[ Search ] [ Legislation ]
[ Home ] [ Back ] [ Bottom ]
91_HR0011
LRB9101282REmb
1 HOUSE RESOLUTION
2 RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
3 NINETY-FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
4 the following are adopted as the Rules of the House of
5 Representatives of the Ninety-first General Assembly:
6 ARTICLE I
7 ORGANIZATION
8 (House Rule 1)
9 1. Election of the Speaker.
10 (a) At the first meeting of the House of each General
11 Assembly, the Secretary of State shall convene the House at
12 12:00 noon, designate a Temporary Clerk of the House, and
13 preside during the nomination and election of the Speaker.
14 As the first item of business each day before the election of
15 the Speaker, the Secretary of State shall order the Temporary
16 Clerk to call the roll of the members to establish the
17 presence of a quorum as required by the Constitution. If a
18 majority of those elected are not present, the House shall
19 stand adjourned until the next calendar day, excepting
20 weekends, at the hour prescribed in Rule 29. If a quorum of
21 members elected is present, the Secretary of State shall then
22 call for nominations of members for the Office of Speaker.
23 All nominations require a second. When the nominations are
24 completed, the Secretary of State shall direct the Temporary
25 Clerk to call the roll of the members to elect the Speaker.
26 (b) The election of the Speaker requires the affirmative
27 vote of a majority of those elected. Debate is not in order
28 following nominations and preceding or during the vote.
29 (c) No legislative measure may be considered and no
30 committees may be appointed or meet before the election of
31 the Speaker.
32 (d) When a vacancy in the Office of Speaker occurs, the
-2- LRB9101282REmb
1 foregoing procedure shall be employed to elect a new Speaker;
2 when the Secretary of State is of a political party other
3 than that of the majority caucus, however, the Majority
4 Leader shall preside during the nomination and election of
5 the successor Speaker. No legislative measures, other than
6 for the nomination and election of a successor Speaker, may
7 be considered by the House during a vacancy in the Office of
8 Speaker.
9 (House Rule 2)
10 2. Election of the Minority Leader.
11 (a) The House shall elect a Minority Leader in a manner
12 consistent with the laws of Illinois. The Minority Leader is
13 the leader of the numerically strongest political party other
14 than the party to which the Speaker belongs.
15 (b) This Rule may be suspended only by the affirmative
16 vote of 71 members elected.
17 (House Rule 3)
18 3. Majority and Minority Leadership.
19 (a) The Speaker and the Minority Leader shall appoint
20 from within their respective caucuses the members of the
21 Majority and Minority Leaderships as allowed by law.
22 (b) Appointments are effective upon being filed with the
23 Clerk and remain effective at the pleasure of the Speaker and
24 Minority Leader, respectively, or until a vacancy occurs by
25 reason of resignation or because a leader has ceased to be a
26 Representative. Successor leaders shall be appointed in the
27 same manner as their predecessors. Leaders have those powers
28 delegated to them by the Speaker or Minority Leader, as the
29 case may be.
30 (House Rule 4)
31 4. The Speaker.
-3- LRB9101282REmb
1 (a) The Speaker has those powers conferred upon him or
2 her by the Constitution, the laws of Illinois, and any
3 motions or resolutions adopted by the House or jointly by the
4 House and Senate.
5 (b) Except as otherwise provided by law, the Speaker is
6 the chief administrative officer of the House and has those
7 powers necessary to carry out those functions. The Speaker
8 may delegate administrative duties as he or she deems
9 appropriate.
10 (c) The duties of the Speaker include the following:
11 (1) To preside at all sessions of the House,
12 although the Speaker may call on any member to preside
13 temporarily as Presiding Officer.
14 (2) To open the session at the time at which the
15 House is to meet by taking the chair and calling the
16 members to order. The Speaker may call on any member to
17 open the session as Presiding Officer.
18 (3) To announce the business before the House in
19 the order upon which it is to be acted. The Presiding
20 Officer shall perform this duty during the period that he
21 or she is presiding.
22 (4) To recognize those members entitled to the
23 floor.
24 (5) To state and put to a vote all questions that
25 are regularly moved or that necessarily arise in the
26 course of the proceedings, and to announce the result of
27 the vote.
28 (6) To preserve order and decorum.
29 (7) To decide all points of order, subject to
30 appeal, and to speak on these points in preference to
31 other members.
32 (8) To inform the House when necessary, or when any
33 question is raised, on any point of order or practice
34 pertinent to the pending business.
-4- LRB9101282REmb
1 (9) To sign or authenticate all acts, proceedings,
2 or orders of the House. All writs, warrants, and
3 subpoenae issued by order of the House, or any of its
4 committees, shall be signed by the Speaker and attested
5 by the Clerk.
6 (10) To sign all bills passed by both chambers of
7 the General Assembly to certify that the procedural
8 requirements for passage have been met.
9 (11) To have general supervision, including the
10 duty to protect the security and safety, of the House
11 Chamber, galleries, and adjoining and connecting hallways
12 and passages, including the power to clear them when
13 necessary. The House Chamber shall not be used without
14 permission of the Speaker.
15 (12) To have general supervision of the Clerk and
16 his or her assistants, the Doorkeeper and his or her
17 assistants, the majority caucus staff, the
18 parliamentarians, and all employees of the House except
19 the minority caucus staff.
20 (13) To determine the number of majority caucus
21 members and minority caucus members to be appointed to
22 all committees, except the Rules Committee created by
23 Rule 15, the Committee on Conflicts of Interest created
24 by Rule 71, and those committees that may be created
25 under Article XII of these Rules.
26 (14) To appoint all Chairpersons, Co-Chairpersons,
27 and Vice-Chairpersons of committees (from either the
28 majority or minority caucus), and to appoint all majority
29 caucus members of committees.
30 (15) To enforce all constitutional provisions,
31 statutes, rules, and regulations applicable to the House.
32 (16) To guide and direct the proceedings of the
33 House subject to the control and will of the members.
34 (17) To direct the Clerk to correct non-substantive
-5- LRB9101282REmb
1 errors in the Journal.
2 (18) To assign meeting places and meeting times to
3 committees and subcommittees.
4 (19) To perform any other duties assigned to the
5 Speaker by these House Rules or jointly by the House and
6 Senate.
7 (20) To decide, subject to the control and will of
8 the members, all questions relating to the priority of
9 business.
10 (21) To issue, in cooperation with the Comptroller
11 and after clearance with the United States Internal
12 Revenue Service, written regulations covering
13 administration of contingent expense allowances of
14 members of the House.
15 (22) To appoint one or more parliamentarians to
16 serve at the pleasure of the Speaker.
17 (d) This Rule may be suspended only by the affirmative
18 vote of 71 members elected.
19 (House Rule 5)
20 5. Powers and Duties of the Minority Leader.
21 (a) The Minority Leader has those powers conferred upon
22 him or her by the Constitution, the laws of Illinois, and any
23 motions or resolutions adopted by the House or jointly by the
24 House and Senate.
25 (b) The Minority Leader shall appoint to all committees
26 the members from the minority caucus and shall designate a
27 Minority Spokesperson for each committee, except that the
28 Speaker may appoint a minority caucus member to be
29 Chairperson of a standing committee or Chairperson or
30 Co-Chairperson of a special committee.
31 (c) The Minority Leader has general supervision of the
32 minority caucus staff.
-6- LRB9101282REmb
1 (House Rule 6)
2 6. Clerk of the House.
3 (a) The House shall elect a Clerk, who may adopt
4 appropriate policies or procedures for the conduct of his or
5 her office. The Speaker is the final arbiter of any dispute
6 arising in connection with the operation of the Office of the
7 Clerk.
8 (b) The duties of the Clerk include the following:
9 (1) To have custody of all bills, papers, and
10 records of the House, which shall not be taken out of the
11 Clerk's custody except in the regular course of business
12 in the House.
13 (2) To endorse on every original bill and each copy
14 its number, the names of sponsors, the date of
15 introduction, and the several orders taken on it. When
16 reproduced, the names of the sponsors shall appear on the
17 front page of the bill in the same order they appeared
18 when introduced.
19 (3) To cause each bill to be reproduced and placed
20 on the desks of the members as soon as it is reproduced,
21 as provided in Rule 39.
22 (4) To keep the Journal of the proceedings of the
23 House and, under the direction of the Speaker, correct
24 errors in the Journal.
25 (5) To keep the transcripts of the debates of the
26 House and make them available to the public under
27 reasonable conditions.
28 (6) To keep the necessary records for the House and
29 its committees and to prepare the House Calendar for each
30 legislative day.
31 (7) To examine all House Bills and Constitutional
32 Amendment Resolutions following Second Reading and before
33 final passage for the purpose of correcting any
34 non-substantive errors, and to report the same back to
-7- LRB9101282REmb
1 the Speaker promptly; to supervise the enrolling and
2 engrossing of bills and resolutions, subject to the
3 direction of the Speaker; and to attest to the passage or
4 adoption of legislative measures, and to note thereon the
5 date of final House action. Any corrections made by the
6 Clerk and approved by the Speaker shall be entered on the
7 Journal.
8 (8) To transmit bills, other documents, and
9 messages to the Senate and secure a receipt therefor, and
10 to receive from the Senate bills, other documents, and
11 messages and give receipt therefor.
12 (9) To file with the Secretary of State debate
13 transcripts and House documents as required by law.
14 (10) To attend every session of the House; record
15 the roll; and read all bills, resolutions, and other
16 papers as directed by the Speaker. Bills shall be read
17 by title only.
18 (11) To supervise the Assistant Clerk, the
19 Doorkeeper, pages, messengers, committee clerks, and
20 other employees of his or her office.
21 (12) To establish the format for all documents,
22 forms, and committee records and tapes prepared by
23 committee clerks.
24 (13) Subject to approval by the Speaker, to
25 establish standards of decorum and other standards
26 regarding written statements filed under Rule 53.
27 (14) To perform other duties assigned by the
28 Speaker.
29 (House Rule 7)
30 7. Assistant Clerk of the House. The House shall, in a
31 manner consistent with the laws of Illinois, elect an
32 Assistant Clerk, who shall perform those duties assigned by
33 the Clerk.
-8- LRB9101282REmb
1 (House Rule 8)
2 8. Doorkeeper. The House shall elect a Doorkeeper who
3 shall perform those duties assigned by law, or as ordered by
4 the Speaker, Presiding Officer, or Clerk. Those duties shall
5 include the following:
6 (1) To attend the House during its sessions and
7 execute the commands of the Speaker or Presiding Officer.
8 (2) To maintain order among spectators admitted
9 into the House Chamber, galleries, and adjoining or
10 connecting hallways and passages.
11 (3) To take proper measures to prevent interruption
12 of the House.
13 (4) To remove unruly persons from the House
14 Chamber, galleries, and adjoining and connecting hallways
15 and passages.
16 (5) To ensure that only authorized persons have
17 access to the House Chamber, galleries, and adjoining
18 hallways and passages, subject to the direction of the
19 Speaker.
20 (6) To supervise any Assistant Doorkeepers.
21 (7) To perform other duties assigned by the
22 Speaker.
23 (House Rule 9)
24 9. Schedule.
25 (a) The Speaker shall periodically establish a schedule
26 of days on which the House shall convene in regular,
27 perfunctory, and veto session, with that schedule subject to
28 revision at the discretion of the Speaker.
29 (b) The Speaker may schedule or reschedule deadlines at
30 his or her discretion for any action on any category of
31 legislative measure as the Speaker deems appropriate,
32 including deadlines for the following legislative actions:
33 (1) Final day to request bills from the Legislative
-9- LRB9101282REmb
1 Reference Bureau.
2 (2) Final day for introduction of bills.
3 (3) Final day for standing committees of the House
4 to report House bills, except House appropriation bills.
5 (4) Final day for standing committees of the House
6 to report House appropriation bills.
7 (5) Final day for Third Reading and passage of
8 House bills, except House appropriation bills.
9 (6) Final day for Third Reading and passage of
10 House appropriation bills.
11 (7) Final day for standing committees of the House
12 to report Senate appropriation bills.
13 (8) Final day for standing committees of the House
14 to report Senate bills, except appropriation bills.
15 (9) Final day for special committees to report to
16 the House.
17 (10) Final day for Third Reading and passage of
18 Senate appropriation bills.
19 (11) Final day for Third Reading and passage of
20 Senate bills, except appropriation bills.
21 (12) Final day for consideration of joint action
22 motions and conference committee reports.
23 (c) The Speaker may schedule or reschedule any necessary
24 deadlines for legislative action during any special session
25 of the House. The Speaker may establish a Weekly Order of
26 Business or a Daily Order of Business setting forth the date
27 and approximate time at which specific legislative measures
28 may be considered by the House. The Weekly Order of Business
29 or Daily Order of Business is effective upon being filed by
30 the Speaker with the Clerk and takes the place of the
31 standing order of business for the amount of time necessary
32 for its completion. Nothing in this Rule, however, limits
33 the Speaker's or Presiding Officer's powers under Rule
34 4(c)(3) or Rule 43(a).
-10- LRB9101282REmb
1 (d) The foregoing deadlines, or any revisions to those
2 deadlines, are effective upon being filed by the Speaker with
3 the Clerk. The Clerk shall journalize those deadlines.
4 (e) This Rule may be suspended only by the affirmative
5 vote of 71 members elected.
6 ARTICLE II
7 COMMITTEES
8 (House Rule 10)
9 10. Committees.
10 (a) The committees of the House are: (i) the standing
11 committees listed in Rule 11; (ii) the special committees
12 created under Rule 13; (iii) subcommittees created by
13 standing committees or by special committees; (iv) the Rules
14 Committee created under Rule 15; (v) the Committee on
15 Conflicts of Interest created under Rule 71; (vi) the
16 Election Contest or Qualifications Challenge Committees, if
17 any, created under Article X; and (vii) any committees
18 created under Article XII. Subcommittees may not create
19 subcommittees.
20 (b) Except as otherwise provided in this Rule, all
21 committees, except special committees created under Rule 13,
22 shall have a Chairperson and Minority Spokesperson, who may
23 be of the same political party. Special committees created
24 under Rule 13 that have Co-Chairpersons from different
25 political parties shall not have a Minority Spokesperson.
26 Each committee may have a Vice-Chairperson appointed by the
27 Speaker. Committees of the Whole shall consist of all
28 Representatives. The number of majority caucus members and
29 minority caucus members of all committees, except the Rules
30 Committee created under Rule 15, the Committee on Conflicts
31 of Interest created under Rule 71, and any committees that
32 may be created under Article XII, shall be determined by the
-11- LRB9101282REmb
1 Speaker. The Speaker shall file a notice with the Clerk
2 setting forth the number of majority caucus and minority
3 caucus members of each committee, which shall be journalized.
4 A member may be temporarily replaced on a committee due to
5 illness or if the member is otherwise unavailable. All
6 leaders are non-voting ex-officio members of each standing
7 committee and each special committee, except that the leaders
8 may also be appointed to standing committees or special
9 committees as voting members. The Speaker may also appoint
10 any member of the majority caucus, and the Minority Leader
11 may appoint any member of the minority caucus, as a
12 non-voting ex-officio member of any standing committee or
13 special committee.
14 (c) The Chairperson of a committee has the authority to
15 call the committee to order, designate the order in which
16 bills and resolutions posted for hearing shall be taken up,
17 order a record vote to be taken on each legislative measure
18 called for a vote, preserve order and decorum during
19 committee meetings, establish procedural rules (subject to
20 approval by the Speaker) governing the presentation and
21 consideration of legislative measures, and generally
22 supervise the affairs of the committee. The Vice-Chairperson
23 of a committee or other member of the committee from the
24 majority caucus may preside over its meetings in the absence
25 or at the direction of the Chairperson. In the case of
26 special committees with Co-Chairpersons from different
27 political parties, the "Chairperson" for purposes of this
28 Rule is the Co-Chairperson from the majority caucus.
29 (d) A vacancy on a committee, or in the position of
30 Chairperson, Co-Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson, or Minority
31 Spokesperson on a committee, exists when a member resigns
32 from the position or ceases to be a Representative.
33 Resignations shall be made in writing to the Clerk, who shall
34 promptly notify the Speaker and Minority Leader. Absent
-12- LRB9101282REmb
1 concurrence by a majority of those elected, except as
2 otherwise provided in Rule 15 and except in connection with
3 temporary replacements under Rule 10(b), no member who
4 resigns from a committee shall be re-appointed to that
5 committee for the remainder of the term. Replacement members
6 shall be of the same political party as that of the member
7 who resigns, and shall be appointed in the same manner as the
8 original appointment, except that in the case of the
9 resignation of a Chairperson or Co-Chairperson, the
10 replacement member need not be from the same political party.
11 In the case of vacancies on subcommittees that were created
12 by committees, the parent committee shall fill the vacancy in
13 the same manner as the original appointment.
14 (e) The Chairperson of a committee has the authority to
15 call meetings of that committee, subject to the approval of
16 the Speaker. In the case of special committees with
17 Co-Chairpersons from different political parties, the
18 Co-Chairperson from the majority caucus has the authority to
19 call meetings of the special committee, subject to the
20 approval of the Speaker. Except as otherwise provided by
21 these Rules, committee meetings shall be convened in
22 accordance with Rule 21.
23 (f) This Rule may be suspended only by the affirmative
24 vote of 71 members elected.
25 (House Rule 11)
26 11. Standing Committees. The Standing Committees of the
27 House are as follows:
28 AGING
29 AGRICULTURE & CONSERVATION
30 APPROPRIATIONS - EDUCATION
31 APPROPRIATIONS - GENERAL SERVICES & GOVERNMENT OVERSIGHT
32 APPROPRIATIONS - HUMAN SERVICES
33 APPROPRIATIONS - PUBLIC SAFETY
-13- LRB9101282REmb
1 CHILDREN & YOUTH
2 CONSUMER PROTECTION
3 LABOR & COMMERCE
4 REGISTRATION & REGULATION
5 LOCAL GOVERNMENT
6 ELEMENTARY & SECONDARY EDUCATION
7 ENVIRONMENT & ENERGY
8 EXECUTIVE
9 FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS
10 HUMAN SERVICES
11 HEALTH CARE AVAILABILITY & ACCESS
12 HIGHER EDUCATION
13 INSURANCE
14 JUDICIARY I - CIVIL LAW
15 JUDICIARY II - CRIMINAL LAW
16 PERSONNEL & PENSIONS
17 PUBLIC UTILITIES
18 REVENUE
19 STATE GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION & ELECTION REFORM
20 TRANSPORTATION & MOTOR VEHICLES
21 VETERANS AFFAIRS
22 (House Rule 12)
23 12. Members and Officers of Standing Committees. The
24 members of each standing committee shall be appointed for the
25 term by the Speaker and the Minority Leader. The Speaker
26 shall appoint the Chairperson (from either the majority or
27 minority caucus) and the remaining standing committee members
28 of the majority caucus (one of whom the Speaker may designate
29 as Vice-Chairperson), and the Minority Leader shall appoint
30 the remaining standing committee members of the minority
31 caucus (one of whom the Minority Leader may designate as
32 Minority Spokesperson). Appointments are effective upon the
33 delivery of appropriate correspondence from the respective
-14- LRB9101282REmb
1 leader to the Clerk, regardless of whether the House is in
2 session, and shall remain effective for the duration of the
3 term, subject to Rule 10(d). The Clerk shall journalize the
4 appointments. Committees may conduct business when a
5 majority of the total number of committee members has been
6 appointed.
7 (House Rule 13)
8 13. Special Committees.
9 (a) A Special Committee on Prison Management Reform and
10 a Special Committee on Electrical Utility Deregulation are
11 created. The Speaker may create additional special committees
12 by filing a notice of the creation of the special committee
13 with the Clerk. The notice creating an additional special
14 committee shall specify the subject matter of the special
15 committee and the number of members to be appointed.
16 (b) The Speaker shall determine the number of majority
17 and minority caucus members to be appointed to special
18 committees in accordance with Rule 10(b). The Speaker, at
19 his or her discretion, shall appoint a Chairperson or
20 Co-Chairpersons. The Speaker may appoint any member as a
21 Chairperson or Co-Chairperson of a special committee. If the
22 Chairperson or Co-Chairperson is a member of the majority or
23 minority leadership or the Chairperson or Minority
24 Spokesperson of a standing committee, the member shall
25 receive no additional stipend or compensation for serving as
26 Chairperson or Co-Chairperson of the special committee. For
27 purposes of Section 1 of the General Assembly Compensation
28 Act (25 ILCS 115/1), (i) a special committee under these
29 rules is considered a "select committee" and (ii) one
30 Co-Chairperson of a special committee shall be considered
31 "Chairman" and the other shall be considered "Minority
32 Spokesman". The appointed members of special committees shall
33 be designated by the Speaker and the Minority Leader in a
-15- LRB9101282REmb
1 like manner as provided in Rule 12 with respect to standing
2 committees, except that if the special committee has
3 Co-Chairpersons from different political parties, the special
4 committee shall not have a Minority Spokesperson. In that
5 case, the Minority Leader shall appoint the minority caucus
6 members to the special committee, except the Co-Chairperson
7 from the minority caucus who shall be appointed by the
8 Speaker. The Speaker may establish a reporting date during
9 the term for each special committee by filing a notice of the
10 reporting date with the Clerk. Unless an earlier date is
11 specified by the notice, special committees expire at the end
12 of the term.
13 (c) Special committees are empowered to conduct business
14 when a majority of the total number of committee members has
15 been appointed.
16 (d) This Rule may be suspended only by the affirmative
17 vote of 71 members elected.
18 (House Rule 14)
19 14. Subcommittees.
20 (a) The Chairperson of a standing committee or a special
21 committee may create a subcommittee by filing a notice with
22 the committee clerk. The number of majority caucus and
23 minority caucus members to be appointed to a subcommittee
24 shall be determined by the Committee Chairperson, and filed
25 with the committee clerk. In the case of special committees
26 with Co-Chairpersons from different political parties, the
27 creation of subcommittees and the number of majority caucus
28 and minority caucus members to be appointed to the
29 subcommittee shall be determined by the Co-Chairperson from
30 the majority caucus. Members of subcommittees must be members
31 of the creating committee, and shall be appointed in the
32 manner determined by the committee Chairperson, or in the
33 case of special committees with Co-Chairpersons from
-16- LRB9101282REmb
1 different political parties, by the Co-Chairperson from the
2 majority caucus.
3 (b) The notice creating a subcommittee shall specify the
4 subject matter of the subcommittee and the number of members
5 to be appointed, and may specify a reporting date during the
6 term. Unless an earlier date is specified by the notice,
7 subcommittees expire at the end of the term.
8 (c) This Rule may be suspended only by the affirmative
9 vote of 71 members elected.
10 (House Rule 15)
11 15. Rules Committee.
12 (a) The Rules Committee is created as a permanent
13 committee. The Rules Committee shall consist of 5 members, 3
14 appointed by the Speaker and 2 appointed by the Minority
15 Leader. The Speaker and the Minority Leader are each
16 eligible to be appointed to the Rules Committee. The Rules
17 Committee may conduct business when a majority of the total
18 number of its members has been appointed.
19 (b) The majority caucus members of the Rules Committee
20 shall serve at the pleasure of the Speaker, and the minority
21 caucus members shall serve at the pleasure of the Minority
22 Leader. Appointments shall be by notice filed with the
23 Clerk, and shall be effective for the balance of the term or
24 until a replacement appointment is made, whichever first
25 occurs. Appointments take effect upon filing with the Clerk,
26 regardless of whether the House is in session.
27 Notwithstanding any other provision of these Rules, any
28 Representative who is replaced on the Rules Committee may be
29 re-appointed to the Rules Committee without concurrence of
30 the House.
31 (c) Notwithstanding any other provision of these Rules,
32 the Rules Committee may meet upon reasonable public notice
33 that includes a statement of the subjects to be considered.
-17- LRB9101282REmb
1 All legislative measures pending before the Rules Committee
2 are eligible for consideration at any of its meetings, and
3 all of those legislative measures are deemed posted for
4 hearing by the Rules Committee for all of its meetings.
5 (d) Upon concurrence of a majority of those appointed,
6 the Rules Committee may advance any legislative measure
7 pending before it to the House, without referral to another
8 committee; the Rules Committee, however, shall not so report
9 any bill that has never been before a standing committee or a
10 special committee of the House.
11 (e) This Rule may be suspended only by the affirmative
12 vote of 71 members elected.
13 (House Rule 16)
14 16. Referrals of Resolutions and Reorganization Orders.
15 (a) All resolutions, except adjournment resolutions and
16 resolutions considered under subsection (b) or (c) of this
17 Rule, after being initially read by the Clerk, are
18 automatically referred to the Rules Committee, which may
19 thereafter refer any resolution before it to the House or to
20 a standing committee or special committee. No resolution,
21 except adjournment resolutions and resolutions considered
22 under subsection (b) or (c) of this Rule, may be considered
23 by the House unless referred to the House by the Rules
24 Committee under Rule 18, or by a standing committee or
25 special committee. An adjournment resolution is subject to
26 Rule 66.
27 (b) Any member may file a congratulatory resolution for
28 consideration by the House. The Principal Sponsor of each
29 congratulatory resolution shall pay a reasonable fee,
30 determined by the Clerk with the approval of the Speaker, to
31 offset the actual cost of producing the congratulatory
32 resolution. The fee may be paid from the office allowance
33 provided by Section 4 of the General Assembly Compensation
-18- LRB9101282REmb
1 Act, or from any other funds available to the member. Upon
2 agreement of the Speaker and the Minority Leader,
3 congratulatory resolutions may be immediately considered and
4 adopted by the House without referral to the Rules Committee.
5 Those resolutions may be adopted as a group by a single
6 motion. Congratulatory resolutions shall be entered on the
7 Journal only by number, sponsorship, and subject. The
8 provisions of this subsection requiring the Principal Sponsor
9 to pay a reasonable fee may not be suspended.
10 (c) Death resolutions in memory of former members of the
11 General Assembly and former constitutional officers, upon
12 introduction, may be immediately considered by the House
13 without referral to the Rules Committee. Those resolutions
14 shall be entered on the Journal in full.
15 (d) Executive reorganization orders of the Governor
16 issued under Article V, Sec. 11 of the Constitution, upon
17 being read into the record by the Clerk, are automatically
18 referred to the Rules Committee for its referral to a
19 standing committee or a special committee, which may issue a
20 recommendation to the House with respect to the Executive
21 Order. The House may disapprove of an Executive Order only by
22 resolution adopted by a majority of those elected; no such
23 resolution is in order until a standing committee or a
24 special committee has reported to the House on the executive
25 reorganization, or until the Executive Order has been
26 discharged under Rule 58.
27 (House Rule 17)
28 17. Sponsorship by the Rules Committee. The Rules
29 Committee may consider any legislative measure referred to it
30 under these Rules, by motion or resolution, or by order of
31 the Presiding Officer upon initial reading. The Rules
32 Committee may, with the concurrence of a majority of those
33 appointed, sponsor motions or resolutions; notwithstanding
-19- LRB9101282REmb
1 any other provision of these Rules, any motion or resolution
2 sponsored by the Rules Committee may be immediately
3 considered by the House without referral to a committee. Any
4 such motion or resolution shall be assigned standard debate
5 status, subject to Rule 52.
6 (House Rule 18)
7 18. Referrals to Committees.
8 (a) All House Bills and Senate Bills, after being
9 initially read by the Clerk, are automatically referred to
10 the Rules Committee.
11 (b) During odd-numbered years, the Rules Committee shall
12 thereafter refer any such bill before it to a standing
13 committee or a special committee within 3 legislative days.
14 During even-numbered years, the Rules Committee shall refer
15 to a standing committee or a special committee only
16 appropriation bills implementing the budget and bills deemed
17 by the Rules Committee, by the affirmative vote of a majority
18 appointed, to be of an emergency nature or to be of
19 substantial importance to the operation of government. At any
20 time, however, upon the written request of the Principal
21 Sponsor of a bill before the Rules Committee, the bill shall
22 automatically be referred to the Executive Committee without
23 further action by the Rules Committee, if the Rules Committee
24 has not referred the bill to a standing committee or a
25 special committee within 15 calendar days after its
26 introduction. This subsection (b) applies equally to House
27 Bills and Senate Bills introduced into or received by the
28 House.
29 (c) A standing committee or a special committee may
30 refer a subject matter or a legislative measure pending in
31 that committee to a subcommittee of that committee.
32 (d) All legislative measures favorably reported by a
33 standing committee or a special committee, or discharged from
-20- LRB9101282REmb
1 a standing committee or a special committee under Rule 58,
2 shall be referred to the House and placed on the appropriate
3 order of business, which shall appear on the daily calendar.
4 All legislative measures, except bills or resolutions on the
5 Consent Calendar, bills or resolutions assigned short debate
6 status by a standing committee or special committee, and
7 floor amendments, so referred are automatically assigned
8 standard debate status, subject to Rule 52.
9 (e) All floor amendments, joint action motions for final
10 action, and conference committee reports, upon filing with
11 the Clerk, are automatically referred to the Rules Committee.
12 The Rules Committee may refer any joint action motion for
13 final action or conference committee report to the House or
14 to a standing committee or a special committee for its review
15 and consideration (in those instances, and notwithstanding
16 any other provision of these Rules, the standing committee or
17 special committee may hold a hearing on and consider those
18 legislative measures pursuant to a one-hour advance notice).
19 Any joint action motion for final action or conference
20 committee report that is not referred to the House by the
21 Rules Committee is out of order, except that any joint action
22 motion for final action or conference committee report
23 favorably approved by a standing committee or a special
24 committee is deemed referred to the House by the Rules
25 Committee for purposes of this Rule. All joint action
26 motions for final action and conference committee reports so
27 referred are automatically assigned standard debate status,
28 subject to Rule 52.
29 (f) The Rules Committee may at any time refer or
30 re-refer a legislative measure from a committee to a
31 Committee of the Whole or to any other committee.
32 (g) Legislative measures shall be discharged from the
33 Rules Committee upon the affirmative vote of 71 members
34 elected. Any bill discharged from the Rules Committee shall
-21- LRB9101282REmb
1 be placed on the order of Second Reading and assigned
2 standard debate status, subject to Rule 52. Motions made
3 pursuant to this Rule 18(g) may not be referred to the Rules
4 Committee and must be considered by the House before the
5 House proceeds to any other orders or items of business.
6 (h) Except for those provisions that require unanimous
7 consent, this Rule may be suspended only by the affirmative
8 vote of 71 members elected.
9 (House Rule 19)
10 19. Re-Referrals to the Rules Committee.
11 (a) All legislative measures that fail to meet the
12 applicable deadline established under Rule 9 for reporting to
13 the House by a standing committee or a special committee, for
14 Third Reading and passage, or for consideration of joint
15 action motions and conference committee reports are
16 automatically re-referred to the Rules Committee unless: (i)
17 the deadline has been suspended or revised by the Speaker,
18 with re-referral to the Rules Committee to occur if the bill
19 has not been reported to the House in accordance with a
20 revised deadline; or (ii) the Rules Committee has issued a
21 written exception to the Clerk with respect to a particular
22 bill before the reporting deadline, with re-referral to
23 occur, if at all, in accordance with the written exception.
24 (b) All legislative measures pending before the House or
25 any of its committees are automatically re-referred to the
26 Rules Committee on the 31st consecutive day that the House
27 has not convened for session unless: (i) any deadline
28 applicable to the bill or resolution that has been designated
29 by the Speaker under Rule 9 exceeds 31 days, with re-referral
30 to occur, if at all, in accordance with that deadline; (ii)
31 this Rule is suspended under Rule 67; or (iii) the Rules
32 Committee, by the affirmative vote of a majority appointed,
33 issues a written exception to the Clerk before that 31st day.
-22- LRB9101282REmb
1 (House Rule 20)
2 20. Reporting by Committees. Committees shall report to
3 the House, and subcommittees shall report to their parent
4 committees.
5 (House Rule 21)
6 21. Notice.
7 (a) Except as provided in Rule 18 or unless this Rule is
8 suspended under Rule 67, no standing committee or special
9 committee may consider or conduct a hearing with respect to a
10 legislative measure absent notice first being given as
11 follows:
12 (1) The Chairperson of the committee, or the
13 Co-Chairperson from the majority caucus of a special
14 committee, shall, no later than 6 days before any
15 proposed hearing, post a notice on the House bulletin
16 board identifying each legislative measure, other than a
17 committee amendment upon initial consideration under Rule
18 40, that may be considered during that hearing. The
19 notice shall contain the day, hour, and place of the
20 hearing.
21 (2) Meetings of the Rules Committee may be called
22 under Rule 15; meetings of the standing committees and
23 special committees to consider floor amendments, joint
24 action motions for final consideration, and conference
25 committee reports may be called under Rule 18.
26 (3) The Chairperson, or Co-Chairperson from the
27 majority caucus of a special committee, shall, in advance
28 of a committee hearing, notify all Principal Sponsors of
29 legislative measures posted for that hearing of the date,
30 time, and place of hearing. When practical, the Clerk
31 shall include a notice of all scheduled hearings,
32 together with all posted bills and resolutions, in the
33 Daily Calendar of the House. Regardless of whether a
-23- LRB9101282REmb
1 particular legislative measure or subject matter has been
2 posted for hearing, it is in order for a committee during
3 any of its meetings to refer a subject matter or
4 legislative measure pending before it to a subcommittee
5 of that committee.
6 (b) Other than the Rules Committee, no committee may
7 meet during any session of the House, and no commission
8 created by Illinois law that has legislative membership may
9 meet during any session of the House.
10 (c) Regardless of whether notice has been previously
11 given, it is always in order for a committee to table any
12 legislative measure pending before it when the Principal
13 Sponsor so requests.
14 (d) This Rule may be suspended only by the affirmative
15 vote of 71 members elected.
16 (House Rule 22)
17 22. Committee Procedure.
18 (a) A committee may consider any legislative measure
19 referred to it and may make with respect to that legislative
20 measure one of the following reports to the House or to the
21 parent committee, as appropriate:
22 (1) that the bill "do pass";
23 (2) that the bill "do not pass";
24 (3) that the bill "do pass as amended";
25 (4) that the bill "do not pass as amended";
26 (5) that the resolution "be adopted";
27 (6) that the resolution "be not adopted";
28 (7) that the resolution "be adopted as amended";
29 (8) that the resolution "be not adopted as
30 amended";
31 (9) that the floor amendment, joint action motion,
32 or conference committee report referred by the Rules
33 Committee "be adopted";
-24- LRB9101282REmb
1 (10) that the floor amendment, joint action motion,
2 or conference committee report referred by the Rules
3 Committee "be not adopted";
4 (11) "without recommendation"; or
5 (12) "tabled".
6 Any of the foregoing reports may be made only upon the
7 concurrence of a majority of those appointed. All
8 legislative measures reported "do pass", "do pass as
9 amended", "be adopted", or "be adopted as amended" are
10 favorably reported to the House. Except as otherwise provided
11 by these Rules, any legislative measure referred or
12 re-referred to a committee and not reported under this Rule
13 shall remain in that committee.
14 (b) No bill that provides for an appropriation of money
15 from the State Treasury may be considered for passage by the
16 House unless it has first been favorably reported by an
17 Appropriations Committee or:
18 (1) the bill was discharged from an Appropriations
19 Committee under Rule 58;
20 (2) the bill was exempted from this requirement by
21 a majority of those appointed to the Rules Committee; or
22 (3) this Rule was suspended under Rule 67.
23 (c) The Chairperson of each committee, or Co-Chairperson
24 from the majority caucus of a special committee, shall keep,
25 or cause to be kept, a record in which there shall be
26 entered:
27 (1) The time and place of each meeting of the
28 committee.
29 (2) The attendance of committee members at each
30 meeting.
31 (3) The votes cast by the committee members on all
32 legislative measures acted on by the committee.
33 (4) The "Record of Committee Witness" forms
34 executed by each person appearing or registering in each
-25- LRB9101282REmb
1 committee meeting, which shall include identification of
2 the witness, the person, group, or firm represented by
3 appearance and the capacity in which the representation
4 is made (if the person is representing someone other than
5 himself or herself), his or her position on the
6 legislation under consideration, and the nature of his or
7 her desired testimony.
8 (5) A tape recording of the proceedings.
9 (6) Such additional information as may be requested
10 by the Clerk.
11 (d) The committee Chairperson, or the Co-Chairperson
12 from the majority caucus of a special committee, shall file
13 with the Clerk, along with every bill or resolution reported
14 upon, a written report containing such information as
15 required by the Clerk. The Clerk may adopt forms, policies,
16 and procedures with respect to the preparation, filing, and
17 maintenance of the reports.
18 (e) When a committee fails to report a legislative
19 measure pending before it to the House, or when a committee
20 fails to hold a public hearing on a legislative measure
21 pending before it, the exclusive means to bring that
22 legislative measure directly before the House for its
23 consideration is as provided in Rule 18 or Rule 58.
24 (f) No bill or resolution may be called for a vote in a
25 standing committee or special committee in the absence of the
26 Principal Sponsor. The Chairperson of a committee or a chief
27 co-sponsor may present a bill or resolution in committee with
28 the approval of the Principal Sponsor when the committee
29 consents. In the case of special committees with
30 Co-Chairpersons from different political parties, the
31 "Chairperson" means the Co-Chairperson from the majority
32 caucus. This subsection may not be suspended.
33 (g) No bill or resolution may be voted on more than
34 twice in any committee on motions to report the bill or
-26- LRB9101282REmb
1 resolution favorably, or to reconsider the vote by which the
2 committee adopted a motion to report the bill or resolution
3 unfavorably. A bill or resolution having failed to receive a
4 favorable recommendation after 2 such record votes shall be
5 automatically reported with the appropriate unfavorable
6 recommendation.
7 (h) A bill or resolution shall be given short debate
8 status by report of the committee if the bill or resolution
9 was favorably reported by a three-fifths vote of the members
10 present. Bills and resolutions receiving favorable reports
11 may be placed upon the Consent Calendar as provided in Rule
12 42.
13 (i) This Rule may be suspended only by the affirmative
14 vote of 71 members elected.
15 (House Rule 23)
16 23. Witnesses and Subpoenae.
17 (a) Standing committees may compel, by subpoena, any
18 person to appear and give testimony as a witness before the
19 standing committee and produce papers, documents, and other
20 materials relating to a legislative measure pending before
21 the standing committee.
22 (b) Special committees may compel, by subpoena, any
23 person to appear and give testimony before the special
24 committee and produce papers, documents, and other materials
25 relating to the subject matter for which the special
26 committee was created or relating to a legislative measure
27 pending before the special committee.
28 (c) Subpoenae issued under this Rule must be issued and
29 signed by the Chairperson of the committee and must comply
30 with Rule 4(c)(9). In the case of special committees with
31 Co-Chairpersons from different political parties, the term
32 "Chairperson" for purposes of this Rule means the
33 Co-Chairperson from the majority caucus.
-27- LRB9101282REmb
1 (d) This Rule may be suspended only by the affirmative
2 vote of 71 members elected.
3 (House Rule 24)
4 24. Committee Reports.
5 (a) All bills favorably reported to the House from a
6 committee, or with respect to which a committee has been
7 discharged, shall be reported to the House and shall be
8 placed on the order of Second Reading and assigned standard
9 debate status, subject to Rule 52. Bills reported to the
10 House from committee "do not pass", "do not pass as amended",
11 "without recommendation", or "tabled" shall lie on the table.
12 (b) All floor amendments, joint action motions for final
13 action, and conference committee reports favorably reported
14 from a standing committee or special committee shall be
15 referred to the House and eligible for consideration when the
16 House is on an appropriate order of business. Amendments to
17 bills that are not on the order of Second Reading are out of
18 order. All floor amendments, joint action motions for final
19 action, and conference committee reports that are reported to
20 the House from committee "be not adopted", "without
21 recommendation", or "tabled" shall lie on the table. When the
22 Rules Committee refers a floor amendment, joint action motion
23 for final action, or conference committee report to a
24 standing committee or a special committee that thereafter
25 favorably reports that legislative measure to the House, the
26 legislative measure shall be referred to the House, assigned
27 standard debate status subject to Rule 52 (except floor
28 amendments, which shall be assigned amendment debate status),
29 and eligible for consideration when the House is on an
30 appropriate order of business.
31 (c) All resolutions favorably reported to the House from
32 the Rules Committee, a standing committee, or a special
33 committee, or with respect to which the committee has been
-28- LRB9101282REmb
1 discharged, shall be referred to the House and placed on the
2 order of Resolutions and assigned standard debate status,
3 subject to Rule 52. All resolutions that are reported to the
4 House from committee "be not adopted", "be not adopted as
5 amended", "without recommendation", or "tabled" shall lie on
6 the table. Floor amendments to resolutions are subject to
7 the same procedure applicable to floor amendments to bills.
8 (House Rule 25)
9 25. Suspension of Posting Requirements.
10 (a) A motion to suspend the posting requirements of Rule
11 21 must be in writing, specifying the committee and the bills
12 or resolutions to which the motion applies, be carried on the
13 calendar before it may be taken up by the House, and adopted
14 by the affirmative vote of 60 members elected. The calendar
15 requirements of this Rule may be suspended only by unanimous
16 consent. The requirement that the motion be in writing may
17 not be suspended.
18 (b) Except for those provisions that may not be
19 suspended or that require unanimous consent, this Rule may be
20 suspended only by the affirmative vote of 71 members elected.
21 (House Rule 26)
22 26. Rights of the Public.
23 (a) If a bill or resolution has been properly set for
24 hearing and witnesses are present and wish to testify, the
25 committee shall hear the witnesses at the scheduled time and
26 place.
27 (b) Any person wishing to offer testimony to a committee
28 hearing of a bill or resolution shall be given a reasonable
29 opportunity to do so, orally or in writing. The Chairperson
30 may set time limits for presentation of oral testimony. No
31 testimony in writing is required of any witness, but any
32 witness may submit a statement in writing for the committee
-29- LRB9101282REmb
1 record. All persons offering testimony shall complete a
2 "Record of Committee Witness" form and submit it to the
3 committee clerk before testifying. In the case of special
4 committees with Co-Chairpersons from different political
5 parties, the "Chairperson" means the Co-Chairperson from the
6 majority caucus.
7 (c) A motion to foreclose further oral testimony by
8 witnesses on a matter before a committee may be adopted only
9 by a three-fifths majority of those voting on the motion. No
10 such motion is in order until both proponents and opponents
11 requesting to be heard have been given a fair and substantial
12 opportunity to express their positions. No one shall be
13 prohibited from filing for the record "Record of Committee
14 Witness" forms or written statements while the matter is
15 before the committee.
16 (d) Meetings of committees and subcommittees shall be
17 open to the public. Committee meetings of the House may be
18 closed to the public if two-thirds of the members elected to
19 the House determine, by a record vote, that the public
20 interest so requires.
21 (e) This Rule cannot be suspended retroactively.
22 (House Rule 27)
23 27. Smoking. Smoking is prohibited at any official
24 committee hearing, and no committee member, staff member, or
25 member of the public is permitted to smoke in the room in
26 which the hearing is being held.
27 ARTICLE III
28 CONDUCT OF BUSINESS
29 (House Rule 28)
30 28. Sessions of the House.
31 (a) The House is in session whenever it convenes in
-30- LRB9101282REmb
1 perfunctory session, regular session, veto session, or
2 special session. Members are entitled to per diem expense
3 reimbursements only on those regular, veto, and special
4 session days that they are in attendance at the House.
5 Attendance by members is not required or recorded on
6 perfunctory session days.
7 (b) Regular and veto session days shall be scheduled
8 with notice by the Speaker under Rule 9. Special session days
9 shall be scheduled in accordance with the Constitution and
10 laws of Illinois.
11 (c) The Speaker may schedule perfunctory session days
12 during which the Clerk may read into the House record any
13 legislative measure. Committees may meet and may consider and
14 act upon legislative measures during a perfunctory session
15 day, and the Clerk may receive and read committee reports
16 into the House record during a perfunctory day. Except for
17 automatic referral under these Rules, no further action may
18 be taken by the House with respect to a legislative measure
19 during a perfunctory session day.
20 (House Rule 29)
21 29. Hour of Meeting. Unless otherwise ordered by the
22 Speaker or Presiding Officer or as provided in Rule 1, the
23 House shall regularly convene at 12:30 p.m. on the first day
24 of each week that the House convenes in regular, veto, or
25 special session and shall convene at noon on all other days.
26 (House Rule 30)
27 30. Access to the House Floor.
28 (a) Except as otherwise provided in these Rules, only
29 the following persons shall be admitted to the House while it
30 is in session: members and officers of the General Assembly;
31 elected officers of the executive branch; justices of the
32 Supreme Court; the designated aide to the Governor, except as
-31- LRB9101282REmb
1 limited by the Speaker; the parliamentarian; majority staff
2 members and minority staff members, except as limited by the
3 Speaker or Presiding Officer; former members, except as
4 limited by the Speaker or prohibited under subsection (d);
5 and employees of the Legislative Reference Bureau, except as
6 limited by the Speaker. Representatives of the press, while
7 the House is in session, may have access to the galleries and
8 places allotted to them by the Speaker. No person is
9 entitled to the floor unless appropriately attired. Only
10 members of the General Assembly may use telephones at the
11 members' desks or in the telephone booths at the rear of the
12 House Chamber. Smoking is prohibited on the floor of the
13 House and in the House galleries.
14 (b) On days during which the House is in session, the
15 Doorkeeper shall clear the floor of all persons not entitled
16 to access to the floor 15 minutes before the convening time,
17 and the Doorkeeper shall enforce all other provisions of this
18 Rule.
19 (c) The Speaker may authorize the admission to the floor
20 of any other person, except as prohibited under subsection
21 (d).
22 (d) No person who is directly or indirectly interested
23 in defeating or promoting any pending legislative measure, if
24 required to be registered as a lobbyist, shall be allowed
25 access to the floor of the House at any time during the
26 session.
27 (e) When he or she deems it necessary for the
28 preservation of order, the Presiding Officer may by order
29 remove any person from the floor of the House. A
30 Representative may be removed from the floor only under
31 Article XI or XII of these Rules.
32 (House Rule 31)
33 31. Standing Order of Business. Unless otherwise
-32- LRB9101282REmb
1 determined by the Presiding Officer, the standing daily order
2 of business of the House is as follows:
3 (1) Call to Order, Invocation, Pledge of
4 Allegiance, and Roll Call.
5 (2) Approval of the Journal.
6 (3) Reading of House Bills a first time.
7 (4) Reports from committees, with reports from the
8 Rules Committee ordinarily made at any time.
9 (5) Presentation of Resolutions, Petitions, and
10 Messages.
11 (6) Introduction of House Bills.
12 (7) Messages from the Senate, not including reading
13 Senate Bills a first time.
14 (8) Reading of House Bills a second time.
15 (9) Reading of House Bills a third time.
16 (10) Reading of Senate Bills a third time.
17 (11) Reading of Senate Bills a second time.
18 (12) Reading of Senate Bills a first time.
19 (13) House Bills on the Order of Concurrence.
20 (14) Senate Bills on the Order of Non-Concurrence.
21 (15) Conference Committee Reports.
22 (16) Motions in Writing.
23 (17) Constitutional Amendment Resolutions.
24 (18) Motions with respect to Vetoes.
25 (19) Consideration of Resolutions.
26 (20) Motions to Discharge Committee.
27 (21) Motions to Take from the Table.
28 (22) Motions to Suspend the Rules.
29 (23) Consideration of Bills on the Order of
30 Postponed Consideration.
31 (House Rule 32)
32 32. Quorum.
33 (a) A majority of those elected constitutes a quorum of
-33- LRB9101282REmb
1 the House, and a majority of those appointed constitutes a
2 quorum of a committee, but a smaller number may adjourn from
3 day to day, or recess for less than one day, and compel the
4 attendance of absent members. The attendance of absent
5 members may also be compelled by order of the Speaker.
6 (b) The question of the presence of a quorum in any
7 committee may not be raised on consideration of a legislative
8 measure by the House unless the same question was previously
9 raised before the committee with respect to that legislative
10 measure.
11 (House Rule 33)
12 33. Approval of the Journal. The Speaker or his or her
13 designee shall periodically examine and report to the House
14 any corrections he or she deems should be made in the Journal
15 before it is approved. If those corrections are approved by
16 the House, they shall be made by the Clerk.
17 (House Rule 34)
18 34. Executive Sessions. The sessions of the House shall
19 be open to the public. Sessions and committee meetings of
20 the House may be closed to the public if two-thirds of the
21 members elected determine, by a record vote, that the public
22 interest so requires.
23 (House Rule 35)
24 35. Length of Adjournment. The House, without the
25 consent of the Senate, shall not adjourn for more than 3 days
26 or to a place other than where the 2 chambers of the General
27 Assembly are sitting. The House is in session on any day in
28 which it convenes in perfunctory session, regular session,
29 veto session, or special session.
30 (House Rule 36)
-34- LRB9101282REmb
1 36. Transcript of the House. Nothing contained in the
2 official transcript of the House shall be changed or expunged
3 except by written request of a Representative to the Clerk
4 and Speaker, and that request may be approved only by the
5 record vote of 71 members elected.
6 ARTICLE IV
7 BILLS AND AMENDMENTS
8 (House Rule 37)
9 37. Bills.
10 (a) A bill may be introduced in the House by sponsorship
11 of one or more members of the House, whose names shall be on
12 the reproduced copies of the bills, in the House Journal, and
13 in the Legislative Digest. The Principal Sponsor shall be the
14 first name to appear on the bill and may be joined by no more
15 than 4 chief co-sponsors with the approval of the Principal
16 Sponsor; other co-sponsors shall be separated from the
17 Principal Sponsor and any chief co-sponsors by a comma. The
18 Principal Sponsor may change the sponsorship of a bill to
19 that of one or more other Representatives, or to that of the
20 standing committee or special committee to which the bill was
21 referred or from which the bill was reported. Such change
22 may be made at any time the bill is pending before the House
23 or any of its committees by filing a notice with the Clerk.
24 This subsection may not be suspended.
25 (b) The Principal Sponsor of a bill controls that bill.
26 A standing committee-sponsored bill is controlled by the
27 Chairperson of the committee, who for purposes of these Rules
28 is deemed the Principal Sponsor. A special
29 committee-sponsored bill is controlled by the Chairperson, or
30 if Co-Chairpersons have been appointed, by the Co-Chairperson
31 from the majority caucus, who for purposes of these Rules is
32 deemed the Principal Sponsor. Committee-sponsored bills may
-35- LRB9101282REmb
1 not have individual co-sponsors.
2 (c) The Senate sponsor of a bill originating in the
3 Senate may request substitute House sponsorship of that bill
4 by filing a notice with the Clerk; such a notice is
5 automatically referred to the Rules Committee and deemed
6 adopted if approved by the Rules Committee. If disapproved
7 by the Rules Committee, the notice shall lie on the table. If
8 the Rules Committee fails to act on a notice, that notice may
9 be discharged by unanimous consent.
10 (d) All bills introduced in the House shall be read by
11 title a first time, ordered reproduced, and automatically
12 referred to the Rules Committee in accordance with Rule 18.
13 When a Senate Bill is received, it shall be read by title,
14 ordered reproduced, and placed on the order of Senate Bills
15 on first reading; after being read a first time, it is
16 automatically referred to the Rules Committee in accordance
17 with Rule 18.
18 (e) All bills introduced into the House shall be
19 accompanied by 9 copies. Any bill that amends a statute
20 shall indicate the particular changes in the following
21 manner:
22 (1) All new matter shall be underscored.
23 (2) All matter that is to be omitted or superseded
24 shall be shown crossed with a line.
25 (f) No bill shall be passed by the House except on a
26 record vote of a majority of those elected. A bill that has
27 lost and has not been reconsidered may not thereafter be
28 revived.
29 (g) All legislative measures providing for the
30 appropriation of money from the State Treasury shall be
31 confined to appropriations for a single agency or department.
32 (House Rule 38)
33 38. Reading and Reproduction of Bills. Every bill shall
-36- LRB9101282REmb
1 be read by title on 3 different days before passage by the
2 House, and the bill and all amendments adopted to it shall be
3 reproduced, under Rule 39, before the vote is taken on its
4 final passage.
5 (House Rule 39)
6 39. Reproduction and Distribution. The Clerk shall, as
7 soon as any bill is reproduced, cause the bill to be placed
8 upon the desks of the members. Reproduction and distribution
9 may be done electronically, or the Clerk may establish a
10 method that any member may use to secure a copy of any bill.
11 (House Rule 40)
12 40. Amendments.
13 (a) An amendment to a bill may be adopted by a standing
14 committee or special committee when the bill is before that
15 committee. An amendment to a bill may be adopted by the House
16 when a bill is on the order of Second Reading if the
17 amendment has been filed as provided in Rule 40(c). All
18 amendments must be in writing. All committee amendments that
19 have been timely filed, as determined by the Chairperson,
20 shall be considered by the committee or a subcommittee of
21 that committee prior to consideration by the committee of the
22 bill to which the amendment relates. All amendments still
23 pending in a committee upon the passage or defeat of a bill
24 on Third Reading are automatically tabled. A bill shall not
25 be advanced to the order of Third Reading until all floor
26 amendments have either been adopted or rejected by the House.
27 (b) Except as otherwise provided in these Rules,
28 committee amendments may be offered only by the Principal
29 Sponsor or a member of the committee while the affected bill
30 is before that committee, and shall be adopted by a majority
31 of those appointed. Floor amendments may be offered only by
32 a Representative while the bill is on the order of Second
-37- LRB9101282REmb
1 Reading, subject to Rule 18, and shall be adopted by a
2 majority vote of the House. A committee amendment may be the
3 subject of a motion to "do adopt" or "do not adopt". A
4 committee amendment may be adopted only by a successful
5 motion to "do adopt". The Chairperson of a committee may
6 refer any committee amendment to a subcommittee of that
7 committee.
8 (c) Committee amendments shall be filed with the
9 Chairperson of the committee, and are in order only when
10 sufficient copies have been filed to provide each member of
11 the committee with a copy (which may be done in the same
12 manner as distribution of bills under Rule 39) and 9
13 additional copies for the Chairperson. Floor amendments shall
14 be filed with the Clerk, and are in order only when 9 copies
15 have been filed.
16 (d) The Clerk shall have reproduced all adopted
17 committee amendments that come before the House. The Clerk
18 shall also have reproduced all floor amendments referred to
19 the House by a committee. No floor amendment may be adopted
20 by the House unless it has been reproduced and placed on the
21 members' desks in the same manner as for bills under Rule 39.
22 (e) No floor amendment is in order unless it has been
23 first referred to the House for consideration by the Rules
24 Committee under Rule 18, or by a standing committee or
25 special committee.
26 (f) Amendments that propose to alter any existing law
27 shall conform to the requirements of Rule 37(e).
28 (g) If a committee reports a bill "do pass as amended",
29 the committee amendments are deemed adopted by the committee
30 action and shall be reproduced and placed on the members'
31 desks (which may be done in the same manner as provided for
32 bills under Rule 39) before the bill may be read a second
33 time.
34 (h) In the case of special committees with
-38- LRB9101282REmb
1 Co-Chairpersons from different political parties, the
2 "Chairperson" for the purposes of this Rule is the
3 Co-Chairperson from the majority caucus.
4 (House Rule 41)
5 41. Fiscal and Other Notes.
6 (a) The House shall comply with all Illinois laws
7 requiring fiscal or other notes. The notes shall be filed
8 with the Clerk, who shall affix each note with a time stamp
9 endorsing the date and time received, and attached to the
10 original of the bill and available for inspection by the
11 members. As soon as practical, the Clerk shall provide a copy
12 of the note to the Legislative Reference Bureau, which shall
13 provide an informative summary of the note in subsequent
14 issues of the Legislative Digest.
15 (b) No bill authorizing or directing the conveyance by
16 the State of any particular interest in real estate to any
17 individual or entity other than a governmental unit or agency
18 may be voted upon in committee or upon Second Reading unless
19 a certified appraisal of the value of the interest has been
20 filed. The appraisal shall be filed with the clerk of the
21 committee to which the bill is assigned, and shall be part of
22 the permanent committee record, unless the bill is advanced
23 without reference to committee, or discharged under Rule 58,
24 in which event the appraisal shall be filed with the Clerk of
25 the House.
26 (House Rule 42)
27 42. Consent Calendar.
28 (a) The Clerk shall include a Consent Calendar on the
29 daily calendar and designate it as a separate calendar. The
30 Consent Calendar shall contain 3 orders of business: Consent
31 Calendar - Second Reading, Consent Calendar - Third Reading,
32 and Consent Calendar - Resolutions. Within each order of
-39- LRB9101282REmb
1 business, bills or resolutions shall be listed in separate
2 groups according to the number of required days each has been
3 on that order of business on the Consent Calendar. No more
4 than 80 bills and resolutions shall be listed in each group.
5 All bills or resolutions to which amendments have been
6 adopted shall be so designated.
7 (b) No debate is in order regarding any item on the
8 Consent Calendar. The Presiding Officer, however, shall
9 allow a reasonable time for questions from the floor and
10 answers to those questions. No amendment from the floor is
11 in order regarding any bill or resolution on the Consent
12 Calendar.
13 (c) A bill on the Consent Calendar shall stand for 2
14 legislative days on the order of Consent Calendar - Second
15 Reading, and for at least 2 legislative days on the order of
16 Consent Calendar - Third Reading, before a vote on the final
17 passage may be taken. Resolutions on the Consent Calendar
18 shall stand for at least 4 legislative days before a vote on
19 adoption may be taken. One record vote on final passage
20 shall be taken on those bills called for final passage.
21 Immediately before a vote on the bills on the Consent
22 Calendar, the Presiding Officer shall call to the attention
23 of the members the fact that the next legislative action will
24 be the vote on the Consent Calendar.
25 (d) A bill or resolution may be placed on the Consent
26 Calendar by report of a standing committee upon a motion
27 adopted by a unanimous vote of the members present. For
28 purposes of this subsection (d), a unanimous vote on the
29 motion is a vote with no member voting nay.
30 (e) No bill regarding revenue or appropriations may be
31 placed on the Consent Calendar. No resolution requiring more
32 than 60 affirmative votes for adoption and no bill requiring
33 more than 60 affirmative votes for passage by the House may
34 be placed on the Consent Calendar.
-40- LRB9101282REmb
1 (f) The Speaker and the Minority Leader shall each
2 appoint 3 members who may challenge the presence of any bill
3 or resolution on the Consent Calendar. Before a vote on
4 final passage of any item on the Consent Calendar, an item
5 shall be removed from the Consent Calendar if (i) 4 or more
6 members, (ii) the Principal Sponsor of the bill or
7 resolution, or (iii) one or more of the appointed challengers
8 file with the Clerk written objections to the presence of the
9 bill or resolution on the Consent Calendar. Any bill or
10 resolution so removed may not be placed thereafter on the
11 Consent Calendar during that session of the General Assembly,
12 unless the member or members who objected to the presence of
13 the bill or resolution on the Consent Calendar consent in
14 writing to restoration of the bill or resolution on the
15 Consent Calendar.
16 Any bill removed from the Consent Calendar shall stand on
17 the order of Second Reading with short debate status, subject
18 to Rule 52, and any resolution so removed shall stand on the
19 order of Resolutions with short debate status, subject to
20 Rule 52.
21 (House Rule 43)
22 43. Changing Order of Business.
23 (a) Any order of business may be changed at any time by
24 the Speaker or Presiding Officer.
25 (b) Any order of business may be changed at any time
26 upon the motion of any member, supported by 5 additional
27 members, if the motion is adopted by an affirmative vote of
28 71 members elected.
29 (c) This Rule may be suspended only by the affirmative
30 vote of 71 members elected.
31 (d) Notwithstanding any Rule to the contrary, if a bill
32 favorably reported from a standing committee or special
33 committee has remained on the order of Second Reading for
-41- LRB9101282REmb
1 more than 15 calendar days, the Speaker shall, upon the
2 motion of the Chairperson of the committee that reported the
3 bill, joined by at least one Member of the Minority Caucus,
4 or upon the motion of the Minority Spokesperson of the
5 committee that reported the bill, joined by at least one
6 Member of the Majority Caucus, and with the Principal
7 Sponsor's approval, if the motion is supported by an
8 affirmative vote of at least 60 Members, advance the bill to
9 the order of Third Reading and, on the next legislative day,
10 call the bill for a vote on the order of Third Reading.
11 Motions made pursuant to this Rule 43(d) may not be referred
12 to the Rules Committee or any standing or special committee
13 and shall take precedence over all other motions and all
14 other matters of business.
15 (House Rule 44)
16 44. Special Orders; Rules Committee.
17 (a) A special order of business may be set by the Rules
18 Committee or by the Speaker. The Principal Sponsor of a bill
19 or resolution must consent to the placement of the bill or
20 resolution on a special order. A special order shall fix the
21 day to which it applies and the matters to be included. The
22 Speaker, or the Rules Committee by a vote of a majority of
23 the members appointed, may establish time limits for a
24 special order and may establish limitations on debate during
25 a special order (notwithstanding Rule 52), in which event the
26 allotted time shall be fairly divided between proponents and
27 opponents of the legislation to be considered. A special
28 order of business takes the place of the standing order for
29 such time as may be necessary for its completion. Only
30 matters that may otherwise properly be before the House may
31 be included in a special order.
32 (b) A special order shall appear on the Daily Calendar
33 for 3 legislative days. This subsection (b) may be
-42- LRB9101282REmb
1 suspended only by the affirmative vote of 71 members elected.
2 (c) A special order may be suspended, amended, or
3 modified by motion adopted by an affirmative vote of 60
4 members. A special order shall be suspended by a written
5 objection signed by 3 members of the Rules Committee and
6 filed during the first legislative day on which the special
7 order appears on the calendar.
8 ARTICLE V
9 RESOLUTIONS AND CERTIFICATES OF RECOGNITION
10 (House Rule 45)
11 45. Resolutions.
12 (a) A resolution may be introduced in the House by
13 sponsorship of one or more members of the House, and the
14 names of all sponsors shall be included in the House Journal
15 and in the Legislative Digest. Each resolution introduced
16 shall be accompanied by 9 copies. Consideration of
17 resolutions shall be governed by Rule 16 and Rule 66.
18 (b) Any resolution calling for the expenditure of State
19 funds may be adopted only by a record vote of a majority of
20 those elected.
21 (House Rule 46)
22 46. State Constitutional Amendments. All resolutions
23 introduced in the House proposing amendments to the Illinois
24 Constitution shall be reproduced and distributed in the same
25 manner in which bills are reproduced and distributed under
26 Rule 39. Every such resolution that originated in the Senate
27 and is presented to the House shall be ordered reproduced and
28 distributed in like manner. No such resolution may be adopted
29 unless read in full in its final form on 3 different days.
30 Amendments are in order only on First Reading and Second
31 Reading.
-43- LRB9101282REmb
1 (House Rule 47)
2 47. Federal Constitutional Amendments and Constitutional
3 Conventions. The affirmative vote of 71 of the members
4 elected is required to adopt any resolution:
5 (1) requesting Congress to call a federal
6 constitutional convention;
7 (2) ratifying a proposed amendment to the
8 Constitution of the United States; or
9 (3) calling a State convention to ratify a proposed
10 amendment to the Constitution of the United States.
11 (House Rule 48)
12 48. Certificates of Recognition. Any member may sponsor
13 a certificate of recognition to be signed by the Speaker and
14 attested by the Clerk to recognize any person, organization,
15 or event worthy of public commendation. The form of the
16 Certificate of Recognition shall be determined by the Clerk
17 with the approval of the Speaker.
18 ARTICLE VI
19 PARLIAMENTARY PRACTICE
20 (House Rule 49)
21 49. Voting. The Presiding Officer shall put all
22 questions distinctly, as follows: "All those in favor vote
23 AYE, and those opposed vote NAY." No member may vote on any
24 question before the House unless on the floor before the vote
25 is announced. No member of a committee may vote except in
26 person at the time of the call of the committee vote. Any
27 vote of the House shall be by record vote whenever 5
28 Representatives shall so request or whenever the Presiding
29 Officer shall so order.
30 (House Rule 50)
-44- LRB9101282REmb
1 50. Announcing a Record Vote. When a record vote is
2 requested, the Presiding Officer shall put the question and
3 then announce to the House: "The voting is open." While the
4 vote is being taken, the Presiding Officer shall state: "Have
5 all voted who wish?" The voting is closed when the Presiding
6 Officer announces: "Take the Record." The Presiding
7 Officer, unless an intervening motion to postpone
8 consideration by the Principal Sponsor is made, shall then
9 announce the results of the record vote. After the record is
10 taken, no member may vote, change his or her vote, or remove
11 his or her vote as recorded.
12 (House Rule 51)
13 51. Decorum.
14 (a) When any member is about to speak to the House, he
15 or she shall rise and address the Presiding Officer as
16 "Speaker". The Presiding Officer, upon recognizing the
17 member, shall address him or her by name, and thereupon the
18 engineer in charge of operating the microphones in the House
19 shall give the use of the microphone to the member who has
20 been so recognized. The member in speaking shall confine
21 himself or herself to the subject matter under discussion and
22 avoid personalities.
23 (b) Questions affecting the rights, reputation, and
24 conduct of members of the House in their representative
25 capacity are questions of personal privilege. A matter of
26 personal explanation does not constitute a question of
27 personal privilege.
28 (c) If 2 or more members rise at once, the Presiding
29 Officer shall name the member who is to speak first.
30 (d) No person shall give any signs of approbation or
31 disapprobation while the House is in session.
32 (e) Recognition of guests by any member is prohibited,
33 except that the Speaker or Presiding Officer may recognize an
-45- LRB9101282REmb
1 honored guest.
2 (f) While the Presiding Officer is putting a question,
3 no member shall leave or walk across the House Chamber. When
4 a member is addressing the House, no member or other person
5 entitled to the floor shall entertain private discourse or
6 pass between the member speaking and the Presiding Officer.
7 (g) In case of any disturbance or disorderly conduct,
8 the Speaker or Presiding Officer may order that the lobby,
9 gallery, or hallways adjoining the House Chamber be cleared.
10 (h) No literature may be distributed on the House floor.
11 (i) No member may be absent from a session of the House
12 unless he or she has leave or is sick or his or her absence
13 is unavoidable. The switch to the electrical roll call
14 recording equipment located on the desk of any member who has
15 been excused or is absent shall be locked by the Clerk and
16 shall not be unlocked until the member returns and files with
17 the Clerk a request to be shown as present on the quorum roll
18 call.
19 (House Rule 52)
20 52. Debate.
21 (a) All legislative measures, except those legislative
22 measures placed on the Consent Calendar under Rule 42, are
23 subject to a debate status as follows:
24 (1) Short Debate: Debate is limited to a 2-minute
25 presentation by the Principal Sponsor or a member
26 designated by the Principal Sponsor, a 2-minute
27 presentation by a member in response, and one minute for
28 the Principal Sponsor to close debate, or yield to other
29 members; provided that at the request of 7 members before
30 the close of debate, the debate status shall be opened to
31 standard debate;
32 (2) Standard Debate: Debate is limited to a
33 5-minute presentation by the Principal Sponsor or a
-46- LRB9101282REmb
1 member designated by the Principal Sponsor, debate by
2 each of 2 additional proponents of the legislative
3 measure and by 3 members in response to the legislative
4 measure, and 3 minutes for the Principal Sponsor to close
5 debate, or yield to other members;
6 (3) Extended Debate: Debate is limited to a
7 5-minute presentation by the Principal Sponsor or a
8 member designated by the Principal Sponsor, debate by
9 each of 4 proponents of the legislative measure and 5
10 members in response, and 5 minutes for the Principal
11 Sponsor to close debate, or yield to other members;
12 (4) Unlimited Debate: Debate shall consist of a
13 10-minute presentation by the Principal Sponsor or a
14 member designated by the Principal Sponsor, debate by
15 each proponent and member in response who seeks
16 recognition, and 5 minutes for the Principal Sponsor to
17 close debate, or yield to other members; or
18 (5) Amendment Debate: Debate on floor amendments
19 referred to the House from a committee, or discharged
20 from a committee, is limited to a 3-minute presentation
21 by the Principal Sponsor, or a member designated by the
22 Principal Sponsor, debate by one proponent, debate by
23 each of 2 members in response, and 3 minutes for the
24 Principal Sponsor to close debate, or yield to other
25 members.
26 No debate is in order on bills or resolutions on the
27 order of First Reading or Second Reading, except for debate
28 on floor amendments as provided in this Rule.
29 (b) All legislative measures, except floor amendments,
30 referred to the House from a committee, or discharged from a
31 committee, are automatically assigned standard debate status,
32 subject to subsection (c) of this Rule, except those assigned
33 to the Consent Calendar or short debate status by a standing
34 committee or a special committee. All floor amendments
-47- LRB9101282REmb
1 referred to the House from a committee, or discharged from a
2 committee, are automatically assigned amendment debate
3 status, subject to subsection (c) of this Rule.
4 (c) Notwithstanding any other provision of these Rules
5 to the contrary, the debate status of any legislative measure
6 may be changed only (i) by the Speaker, as defined in item
7 (27) of Rule 102, by filing a notice with the Clerk, or (ii)
8 by the Rules Committee by motion approved by a majority of
9 those appointed. While a legislative measure is being
10 considered by the House, the debate status may also be
11 changed by unanimous consent. No legislative measure,
12 however, may be placed on the Consent Calendar under this
13 Rule. No legislative measure, except a floor amendment, may
14 be assigned amendment debate status under this Rule.
15 (d) The Speaker or Rules Committee, as the case may be,
16 shall notify the Clerk of any action to change the debate
17 status of any legislative measure. The Clerk shall cause
18 that information to be reflected on the Daily Calendar on
19 subsequent legislative days, provided the legislative measure
20 is still before the House.
21 (e) No member shall speak longer than 5 minutes at one
22 time or more than once on the same question except by leave
23 of the House. The Principal Sponsor of a measure or a
24 member designated by the Principal Sponsor, however, shall be
25 allowed to open the debate and to close the debate in
26 accordance with subsection (a) of this Rule. The provisions
27 of this subsection (e) are subject to and limited by
28 subsections (a), (b), and (c) of this Rule. A member may
29 yield to another member the time allotted for the member's
30 debate.
31 (f) The Presiding Officer shall allocate the debate on
32 each legislative measure alternately, if possible, between
33 proponents and opponents of the legislative measure under
34 debate.
-48- LRB9101282REmb
1 (g) This Rule may not be suspended.
2 (House Rule 53)
3 53. Written Statements.
4 (a) Any member may submit a written statement regarding
5 any bill, resolution, or floor amendment considered by the
6 House, by submitting that statement to the Clerk within one
7 legislative day or 3 business days, whichever is shorter,
8 after the day on which the bill, resolution, or floor
9 amendment to which the comments relate was considered by the
10 House. The Clerk shall affix a time stamp to each statement
11 indicating the date on which the statement was submitted.
12 Each statement shall indicate the member or members on whose
13 behalf the statement is submitted, the bill, resolution, or
14 floor amendment to which it applies, the names of any other
15 members mentioned in the statement, and the person who
16 actually submits the statement to the Clerk. Each member on
17 whose behalf a statement is submitted is under an obligation
18 to ensure that all required information, specifically
19 including the names of any other members mentioned in the
20 statement, is indicated at the time a statement is submitted.
21 Each statement shall comply with standards as may be
22 established by the Clerk with the approval of the Speaker.
23 The standards established by the Clerk, however, shall not
24 relate to the contents of the written statement. The Clerk
25 shall maintain statements that comply with this Rule and
26 established standards in files for each bill and resolution.
27 A statement is not considered filed until the Clerk has
28 determined that it complies with this Rule and established
29 standards. The Clerk shall notify the member or members on
30 whose behalf a statement was submitted if the statement is
31 determined not to comply. Statements filed under this Rule
32 shall be considered part of the transcript and made available
33 to the public.
-49- LRB9101282REmb
1 (b) If a statement mentions another member, the
2 statement shall not be considered filed until the member
3 mentioned has an opportunity to respond as a matter of
4 personal privilege. The Clerk shall notify each member who
5 is identified at the time a statement is submitted as being
6 mentioned in the statement. The member identified as
7 mentioned in the statement shall have one legislative day or
8 3 business days, whichever is shorter, after notification by
9 the Clerk in which to file a written response to the
10 statement. The original statement and any responsive
11 statement shall both be considered filed at the close of
12 business on the final day on which a response may be filed.
13 If, however, a statement is submitted mentioning another
14 member and the name of the member mentioned is not indicated
15 to the Clerk at the time of submission, the statement shall
16 be stricken at the request of the member mentioned in the
17 statement. The Clerk shall notify each member on whose
18 behalf the statement was submitted that the statement has
19 been stricken from the record.
20 (c) This Rule may be suspended only by the affirmative
21 vote of 71 members elected.
22 (House Rule 54)
23 54. Motions.
24 (a) The following are general rules for all motions:
25 (1) Every motion, except to adjourn, recess, or
26 postpone consideration, shall be reduced to writing if
27 ordered by the Presiding Officer. Unless otherwise
28 provided in these Rules, no second is required to any
29 motion presented to the House, or in any committee. The
30 Presiding Officer may refer any motion to the Rules
31 Committee.
32 (2) Before the House debates a motion, the
33 Presiding Officer shall state an oral motion and the
-50- LRB9101282REmb
1 Clerk shall read aloud a written motion. Each motion,
2 unless otherwise provided in these Rules, is assigned
3 standard debate status, subject to Rule 52.
4 (3) After a motion is stated by the Presiding
5 Officer or read by the Clerk, it is deemed in the
6 possession of the House, but may be withdrawn at any time
7 before decision with consent of a majority of the members
8 elected.
9 (4) If a motion is divisible, any member may call
10 for a division of the question.
11 (5) Any question taken under consideration may be
12 withdrawn, postponed, or tabled by unanimous consent or,
13 if unanimous consent is denied, by a motion adopted by a
14 majority of the members elected.
15 (b) The Rule may be suspended only by the affirmative
16 vote of 71 members elected.
17 (House Rule 55)
18 55. Precedence of Motions.
19 (a) When a question is under debate, no motion may be
20 entertained except:
21 (1) to adjourn to a time certain;
22 (2) to adjourn;
23 (3) to question the presence of a quorum;
24 (4) to recess;
25 (5) to lay on the table;
26 (6) for the previous question;
27 (7) to postpone consideration;
28 (8) to commit or recommit; or
29 (9) to amend, except as otherwise provided in these
30 Rules.
31 The foregoing motions have precedence in the order in
32 which they are listed.
33 (b) During a record vote, no motion (except a motion to
-51- LRB9101282REmb
1 postpone consideration) is in order until after the
2 announcement of the result of the vote.
3 (c) A motion to commit or re-commit, until it is
4 decided, precludes all amendments and debate on the main
5 question. A motion to postpone consideration, until it is
6 decided, precludes all amendments and debate on the main
7 question.
8 (House Rule 56)
9 56. Verification.
10 (a) After any record vote, except for a vote that
11 requires a specific number of affirmative votes and that has
12 not received the required votes, and before intervening
13 business, it is in order for any member to request
14 verification of the results of the record vote.
15 (b) In verifying a record vote, the Presiding Officer
16 shall instruct the Clerk to call the names of those members
17 whose votes are to be verified. The member requesting the
18 verification may thereafter identify those members he or she
19 wishes to verify. If a member does not answer, his or her
20 vote shall be stricken; the member's vote shall be restored
21 to the roll, however, if his or her presence is recognized
22 before the Presiding Officer announces the final result of
23 the verification. The Presiding Officer shall determine the
24 presence or absence of each member whose name is called, and
25 shall then announce the results of the verification.
26 (c) While the results of any record vote are being
27 verified, it is in order for any member to announce his or
28 her presence on the floor and thereby have his or her vote
29 verified.
30 (d) A request for a verification of the affirmative and
31 negative results of a record vote may be made only once on
32 each record vote.
-52- LRB9101282REmb
1 (House Rule 57)
2 57. Appealing a Ruling.
3 (a) If any appeal is taken from a ruling of the
4 Presiding Officer, the Presiding Officer shall be sustained
5 unless 71 of the members elected vote to overrule the
6 Presiding Officer. A motion to appeal is not in order if the
7 House has conducted intervening business since the ruling at
8 issue was made.
9 (b) If any appeal is taken from a ruling of a committee
10 Chairperson, the Chairperson shall be sustained unless
11 three-fifths of those appointed vote to overrule the
12 Chairperson. A motion to appeal is not in order if the
13 committee has adjourned or recessed, or if intervening
14 business has occurred. In the case of special committees
15 with Co-Chairpersons from different political parties, the
16 "Chairperson" for purposes of this Rule is the Co-Chairperson
17 from the majority caucus.
18 (c) In an appeal of a ruling of the Presiding Officer or
19 Chairperson, the question is: "Shall the ruling of the Chair
20 be sustained?"
21 (d) This Rule may be suspended only by the affirmative
22 vote of 71 members elected.
23 (House Rule 58)
24 58. Discharge of Committee.
25 (a) Any member may move that a standing committee or a
26 special committee be discharged from consideration of any
27 legislative measure assigned to it and not reported back
28 unfavorably.
29 (b) The motion must be in writing and shall be carried
30 on the Daily Calendar for the next legislative day under the
31 order of "Motions". No action shall be taken on the motion
32 until it is on the calendar.
33 (c) If the motion receives an affirmative vote of 60
-53- LRB9101282REmb
1 members, the legislative measure subject to the motion shall
2 be referred to the House and placed on the appropriate order
3 of business.
4 (d) This Rule may be suspended only by the affirmative
5 vote of 71 members elected.
6 (House Rule 59)
7 59. Previous Question.
8 (a) A motion for the previous question may be made at
9 any time. A motion for the previous question is not
10 debatable and requires the affirmative vote of 71 members
11 elected.
12 (b) The previous question shall be stated in the
13 following form: "Shall the main question be put?" Until the
14 previous question is decided, all amendments and debate are
15 precluded. When it is decided that the main question shall
16 not be put, the main question remains under debate.
17 (c) The effect of the main question being ordered is to
18 put an end to all debate and bring the House to a direct vote
19 on the immediately pending motion. After a motion for the
20 previous question has been approved, unless the vote on that
21 motion suggests the absence of a quorum, it is not in order
22 to move for adjournment or to make any other motion before a
23 decision on the main question.
24 (d) This Rule may be suspended only by the affirmative
25 vote of 71 members elected.
26 (House Rule 60)
27 60. Tabling.
28 (a) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (d), a
29 motion to lay on the table applies only to the particular
30 proposition and is neither debatable nor amendable.
31 (b) A motion to table a bill or resolution shall
32 identify the bill or resolution by number. The Principal
-54- LRB9101282REmb
1 Sponsor of a bill or resolution may, with leave of the House,
2 table that bill or resolution at any time. A motion to table
3 a committee bill that is before the House may be adopted only
4 by the affirmative vote of a majority of those elected.
5 (c) The Principal Sponsor of a bill or resolution before
6 a committee may, with leave of the committee, table the bill
7 or resolution. Upon tabling, the Chairperson of the
8 committee shall return the bill or resolution to the Clerk,
9 noting thereon that it has been tabled.
10 (d) A motion to table a committee amendment has priority
11 over a floor amendment. Motions to table amendments are
12 debatable and may be adopted by the affirmative vote of a
13 majority vote of those elected.
14 (House Rule 61)
15 61. Motion to Take from Table.
16 (a) A motion to take from the table requires the
17 affirmative vote of a majority of those elected if the Rules
18 Committee has previously recommended that action by written
19 notice filed with the Clerk; otherwise, a motion to take from
20 the table requires the affirmative vote of 71 members
21 elected.
22 (b) A bill taken from the table shall be placed on the
23 Daily Calendar on the order on which it appeared before it
24 was tabled.
25 (c) This Rule may be suspended only by the affirmative
26 vote of 71 members elected.
27 (House Rule 62)
28 62. Motion to Postpone Consideration. A motion to
29 postpone consideration on a bill or resolution may not be
30 made more than once on the same bill or resolution. Unless
31 otherwise provided by these Rules, a motion to postpone
32 consideration shall be granted as a matter of privilege; no
-55- LRB9101282REmb
1 motion to postpone consideration is in order, however, if the
2 bill or resolution initially received a vote of fewer than 47
3 of the members elected.
4 (House Rule 63)
5 63. Motion on Different Subject. No motion or other
6 legislative measure on a subject different from that under
7 consideration shall be admitted under color of amendment.
8 (House Rule 64)
9 64. Division of Question. If the question in debate
10 contains several points, any member may have the question
11 divided. On a motion to strike out and insert, it is not in
12 order to move for a division of the question. The rejection
13 of a motion to strike out and insert one proposition does not
14 prevent a motion to strike out and insert a different
15 proposition.
16 (House Rule 65)
17 65. Reconsideration.
18 (a) A member who voted on the prevailing side of a
19 record vote on a legislative measure still within the control
20 of the House may on the same or the following legislative
21 day move to reconsider the vote. The motion to reconsider
22 may be laid on the table without affecting the vote to which
23 it refers. When the motion to reconsider is made during the
24 last 3 days of April or any time thereafter during the
25 regular session, or at any time during a veto or special
26 session, any member may move that the vote on reconsideration
27 be taken immediately. A question that requires the
28 affirmative vote of a majority of those elected or more to
29 carry requires a majority of those elected to reconsider.
30 (b) A motion to reconsider a record vote on the adoption
31 of an amendment to a bill may be made only on Second Reading.
-56- LRB9101282REmb
1 (c) If a motion to reconsider is made under this Rule
2 and the motion is later tabled, the question shall not be
3 further reconsidered. This subsection (c) may be suspended
4 only by the affirmative vote of 71 members elected.
5 (d) When a motion to reconsider is made within the time
6 prescribed by these Rules, the Clerk shall not allow the bill
7 or other subject matter of the motion to pass out of the
8 possession of the House until after the motion has been
9 decided or withdrawn. Such a motion shall be deemed rejected
10 if laid on the table.
11 (e) A Representative who voted "present" or failed to
12 vote on a question does not have the right to move for
13 reconsideration.
14 (f) Upon a motion to reconsider the vote on the final
15 passage of any bill, the affirmative vote of a majority of
16 those elected is required to reconsider.
17 (House Rule 66)
18 66. Motion to Adjourn.
19 (a) A motion to adjourn is in order at any time, except
20 when a prior motion to adjourn has been defeated and no
21 intervening business has transpired.
22 (b) A motion to adjourn is neither debatable nor
23 amendable.
24 (c) The Clerk shall enter in the Journal the hour at
25 which every motion to adjourn is made.
26 (d) Unless the Presiding Officer otherwise orders, the
27 standing hour to which the House adjourns is 12:00 noon,
28 except on the last day of a week in which the House convenes
29 in regular, veto, or special session, in which case the
30 standing hour to which the House adjourns is 12:30 p.m.
31 (e) A motion to adjourn for more than 3 days is not in
32 order unless both chambers of the General Assembly have
33 adopted a joint resolution permitting that adjournment.
-57- LRB9101282REmb
1 Notwithstanding any other provision of these Rules, a
2 resolution filed under this Rule may be referred to the Rules
3 Committee by the Presiding Officer or may be immediately
4 considered and adopted by the House.
5 (House Rule 67)
6 67. Adoption and Amendment to or Suspension of Rules.
7 (a) Adoption of Rules. At the commencement of a term,
8 the House shall adopt new rules of organization and procedure
9 by resolution setting forth those rules in their entirety.
10 The resolution must be adopted by the affirmative vote of a
11 majority of those elected. These Rules of the House of
12 Representatives of the 91st General Assembly are subject to
13 revision or amendment only in accordance with this Rule.
14 (b) Rules may be amended only by resolution. Any
15 resolution to amend these Rules shall show the proposed
16 changes in the existing rules by underscoring all new matter
17 and by crossing out with a line all matter that is to be
18 omitted or superseded.
19 (c) Any resolution proposing to amend a House Rule or
20 any Joint House-Senate Rule, upon initial reading by the
21 Clerk, is automatically referred to the Rules Committee.
22 Resolutions to amend the House Rules or any Joint
23 House-Senate Rules may be initiated and sponsored by the
24 Rules Committee; those resolutions shall not be referred to a
25 committee and may be immediately considered and adopted by
26 the House. Those resolutions shall be assigned standard
27 debate status, subject to Rule 52.
28 (d) A resolution to amend the House Rules or any Joint
29 House-Senate Rules that has been reported "do adopt" or "do
30 adopt as amended" by a majority of those appointed to the
31 Rules Committee requires the affirmative vote of a majority
32 of those elected for adoption by the House. Any other
33 resolution proposing to amend the House Rules or any Joint
-58- LRB9101282REmb
1 House-Senate Rules requires the affirmative vote of 71 of the
2 members elected for adoption by the House.
3 (e) No House Rule or any Joint House-Senate Rule may be
4 suspended except by unanimous consent of the members present
5 or upon a motion supported by affirmative vote of a majority
6 of those elected unless a higher number is required in the
7 Rule sought to be suspended. A committee may not suspend any
8 Rule.
9 (f) This Rule may be suspended only by the affirmative
10 vote of 71 members elected.
11 (House Rule 68)
12 68. Motion to Commit or Recommit. No motion to commit
13 or recommit a legislative measure to committee, being decided
14 in the negative, shall again be allowed on the same day, or
15 at the same stage of the legislative measure.
16 (House Rule 69)
17 69. Effective Date.
18 (a) A bill passed after May 31 of a calendar year shall
19 not become effective prior to June 1 of the next calendar
20 year unless an earlier effective date is specified in the
21 bill and it is approved by the affirmative vote of 71 members
22 elected.
23 (b) If a majority of those elected, but fewer than 71,
24 vote affirmatively for a bill on Third Reading after May 31
25 and the bill specifies an effective date earlier than the
26 following June 1, the bill has not passed, but the Principal
27 Sponsor has the right to have the bill automatically
28 reconsidered and returned to the order of Second Reading for
29 an amendment to remove the earlier effective date. The
30 amendment, if offered and referred to the House by a
31 committee, shall be reproduced and placed on the desks of the
32 members, in the same manner as provided for bills under Rule
-59- LRB9101282REmb
1 39, before the bill is taken up again on the order of Third
2 Reading.
3 (House Rule 70)
4 70. Home Rule. No bill denies or limits any power or
5 function of a home rule unit under paragraph (g), (h), (i),
6 (j), or (k) of Sec. 6 of Article VII of the Constitution
7 unless there is specific language limiting or denying the
8 power or function and the language specifically sets forth in
9 what manner and to what extent it is a denial or limitation
10 of the power or function of a home rule unit. If a majority
11 of those elected, but fewer than 71, vote affirmatively for a
12 bill on Third Reading that requires the affirmative vote of
13 71 members elected to deny or limit a power of a home rule
14 unit, the bill has not passed, but the Principal Sponsor has
15 the right to have the bill automatically reconsidered and
16 returned to the order of Second Reading for an amendment to
17 remove those effects of the bill. The amendment, if referred
18 to the House by a committee, shall be reproduced and placed
19 on the desks of the members, in the same manner as provided
20 for bills under Rule 39, before the bill is taken up again on
21 the order of Third Reading.
22 ARTICLE VII
23 CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
24 (House Rule 71)
25 71. Conflicts of Interest.
26 (a) A Committee on Conflicts of Interest is created. It
27 shall consist of 4 members appointed by the Speaker and 4
28 members appointed by the Minority Leader. The Speaker shall
29 designate one of the members as Chairperson. The Minority
30 Leader shall designate one of the minority caucus members as
31 Minority Spokesperson. The Committee shall not have a
-60- LRB9101282REmb
1 Vice-Chairperson.
2 (b) The Committee shall study the problems of conflicts
3 of interest in relation to the responsibilities of
4 legislators and the laws relating thereto, including the
5 Illinois Governmental Ethics Act. The Committee shall
6 develop guidelines for the conduct of members in regard to
7 conflicts of interest, including procedures for appropriate
8 disclosure of the existence of conflicts. The Committee
9 shall also recommend changes in the law determined to be
10 desirable to assure members appropriate guidance in their
11 conduct. Any report of the Committee shall be filed with the
12 Clerk, who shall reproduce the report and distribute it to
13 each member, in the same manner as provided for bills under
14 Rule 39.
15 ARTICLE VIII
16 JOINT ACTION
17 (House Rule 72)
18 72. Concurring in or Receding from Amendments.
19 (a) If a bill or resolution is received back in the
20 House with one or more amendments added by the Senate, it is
21 in order for the Principal Sponsor to present a motion "to
22 concur" or "not to concur and to ask the Senate to recede"
23 with respect to each, several, or all of those amendments.
24 Any 2 members may demand a separate record vote on any of
25 those amendments.
26 (b) When the Senate has refused to concur in one or more
27 amendments added to a bill or resolution by the House and has
28 returned the bill or resolution to the House with a message
29 requesting the House to recede from one or more of its
30 amendments, it is in order for the Principal Sponsor to
31 present a motion "to recede" from the House amendments or
32 "not to recede and to request a conference". Any 2 members
-61- LRB9101282REmb
1 may demand a separate record vote on any of those amendments.
2 (House Rule 73)
3 73. Conference Committees.
4 (a) A disagreement between the House and Senate exists
5 with respect to any bill or resolution in the following
6 situations:
7 (1) when the Senate refuses to recede from the
8 adoption of any amendment, after the House has previously
9 refused to concur in the amendment; or
10 (2) when the House refuses to recede from the
11 adoption of any amendment, after the Senate has
12 previously refused to concur in the amendment.
13 In those cases of disagreement between the House and
14 Senate, the House may request a conference. When such a
15 request is made, both chambers of the General Assembly shall
16 appoint members to a committee to confer on the subject of
17 the bill or resolution giving rise to the disagreement. The
18 combined membership of the 2 chambers appointed for that
19 purpose is the conference committee.
20 (b) The conference committee shall consist of 5 members
21 from each chamber of the General Assembly. The number of
22 majority caucus members from each chamber shall be one more
23 than the number of minority caucus members from each chamber.
24 (c) Each conference committee shall be comprised of 5
25 members of the House, 3 appointed by the Speaker and 2
26 appointed by the Minority Leader. No conference committee
27 report may be filed with the Clerk until a majority of the
28 House conferees has been appointed.
29 (House Rule 74)
30 74. Conference Committee Reports.
31 (a) No subject matter shall be included in any
32 conference committee report on any bill unless that subject
-62- LRB9101282REmb
1 matter directly relates to the matters of difference between
2 the House and Senate that have been referred to the
3 conference committee unless the Rules Committee, by a
4 majority vote of the members appointed, determines that the
5 proposed subject matter is of an emergency nature, is of
6 substantial importance to the operation of government, or is
7 in the best interests of Illinois.
8 (b) No conference committee report shall be received by
9 the Clerk or acted upon by the House unless it has been
10 signed by at least 6 conferees. The report shall be signed in
11 duplicate. One of the reports shall be filed with the
12 Secretary of the Senate and one with the Clerk. The report
13 shall contain the agreements reached by the committee.
14 (c) If the conference committee determines that it is
15 unable to reach agreement, the committee shall so report to
16 each chamber of the General Assembly and request appointment
17 of a second conference committee. If there is agreement, the
18 committee shall so report to each chamber.
19 (House Rule 75)
20 75. House Consideration of Joint Action.
21 (a) No joint action motion for final action or
22 conference committee report may be considered by the House
23 unless it has first been referred to the House by the Rules
24 Committee or a standing committee or special committee in
25 accordance with Rule 18, or unless the joint action motion or
26 conference committee report has been discharged from the
27 Rules Committee under Rule 18. Joint action motions for final
28 consideration and conference committee reports referred to a
29 standing committee or special committee by the Rules
30 Committee may not be discharged from the standing committee
31 or special committee. This subsection (a) may be suspended
32 by unanimous consent.
33 (b) No conference committee report may be considered by
-63- LRB9101282REmb
1 the House unless it has been reproduced and placed on the
2 members' desks, in the same manner as provided for bills
3 under Rule 39, for one full session day before May 1st, or
4 one full hour on or after May 1st.
5 (c) Before any conference committee report on an
6 appropriation bill is considered by the House, the conference
7 committee report shall first be the subject of a public
8 hearing by a standing Appropriations Committee or a special
9 committee (the conference committee report need not be
10 referred to an Appropriations Committee or special committee,
11 but instead may remain before the Rules Committee or the
12 House, as the case may be). The hearing shall be held
13 pursuant to not less than one hour advance notice by
14 announcement on the House floor, or one day advance notice by
15 posting on the House bulletin board. An Appropriations
16 Committee or special committee shall not issue any report
17 with respect to the conference committee report following the
18 hearing.
19 (d) Any House Bill amended in the Senate and returned to
20 the House for concurrence in the Senate amendment shall lie
21 upon the desk of the Clerk for not less than one hour before
22 being further considered.
23 (e) No House Bill that is returned to the House with
24 Senate amendments may be called except by the Principal
25 Sponsor, or by a chief co-sponsor with the consent of the
26 Principal Sponsor. This subsection may not be suspended.
27 (f) Except as otherwise provided in Rule 74, the report
28 of a conference committee on a non-appropriation bill or
29 resolution shall be confined to the subject of the bill or
30 resolution referred to the conference committee. The report
31 of a conference committee on an appropriation bill shall be
32 confined to the subject of appropriations.
33 (House Rule 76)
-64- LRB9101282REmb
1 76. Action on Conference Committee Reports.
2 (a) Each chamber of the General Assembly shall inform
3 the other by message of any action taken with respect to a
4 conference committee report. Copies of all papers necessary
5 for a complete understanding of the action shall accompany
6 the message. The original bill or resolution shall remain in
7 the chamber of origin.
8 (b) No conference committee report may be called except
9 by the Principal Sponsor of the bill for which the conference
10 committee was appointed. A chief co-sponsor may call a
11 conference committee report with the consent of the Principal
12 Sponsor. This subsection may not be suspended.
13 (c) If either chamber refuses to adopt the report of the
14 conference committee, or the first conference committee is
15 unable to reach agreement, either chamber may request a
16 second conference committee. When such a request is made,
17 each chamber shall again appoint a conference committee. If
18 either chamber refuses to adopt the report of a second
19 conference committee, the 2 chambers shall have adhered to
20 their disagreement, and the bill or resolution is lost.
21 ARTICLE IX
22 VETOES
23 (House Rule 77)
24 77. Recording of Vetoes. Upon the receipt by the House
25 of any bill returned by the Governor under any of the
26 provisions of Article IV, Sec. 9 of the Constitution, the
27 Clerk shall enter the objections of the Governor on the
28 Journal, and shall distribute copies of all veto messages to
29 each member's desk, together with copies of the vetoed bill
30 or item, as soon as practical, in the same manner as for
31 bills under Rule 39.
-65- LRB9101282REmb
1 (House Rule 78)
2 78. Amendatory Vetoes.
3 (a) The Principal Sponsor of a bill that has been passed
4 by the General Assembly may request the Clerk to notify the
5 Governor that the Principal Sponsor wishes to be consulted by
6 the Governor or his or her designee before the Governor
7 returns the bill together with specific recommendations for
8 change under subsection (e) of Section 9 of Article IV of the
9 Illinois Constitution.
10 (b) Any bill returned by the Governor together with
11 specific recommendations for change under subsection (e) of
12 Section 9 of Article IV of the Illinois Constitution is
13 automatically referred to the Rules Committee and shall be
14 considered as provided in this Rule.
15 (c) The Governor's specific recommendations for change
16 with respect to a bill returned under subsection (e) of
17 Section 9 of Article IV of the Illinois Constitution shall be
18 limited to addressing the Governor's objections to portions
19 of a bill the general merit of which the Governor recognizes
20 and shall not alter the fundamental purpose or legislative
21 scheme set forth in the bill as passed.
22 (d) Any bill returned by the Governor together with
23 specific recommendations for change shall be reviewed by the
24 Rules Committee. The Rules Committee shall examine the
25 Governor's specific recommendations for change and determine
26 by a majority of the members appointed whether those
27 recommendations comply with the standard set forth in
28 subsection (c). Any bill that the Rules Committee determines
29 is in compliance with subsection (c) of this Rule shall be
30 subject to action by the Rules Committee in the same manner
31 as floor amendments, joint action motions, and conference
32 committee reports under Rule 18(e).
33 (e) This rule may not be suspended.
-66- LRB9101282REmb
1 (House Rule 79)
2 79. Motions to Consider Vetoes. For purposes of this
3 Article, the term "motions" means motions to accept or
4 override a veto of the Governor. Motions with respect to
5 bills returned by the Governor may be made by the Principal
6 Sponsor, the committee Chairperson in the case of a
7 committee-sponsored bill, or if Co-Chairpersons have been
8 appointed, by the Co-Chairperson of the majority caucus in
9 the case of special committee-sponsored bills. Motions shall
10 be filed in writing with the Clerk. All motions shall be
11 assigned standard debate status, subject to Rule 52.
12 (House Rule 80)
13 80. Consideration of Motions.
14 (a) The vote to override a veto of a bill vetoed in its
15 entirety shall be by record vote and shall be entered on the
16 Journal. The form of motion with respect to these bills shall
17 be: "I move that ________ Bill _____ do pass,
18 notwithstanding the veto of the Governor."
19 (b) The vote to override an item veto shall be by record
20 vote as to each item separately and shall be entered on the
21 Journal. The form of motion with respect to an item shall
22 be: "I move that the item on page ____, line ____, of ____
23 Bill _____ do pass, notwithstanding the item veto of the
24 Governor."
25 (c) The vote to restore an item that has been reduced
26 shall be by record vote as to each item separately and shall
27 be entered on the Journal. The form of motion with respect
28 to an item shall be: "I move that the item on page ____,
29 line ____, of ____ Bill ____ be restored, notwithstanding the
30 item reduction of the Governor."
31 (d) A bill returned together with specific
32 recommendations of the Governor may be acted upon, by record
33 vote, in either of the following manners:
-67- LRB9101282REmb
1 (1) By a motion to accept the specific
2 recommendations of the Governor. The form of motion shall
3 be: "I move to accept the specific recommendations of
4 the Governor as to _____ Bill _____ in manner and form as
5 follows: (inserting herein the language deemed necessary
6 to effectuate the specific recommendations)."; or
7 (2) By considering the bill as a vetoed bill and
8 overriding the recommendation and passing the bill in its
9 original form. The form of motion shall be: "I move
10 that _____ Bill _____ do pass, notwithstanding the
11 specific recommendations of the Governor.".
12 (House Rule 81)
13 81. Vetoed Bills Considered in Entirety. If a bill is
14 returned by the Governor containing more than one item veto,
15 reduction veto, specific recommendation for change, or
16 combination of them, the bill shall be acted upon in its
17 entirety before the bill is released from the custody of the
18 House.
19 (House Rule 82)
20 82. Disposition of Vetoes. When a bill or item has
21 received the affirmative vote of the number of members
22 elected necessary under the Constitution, the Presiding
23 Officer shall declare that the bill or item has been passed
24 or restored over the veto of the Governor, or that the
25 specific recommendations for change have been approved, as
26 the case may be. The bill shall then be attested to by the
27 Clerk who shall note thereon the day the bill passed. The
28 bill and the objections of the Governor shall then be
29 immediately delivered to the Senate. When specific
30 recommendations have been accepted, then the accepting
31 language shall be attached to the original bill, and the bill
32 shall be delivered to the Senate.
-68- LRB9101282REmb
1 ARTICLE X
2 ELECTION CONTESTS AND QUALIFICATIONS CHALLENGES
3 (House Rule 83)
4 83. Election Contests and Qualifications Challenges.
5 (a) An election contest places in issue only the
6 validity of the results of an election of a member to the
7 House in a representative district. An election contest may
8 result only in a determination of which candidate in that
9 election was properly elected to the House and shall be
10 seated.
11 (b) A qualifications challenge places in issue only the
12 qualifications of an incumbent member of the House under the
13 Constitution, or the legality of an appointment of a person
14 as a member of the House to fill a vacancy. A qualifications
15 challenge may result only in a determination of whether a
16 member of the House is properly seated.
17 (c) Election contests and qualifications challenges
18 shall be brought and conducted as provided in these Rules.
19 (d) If an election contest or qualifications challenge
20 is filed with the Clerk, the Speaker shall create an Election
21 Contest or Qualifications Challenge Committee, as the case
22 may be, within 3 legislative days by filing a notice with the
23 Clerk. The creation of any committee under this Rule shall
24 be governed by Rule 10. The election contest or
25 qualifications challenge shall be automatically referred to
26 the Election Contest or Qualifications Challenge Committee,
27 as the case may be. For purposes of this Article, the term
28 "committee" means only the Election Contest or Qualifications
29 Challenge Committees created under this Rule. This
30 subsection may not be suspended.
31 (e) The committee may adopt rules to govern election
32 contests and qualifications challenges, but those committee
33 rules must be consistent with these Rules, must be filed with
-69- LRB9101282REmb
1 the Clerk, and must be made available to all parties and to
2 the public. Any committee rule shall be subject to
3 amendment, suspension, or repeal by House resolution.
4 (House Rule 84)
5 84. Initiating Election Contests.
6 (a) Election contests may be brought only by a
7 registered voter of the representative district or by a
8 member of the House.
9 (b) Election contests may be brought only by the
10 procedures and within the time limits established by the
11 Election Code. Notice of intention to contest shall be
12 served on the person certified as elected to the House from
13 the representative district within the time limits
14 established by the Election Code. The requirements of this
15 subsection apply to a member of the House appointed to fill a
16 vacancy the same as if that member had been elected to the
17 House.
18 (c) Within 10 days after the convening of the House in
19 January following the general election contested, each
20 contestant shall file with the Clerk a petition of election
21 contest and shall serve the petition on the incumbent member
22 of the House from the representative district. A petition of
23 election contest shall allege the contestant's qualifications
24 to bring the contest and to serve as a member of the House,
25 that he or she believes that a mistake or fraud has been
26 committed in specified precincts in the counting, return, or
27 canvass of the votes, or that there was some other specified
28 irregularity in the conduct of the election in specified
29 precincts. A petition of election contest shall contain a
30 prayer specifying the relief requested and the precincts in
31 which a recount or other inquiry is desired. A petition of
32 election contest shall be verified by affidavit swearing to
33 the truth of the allegations or based upon information and
-70- LRB9101282REmb
1 belief, and shall be accompanied by proof of service on all
2 respondents.
3 (d) A notice of intent to contest may not be amended to
4 cure a defect under the statutory requirements. A petition
5 of election contest, if filed and served after the notice of
6 intention to contest, may not raise points not expressed in
7 the notice.
8 (e) The incumbent member of the House from the
9 representative district is a necessary party to the
10 initiation of an election contest.
11 (House Rule 85)
12 85. Initiating Qualifications Challenges.
13 (a) Qualifications challenges may be brought only by a
14 registered voter of the representative district of the
15 representative challenged or by a member of the House.
16 (b) Qualifications challenges must be brought within 90
17 days after the day the challenged member takes his or her
18 oath of office as a member of the House, or within 90 days
19 after the day the petitioner first learns of the information
20 on which the challenge is based, whichever occurs later.
21 (c) A qualifications challenge shall be brought by
22 filing a petition of qualifications challenge with the Clerk,
23 and by serving a copy of the petition on the respondent
24 member of the House. The petition must be accompanied by
25 proof of personal service upon the respondent member and must
26 be verified by affidavit swearing to the truth of the
27 allegations or based upon information and belief. A petition
28 of qualifications challenge shall set forth the grounds on
29 which the respondent member is alleged to be constitutionally
30 unqualified, or on which his or her appointment to the House
31 is claimed to be legally improper, the qualifications of the
32 petitioner to bring the challenge, and a prayer for relief.
-71- LRB9101282REmb
1 (House Rule 86)
2 86. Contests and Challenges; Due Process.
3 (a) Election contests and challenges shall be heard and
4 determined as expeditiously as possible under adversary
5 procedures wherein each party to the proceedings has a
6 reasonable opportunity to present his or her claim, to
7 present any defense and arguments, and to respond to those of
8 his or her opponents. All parties may be represented by
9 counsel.
10 (b) Election contests and qualifications challenges
11 shall be heard and determined in accordance with the
12 applicable provisions of the Election Code and other Illinois
13 statutes, the Illinois Constitution, and the United States
14 Constitution. Judicial decisions that bear on a point of law
15 in a contest or challenge shall be admissible in the
16 arguments of the parties and the deliberations and decisions
17 of the committee. Judicial decisions applicable to a point
18 of law or to a fact situation to the committee shall be given
19 weight as precedent.
20 (c) In addition to notice of meetings required under
21 these Rules, the committee and any subcommittee shall give
22 notice to all parties reasonably in advance of each meeting
23 or other proceeding. The committee shall also give notice of
24 all rules, timetables, or deadlines adopted by the committee.
25 Notice under this subsection shall be in writing and shall be
26 given either personally with receipt, or by certified mail
27 (return receipt requested) addressed to the party at his or
28 her place of residence, and to his or her attorney of record
29 at the attorney's office if so requested by the party.
30 (House Rule 87)
31 87. Committee Proceedings and Powers in Contests and
32 Challenges.
33 (a) All proceedings of the committee and any
-72- LRB9101282REmb
1 subcommittees concerning election contests and qualifications
2 challenges shall be transcribed by a certified court
3 reporter. Copies of the transcript shall be made available
4 to the members of the committee and to the parties.
5 (b) The committee may dismiss an election contest or
6 qualifications challenge, or may determine to proceed to a
7 recount or other inquiry. The committee may limit the issues
8 to be determined in a contest or challenge, except that when
9 a recount is conducted in an election contest, any precinct
10 timely requested by any party to be recounted shall be
11 recounted by the committee.
12 (c) In conducting inquiries, investigations, and
13 recounts in election contests and qualifications challenges,
14 the committee has the power to send for and compel the
15 attendance of witnesses and the production of books, papers,
16 ballots, documents, and records by subpoena signed by the
17 Chairperson of the committee as provided by law and subject
18 to Rule 4(c)(9). In conducting proceedings in election
19 contests and qualifications challenges, the Chairperson of
20 the committee and the Chairperson of any subcommittee may
21 administer oaths to witnesses, as provided by law, and for
22 this purpose a subcommittee is deemed to be a committee of
23 the House.
24 (d) The committee may issue commissions by its
25 Chairperson to any officer authorized to take depositions of
26 any necessary witnesses as may be permitted by law. In
27 recounting the ballots in any election contest, however, no
28 person other than a member of the committee shall handle any
29 ballots, tally sheets, or other election materials without
30 consent of the committee or subcommittee. The responsibility
31 for the actual recounting of ballots may not be delegated.
32 (e) The committee shall maintain an accurate and
33 complete record of proceedings in every election contest and
34 qualifications challenge. That record shall include all
-73- LRB9101282REmb
1 notices and pleadings, the transcripts and roll call votes,
2 all reports and dissents, and all documents that were
3 admitted into the proceeding. The committee shall file the
4 record with the Clerk of the House upon the adoption of its
5 final report. The record shall then be available for
6 examination in the Clerk's office.
7 (f) With the approval of the Speaker, the committee may
8 employ clerks, stenographers, court reporters, professional
9 staff, and messengers.
10 (House Rule 88)
11 88. Adoption of Reports in Contests and Challenges.
12 (a) All final decisions of the committee regarding an
13 election contest or qualification challenge shall be approved
14 by a majority of the members appointed to the committee and
15 reported in writing to the House. Reports shall include a
16 specific recommendation to the House as to the disposition of
17 the contest or challenge. Final reports following full
18 inquiry on the merits of a contest or challenge shall contain
19 findings of fact and, when necessary, conclusions of law.
20 (b) Any member of the committee may file a dissent from
21 a report of the committee, a minority report, or a special
22 concurrence with the majority report or with any minority
23 report.
24 (c) A subcommittee shall report to the committee in
25 writing in the same form as required for the committee
26 report. Subcommittee members may file dissents, reports, and
27 special concurrences.
28 (d) Reports shall not be adopted by the committee or a
29 subcommittee until a hearing has been held thereon, with
30 notice to all parties and a reasonable opportunity to examine
31 and respond to a proposed majority report.
32 (e) Reports of the committee shall be filed with the
33 Clerk, reproduced, and placed on the members' desks, along
-74- LRB9101282REmb
1 with any dissents, minority reports, or special concurrences,
2 in the same manner as provided for bills under Rule 39. The
3 report shall be listed on the calendar under the heading
4 "Report of Election Contest" or "Report of Qualifications
5 Challenge". The report shall be carried on the Daily
6 Calendar for 2 legislative days before any action by the
7 House.
8 (f) The House shall adopt the majority report or a
9 minority report in an election contest or qualifications
10 challenge or shall refuse to adopt any report filed and
11 re-refer the contest or challenge to the committee for
12 further proceedings or for a modified report. A report that
13 has the effect of unseating an incumbent member of the House
14 shall be adopted only by the affirmative vote of 60 members
15 elected.
16 (g) Each party to a contest or challenge shall file with
17 the Clerk of the committee within 10 days after the filing of
18 the final report a detailed statement of attorney's fees and
19 expenses incurred by that party in connection with the case.
20 The committee shall make recommendations to the House
21 concerning reimbursement of attorney's fees and the expenses
22 of the parties. The recommendation shall not exceed a sum
23 that is reasonable, just, and proper.
24 ARTICLE XI
25 DISCIPLINE AND PROTEST
26 (House Rule 89)
27 89. Disorderly Behavior.
28 (a) In accordance with Article IV, Sec. 6(d) of the
29 Constitution, the House may punish any of its members for
30 disorderly behavior and, with the concurrence of two-thirds
31 of the members elected, expel a member (but not for a second
32 time for the same offense). The reason for expulsion shall
-75- LRB9101282REmb
1 be entered upon the Journal with the names and votes of those
2 members voting on the question.
3 (b) In accordance with Article IV, Sec. 6(d) of the
4 Constitution, the House during its session may punish by
5 imprisonment any person, not a member, guilty of disrespect
6 to the House by disorderly or contemptuous behavior in its
7 presence. That imprisonment shall not extend beyond 24 hours
8 at one time unless the person persists in disorderly or
9 contemptuous behavior.
10 (House Rule 90)
11 90. Protest. Any 2 members have the right to dissent
12 and protest, in respectful language, against any act or
13 resolution that they may think injurious to the public or to
14 any individual, and have the reason of their protest entered
15 upon the Journal. When by motion a majority of members
16 determines that the language of a protest is not respectful,
17 the protest shall be referred back to the protesting members.
18 ARTICLE XII
19 DISCIPLINARY PROCEEDINGS
20 (House Rule 91)
21 91. Initiating Disciplinary Proceedings.
22 (a) Disciplinary proceedings may be commenced by filing
23 with the Speaker a petition for a special investigating
24 committee. The petition must be signed by at least one member
25 of the House, and shall contain suggested charges which, if
26 true, may subject the member named in the petition to
27 disciplinary action by the House. If the petition is signed
28 by 3 or more members of the House, the Speaker shall appoint
29 3 members of the majority caucus and the Minority Leader
30 shall appoint 3 members of the minority caucus to a special
31 investigating committee. If the petition is signed by fewer
-76- LRB9101282REmb
1 than 3 members of the House, the Speaker shall consult the
2 member named in the petition, and unless that member objects
3 in writing, the Speaker and the Minority Leader shall appoint
4 a special investigating committee. If the member named in
5 the petition objects to the appointment of a special
6 investigating committee, any member who signed a petition for
7 an investigation under this Rule may introduce a resolution
8 to initiate disciplinary proceedings. Unless a resolution
9 initiating disciplinary proceedings is introduced under this
10 Rule, the contents of a petition for a special investigating
11 committee shall be confidential except as to the member
12 named, the members signing it, the Speaker, and the members
13 of a special investigating committee.
14 (b) A resolution to initiate disciplinary proceedings
15 shall be substantially in the following form:
16 "BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
17 ______________ GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS,
18 that a Special Investigating Committee be appointed to
19 investigate allegations concerning the conduct of
20 Representative _______________________, which, if true, may
21 subject that member to disciplinary action by the House of
22 Representatives."
23 A resolution to initiate disciplinary proceedings may be
24 introduced only as permitted under this Rule. It is improper
25 to attempt to initiate disciplinary proceedings in any manner
26 not authorized by this Rule.
27 (c) A resolution to initiate disciplinary proceedings
28 shall not be assigned to committee, notwithstanding the
29 provisions of Rule 15. The resolution shall lie on the
30 Speaker's Table and shall be called within 5 legislative
31 days.
32 (d) A resolution to initiate disciplinary proceedings is
33 debatable.
34 (e) A resolution initiating disciplinary proceedings may
-77- LRB9101282REmb
1 be adopted only by the affirmative vote of 60 members
2 elected.
3 (f) This Rule may be suspended only by unanimous
4 consent.
5 (House Rule 92)
6 92. Preliminary Investigation.
7 (a) Pursuant to a petition or upon the adoption of a
8 resolution initiating disciplinary proceedings, as provided
9 in Rule 91, a special investigating committee consisting of 6
10 members shall be appointed, of whom 3 shall be appointed by
11 the Speaker from the majority caucus and 3 shall be appointed
12 by the Minority Leader from the minority caucus. The Speaker
13 shall appoint the Chairperson of the special investigating
14 committee from among the 6 members. Sponsors of the
15 initiating resolution may not be appointed to the special
16 investigating committee.
17 (b) The special investigating committee shall conduct a
18 thorough investigation of all allegations and charges of
19 impropriety concerning the member named in the initiating
20 resolution that are brought to its attention to determine if
21 reasonable grounds exist to bring charges against the member
22 for formal disciplinary proceedings by the House. The
23 special investigating committee shall meet with the Principal
24 Sponsor of the initiating resolution at its initial meeting.
25 At the initial meeting, the Principal Sponsor of the
26 initiating resolution shall submit to the special
27 investigating committee a written list of suggested charges.
28 The list shall define the scope of the inquiry or
29 investigation pursuant to the initiating resolution. If the
30 Principal Sponsor of the initiating resolution fails to
31 submit a list, the special committee shall report a
32 resolution of exoneration.
33 The Principal Sponsor of the initiating resolution shall
-78- LRB9101282REmb
1 also submit to the special investigating committee all
2 information he or she may have relevant to the charges and
3 allegations.
4 (c) The special investigating committee shall conduct
5 all of its proceedings in executive session, and shall
6 maintain strict confidence as to all of its proceedings and
7 all witnesses, testimony, information, and exhibits that may
8 come before it. No transcript or record of proceedings shall
9 be taken. This subsection shall be adopted and effective
10 upon an affirmative vote of 79 members. This subsection may
11 not be suspended.
12 (d) Except for its initial meeting, any posting or
13 notice requirements do not apply to meetings of the special
14 investigating committee, but the Chairperson shall give
15 notice of all meetings to the member named in and the
16 Principal Sponsor of the initiating resolution and shall give
17 reasonable notice to the public. The member who is the
18 subject of the initiating resolution has the right to counsel
19 during proceedings of the special investigating committee.
20 (e) Except for subsection (c), this Rule may be
21 suspended only by the affirmative vote of 71 members elected.
22 (House Rule 93)
23 93. Report of Special Investigating Committee.
24 (a) The special investigating committee shall report in
25 writing. All reports shall be signed by the members
26 supporting the report.
27 (b) If a majority of the members of the special
28 committee determines to prefer charges, it shall file with
29 the Clerk a formal statement of charges and specifications,
30 and shall appoint 2 members of the House, one from the
31 majority caucus and one from the minority caucus, who are not
32 members of the special investigating committee to be managers
33 for the House at the hearing on the charges. The statement
-79- LRB9101282REmb
1 of charges shall constitute the report of the special
2 committee, but the special committee in its discretion may
3 file a supplementary report stating its reasons for not
4 bringing any other charges that may have been suggested to
5 it.
6 (c) If the special committee determines not to prefer
7 charges, it shall file with the Clerk a resolution
8 exonerating the member named in the initiating resolution
9 together with a report stating its reasons for not preferring
10 charges.
11 (d) If the special committee cannot by majority vote of
12 its members determine whether to prefer charges, the
13 committee shall file with the Clerk a resolution of
14 exoneration and a report stating the affirmative reasons for
15 not preferring charges. That report shall be signed by all
16 members of the special investigating committee, regardless of
17 their original vote in the committee proceedings on whether
18 to prefer charges.
19 (e) This Rule may be suspended only by the affirmative
20 vote of 71 members elected.
21 (House Rule 94)
22 94. Select Committee on Discipline.
23 (a) When charges are preferred against any member of the
24 House under Rule 93, the Speaker and the Minority Leader
25 shall appoint a committee, to be known as a select committee
26 on discipline, to hear and determine the charges. The select
27 committee shall consist of 12 members of the House, 6 of whom
28 shall be appointed by the Speaker from the majority caucus
29 and 6 of whom shall be appointed by the Minority Leader from
30 the minority caucus. The Speaker shall appoint a Chairperson
31 of the select committee from among the 12 members. No member
32 who served on the special investigating committee or any
33 sponsor of the initiating resolution may be appointed to the
-80- LRB9101282REmb
1 select committee.
2 (b) All appointments to a select committee on discipline
3 shall be completed and the select committee shall convene
4 within 30 days after the filing of charges for which the
5 committee is appointed.
6 (c) This Rule may be suspended only by the affirmative
7 vote of 79 members elected.
8 (House Rule 95)
9 95. Hearings on Disciplinary Charges.
10 (a) Proceedings before the select committee on
11 discipline shall be adversary in form, with the managers for
12 the House presenting the case for disciplinary action. The
13 respondent member may be represented by counsel.
14 (b) Stipulations of fact shall be encouraged by the
15 select committee.
16 (c) The rules of evidence applicable to criminal
17 proceedings apply except as may be waived by the managers or
18 respondent, as may be appropriate.
19 (House Rule 96)
20 96. Report of Select Committee.
21 (a) The committee shall vote on each specification and
22 charge, except that a vote of exoneration on a charge shall
23 be a vote as to all specifications under that charge. All
24 final votes on the merits of a charge or specification shall
25 be by record vote.
26 (b) A finding of fault or exoneration on any
27 specification or charge requires an affirmative vote of a
28 majority of the members appointed to the select committee.
29 (c) The committee shall file a report of its findings on
30 each specification and charge and a recommendation as to
31 penalty with the Clerk. The report shall state the reasons
32 for each conclusion and recommendation. If the committee
-81- LRB9101282REmb
1 finds the respondent member exonerated regarding any charge,
2 it shall report a resolution of exoneration together with its
3 report. If the select committee finds the respondent member
4 at fault regarding any charge, it shall report a resolution
5 embodying its findings and recommended penalty.
6 (d) If a select committee reports a finding of fault
7 regarding any charge, any member of the select committee may
8 file a minority report with the Clerk either dissenting from
9 a finding, reason, or recommendation in the majority report
10 or stating a concurrence on different grounds. A dissenting
11 report may include a resolution of exoneration as to any
12 charge or specifications.
13 (e) When a select committee has found a member at fault
14 regarding a charge, the committee shall adopt a
15 recommendation for disciplinary action. The committee may
16 recommend a reprimand, a censure, expulsion from the House,
17 or that no penalty be invoked. The recommendation on
18 disciplinary action requires an affirmative vote of the
19 majority of the members appointed to the select committee.
20 (f) This Rule may be suspended only by the affirmative
21 vote of 71 members elected.
22 (House Rule 97)
23 97. House Action on Disciplinary Reports.
24 (a) The report of a select committee, together with any
25 dissenting or concurring reports, and any accompanying
26 resolution, shall be reproduced and placed on the members'
27 desks, in the same manner as for bills under Rule 39. The
28 report shall be placed on the calendar under the heading
29 "Report of Select Committee on Discipline". The report shall
30 be carried on the Daily Calendar for 2 legislative days
31 before any action by the House.
32 (b) If the report of a select committee or a special
33 investigating committee exonerates the respondent member, the
-82- LRB9101282REmb
1 House shall take up the resolution or re-refer the case to
2 the committee for further proceedings.
3 (c) If the select committee reports a finding of fault
4 as to any charge, the House shall take up the resolution for
5 disciplinary action together with any minority resolutions.
6 The House may amend a resolution for disciplinary action to
7 decrease the recommended penalty.
8 (d) The House shall take action by a record vote on each
9 resolution. Adoption of a resolution finding the respondent
10 member at fault regarding charges and specifications shall
11 dispose of any minority resolution of exoneration on those
12 charges and specifications. If the House adopts a resolution
13 of exoneration as to any charge or specification, a majority
14 resolution shall be amended in accord with that disposition
15 of those charges and specifications before it may be called
16 for a final vote. If the adoption of exoneration resolutions
17 disposes of all the charges and specifications in a majority
18 resolution for disciplinary action, the majority resolution
19 shall be tabled.
20 (e) Following record votes on all majority and minority
21 resolutions arising out of a select committee finding of
22 fault on a charge or specification, if there remains any
23 charge or specification on which the House has neither
24 exonerated the member or adopted a finding of fault, then any
25 member may introduce and move a resolution of exoneration on
26 that charge or specification.
27 (f) A resolution finding a member at fault regarding a
28 charge may be adopted only by the affirmative vote of 71
29 members elected, except that a resolution the effect of which
30 is to expel a member may be adopted only by the affirmative
31 vote of 79 members elected.
32 (g) This Rule may be suspended only by the affirmative
33 vote of 79 members elected.
-83- LRB9101282REmb
1 ARTICLE XIII
2 FORCE AND EFFECT
3 (House Rule 98)
4 98. Applicability. The meetings and actions of the
5 House, including all of its committees, are governed by these
6 House Rules.
7 (House Rule 99)
8 99. Parliamentary Authority. The rules of parliamentary
9 practice appearing in the latest edition of Robert's Rules of
10 Order govern the House in all cases to which they apply so
11 long as they are not inconsistent with these Rules.
12 (House Rule 100)
13 100. Certification by Speaker. With respect to each
14 bill that is certified by the Speaker in accordance with
15 Article IV, Sec. 8(d) of the Constitution, there is an
16 irrebuttable presumption that the procedural requirements for
17 passage have been met.
18 (House Rule 101)
19 101. Effective Date. These rules are in full force and
20 effect upon their adoption, and shall remain in full force
21 and effect except as amended in accordance with these Rules,
22 or until superseded by new rules adopted as part of the
23 organization of a newly-constituted General Assembly at the
24 commencement of a term.
25 ARTICLE XIV
26 DEFINITIONS
27 (House Rule 102)
28 102. Definitions. As used in these Rules, terms have
-84- LRB9101282REmb
1 the meanings ascribed to them as follows, unless the context
2 clearly requires a different meaning:
3 (1) Chairperson. "Chairperson" means that
4 Representative designated by the Speaker to serve as
5 chair of a committee.
6 (2) Co-Chairperson. "Co-Chairperson" means a
7 Representative designated by the Speaker to serve as
8 co-chair of a special committee.
9 (3) Clerk. "Clerk" means the elected Clerk of the
10 House.
11 (4) Committee. "Committee" means a committee of
12 the House and includes a standing committee, the Rules
13 Committee, a special committee, the Committee on
14 Conflicts of Interest, committees created under Article X
15 and Article XII of these Rules, and a subcommittee of a
16 committee. "Committee" does not mean a conference
17 committee, and the procedural and notice requirements
18 applicable to committees do not apply to conference
19 committees.
20 (5) Constitution. "Constitution" means the
21 Constitution of the State of Illinois.
22 (6) General Assembly. "General Assembly" means the
23 91st General Assembly of the State of Illinois.
24 (7) House. "House" means the House of
25 Representatives of the General Assembly.
26 (8) Joint Action Motions. "Joint action motions"
27 means the following motions before the House: to concur
28 in a Senate amendment, to non-concur in a Senate
29 amendment, to recede from a House amendment, to refuse to
30 recede from a House amendment, to request that a
31 conference committee be appointed, and to adopt a
32 conference committee report.
33 (9) Legislative Digest. "Legislative Digest" means
34 the Legislative Synopsis and Digest that is prepared by
-85- LRB9101282REmb
1 the Legislative Reference Bureau of the General Assembly.
2 (10) Legislative Measures. "Legislative measures"
3 means all matters brought before the House for
4 consideration, whether originated in the House or Senate,
5 and includes bills, amendments, resolutions, conference
6 committee reports, motions, messages, notices, and
7 Executive Orders from the executive branch.
8 (11) Majority. "Majority" means a majority of
9 those members present and voting on a question. Unless
10 otherwise specified with respect to a particular House
11 Rule, for purposes of determining the number of members
12 present and voting on a question, a "present" vote shall
13 not be counted.
14 (12) Majority Caucus. "Majority caucus" means that
15 group of Representatives from the numerically strongest
16 political party in the House.
17 (13) Majority of those Appointed. "Majority of
18 those appointed" means a majority of the total number of
19 Representatives authorized under these Rules to be
20 appointed to a committee.
21 (14) Majority of those Elected. "Majority of those
22 elected" means a majority of the total number of
23 Representatives entitled to be elected to the House,
24 regardless of the number of elected or appointed
25 Representatives actually serving in office. So long as
26 118 Representatives are entitled to be elected to the
27 House, "majority of those elected" means 60 affirmative
28 votes; 71 affirmative votes means three-fifths of the
29 members elected; and 79 affirmative votes means
30 two-thirds of the members elected.
31 (15) Member. "Member" means a Representative.
32 Where the context so requires, "member" may also mean a
33 Senator of the Illinois Senate.
34 (16) Members Appointed. "Members appointed" means
-86- LRB9101282REmb
1 the total number of Representatives authorized under
2 these Rules to be appointed to a committee.
3 (17) Members Elected. "Members elected" means the
4 118 Representatives entitled to be elected to the House,
5 regardless of the number of elected or appointed
6 Representatives actually serving in office.
7 (18) Minority Caucus. "Minority caucus" means that
8 group of Representatives from the second numerically
9 strongest political party in the House.
10 (19) Minority Leader. "Minority Leader" means the
11 Minority Leader of the House elected under Rule 2.
12 (20) Minority Spokesperson. "Minority
13 spokesperson" means that Representative designated by the
14 Minority Leader to serve as the minority spokesperson of
15 a committee.
16 (21) Perfunctory Session. "Perfunctory session"
17 means the convening of the House, pursuant to the
18 scheduling of the Speaker, for purposes consistent with
19 Rule 28.
20 (22) Presiding Officer. "Presiding Officer" means
21 that Representative serving as the presiding officer of
22 the House, whether that Representative is the Speaker or
23 another Representative designated by the Speaker under
24 Rule 4.
25 (23) Principal Sponsor. "Principal sponsor" means
26 the first listed House sponsor of any legislative
27 measure; with respect to a standing committee-sponsored
28 bill or resolution, it means the Chairperson of the
29 committee; with respect to a special committee-sponsored
30 bill or resolution, it means the Co-Chairperson from the
31 majority caucus.
32 (24) Record Vote. "Record vote" means a vote by
33 ayes and nays entered on the journal.
34 (25) Representative. "Representative" means any
-87- LRB9101282REmb
1 duly elected or duly appointed Illinois State
2 Representative, and means the same as "member".
3 (26) Senate. "Senate" means the Senate of the
4 General Assembly.
5 (27) Speaker. "Speaker" means the Speaker of the
6 House elected as provided in Rule 1.
7 (28) Term. "Term" means the 2-year term of a
8 General Assembly.
9 (29) Vice-Chairperson. "Vice-Chairperson" means
10 that Representative designated by the Speaker to serve as
11 Vice-Chairperson of a committee.