Senate Resolution No. 1–Senators Raggio and
Titus
February 5, 2001
____________
Read and Adopted
SUMMARY—Adopts Standing Rules of Senate for 71st
session of Legislature. (BDR R‑1110)
~
EXPLANATION
– Matter in bolded italics is new; matter
between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted.
Green numbers along
left margin indicate location on the printed bill (e.g., 5-15 indicates page 5, line 15).
Senate RESOLUTION—Adopting the Standing Rules of the
Senate for the 71st session of the Legislature.
1-1 Resolved by the Senate
of the State of Nevada, That the Senate
1-2 Standing Rules as amended by
the 70th session are adopted, with the
1-3 following changes, as the
Standing Rules of the Senate for the 71st session
1-4 of the Legislature:
1-5 I. OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES
1-6 Duties of Officers
1-7 Rule No. 1. President.
1-8 The President shall take the chair and call the Senate to order
precisely
1-9 at the hour appointed for
meeting, and if a quorum is present shall cause
1-10 the Journal of the preceding
day to be read. He shall preserve order and
1-11 decorum, and in case of any
disturbance or disorderly conduct within the
1-12 Senate Chamber, shall order
the Sergeant at Arms to suppress it, and may
1-13 order the arrest of any
person creating any disturbance within the Senate
1-14 Chamber. He may speak to
points of order in preference to members, rising
1-15 from his seat for that
purpose, and shall decide questions of order without
1-16 debate, subject to an appeal
to the Senate by two members, on which
1-17 appeal no member may speak
more than once without leave of the Senate.
1-18 He shall sign all acts,
addresses and joint resolutions, and all writs,
1-19 warrants and subpoenas
issued by order of the Senate; all of which must be
1-20 attested by the Secretary. He
has general direction of the Senate Chamber.
1-21 Rule No. 2. President pro Tem.
1-22 The President pro Tem has all the power and shall discharge all the
1-23 duties of the President
during his absence or inability to discharge the
1-24 duties of his office. In the
absence or inability of the President pro Tem to
1-25 discharge the duties of the
President’s office, the Chairman of the
1-26 Committee on Legislative
Affairs and Operations shall preside. In the
2-1 absence of the Chairman, the
Vice Chairman of the Committee on
2-2 Legislative Affairs and
Operations shall preside. In the absence of the Vice
2-3 Chairman of the Committee on
Legislative Affairs and Operations, the
2-4 Senate shall elect one of
its members as the presiding officer for that
2-5 occasion.
2-6 Rule No. 3. Secretary.
2-7 1. The Secretary of the
Senate is elected by the Senate, and shall:
2-8 (a) Interview and recommend to the Committee on Legislative Affairs
2-9 and Operations persons to be
considered for employment to assist the
2-10 Secretary.
2-11 (b) See that these employees perform their respective duties.
2-12 (c) Administer the daily business of the Senate, including the
provision
2-13 of secretaries to its
committees.
2-14 (d) Unless otherwise ordered by the Senate, transmit at the end of
each
2-15 working day those bills and
resolutions upon which the next action is to be
2-16 taken by the Assembly.
2-17 2. The Secretary is
responsible to the Majority Leader.
2-18 Rule No. 4. Sergeant at Arms.
2-19 1. The Sergeant at Arms
shall attend the Senate during its sittings, and
2-20 execute its commands and all
process issued by its authority. He must be
2-21 sworn to keep the secrets of
the Senate.
2-22 2. The Sergeant at Arms
shall:
2-23 (a) Superintend the upkeep of the Senate’s Chamber, private lounge,
2-24 and meeting rooms for
committees.
2-25 (b) Interview and recommend to the Committee on Legislative Affairs
2-26 and Operations persons to be
considered for employment to assist the
2-27 Sergeant at Arms.
2-28 3. The Sergeant at Arms is
responsible to the Majority Leader.
2-29 Rule No. 5. Assistant Sergeant at Arms.
2-30 The Assistant Sergeant at Arms shall be doorkeeper and shall
preserve
2-31 order in the Senate Chamber
and shall assist the Sergeant at Arms. He shall
2-32 be sworn to keep the secrets
of the Senate.
2-33 Rule No. 6. Reserved.
2-34 The next rule is 10.
2-35 II. SESSIONS AND MEETINGS
2-36 Rule No. 10. Time of Meeting.
2-37 The President shall call the Senate to order each day of sitting at
11:00
2-38 o’clock a.m., unless the
Senate has adjourned to some other hour.
2-39 Rule No. 11. Call of Senate—Moved by
Three Members.
2-40 A Call of the Senate may be moved by three Senators, and if carried
by a
2-41 majority of all present, the
Secretary shall call the roll and note the
2-42 absentees, after which the
names of the absentees shall again be called
2-43 over. The doors shall then
be closed and the Sergeant at Arms directed to
2-44 take into custody all who
may be absent without leave, and all Senators so
2-45 taken into custody shall be
presented at the bar of the Senate for such
2-46 action as to the Senate may
seem proper.
3-1 Rule No. 12. Absence—Leave Required.
3-2 No Senator shall absent himself from the service of the Senate
without
3-3 leave, except in case of
accident or sickness, and if any Senator or officer
3-4 shall so absent himself his
per diem shall not be allowed him.
3-5 Rule No. 13. Open Meetings.
3-6 1. Except as provided in
the Constitution of the State of Nevada and in
3-7 subsection 2 of this rule,
all meetings of the Senate and its committees
3-8 must be open to the public.
3-9 2. A Senate committee
meeting may be closed to consider the
3-10 character, alleged
misconduct, professional competence, or physical or
3-11 mental health of a person.
3-12 The next rule is 20.
3-13 III. DECORUM AND DEBATE
3-14 Rule No. 20. Points of Order.
3-15 1. If any Senator, in
speaking or otherwise, transgresses the rules of
3-16 the Senate, the President
shall, or any Senator may, call him to order. If a
3-17 Senator is so called to
order, he shall not proceed without leave of the
3-18 Senate. If such leave is
granted, it must be upon the motion, “That he be
3-19 allowed to proceed in
order,” and the Senator shall confine himself to the
3-20 question under consideration
and avoid personality.
3-21 2. Every decision of points
of order made by the President is subject to
3-22 appeal, and a discussion of
a question of order may be allowed only upon
3-23 the appeal of two Senators.
In all cases of appeal, the question must be,
3-24 “Shall the decision of the
Chair stand as the judgment of the Senate?”
3-25 Rule
No. 21. Breaches
of Decorum.
3-26 1. In cases of breaches of
decorum or propriety, any Senator, officer or
3-27 other person is liable to
such censure or punishment as the Senate may
3-28 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 the
3-31 offensive or indecorous
language or conduct to the presiding officer. No
3-32 member may be held to answer
for any language used on the floor of the
3-33 Senate if business has
intervened before exception to the language was
3-34 taken.
3-35 3. Indecorous conduct or
boisterous or unbecoming language is not
3-36 permitted in the Senate
Chamber.
3-37 The next rule is 30.
3-38 IV. QUORUM, VOTING, ELECTIONS
3-39 Rule No. 30. Recorded Vote—Three Required
to Call For.
3-40 1. A recorded vote must be
taken upon final passage of a bill or joint
3-41 resolution, and in any other
case when called for by three members. Every
3-42 Senator within the bar of
the Senate shall vote “aye” or “no” or record
3-43 himself as “not voting,”
unless excused by unanimous vote of the Senate.
4-1 2. The votes and names of
those absent or recorded as “not voting” and
4-2 the names of Senators
demanding the recorded vote must be entered [on] in
4-3 the Journal.
4-4 Rule No. 31. President to Decide—Tie
Vote.
4-5 A question is lost by a tie vote, but when the Senate is equally
divided
4-6 on any question except the
passage of a bill or joint resolution, the
4-7 President may give the
deciding vote.
4-8 Rule No. 32. Manner of Election—Voting.
4-9 1. In all cases of election
by the Senate, the vote must be taken viva
4-10 voce. In other cases, if a
vote is to be recorded, it may be taken by oral roll-
4-11 call or by electronic
recording.
4-12 2. When a recorded vote is
taken, no Senator may:
4-13 (a) Vote except when at his seat;
4-14 (b) Vote upon any question in which he is in any way personally or
4-15 directly interested;
4-16 (c) Explain his vote or discuss the question while the voting is in
4-17 progress; or
4-18 (d) Change his vote after the result is announced.
4-19 3. The announcement of the
result of any vote must not be postponed.
4-20 The next rule is 40.
4-21 V. LEGISLATIVE BODIES
4-22 Rule No. 40. Standing Committees.
4-23 1. Except as otherwise
provided in subsection 2, the standing
4-24 committees of the Senate and
their respective jurisdiction for the reference
4-25 of bills and resolutions are
as follows:
4-26 (a) Commerce and Labor, seven members, with jurisdiction over
4-27 measures affecting primarily
Titles 52-57, and chapters 118B,
461, 461A,
4-28 489, 703-704A and 707-712 of
NRS, except measures affecting primarily
4-29 state and local revenue.
4-30 (b) Finance, seven members, with jurisdiction over measures
primarily
4-31 affecting chapters 286 and
387 of NRS, appropriations, operating and
4-32 capital budgets, state and
federal budget issues and bonding, except
4-33 measures affecting primarily
state and local revenue, and over any
4-34 measures carrying or
requiring appropriations and favorably reported by
4-35 any other committee unless
such reference is dispensed with by a two-
4-36 thirds vote of the Senate.
4-37 (c) Government Affairs, seven members, with jurisdiction over
4-38 measures affecting primarily
the districts from which members of the
4-39 Legislature are elected, and
Titles 18-22, 24, 25, 27-31 and 36 and chapters
4-40 281-285, 287-289 , [and]
407 and 720 of NRS,
except measures affecting
4-41 primarily state and local
revenue, state and federal budget issues, the Tahoe
4-42 Regional Planning Compact
and the Nevada Tahoe regional planning
4-43 agency.
4-44 (d) Human Resources and Facilities, seven members, with
jurisdiction
4-45 over measures primarily
affecting Titles 33, 37-39 and 42 and chapters
5-1 385, 386, 388-399, 439-444,
446-458, 459A, 460 and 583-585 of NRS,
5-2 except measures affecting
primarily state and local revenue.
5-3 (e) Judiciary, seven members, with jurisdiction over measures
affecting
5-4 primarily Titles [1-16]
1-9, 11-16, and 41 and chapters 111-118A and
5-5 119-120A of NRS, except measures affecting primarily state and local
5-6 revenue.
5-7 (f) Legislative Affairs and Operations, seven members, with
jurisdiction
5-8 over measures affecting
primarily Title 17 of NRS, except the districts
5-9 from which members of the
Legislature are elected, and the operation of
5-10 the legislative session,
except measures affecting primarily state and local
5-11 revenue.
5-12 (g) Natural Resources, seven members, with jurisdiction over
measures
5-13 primarily affecting Titles
26 and 45-50 and chapters 444A-445C, 459, 488,
5-14 581, 582 and 586-590 of NRS,
the Colorado River Commission, the Tahoe
5-15 Regional Planning Compact
and the Nevada Tahoe regional planning
5-16 agency, except measures
affecting primarily state and local revenue.
5-17 (h) Taxation, seven members, with jurisdiction over measures
affecting
5-18 primarily Title 32 of NRS
and state and local revenue.
5-19 (i) Transportation, seven members, with jurisdiction over measures
5-20 affecting primarily Title 44
and chapters 403-405, 408, 410, 481-487, 705
5-21 and 706 of NRS, except
measures affecting primarily state and local
5-22 revenue.
5-23 2. The chairman of the
Standing Committee on Finance may assign
5-24 any portion of a proposed
executive budget to any of the other standing
5-25 committees of the Senate for
review. Upon receiving such an assignment
5-26 the standing committee shall
complete its review expeditiously and report
5-27 its findings and any
recommendations to the Standing Committee on
5-28 Finance for its independent
evaluation.
5-29 Rule No. 41. Reserved.
5-30 Rule No. 42. Committee Expenses.
5-31 No committee shall employ assistance or incur any expense, except
by
5-32 permission of the Senate
previously obtained.
5-33 Rule No. 43. Duties of Committees.
5-34 The several committees shall fully consider all measures referred
to
5-35 them and report thereon.
They shall acquaint themselves with the interests
5-36 of the State specially
represented by the committee, and from time to time
5-37 present such bills and
reports as in their judgment will advance the interests
5-38 and promote the welfare of
the people of the State, and shall fully consider
5-39 and report their opinion
upon any matter committed or referred to them by
5-40 the Senate.
5-41 Rule No. 44. Committee on Legislative
Affairs and Operations.
5-42 The Committee on Legislative Affairs and Operations shall recommend
5-43 by resolution the
appointment of all attachés and employees of the Senate
5-44 not otherwise provided for
by law. It may suspend any attaché or employee
5-45 for incompetency or
dereliction of duty, pending final action by the Senate.
5-46 It shall hear complaints on
alleged breaches of ethics and conflicts of
5-47 interest, brought by
Legislators and others, and it may advise Legislators
5-48 on questions of breaches of
ethics and conflicts of interests. All
5-49 proceedings by the committee
on matters of ethics or conflicts of interest
6-1 are open to the public
unless otherwise authorized to be closed to the
6-2 public by section 15 of
article 4 of the Constitution of the State of Nevada.
6-3 Rule No. 45. Reserved.
6-4 Rule No. 46. Forming Committee of the
Whole.
6-5 In forming the Committee of the Whole, the Senator who has so moved
6-6 shall name a chairman to
preside, and all bills considered shall be read by
6-7 sections, and the chairman
shall call for amendments at the conclusion of
6-8 the reading of each section.
All amendments proposed by the committee
6-9 shall be reported by the chairman
to the Senate.
6-10 Rule No. 47. Rules Applicable to
Committee of the Whole.
6-11 The Rules of the Senate shall apply to proceedings in Committee of
the
6-12 Whole, except that the
previous question shall not be ordered, nor the ayes
6-13 and noes demanded, but the
committee may limit the number of times that
6-14 any member may speak, at any
stage of proceedings, during its sitting.
6-15 Messages may be received by
the President while the committee is sitting;
6-16 in which case the President
will resume the chair, receive the message, and
6-17 vacate the chair in favor of
the chairman of the committee.
6-18 Rule No. 48. Motion to Rise Committee of
the Whole.
6-19 A motion that the committee rise shall always be in order, and
shall be
6-20 decided without debate.
6-21 Rule No. 49. Reference to Committee.
6-22 When a motion is made to refer any subject, and different
committees
6-23 are proposed, the [question must be taken in the following order:
6-24 1. The Committee of the Whole Senate.
6-25 2. A Standing Committee.] subject may be referred to the committee
6-26 with jurisdiction over the subject as set forth in Senate Standing
Rule No.
6-27 40, or to a different committee, upon a majority vote of the
Senate.
6-28 Rule No. 50. Return From Committee.
6-29 1. Any bill or other matter
referred to a committee of the Senate must
6-30 not be withdrawn or ordered
taken from the committee for consideration by
6-31 the Senate, recommitment, or
for any other reason without a two-thirds
6-32 vote of the Senate, and at
least one day’s notice of the motion therefor.
6-33 2. No such motion is in order:
6-34 (a) If the bill to be withdrawn or ordered taken from the committee
may
6-35 no longer be considered by
the Senate; or
6-36 (b) On the last day of the session, or on the day preceding the
last day of
6-37 the session.
6-38 3. This rule does not take
from any committee the rights and duties of
6-39 committees provided for in
Senate Standing Rule No. 43.
6-40 Rule No. 51. Reserved.
6-41 Rule No. 52. Reserved.
6-42 Rule No. 53. Committee Rules.
6-43 1. The rules of the Senate, as far as
applicable, are the rules of
6-44 committees of the Senate.
Procedure in committees, where not otherwise
6-45 provided in this rule, must
follow the procedure of the Senate. For matters
6-46 not included in the rules of
the Senate or these rules, Mason’s Manual must
6-47 be followed.
6-48 2. A majority of any
committee constitutes a quorum for the
6-49 transaction of business.
7-1 3. A meeting of a committee
may not be opened without a quorum
7-2 present.
7-3 4. In addition to regularly
scheduled meetings or those called by the
7-4 chairman, meetings may be
set by a written petition of a majority of a
7-5 committee and filed with the
chairman of a committee.
7-6 5. A bill may be passed
from a committee only by a majority of the
7-7 committee membership. A
simple majority of those present and voting is
7-8 sufficient to adopt
committee amendments.
7-9 6. Subcommittees may be
appointed by committee chairmen to
7-10 consider subjects specified
by the committee and shall report back to the
7-11 committee.
7-12 7. A committee shall act
only when together, and all votes must be
7-13 taken in the presence of the
committee. A member shall not be recorded as
7-14 voting unless he was
actually present in the committee at the time of the
7-15 vote. The chairman shall
vote on all final actions on bills or resolutions.
7-16 The provisions of this
subsection do not prohibit the prefiling of legislative
7-17 bills and resolutions on
behalf of a committee in the manner prescribed by
7-18 the legislative commission.
7-19 8. All committee and
subcommittee meetings are open to the public,
7-20 except as otherwise provided
in Senate Standing Rule No. 13.
7-21 9. Before reporting a bill
or resolution to the Senate, a committee may
7-22 reconsider its action. A motion
to reconsider must be made by a member
7-23 who voted with the
prevailing side.
7-24 10. Committee chairmen
shall determine the agenda of each meeting
7-25 except that committee
members may request an item for the agenda by
7-26 communicating with the
chairman at least 4 days before the meeting. A
7-27 majority of a committee may,
by vote, add an item to the agenda of the
7-28 next regularly scheduled
meeting.
7-29 11. Secretaries to
committees shall give notices of hearings on bills to
7-30 anyone requesting notices of
particular bills.
7-31 12. All committees shall
keep minutes of meetings. The minutes must
7-32 cover members present and
absent, subjects under discussion, witnesses
7-33 who appear, committee
members’ statements concerning legislative intent,
7-34 action taken by the
committee, as well as the vote of individual members
7-35 on all matters on which a
vote is taken. Any member may submit to the
7-36 secretary additional remarks
to be included in the minutes and records of
7-37 committee meetings. At the
conclusion of the legislative session, the
7-38 Secretary of the Senate
shall deliver all minutes and records of committee
7-39 meetings in her possession
to the Director of the Legislative Counsel
7-40 Bureau.
7-41 13. In addition to the
minutes, the committee secretary shall maintain a
7-42 record of all bills,
including:
7-43 (a) Date bill referred;
7-44 (b) Date bill received;
7-45 (c) Date set for hearing the bill;
7-46 (d) Date or dates bill heard and voted upon; and
7-47 (e) Date report prepared.
7-48 14. Each committee
secretary shall file the minutes of each meeting
7-49 with the Secretary of the
Senate as soon as practicable after the meeting.
8-1 15. All committee minutes
are open to public inspection upon request
8-2 and during normal business
hours.
8-3 Rule No. 54. Review of State Agency
Programs.
8-4 In addition to or concurrent with committee action taken on
specific bills
8-5 and resolutions during a regular
session of the Legislature, each standing
8-6 committee of the Senate is
encouraged to plan and conduct a general
8-7 review of selected programs
of state agencies or other areas of public
8-8 interest within the
committee’s jurisdiction.
8-9 The next rule is 60.
8-10 VI. RULES GOVERNING MOTIONS
8-11 A. Motions
Generally
8-12 Rule No. 60. Entertaining.
8-13 1. No motion may be debated
until it is announced by the President.
8-14 2. By consent of the
Senate, a motion may be withdrawn before
8-15 amendment or decision.
8-16 Rule
No. 61. Precedence
of Motions.
8-17 When a question is under debate no motion shall be received but the
8-18 following, which shall have
precedence in the order named:
8-19 1. To adjourn.
8-20 2. For a call of the
Senate.
8-21 3. To lay on the table.
8-22 4. For the previous
question.
8-23 5. To postpone to a day
certain.
8-24 6. To commit.
8-25 7. To amend.
8-26 8. To postpone
indefinitely.
8-27 The first four shall be decided without debate.
8-28 Rule No. 62. When Not Entertained.
8-29 1. When a motion to commit,
to postpone to a day certain, or to
8-30 postpone indefinitely has
been decided, it must not be again entertained on
8-31 the same day.
8-32 2. When a question has been
postponed indefinitely, it must not again
8-33 be introduced during the
session unless this rule is suspended by a two-
8-34 thirds vote.
8-35 3. There must be no
reconsideration of a vote on a motion to postpone
8-36 indefinitely.
8-37 B. Particular
Motions
8-38 Rule No. 63. To Adjourn.
8-39 A motion to adjourn shall always be in order. The name of the
Senator
8-40 moving to adjourn, and the
time when the motion was made, shall be
8-41 entered [on] in the Journal.
9-1 Rule No. 64. Lay on the Table.
9-2 A motion to lay on or take from the table shall be carried by a
majority
9-3 vote.
9-4 Rule No. 65. Reserved.
9-5 Rule No. 66. To Strike Enacting Clause.
9-6 A motion to strike out the enacting clause of a bill or resolution
has
9-7 precedence over a motion to
commit or amend. If a motion to strike out the
9-8 enacting clause of a bill or
resolution is carried, the bill or resolution is
9-9 rejected.
9-10 Rule No. 67. Division of Question.
9-11 1. Any Senator may call for
a division of a question.
9-12 2. A question must be
divided if it embraces subjects so distinct that if
9-13 one subject is taken away, a
substantive proposition remains for the
9-14 decision of the Senate.
9-15 3. A motion to strike out
and insert must not be divided.
9-16 Rule No. 68. To Reconsider—Precedence of.
9-17 1. A motion to reconsider
has precedence over every other motion,
9-18 except a motion to adjourn.
When the Senate adjourns while a motion to
9-19 reconsider is pending, or before
passing the order of Motions and
9-20 Resolutions, the right to
move for reconsideration continues to the next day
9-21 of sitting.
9-22 2. No notice of
reconsideration of any final vote is in order on the day
9-23 preceding the last day of
the session.
9-24 Rule No. 69. Explanation of Motion.
9-25 Whenever a Senator moves to change the usual disposition of a bill
or
9-26 resolution, he shall
describe the subject of the bill or resolution and state
9-27 the reasons for his
requesting the change in the processing of the bill or
9-28 resolution.
9-29 The next rule is 80.
9-30 VII. DEBATE
9-31 Rule No. 80. Speaking on Question.
9-32 1. Every Senator who speaks
shall, standing in his place, address “Mr.
9-33 or Madam President,” in a
courteous manner, and shall confine himself to
9-34 the question before the
Senate. When he has finished, he shall sit down.
9-35 2. No Senator may speak:
9-36 (a) More than twice during the consideration of any one question on
the
9-37 same day, except for
explanation.
9-38 (b) A second time without leave when others who have not spoken
9-39 desire the floor.
9-40 3. Incidental and
subsidiary questions arising during debate shall not
9-41 be considered the same
question.
9-42 Rule No. 81. Previous Question.
9-43 The previous question shall not be put unless demanded by three
9-44 Senators, and it shall be in
this form: “Shall the main question be now
9-45 put?” When sustained by a
majority of Senators present it shall put an end
9-46 to all debate and bring the
Senate to a vote on the question or questions
10-1 before it, and all
incidental questions arising after the motion was made
10-2 shall be decided without
debate. A person who is speaking on a question
10-3 shall not while he has the
floor move to put that question.
10-4 The next rule is 90.
10-5 VIII. CONDUCT OF BUSINESS
10-6 A. Generally
10-7 Rule No. 90. Mason’s Manual.
10-8 The rules of parliamentary practice contained in Mason’s Manual of
10-9 Legislative Procedure shall
govern the Senate in all cases in which they are
10-10 applicable and in which they
are not inconsistent with the standing rules
10-11 and orders of the Senate,
and the joint rules of the Senate and Assembly.
10-12 Rule No. 91. Suspension of Rule.
10-13 No standing rule or order of the Senate shall be rescinded or
changed
10-14 without a vote of two-thirds
of the Senate and one day’s notice of the
10-15 motion therefor; but a rule
or order may be temporarily suspended for a
10-16 special purpose by a vote of
two-thirds of the members present. When the
10-17 suspension of a rule is
called for, and after due notice from the President no
10-18 objection is offered, he can
announce the rule suspended and the Senate
10-19 may proceed accordingly; but
this shall not apply to that portion of Senate
10-20 Standing Rule No. 109
relating to the third reading of bills, which cannot
10-21 be suspended; and further,
this rule shall not apply to the suspension of
10-22 Senate Standing Rule No. 50.
10-23 Rule No. 92. Notices of Bills, Topics and Public Hearings.
10-24 Adequate notice shall be provided to the Legislators and the public
by
10-25 posting information relative
to the bills, topics and public hearings which
10-26 are to come before
committees. Notices shall include the date, time, place
10-27 and agenda, and shall be
posted conspicuously in the legislative building,
10-28 shall appear in the daily
history, and shall be made available to the news
10-29 media.
10-30 This requirement of notice may be suspended for an emergency by the
10-31 affirmative vote of
two-thirds of the committee members appointed.
10-32 Rule No. 93. Protest.
10-33 Any Senator, or Senators, may protest against the action of the
Senate
10-34 upon any question, and have
such protest entered [upon] in the
Journal.
10-35 Rule No. 94. Privilege of the Floor.
10-36 1. To preserve decorum and
facilitate the business of the Senate, only
10-37 the following persons may be
present on the floor of the Senate during
10-38 formal sessions:
10-39 (a) State officers;
10-40 (b) Officers and members of the Senate;
10-41 (c) Employees of the Legislative Counsel Bureau;
10-42 (d) Attachés and employees of the Senate; and
10-43 (e) Members of the Assembly whose presence is required for the
10-44 transaction of business.
11-1 2. Guests of Senators must
be seated in a section of the upper or lower
11-2 gallery of the Senate
Chamber to be specially designated by the Sergeant at
11-3 Arms. The Majority Leader
may specify special occasions when guests
11-4 may be seated on the floor
of the Senate with a Senator.
11-5 3. A majority of Senators
may authorize the President to have the
11-6 Senate Chamber cleared of
all persons except Senators and officers of the
11-7 Senate.
11-8 4. The Senate Chamber may
not be used for any business other than
11-9 legislative business during
a legislative session.
11-10 Rule No. 95. Material Placed on
Legislators’ Desks.
11-11 1. Only the Sergeant at Arms
and officers and employees of the Senate
11-12 may place papers, letters,
notes, pamphlets and other written material upon
11-13 a Senator’s desk. Such
material must contain the name of the Legislator
11-14 requesting the placement of
the material on the desk or a designation of the
11-15 origin of the material.
11-16 2. This rule does not apply
to books containing the legislative bills and
11-17 resolutions, the daily
histories and daily journals of the Senate or
11-18 Assembly, or Legislative
Counsel Bureau material.
11-19 Rule No. 96. Reserved.
11-20 Rule No. 97. Petitions and Memorials.
11-21 The contents of any petition or memorial shall be briefly stated by
the
11-22 President or any Senator
presenting it. It shall then lie on the table or be
11-23 referred, as the President
or Senate may direct.
11-24 Rule No. 98. Reserved.
11-25 Rule No. 99. Reserved.
11-26 Rule No. 100. Reserved.
11-27 Rule No. 101. Reserved.
11-28 Rule No. 102. Objection to Reading of
Paper.
11-29 Where the reading of any paper is called for, and is objected to by
any
11-30 Senator, it shall be
determined by a vote of the Senate, and without debate.
11-31 Rule No. 103. Questions Relating to
Priority of Business.
11-32 All questions relating to the priority of business shall be decided
without
11-33 debate.
11-34 B. Bills
11-35 Rule No. 104. Reserved.
11-36 Rule No. 105. Reserved.
11-37 Rule No. 106. Skeleton Bills.
11-38 Skeleton bills may be introduced after the beginning of a session
when,
11-39 in the opinion of the
sponsor and the Legislative Counsel, the full drafting
11-40 of the bill would entail
extensive research or be of considerable length. A
11-41 skeleton bill will be a
presentation of ideas or statements of purpose,
11-42 sufficient in style and
expression to enable the Legislature and the
11-43 committee to which the bill
may be referred to consider the substantive
11-44 merits of the legislation
proposed.
11-45 Rule No. 107. Information Concerning
Bills.
11-46 1. Bills introduced may be
accompanied by information relative to
11-47 witnesses and selected
persons of departments and agencies who should be
11-48 considered for committee
hearings on the proposed legislation. At the time
11-49 of introduction of a bill, a
list may be given to the Secretary of witnesses
12-1 who are proponents of the
measure together with their addresses and
12-2 telephone numbers. This
information may be provided by:
12-3 (a) The Senator introducing the bill;
12-4 (b) The person requesting a committee introduction of the bill; or
12-5 (c) The chairman of a committee introducing the bill.
12-6 2. The Secretary shall
deliver this information to the chairman of the
12-7 committee to which the bill
is referred. Members of the committee may
12-8 suggest additional names for
witnesses.
12-9 3. The Legislator may
provide an analysis which may describe the
12-10 intent, purpose,
justification and effects of the bill, or any of them.
12-11 Rule No. 108. Reserved.
12-12 Rule No. 109. Reading of Bills.
12-13 1. Every bill must receive
three readings before its passage, unless, in
12-14 case of emergency, this rule
is suspended by a two-thirds vote.
12-15 2. The first reading of a
bill is for information, and if there is
12-16 opposition to the bill, the
question must be, “Shall this bill be rejected?” If
12-17 there is no opposition to
the bill, or if the question to reject is defeated, the
12-18 bill must then take the
usual course.
12-19 3. No bill may be committed
until once read, nor amended until twice
12-20 read.
12-21 4. The third reading of
every bill must be by sections.
12-22 Rule
No. 110. Second
Reading File—Consent Calendar.
12-23 1. All bills or joint resolutions reported
by committee must be placed
12-24 on a second reading file
unless recommended for placement on the consent
12-25 calendar.
12-26 2. A committee shall not
recommend a bill or joint resolution
for
12-27 placement on the consent
calendar if:
12-28 (a) An amendment of the bill or joint resolution is recommended;
12-29 (b) It contains an appropriation; [or]
12-30 (c) It requires a
two-thirds vote of the Senate; or
12-31 (d) It is controversial in
nature.
12-32 3. A bill or joint resolution
recommended for placement on the consent
12-33 calendar must be included in
the daily file listed in the daily history of the
12-34 Senate at least 1 calendar
day before it may be considered.
12-35 4. A bill or joint resolution must be
removed from the consent
12-36 calendar at the request of
any Senator. A bill or joint resolution
so removed
12-37 must be immediately placed
on the second reading file for consideration in
12-38 the usual order of business.
12-39 5. When the consent calendar
is called, the bills remaining on the
12-40 consent calendar must be
read by number and summary, and the vote must
12-41 be taken on their final
passage as a group.
12-42 Rule No. 111. Printing.
12-43 Eleven hundred copies of all bills and resolutions of general
interest
12-44 must be printed for the use
of the Senate and Assembly. Such other matter
12-45 must be printed as may be
ordered by the Senate.
12-46 Rule No. 112. Reserved.
12-47 Rule No. 113. Reading of Bills—General
File.
12-48 1. Upon reading of bills on
the second reading file, Senate and
12-49 Assembly bills reported
without amendments must be placed on the
13-1 general file. Committee
amendments reported with bills must be
13-2 considered upon their second
reading and such amendments may be
13-3 adopted by a majority vote
of the members present. Bills so amended must
13-4 be reprinted, engrossed or
reengrossed, and placed on the general file. The
13-5 file must be posted in the
Senate Chamber and made available to members
13-6 of the public each day by
the Secretary.
13-7 2. Any member may move to
amend a bill during its reading on the
13-8 second reading file or
during its third reading and the motion to amend
13-9 may be adopted by a majority
vote of the members present. Bills so
13-10 amended on second reading
must be treated the same as bills with
13-11 committee amendments. Any
bill so amended upon the general file must be
13-12 reprinted and engrossed or
reengrossed.
13-13 3. Unless otherwise ordered
by the Senate, eleven hundred copies of
13-14 all amended bills must be
printed.
13-15 Rule No. 114. Commitment of Bill With
Special Instructions.
13-16 A bill may be committed with special instructions to amend at any
time
13-17 before taking the final
vote.
13-18 Rule No. 115. Reconsideration of Vote on
Bill.
13-19 1. On the day after the
final vote on any bill, the vote may be
13-20 reconsidered on motion of
any member if notice of intention to move for
13-21 reconsideration was given on
the day the final vote was taken by a Senator
13-22 who voted on the prevailing
side. No motion to reconsider is in order on
13-23 the day the final vote was
taken, except by unanimous consent.
13-24 2. Motions to reconsider a
vote upon amendments to any pending
13-25 question may be made and
decided at once.
13-26 Rule No. 116. Reserved.
13-27 Rule No. 117. Different Subject Not
Admitted as Amendment.
13-28 No subject different from that under consideration shall be admitted
as
13-29 an amendment; and no bill or
resolution shall be amended by incorporating
13-30 any irrelevant subject
matter or by association or annexing any other bill or
13-31 resolution pending in the
Senate, but a substitute may be offered at any
13-32 time so long as the original
is open to amendment.
13-33 C. Resolutions
13-34 Rule No. 118. Treated as Bills.
13-35 Resolutions addressed to Congress, or to either House thereof, or to
the
13-36 President of the United
States, or the heads of any of the national
13-37 departments, or proposing
amendments to the State Constitution are
13-38 subject, in all respects, to
the foregoing rules governing the course of bills.
13-39 A joint resolution proposing
an amendment to the constitution shall be
13-40 entered in the journal in
its entirety.
13-41 Rule No. 119. Treated as Motions.
13-42 Resolutions, other than those referred to in Senate Standing Rule
No.
13-43 118, shall be treated as
motions in all proceedings of the Senate.
13-44 Rule No. 120. Order of Business.
13-45 1. Roll Call.
13-46 2. Prayer [by the Chaplain.
13-47 3.] and Pledge of Allegiance to the
Flag.
14-1 [4.] 3. Reading and Approval of the Journal.
14-2 [5.] 4.
Reports of [Standing Committees.
14-3 6.] Committees.
14-4 5. Messages from the Governor.
14-5 [7.] 6. Messages from the Assembly.
14-6 [8. Communications from State Officers.]
14-7 7. Communications.
14-8 8. Waivers and Exemptions.
14-9 9. Motions, Resolutions and
Notices.
14-10 10. Introduction, First
Reading and Reference.
14-11 11. Consent Calendar.
14-12 12. Second Reading and
Amendment.
14-13 13. [Business on]
General File and Third Reading.
14-14 14. Unfinished Business.
14-15 15. Special Orders of the
Day.
14-16 16. Remarks from the Floor;
Introduction of Guests.
14-17 Rule
No. 121. Privilege.
14-18 Any Senator may rise and explain a matter personal to himself by
leave
14-19 of the President, but he
shall not discuss any pending question in such
14-20 explanation.
14-21 Rule No. 122. Reserved.
14-22 Rule No. 123. Reserved.
14-23 Rule No. 124. Preference to Speak.
14-24 When two or more Senators rise at the same time the President shall
14-25 name the one who may first
speak—giving preference, when practicable, to
14-26 the mover or introducer of
the subject under consideration.
14-27 Rule No. 125. Special Order.
14-28 The President shall call the Senate to order on the arrival of the
time
14-29 fixed for the consideration
of a special order, and announce that the special
14-30 order is before the Senate,
which shall be considered, unless it be
14-31 postponed by a two-thirds
vote, and any business before the Senate at the
14-32 time of the announcement of
the special order shall go to Unfinished
14-33 Business.
14-34 Rule No. 126. Reserved.
14-35 Rule No. 127. Reserved.
14-36 Rule No. 128. Reserved.
14-37 Rule No. 129. Reserved.
14-38 D. Contests
of Elections
14-39 Rule No. 130. Procedure.
14-40 1. The Senate shall not
dismiss a statement of contest for want of form
14-41 if any ground of contest is
alleged with sufficient certainty to inform the
14-42 defendant of the charges he
is required to meet. The following grounds are
14-43 sufficient, but are not
exclusive:
14-44 (a) That the election board or any member thereof was guilty of
14-45 malfeasance.
14-46 (b) That a person who has been declared elected to an office was not
at
14-47 the time of election
eligible to that office.
15-1 (c) That illegal votes were cast and counted for the defendant,
which, if
15-2 taken from him, will reduce
the number of his legal votes below the
15-3 number necessary to elect
him.
15-4 (d) That the election board, in conducting the election or in
canvassing
15-5 the returns, made errors
sufficient to change the result of the election as to
15-6 any person who has been
declared elected.
15-7 (e) That the defendant has given, or offered to give, to any person
a
15-8 bribe for the purpose of
procuring his election.
15-9 (f) That there was a possible malfunction of any voting or counting
15-10 device.
15-11 2. The contest must be
submitted so far as may be possible upon
15-12 depositions or by written or
oral arguments as the Senate may order. Any
15-13 party to a contest may take
the deposition of any witness at any time after
15-14 the statement of contest is
filed with the Secretary of State and before the
15-15 contest is finally decided.
At least 5 days’ notice must be given to the
15-16 prospective deponent and to
the other party. If oral statements are made at
15-17 any hearing before the
Senate or a committee thereof which purport to
15-18 establish matters of fact,
they must be made under oath. Strict rules of
15-19 evidence do not apply.
15-20 3. The contestant has the
burden of proving that any irregularities
15-21 shown were of such nature as
to establish the probability that the result of
15-22 the election was changed
thereby. After consideration of all the evidence,
15-23 the Senate shall declare the
defendant elected unless the Senate finds from
15-24 the evidence that a person
other than the defendant received the greatest
15-25 number of legal votes, in
which case the Senate shall declare that person
15-26 elected.
15-27 The next rule is 140.
15-28 IX. LEGISLATIVE INVESTIGATIONS
15-29 Rule No. 140. Compensation of Witnesses.
15-30 Witnesses summoned to appear before the Senate, or any of its
15-31 committees, shall be
compensated as provided by law for witnesses
15-32 required to attend in the
courts of the State of Nevada.
15-33 H