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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
3HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
4the Rules of the House of Representatives of the 102nd General
5Assembly are amended by changing Rules 26, 30, and 51.5 as
6follows:
 
7    (House Rule 26)
8    26. Rights of the Public.
9    (a) If a legislative measure or subject matter has been
10properly set for hearing and witnesses are present and wish to
11testify, the committee shall hear the witnesses at the
12scheduled time and place, subject to Rule 10(c).
13    (b) Any person wishing to offer testimony to a committee
14hearing of a legislative measure or subject matter shall be
15given a reasonable opportunity to do so, orally or in writing.
16The Chairperson may set time limits for presentation of oral
17testimony. No testimony in writing is required of any witness,
18but any witness may submit a statement in writing for the
19committee record. All persons offering testimony shall
20complete and submit a "Record of Committee Witness" form on
21the General Assembly website before testifying. In the case of
22standing or special committees with Co-Chairpersons from
23different political parties, the "Chairperson" means the
24Co-Chairperson from the majority caucus.

 

 

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1    (c) A motion to foreclose further oral testimony by
2witnesses on a matter before a committee may be adopted only by
3a three-fifths majority of those voting on the motion. No such
4motion is in order until both proponents and opponents
5requesting to be heard have been given a fair and substantial
6opportunity to express their positions. No one shall be
7prohibited from filing for the record "Record of Committee
8Witness" forms or written statements while the matter is
9before the committee.
10    (d) Meetings of committees and subcommittees shall be open
11to the public. Committee meetings of the House may be closed to
12the public if two-thirds of the members elected to the House
13determine, by a record vote, that the public interest so
14requires.
15    (d-5) For meetings of committees during a disaster
16proclaimed by the Governor due to the COVID-19 virus, the
17Speaker, after consultation with the Minority Leader, may
18limit access to the room in which the committee is held shall
19be limited to members and officers of the General Assembly,
20majority and minority staff, and no more than 5 members of the
21public who are representatives of the press, except as
22otherwise authorized by the Speaker. If access is so limited,
23the The Speaker may shall designate one or more locations
24outside of the committee room for the public to safely watch or
25and listen to the proceedings of the committee House and its
26committees via a live audio/video broadcast. Access to such

 

 

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1locations may be limited as necessary to maintain safety,
2including, but not limited to, requiring that persons at such
3locations follow one or more of the decorum protocols
4requirements of Rule 51.5(a). Notwithstanding any other
5provision of these Rules, testimony at a committee hearing
6during a disaster proclaimed by the Governor due to COVID-19
7virus may be limited to written testimony at the discretion of
8the Chairperson. This subsection shall only apply to meetings
9in which members are physically present and may not be
10suspended.
11    (e) This Rule cannot be suspended retroactively.
12(Source: H.R. 72, 102nd G.A.)
 
13    (House Rule 30)
14    30. Access to the House Floor and Chamber.
15    (a) Except as otherwise provided in these Rules, only the
16following persons shall be admitted to the House while it is in
17session: members and officers of the General Assembly; elected
18officers of the executive branch; justices of the Supreme
19Court; the designated aide to an executive or judicial branch
20constitutional officer, except as limited by the Speaker; the
21parliamentarian; majority staff members and minority staff
22members, except as limited by the Speaker or Presiding
23Officer; former members, except as limited by the Speaker or
24prohibited under subsection (d); and employees of the
25Legislative Reference Bureau, except as limited by the

 

 

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1Speaker. Representatives of the press, while the House is in
2session, may have access to the galleries and places allotted
3to them by the Speaker or his or her designee. No person is
4entitled to the floor unless appropriately attired. Only
5members of the General Assembly may use telephones at the
6members' desks. Smoking is prohibited on the floor of the
7House and in the House galleries.
8    (a-5) On any day in which the House is in session during a
9disaster proclaimed by the Governor due to the COVID-19 virus,
10the Speaker, after consultation with the Minority Leader, may
11limit access to the House Chamber and adjoining hallways and
12passages shall be limited to members and officers of the
13General Assembly, majority and minority staff as authorized by
14the Speaker or Presiding Officer, and no more than 5 members of
15the public who are representatives of the press, except as
16otherwise authorized by the Speaker. If access is so limited,
17the Representatives of the press shall be limited to the
18gallery space allotted to them by the Speaker or the Speaker's
19designee. The Speaker may shall designate one or more
20locations outside of the House Chamber for the public to
21safely watch and listen to the proceedings of the House and its
22committees via a live audio/video broadcast. Access to such
23locations may be limited as necessary to maintain safety,
24including, but not limited to, requiring that persons at such
25locations follow the decorum protocols requirements of Rule
2651.5(a). This subsection may not be suspended.

 

 

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1    (b) On days during which the House is in session, the
2Doorkeeper shall clear the floor of all persons not entitled
3to access to the floor 15 minutes before the convening time,
4and the Doorkeeper shall enforce all other provisions of this
5Rule.
6    (c) The Speaker may authorize the admission to the floor
7of any other person, except as prohibited under subsection
8(d).
9    (d) No person who is directly or indirectly interested in
10defeating or promoting any pending legislative measure, if
11required to be registered as a lobbyist or compensated by an
12entity required to register as a lobbyist, shall be allowed
13access to the floor of the House at any time during the
14session. The Speaker, or his or her designee, shall have the
15authority to determine whether a person may be granted or
16denied access in accordance with this subsection.
17    (e) When he or she deems it necessary for the preservation
18of order, the Presiding Officer may by order remove any person
19from the floor of the House. A Representative may be removed
20from the floor only under Rule 51.5 or Article XI or XII of
21these Rules.
22(Source: H.R. 72, 102nd G.A.)
 
23    (House Rule 51.5)
24    51.5. Decorum during the COVID-19 Disaster.
25    (a) On any day in which the House is in session during a

 

 

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1disaster proclaimed by the Governor due to the COVID-19 virus,
2the Speaker, after consultation with the Minority Leader, may
3require all members and officers of the General Assembly,
4majority and minority staff, and other persons when entitled
5to the House floor, galleries, and adjoining hallways and
6passages to do one or more of the following shall:
7        (1) to the extent medically able and except as
8    reasonably necessary for eating or drinking, wear a
9    face-covering that covers the nose and mouth;
10        (2) to the extent possible, maintain social distancing
11    of at least six feet from any other person except as
12    permitted by the other person; or and
13        (3) submit to and pass have submitted to and passed a
14    temperature check prior to entry.
15    (b) In a committee hearing at which members are physically
16present during a disaster proclaimed by the Governor due to
17the COVID-19 virus, the Speaker, after consultation with the
18Minority Leader, may require all members and officers of the
19General Assembly, staff, witnesses, and members of the public
20in the room in which the committee is held to shall follow one
21or more of the decorum protocols the requirements of
22subsection (a) of this Rule.
23    (c) A violation of the protocols required under this Rule
24shall be considered a breach of decorum and disorderly
25behavior. The Presiding Officer may by order remove any
26person, other than a Representative, from the House floor,

 

 

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1galleries, and adjoining hallways and passages for violation
2of this Rule. Notwithstanding any other provision of these
3Rules, including Rule 30(e) and Articles XI and XII, a
4Representative in violation of this Rule may be disciplined
5and subject to reprimand, censure, removal from the House
6chamber, or other disciplinary measure, except expulsion and
7imprisonment, upon a motion approved by a majority of those
8elected. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to
9limit discipline pursuant to Article XI or XII of these Rules.
10    (d) This Rule may not be suspended.
11(Source: H.R. 72, 102nd G.A.)