Article I.

of the House

Section 1. The time of meeting by the House, unless otherwise ordered shall be not earlier then 8:00 am
to adjourn by no later then 10:00 pm. The extending of the meeting of the House shall not be earlier or
later unless by a Declared Emergency by the Governor to pass legislation that could not otherwise be
passed during a regular session and voted in the affirmative by ¾ members of the House.

Section 2. Administrative Order of Business. The first of each day, after the House is called to order,
shall be employed as follows unless otherwise ordered by the House
(a) Prayer.
(b) Pledge of Allegiance to the American Flag.
© Introduction of petitions, memorials, remonstrances and resolutions
(d) Introduction and first reading of House Joint Resolutions.
(e) Introduction and first reading of House Bills.
(f) First reading of Senate Joint Resolutions and Bills
(g) Second reading of House Bills, Joint Resolutions, and Concurrent Resolutions.
(h) Second reading of Senate Bills, Joint Resolutions, and concurrent Resolutions.
(i) Reports of regular standing committees to be distributed to whole body. If there should be a
special committee then a report shall also be distributed to the entire body.
(j) Messages from the Senate.
(2) Regular Order of Business. At the close of the administrative order of business, the Speaker or
any member may call for the regular order of business. The administrative order of business may be
dispensed with by unanimous consent of the House at any time. The regular order of business shall
be employed as follows unless otherwise ordered by the House:
(a) Reading and approval of the Journal of the previous day’s session.
(b) Bills, reports, and other business on the table.
© House Joint Resolutions to be perfected and printed.
(d) House Bills to perfected and printed.
(e) Third reading of House Joint Resolutions and Concurrent Resolutions.
(f) Third reading of House Bills.
(g) Messages from the Senate.
(h) Third reading of Senate Joint Resolutions and concurrent Resolutions.
(i) Third reading of Senate Bills.
(j) Adoption of petitions, memorials, remonstrances, and resolutions.
(k) Reports of committees.
(l) Such other orders of business as deemed necessary pursuant to law.
Section 2. At all times when the House is seated, proper attire for gentlemen shall be business attire,
including coat, tie, dress trousers, and dress shoes or boots. Proper attire for women shall be dresses
or skirts or slacks worn with a blazer or sweater and appropriate dress shoes or boots. This rule shall
apply to all members of staff on the floor of the House and lower gallery.
Section 3. Smoking and eating food is prohibited on the House floor while the House is in session.
Section 4. All votes regarding Rules of the House shall be in writing, on the record and accessible to
the public. The votes for the Rules shall be posted on the House Website as well as printed for free
upon request.
Section 5. Any ten members (including the Speaker, if there be one) shall be a sufficient number to
call a House, send for and compel the attendance of absent members, and make an order for their
censure or fine; and a majority of all the members shall be a sufficient number to adjourn.
Section 6. No member shall absent himself from the service of the House unless he have leave, or be
sick and unable to attend.
Section 7. Upon the call of the House, the names of the members shall be called alphabetically, and
the absentees noted; after which the names of the absentees shall again be called over, and those who
do not appear may be sent for and taken into custody, wherever to be found, by the Sergeant-at-Arms,
or special messenger to be appointed.
Section 8 When a member shall be discharged from custody and admitted to his seat, the House shall
determine whether such discharge shall be with or without fees; and, in like manner, whether a
delinquent member, taken into custody by a special messenger, shall not be liable to defray the
expenses of such special messenger.

Article II.

of the Speaker.

Section 1. The Speaker shall take the chair precisely at the hour to which the House shall have
adjourned on the preceding day, and immediately call the members to order. A Speaker can either be
elected by a majority vote of the majority party members or rotated on a daily basis pursuant to
district numbers and seniority starting with one. Any member that wishes to abstain the seat as
Speaker can delegate the seat to the next district after his or hers.
Section 2. He/She shall preserve decorum and order: may speak to points of order in preference to
other members, rising from his/her seat for that purpose, and shall decide questions of order, subject
to an appeal to the House by any two members, upon which appeal no member shall speak more than
once, unless by leave of the House.
Section 3. He may rise to put a question, but may state it sitting.
Section 4. Questions shall be distinctly put in this form, to wit: “As many as are of opinion that (as
the case may be) say aye,” and after the affirmative voice is expressed, “as many as are of the
contrary opinion, say no.” If the Speaker doubts, or a division is called for, the House shall divide:
those in the affirmative of the question shall first rise from their seats, and afterward these in the
negative; if the Speaker still doubts, or a count be required by at least one-fifth of a quorum of the
members, the Speaker shall name two members, one from each side, to tell the members in the
affirmative and negative, which, being reported, he shall rise and state the decision of the House.
Section 5. He shall examine and correct the journal before it is read. He shall have a general direction
and superintendence of the Hall. He shall have a right to substitute any member to perform the duties
of the Chair, but such a substitution shall not extend beyond an adjournment.
Section 6. He shall sign all acts, joint resolutions and addresses; and all writs, warrants or subpoenas
issued by order of the House shall be under his hand and seal, attested by the Clerk.
Section 7. In case of disturbance or disorderly conduct in the lobby or galleries, the Speaker,
temporary Speaker, or chairman of the committees of the whole House, shall have power to order the
same to be cleared.
Section 8. The House may at any time elect a Speaker pro tem., who, during the session in which he
is chosen, shall exercise the office of Speaker during the sickness or absence of the Speaker.
Section 9. In all cases of elections by the House, and when the ayes and noes are taken, the Speaker
shall vote; in other cases he shall not be required to vote, unless the House is equally divided, or
unless the vote, if given to the minority, make the division equal, and in case of such equal division,
the question shall be lost.

Article III.

of the Clerks and Other Officers.

Section 1. The House shall, at the commencement of each session, and, as often as may be necessary,
elect a Clerk of the House, and as many Engrossing and Enrolling Clerks as may be deemed
necessary; a Doorkeeper and a Sergeant-at-Arms, who shall hold their offices until the end of the
session in which they shall be elected, unless sooner removed by a vote of the members present; shall
respectively take an oath to support the Constitution of the United State of this State, and faithfully
demean themselves in office, and keep the secrets of the House; which oath shall be administered by
the Speaker.
Section 2. It shall be the duty of the Clerk of the House to attend the House during its sitting; to keep and
make out its journals, and seasonably to record all its proceedings; to make out and transmit all its
messages, communications, copies, and documents to be sent to the Senate; to keep, under direction of the
Speaker, regular files of the papers of the House; to attest all writs, warrants and subpoenas issued by
order of the House; to keep an account of all fines imposed, and of the attendance and traveling allowance
of members. He shall procure the necessary stationery for the use of the House from the Secretary of
State, and superintend the preservation of all books and stationery belonging to the House. He shall
(under the direction of the Speaker) keep a docket of proceedings on all bills, resolutions, and acts, and
shall execute the commands of the House from time to time.
Section 3. It shall be the duty of the Engrossing and Enrolling Clerks, respectively, seasonably to engross
or enroll (as the case may be), in a fair round hand or other means of legible print including computer
type, all bills, amendments, resolutions, joint resolutions, and acts of the House, or of both houses,
delivered to them for that purpose; and, from time to time, execute the commands of the House, or such
committee as may be appointed on engrossed or enrolled bills.
Section 4. It shall be the duty of the Doorkeeper to attend the sittings of the House; he shall have the
custody and care of the Hall and furniture of the House during the session, subject to the order of the
Speaker; shall furnish water for the use of the members or give direction to person or company to furnish
water;; shall permit no person to come or remain with the bar, only such as are admitted by the rules and
order of the House; he shall announce all messages and communications from the Governor or Senate,
and admit the bearer within the bar; he shall, from time to time, execute the commands of the Speaker in
relation to his duties, and to the arrangements and regulations of the Hall, and shall obey such other orders
as may be made by the House.
Section 5. It shall be the duty of the Sergeant-at-Arms, to attend the House during its sitting; to execute
the commands of the House from time to time, together with such process, issues by authority thereof, as
shall be directed to him by the Speaker; his fees shall be, for every arrest, $150 dollars; for each day’s
custody and releasement, $75 dollars; and for traveling expenses for himself or messenger, going and
returning, current price of gas per gallon plus 60 cents per mile, to be paid out of the contingent fund of
the House.

Article IV.

Section 1. Twenty-eight standing committees shall be appointed, to wit:
1. A Committee on the Judiciary.
2. A Committee on Ways and Means.
3. A Committee on Internal Improvements.
4. A Committee on Federal Relations.
5. A Committee on Education.
6. A Committee on Militia.
7. A Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence.
8. A Committee on Justice of the Peace.
9. A Committee on Banks and Corporations.
10. A Committee Libraries.
11. A Committee on Agriculture.
12. A Committee on Manufacturers.
13. A Committee on Roads and Highways.
14. A Committee on Claims.
15. A Committee on Elections.
16. A Committee on Accounts.
17. A Committee on Revised and Unfinished Business.
18. A Committee on Engrossed Bills.
19. A Committee on Enrolled Bills.
20. A Committee on Local Bills.
21. A Committee on Swamp Lands.
22. A Committee on Handicap including Deaf and Mental Wellness
23. A Committee on Blind Asylum.
24. A Committee on Benevolent and Scientific Institutions.
25. A Committee on Penitentiary.
26. A Committee on the Seat of Government and Public Buildings.
27. A Committee on Immigration.
Section 2. It shall be the duty of the Committee on the Judiciary to take into consideration and report all
such matters, reports, and propositions touching the judges, the courts, or the judicial department of the
Government, as may be referred to them by the House; to examine into laws regulating judicial
proceedings, and the time and place of holding courts, and the fees of officers of courts, and from time to
time, report such provisions and arrangements as may be necessary to improve the administration of
justice and the accountability of the offices of the several courts, and to regulate their fees.
Section 3. It shall be the duty of the Committee on Ways and Means to take into consideration all such
reports and propositions relating to the Treasury of the State as may be referred to them by the House; to
inquire into the state of the public debt, finances, the revenue and expenditures of the State, and report,
from time to time, their opinion thereon; to examine into the state of the several public departments, and
particularly into the laws making appropriations of money; and report whether the moneys have been
disbursed conformably to such laws, and report, from time to time, and such provisions and arrangements
as may be necessary touching the public debt, finances, revenues and expenditures, and appropriations of
public moneys, or which may add to the economy of the departments and accountability of their officers.
Section 4. It shall be the duty of the Committee on Internal Improvements to take into consideration all
petitions, matters, and things referred to them touching roads, canals, navigable waters, or other internal
improvements; to examine the laws in relation thereto, and report their opinion thereon, together with
such bills and propositions for promoting and encouraging internal improvements, as they may deem
expedient.
Section 5. It shall be the duty of the Committee on Federal Relations to take into consideration all
reports, propositions, matters and things referred to them touching amendments to the Constitution of the
United States, the relations of this State with the United States, or any State of the Union, in the
boundaries of this State, and report their opinions thereon.
Section 6. It shall be the duty of the Committee on Education to take into consideration all petitions and
matters referred to them, relating to a university, schools, and the land granted for their support; to inquire
into the situations of the lands appropriated for the support of schools and a university, and of the funds
arising therefrom and report their opinions thereon, together with such bills and propositions as they may
deem expedient for preserving the said lands from waste and damage, for the renting, leasing,
improvement, or other disposition thereof, and for applying the funds arising therefrom to the
establishment and support of schools and a university for the encouragement of the means of education
and promotion of literature, pursuant to the terms of the grant made by the United States and the
Constitution of this State.
Section 7. It shall be the duty of the Committee on the Militia to take into consideration all petitions,
matters, and things touching the militia, as may be referred to them; and to examine the laws relating to
the militia, and, from time to time, report their opinions thereon; report such bills and propositions as to
them shall seem expedient for the well organizing, governing, disciplining, and regulating the militia.
Section 8. It shall be the duty of the Committee on the Criminal Jurisprudence to take into consideration
all matters, reports, and propositions touching the laws for the arrest, trial, and punishment of the
offenders, and the discipline and government of the Penitentiary; and, from time to time, report such
provisions and arrangements as may be necessary to improve the administration of criminal justice, and to
secure the just accountability of the officers concerned therein.
Section 9. It shall be the duty of the Committee on Justice of the Peace to take into consideration all
petitions and matters referred to them relating to justices of the peace, and proceedings before them, and
their powers and duties; to examine all laws relating to proceedings before justices of the peace, their
powers and duties, and to report their opinions thereon, together with such bills and propositions for the
better regulation thereof; and promote the administration of justice, as they may deem expedient.
Section 10. It shall be the duty of the Committee on Banks and Corporations to take into consideration all
reports, memorials, propositions, and bills relating to banks and corporations, except railroads; to examine
into the general incorporation laws, to examine the laws in relation to banks, together with such bills and
propositions as to them shall seem expedient.
Section 11. It shall be the duty of the Committee on Libraries to take into consideration all matters in
relation to the law and State libraries, and to bring before the House, by bills or reports, such subjects of
legislation as they may deem necessary and proper for the improvement and enlargement or decrease of
said libraries.
Section 12. It shall be the duty of the Committee on Agriculture to take into consideration all such
petitions propositions matters and things as shall be referred to them by the House, touching agriculture
and the improvement thereof, and report the opinion thereon; together with such bills and propositions for
the protection and encouragement of agriculture within this State as they may deem expedient.
Section 13. It shall be the duty of the Committee on Manufactures to take into consideration all such
petitions, matters, and things touching the manufacturing, mineral, and mining interests of the State, and
shall be presented, or may come in question, and be referred to them; and to devise and report proper
ways and means to encourage the development of the mineral resources, and to promote the growth of
manufactures in the State.
Section 14. It shall be the duty of the Committee on Roads and Highways to take into consideration all
petitions, matters, and things that may be referred to them, touching county roads, bridges, and ferries; to
examine into the laws in relation thereto, and report their opinion thereon, together with such bills and
proposition as to them shall seem expedient and proper.
Section 15. It shall be the duty of the Committee on Claims to take into consideration all such petitions,
matters, or things referred to them, touching claims and demands on the State, as shall be referred to them
by the House, and report their opinion thereon, together with such bills and propositions for relief therein,
as to them shall seem expedient.
Section 16. It shall be the duty of the Committee on Elections to examine and report upon the certificates
of election or other credentials of the members returned to serve in this house; to examine all laws
regulating elections, and report such alterations and amendments as they may deem necessary; and to take
into consideration all petitions and other matters touching elections and returns, as shall be presented or
come into question, and be referred to them by the House.
Section 17. It shall be the duty of the Committee on Accounts to superintend and control the contingent
expenses of the House, and to audit and settle all accounts of contingent expenses; and to audit the
accounts of the members for their travel to and from the seat of government, and their attendance in the
House, and deliver their report to the Clerk.
Section 18. It shall be the duty of the Committee on Revised and Unfinished Business to examine and
report what laws are near expiring, and require to be revised and continued, and what measures were
depending and unfinished at the session preceding, or have been postponed or referred to the session then
commenced.
Section 19. It shall be the duty of the Committee on Engrossed Bills, or any of them, to examine all bills
ordered to be engrossed, to correct all clerical, orthographical, or grammatical errors, to arrange the
punctuation before they are delivered to the Engrossing Clerk for engrossment; to examine all engrossed
bills before they are returned to the House to be read a third time; carefully compare them with the bills as
delivered to the Clerk, correct any grammatical or punctuation errors, if practicable, without defacing the
bill, and deliver the same to the Clerk of the House, with the words “truly engrossed” indorsed thereon,
signed by a member of the Committee on Engrossed Bills.
Section 20. It shall be the duty of the Committee on Enrolled Bills, or any of them, to examine all
enrolled bills, carefully compare the same with the bills as engrossed, or as finally passed, correct clerical
errors, and return the same to the Clerk of the House, with the words “truly enrolled” indorsed thereon.
Section 21. It shall be the duty of the Committee on Local Bills to take into consideration all matters and
propositions referred to them, touching matters of special and local interest and effect only, and report
their opinion thereon, together with such bills, provisions, and propositions as they may deem expedient.
Section 22. It shall be the duty of the Committee on Handicap including Deaf and Mental Wellness to
take into consideration all petitions, reports, propositions, and other matters which may be referred to
them, respectively, relating to the said several institutions, their buildings, the internal policy of the same;
to recommend such amendments and alterations of the laws in regard thereto, and report such bills and
propositions thereon as they may respectively deem expedient.
Section 23. It shall be the duty of the Committee on Benevolent and Scientific Institutions to take into
consideration and report upon, by bill or otherwise, all such matters as may be referred to them by the
House, in relation to the arts and sciences, as also on charitable, benevolent, and literary institutions.
Section 24. It shall be the duty of the Committee on the Penitentiary to take into consideration all
petitions, reports, propositions, and other matters which may be referred to them, relating to the
Penitentiary buildings, the internal police of the institution, or in anywise concerning the same, and to
report their opinions, together with such bills and propositions as they may deem expedient.
Section 25. It shall be the duty of the Committee on the Permanent Seat of Government and Public
Buildings to take into consideration all petitions, reports, matters, and things referred to them touching the
seat of government and relating thereto, and to the Capitol and other buildings of the State; to examine all
laws in relation thereto, and report their opinions thereon, together with such bills and propositions
relating to the same as they may deem expedient.
Section 26. It shall be the duty of the Committee on Immigration to take into consideration all matters
and things referred to them for the purpose of encouraging immigration into this State, or preserving or
protecting all Missouri citizens in regards to how immigrants are assimilated or prohibited to enter the
state of Missouri lawfully, and also to provide proper ways and means for a judicious distribution of the
Governor’s messages in the United States and foreign countries.
Section 27. All committees, shall be appointed by the Speaker by method provided in rules as follows:
All committees shall consist of 10 members who request to sit on the committee. Each request shall be
submitted in writing and Speaker’s Office shall give a receipt of the request and a blind drawing of
numbers 1-163 picked by applicant shall determine the order in which the vote on the floor is cast for
committee that is being requested. No member shall sit on more than 3 committees in one session. All
submissions shall receive a recorded floor vote by all members excluding those absent on leave. At least
2 members on a any committee shall be represented by the minority party. A floor vote by the majority of
the ayes regarding submissions shall secure a seat on the committee by means of a recorded roll call vote.
All votes shall be open to the public, put in printed form if requested and posted on the House Website.
Section 28. No committee shall sit during the sitting of the House without special leave.
Section 29. A special committee may be formed in an emergency only. Members shall be picked by all
members voting on 10 choices and the top ten votes shall sit on the committee.

Article V.

of Bills, etc.

Section 1. A Speaker should there be one or the Clerk of the House shall submit three proposed bills from
each representative to one of the standing committees. The committee chair shall have a blind drawing in
the presence of all committee members to pull all bills assigned to committee that shall be heard in that
order. Every representative shall list in order of priority their 3 bills in the following manner: Priority
One Bill Title, Priority Two Bill Title, Priority Three Bill Title. Each bill shall be heard in committee with
an opportunity for public hearing. Every proposed bill shall get equal public hearing time allotted at a
half an hour unless the majority of the committee votes to extend the time to hear additional testimony.
This shall not take away from hearing any other bill allotted for the day. The committee collectively or as
individual members may submit remarks or suggestions to the entire body of the House in writing. These
remarks and suggestions shall be open to the public placed on the House Website and in written form if
requested. Before hearing a Priority Two or Three Bill all Priority One Bills must be heard and released
from the committee to the floor.
Section 2. Each member shall get one bill that is introduced to the whole House starting in numerical
order starting in order of those released from committee first. Each bill shall have a 24 hour notice posted
and given to representatives. Every member shall be given the opportunity to speak if they so choose but
for no longer then 5 minutes. At the point that every member has had one potential bill voted on by the
entire body then the process starts over again until a second potential legislative bill cycle is completed.
Every bill shall be read on 3 different days, unless 2/3 of the House shall dispense of this rule. The whole
body shall vote excluding those on sick leave and if a majority votes in the affirmative then a bill shall
pass or if nays have it then it shall not pass. Every vote shall be recorded in writing and available to
access by the public.
Section 3. Every order, joint or concurrent resolution, to which the concurrence of the state shall be
necessary, except for going into joint session or amending the constitution shall be proceeded upon the
same as a bill. Joint session representatives shall be voted on by majority of the house members by
members choosing their first, second and third choice candidates. These votes shall be made open to the
public.

Article VI.

of the Order of the Business of the Day.

Section 1. On the appearance of a quorum the journal of the preceding day shall be read.
Section 2. After the journal is read business shall be disposed of in the following order:
1. Petitions, memorials, and remonstrances:
2. Resolutions;
3. Concurrent resolutions;
4. Joint resolutions;
5. Introduction of bills;
6. Reports of standing committees;
7. Reports of select committees;
8. Second reading of House bills;
9. Third reading of House bills;
10. Bills, reports, and other business on the table;
11. Message from the Senate;
12. Senate bills on the second reading;
13. Senate bills on third reading;
14. Order of business.
Section 3. The Speaker shall, on each day, announce to the House, the business in order, agreeably to the
preceding rule; and no business shall be taken up or considered until the class to which it belongs be
declared to be in order; but communications from the Governor may be read, and reports from the
Committee on Enrollment received, at any time; and the unfinished business in which the House is
engaged at the last preceding adjournment shall have preference of the orders of the day.

Article VII

of Proceeding, Decorum, and Debate.

Section 1. No motion or proposition, on a subject different from that under consideration, shall be
admitted under color of amendment. No bill or resolution shall, at any time, be amended by annexing
thereto, or incorporating therewith, any other bill or resolution pending before the House; nor by any
proposition containing the substance, in whole or in part, of any other bill or resolution pending before the
House.
Section 2. When a question is under debate, no motion shall be received but to adjourn, to lie on the
table, for the previous question, to postpone indefinitely, to postpone to a day within the session, to
commit or amend; which several motions shall have precedence in the order in which they are in this
section arranged.
Section 3. A motion to adjourn shall always be in order, unless a member is speaking, and no member
shall leave his seat until the result is declared.
Section 4. The previous question shall be in this form: “Shall the main question now be put?” It may be
moved and seconded like any other question, but shall prevail only when supported by two-thirds of the
members present, and until decided, shall preclude all further amendment and debate; and a failure to
sustain the same shall not put the matter under consideration from before the House, but the House shall
proceed as if said motion had not been made.
Section 5. Motions to adjourn, to lie on the table, for the previous question, and calls for the orders of the
day, shall be decided without debate.
Section 6. Any member may have, as a personal right, a division of the question, where the sense will
admit of it.
Section 7. A motion for the amendment, until decided, shall preclude all further amendment on the main
question.
Section 8. No member shall name another member in debate.
Section 9. If any member, in speaking or otherwise, shall transgress the rules of the House, the Speaker
shall, or any member may, call him to order; in which case, the member so called to order, shall
immediately sit down, unless permitted to explain, and the House shall, if appealed to, decide on the case
without debate. If there be no appeal, the decision of the Chair shall be submitted to. If the decision be in
favor of the member called to order, he shall be at liberty to proceed; if otherwise, and the case require it,
he shall be liable to the censure of the House.
Section 10. While the Speaker is putting any question or addressing the House, none shall walk out or
across the House; nor in such case, or when a member is speaking or the journal is being read, shall
entertain private discourse; nor whilst a member is speaking, shall pass between him and the Chair. While
the House is in session, smoking shall not be permitted in the hall.
Section 11. No member shall vote on any question, in the event of which he is immediately or
particularly interested, or in any case in which he was not present.
Section 12. Every member who shall be in the House when a question is put, shall give his vote, unless
the House, for special reasons, shall excuse him; and no member without the bar shall vote or be counted
in a division. for any member who voted on the side which prevailed to move a reconsideration thereof on
the same day, or within three days, but not thereafter, nor at any time after the paper on which the vote
passed is out of the possession of the House, or the vote shall have been communicated to the Senate.
name is called, and the absentees shall be noted and their names called over again. No member shall be
permitted to interrupt the calling of the ayes and noes by any motions, remarks, or explanation of votes.
Sec. 13 Every vote on every bill and proposed amendment to any bill the ayes and noes shall be taken and
entered on the journal.
Section 14. Whenever confidential communications are received from the Governor or the Senate, the
House shall be cleared of all persons except the members, Clerk, Sergeant-at-Arms, and Doorkeeper, and
so continue during the reading of such communication, and, unless otherwise decided by the House,
during all debates and proceedings to be had thereon; and when the Speaker, or any other member, shall
inform the House that he has a communication to make, which he conceives ought to be kept a secret, the
House shall, in like manner, be cleared till the communication be made, and the House determine whether
the matter requires secrecy or not, and act accordingly. This is the sole justification to keep secrets of the
House and to apply a secret oath. All other secret oaths are prohibited by the Constitution.
Section 15. Thomas Jefferson’s rules of the parliamentary practice shall govern the House in all cases in
which they are applicable, and not inconsistent with the standing rules and orders of the House, and the
joint rules of the Senate and House of Representatives.

Article VIII.

of Committees of the Whole House.

Section 1. On motion, the House may resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole House, for the
consideration of any business which may properly come before it if it is considered an emergency on
motion by majority of the members and emergency clause added. This shall not be pending legislation
but emergency defined as a serious, unexpected and dangerous situation requiring immediate attention.
Section 2. In forming a Committee of the Whole House, a Speaker shall leave his chair, and a chairman
preside in committee, who shall be appointed by the Speaker.
Section 3. Upon a bill being committed to Committee of the Whole House, the same shall first be read
throughout by the Clerk, and then again read and debated by clauses, leaving the preamble to be last
considered; after report the bill shall again be subject to debate, and amended by clauses, before a
question for engrossing be taken.
Section. 4. All amendments made to an original motion, in committee, shall be incorporated with the
motion and so reported.
Section 5. All amendments made to a report, resolution, or other matter committed to a Committee of the
Whole House, shall be noted and reported, as in case of bills.
Section 6. The rules of proceedings in the House shall be observed in Committee of the Whole House, so
far as they are applicable.
Section 7. A majority of the members elected shall be a quorum to do business; and if, at any time, a
sufficient number shall not be present in Committee of the whole, the committee shall rise, the Speaker
resume the chair, and the chairman report eh cause of the rising of the committee.
Section 8. A motion for the rising of the Committee of the Whole shall always be in order, unless a
member is speaking, and to be decided without debate.

Article IX.

of Admission within the Hall

Section 1. No person, except members of the Senate and their secretary, the Governor, Lieutenant
Governor, Judges of the Supreme and Circuit Courts, and the Secretary of State, Attorney General,
Auditor of Public Accounts, Treasurer, Governor’s Private Secretary, and such gentlemen as have been
members of either branch of the General Assembly, and stenographers admitted by the Speaker, shall be
admitted within the Hall of the House of representatives, unless by order of the House.
Article X.
of Amending Rules
Section 1. No standing rule or order of the House shall be rescinded or changed, or new rules introduced,
without one day’s notice of the motion therefor.
Section 2. No standing rule or order of the House shall be dispensed with unless two-thirds of the
members present concur therein, and all motions for that purpose shall be limited to the question or
proposition.
Joint Rules of Both Houses
Section 1. When the business requires the attendance of the Senate in the Representatives’ chamber, they,
with their Secretary, shall be conducted within the bar, and there seated; and when so assembled, the
President of the Senate shall preside, and every member of the Senate and House of Representatives shall
be at liberty to make motions and debate, and the rules of the House of Representatives shall govern, as if
that house were in the Committee of the Whole House.
Section 2. When a message shall be sent from one house to the other, it shall be announced by the
Doorkeeper thereof, and the import thereof respectfully communicated to the Speaker or President, as the
case may be, by the person by whom it is sent.
Section 3. While bills are on their passage between the two houses, they shall be on paper, under the
signature of the Secretary or Clerk of each house, respectively.
Section 4. After a bill shall have passed both houses, it shall be duly enrolled on paper, by the Clerk of
the house where the same shall have originated, before it shall be presented to the Governor.
Section 5. When bills are enrolled, they shall be examined by a Joint Committee of three from the Senate
and six from the House of Representatives, appointed as a standing committee for that purpose, one of
whom, on the part of the Senate, and two on the part of the House, shall be sufficient to examine and
compare the enrolled with the engrossed bills, as passed in both houses, and correcting any errors that
may be discovered in the enrolled bills, and make their report forthwith to their respective houses.
Enrolled shall not include changes except for misspelling or grammatical errors. It shall not go to
conference to change bill to fit Senate versions.
Section 6. After examination and report, each bill shall be signed in its respective house; first by the
Speaker of the House of Representatives, and then by the President of the Senate.
Section 7. After a bill shall have been thus signed, it shall be presented to the Governor for his
approbation; it being first indorsed on the back of the bill, certifying in which house the same originated;
which endorsement shall be signed by the Clerk or Secretary of the house in which the same did originate,
and shall be entered on the journal of each house.
Section 8. All orders and resolutions which are to be presented to the Governor for his approbation, shall
also be previously examined and signed, and shall be presented in the same manner and by the same
committee as provided in the case of bills.
Section 9. When a bill or resolution which shall have passed on house shall be signed in the other, notice
thereof shall be given the house in which the same originated.
Section 10. When any papers may come officially before either house of the General Assembly, or any
communication of the Governor, and are proper to be acted upon by both houses, the house before whom
such papers are laid, or two whom such communications are made, shall, a soon as they have proceeded
and acted upon the same, lay a copy before the other house.
Section 11. When a vacancy shall happen in either house, notice thereof shall be given to the other house.
Section 12. When any new business shall be commenced in either house, in which it is necessary for the
other to act, notice thereof shall be given to the other house.
Section 13. All messages and communications between the two houses shall be conveyed by the Clerk,
or a member of the house originating the same.