vote on any bill or resolution has been taken, a vote
12-19 may be reconsidered
on the motion of any member. Notice of intention to
12-20 move such
reconsideration must be given on the day on which the final
12-21 vote was
taken by a member voting with the prevailing party. It is not in
12-22 order for
any member to move a reconsideration on the day on which the
12-23 final vote
was taken, except by unanimous consent. There may be no
12-24 reconsideration of a vote on a motion to indefinitely postpone.
Motions to
12-25 reconsider a
vote upon amendments to any pending question may be made
12-26 at once.
12-27 Rule No. 116. [Reserved.] Vetoed Bills.
12-28 Bills that have passed both Houses of the
Legislature and are
12-29 transmitted to the Assembly accompanied by a
message or statement of
12-30 the Governor’s disapproval or veto of the
same must be taken up and
12-31 considered immediately upon the coming in of
the message transmitting
12-32 the same, or become the subject of a special
order. When the message is
12-33 received, or (if made a special order) when
the special order is called, the
12-34 said message or statement must be read
together with the bill or bills so
12-35 disapproved or vetoed. The message and bill
must be read by the Chief
12-36 Clerk without interruption, consecutively,
one following the other, and
12-37 not upon separate occasions. No such bill or
message may be referred to
12-38 any committee, or otherwise acted upon save
as provided by law and
12-39 custom; that is to say, that immediately
following such reading the only
12-40 question (except as hereinafter stated) which
may be put by the Speaker
12-41 is, “Shall the bill pass, notwithstanding the
objections of the Governor?”
12-42 It shall not be in order, at any time, to
vote upon such a vetoed bill
12-43 unless the same shall first have been read,
from the first word of its title
12-44 to and including the last word of its final
section. No motion may be
12-45 entertained after the Speaker has stated the
question, save a motion to
12-46 adjourn or a motion for the previous
question, but the merits of the bill
12-47 itself may be debated. The message or
statement containing the
12-48 objections of the Governor to the bill must
be entered in the Journal of
12-49 the Assembly. The consideration of a vetoed
bill, and the objections of
12-50 the Governor thereto, shall be a privileged
question, and shall take
12-51 precedence over all others.
12-52 Rule No. 117. Reserved.
13-1 C. Resolutions
13-2 Rule No. 118. Treated as Bills—Joint Resolutions.
13-3 The procedure
of enacting joint resolutions must be identical to that of
13-4 enacting
bills. However, joint resolutions proposing amendments to the
13-5 Constitution
must be entered in the Journal in their entirety.
13-6 Rule No. 119. Reserved.
13-7 D. Order of Business
13-8 Rule No. 120. Order of Business.
13-9 The Order of
Business must be as follows:
13-10 1. Call to Order.
13-11 2. Reading and Approval of Journal.
13-12 3. Presentation of Petitions.
13-13 4. Reports of Standing Committees.
13-14 5. Reports of Select Committees.
13-15 6. Communications.
13-16 7. Messages from the Senate.
13-17 8. Motions, Resolutions and Notices.
13-18 9. Introduction, First Reading and Reference.
13-19 10. Consent Calendar.
13-20 11. Second Reading and Amendment.
13-21 12. General File and Third Reading.
13-22 13. Unfinished Business of Preceding Day.
13-23 14. Special Orders of the Day.
13-24 15. Remarks from the Floor, limited to 10
minutes.
13-25 Rule No. 121. Reserved.
13-26 Rule No. 122. [Privileged Questions.
13-27 Privileged questions have precedence of all
others in the following
13-28 order:
13-29 1. Motions
to fix the time to which the Assembly shall adjourn.
13-30 2. Motions
to adjourn.
13-31 3. Questions
relating to the rights and privileges of the Assembly or
13-32 any of its members.
13-33 4. A
call of the House.
13-34 5. Motions
for special orders.] Renumbered as Rule No. 102 and
13-35 reserved for future use.
13-36 Rule No. 123. [Privilege of Closing Debate.
13-37 The author of a bill, resolution or a main
question shall have the
13-38 privilege of closing the debate, unless the
previous question has been
13-39 sustained.] Renumbered as Rule No. 82 and reserved
for future use.
13-40 Rule No. 124. Reserved.
13-41 Rule No. 125. Reserved.
13-42 Rule No. 126. [Vetoed Bills.
13-43 Bills which have passed both Houses of the
Legislature and are
13-44 transmitted to the Assembly accompanied by a message
or statement of
13-45 the Governor’s disapproval or veto of the
same, must be taken up and
13-46 considered immediately upon the coming in of
the message transmitting
13-47 the same, or become the subject of a special
order. When the message is
13-48 received, or (if made a special order) when
the special order is called, the
13-49 said message or statement must be read
together with the bill or bills so
14-1 disapproved or
vetoed. The message and bill must be read by the Chief
14-2 Clerk without
interruption, consecutively, one following the other, and not
14-3 upon separate occasions. No such bill or
message may be referred to any
14-4 committee, or otherwise acted upon save as
provided by law and custom;
14-5 that is to say, that immediately following
such reading the only question
14-6 (except as hereinafter stated) which may be
put by the Speaker is, “Shall
14-7 the bill pass, notwithstanding the objections
of the Governor?” It shall not
14-8 be in order, at any time, to vote upon such a
vetoed bill unless the same
14-9 shall first have been read, from the first
word of its title to and including
14-10 the last word of its final section. No motion
may be entertained after the
14-11 Speaker has stated the question, save a
motion to adjourn or a motion for
14-12 the previous question, but the merits of the
bill itself may be debated. The
14-13 message or statement containing the
objections of the Governor to the bill
14-14 must be entered upon the Journal of the
Assembly. The consideration of a
14-15 vetoed bill, and the objections of the
Governor thereto, shall be a
14-16 privileged question, and shall take
precedence over all others.]
14-17 Renumbered as Rule No. 116 and reserved for
future use.
14-18 Rule No. 127. Reserved.
14-19 Rule No. 128. Reserved.
14-20 The next rule is 140.
14-21 IX. LEGISLATIVE
INVESTIGATIONS AND MISCELLANEOUS
14-22 Rule No. 140. Compensation of Witnesses.
14-23 Witnesses
summoned to appear before the Assembly or any of its
14-24 committees
must be compensated as provided by law for witnesses
14-25 required to
attend in the courts of the State of Nevada.
14-26 Rule No. 141. Use of the Assembly Chamber.
14-27 The Assembly
Chamber shall not be used for any public or private
14-28 business
other than legislative, except by permission of the Assembly.
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