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State of Arkansas 1
94th General Assembly 2
Regular Session, 2023 HR 1001 3
4
By: Representative M. Shepherd 5
6
HOUSE RESOLUTION 7
TO ADOPT THE RULES O F THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTAT IVES OF 8
THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEM BLY. 9
10
11
Subtitle 12
TO ADOPT THE RULES OF THE HOUSE OF 13
REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY -FOURTH 14
GENERAL ASSEMBLY. 15
16
17
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY -FOURTH GENERAL 18
ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS: 19
20
SECTION 1. The Rules of the House of Representatives of the Ninety -21
Fourth General Assembly of the State of Arkansas are adopted to read as 22
follows: 23
24
MEMBERS 25
1. Every representative shall be present within the House during the 26
session of the House and every member shall be present at each committee 27
meeting of which he or she is a member, unless excused or necessarily 28
prevented. It is the policy of the Arkansas General Assembly, as a term -29
limited body, to encourage legislato rs to learn as much as possible by 30
attending meetings of committees of which they are not a member. Prior 31
signed and documented approval must be obtained from the chairperson of a 32
committee for a visiting non -committee member to enjoy certain privileges 33
offered to regular members. 34
2. For the purpose of seating in the House Chamber for an upcoming 35
regular session of the General Assembly, the Speaker of the House, following 36 HR1001
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the November General Election, shall declare all House Chamber seats vacant 1
and representatives and representatives -elect must select in the order of 2
their seniority any seat not occupied after notification by the Chief Clerk 3
of available seats. Absence or failure to select a seat at the assigned 4
selection time will automatically allow the Speaker to assign the member to 5
his or her same seat if it is available or the member or member -elect to a 6
seat selected by the Speaker. The Chief Clerk shall furnish voting machine 7
and desk keys. 8
3. When it is necessary for seniority of incoming me mbers to be 9
determined by lot, the Speaker of the House and the Speaker -designate of the 10
House shall conduct a drawing by lots upon receiving certification from the 11
Secretary of State of the election of membership to each General Assembly. 12
Qualified and certified persons to be seated and officially receive the oath 13
of office may do so only at a time and place prescribed by the House. No 14
person having resigned from public office as a provision to a plea agreement 15
to avoid felony prosecution shall be seated or administered the oath of 16
office. Incoming members with previous legislative tenure shall be placed 17
highest in seniority among the incoming members based upon previous terms of 18
service. Where an equivalence of full terms of service exists, seniority fo r 19
those with equal terms shall be asserted by drawing lots to determine their 20
numerical standing. 21
4. A majority of all representatives elected to the House shall be 22
necessary to transact business. When less than a quorum of House members 23
shall assemble, those present shall be authorized to send for the absent 24
representatives or adjourn. Penalties may be decided by a majority of the 25
representatives present. (Arkansas Constitution, Article 5, § 11) 26
5. Each representative is expected to vote on each ques tion put before 27
the House unless he or she has an immediate personal interest. 28
6. Any representative shall have the right to explain his/her vote on 29
any bill or other question before the House, in writing. Such explanation 30
shall not be entered upon the Journal, but shall be filed with the Chief 31
Clerk. 32
7. Every bill or resolution in the possession of the House or of any 33
committee thereof shall be made available to any member for his/her 34
examination. 35
8. No member at any time shall take from the House o r any committee 36 HR1001
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any bill or other paper belonging to the House, without consent of the 1
Speaker, subject to the will of the House. 2
9. It shall be the duty of each representative to know, practice and 3
preserve Parliamentary Law. 4
5
THE SPEAKER 6
10. Selection. 7
10.(a) As used in this rule, the term “Speaker -designate” shall mean 8
the member of the House of Representatives selected by the House of 9
Representatives of each General Assembly held preceding the convening of the 10
next-following regular session of the General Assembly, in the following 11
manner: 12
10.(a)(1) A caucus of the entire House of Representatives shall be 13
held fifteen (15) minutes following sine die adjournment of the fiscal 14
session held in each even -numbered year, at which time the members of th e 15
House shall select by secret ballot a member of the House to be known as the 16
Speaker-designate. Each candidate for Speaker -designate shall be allowed 17
fifteen (15) minutes to address the House before the ballot is taken. All 18
members are required to be p resent for the addresses and for the election. 19
In the event a member is unable to attend, absentee ballots may be requested 20
by a member for himself/herself from the Speaker's Office no sooner than 21
twenty (20) calendar days prior to the scheduled election and must be 22
completed and returned to the Speaker's Office no later than four p.m. (4:00 23
p.m.) the day before the scheduled election. It is the intent of the 24
Speaker’s office to accommodate any and all members for Speaker -designate 25
voting, should a member have a documented emergency arise, the Speaker may 26
direct staff to allow for absentee voting up to two (2) hours prior to the 27
scheduled election. Leave for absence shall be requested immediately before 28
the time of the election. The Speaker shall announce the name and number of 29
votes received by the candidate who received at least a majority of the votes 30
of the membership of the House. Each candidate shall be entitled to verify 31
the number of votes he or she received. 32
10.(a)(2) The candidate receiving a majority vote of the membership of 33
the House of Representatives shall be declared the winner of such election 34
for Speaker-designate of the House of Representatives of the next -following 35
General Assembly. 36 HR1001
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10.(a)(3) If no candidate receives a majority vote of the membership 1
of the House of Representatives, the names of the two (2) candidates 2
receiving the highest number of votes cast shall be placed on a run -off 3
ballot and distributed among the membership of the House of Representatives 4
in the same manner p rovided above. 5
10.(a)(4) If it is determined that the Speaker -designate will not 6
serve as a member of the House of Representatives of the next -following 7
General Assembly due to death, resignation, or failure to be a candidate for 8
or to win reelection, a vacancy in the position of Speaker -designate shall 9
exist and be filled at the caucus of the entire House of Representatives -10
elect held on the Friday of the week designated for the biennial Institute of 11
Legislative Procedure (House Legislative Orientation), and the Speaker of the 12
House of Representatives shall be elected upon convening of the next regular 13
session. 14
10.(a)(5) It is the intent of this subsection that the Speaker -15
designate be the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the next -16
following General Assembly, subject to selection by the membership of the 17
House upon convening of the regular session. 18
10.(a)(6) Petitions seeking pledge signatures of members of the House 19
of Representatives for a particular candidate seeking selection as Speaker -20
designate shall not be circulated among the members of the House of 21
Representatives. 22
10.(b) At the beginning of each session the members of the House of 23
Representatives shall choose from its own membership a presiding officer 24
designated as the Speaker of the House of Representatives. 25
11. Duties. The duties of the Speaker of the House shall be to: 26
11.(a) Take the chair each day at the hour fixed on the preceding day 27
at adjournment. After the opening prayer and pledge of allegiance, he or she 28
shall immediately call the members to order, and on the appearance of a 29
quorum, cause the Journal of the preceding day to be read; 30
11.(b) Have control of the area set aside for use by the House and, in 31
case of disturbance therein, shall have the authority to have the areas 32
cleared. He or she or his or her designee shall supervise and control the 33
temporary employees while the legislature is in session and the permanent 34
employees during the biennium (Arkansas Code 10 -2-125 -- Employees and 35
officers.); 36 HR1001
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11.(c) Preserve order and decorum; 1
11.(d) Sign all acts, proceedings and orders of the House. All writs, 2
warrants and subpoenas issued by the House shall be signed and attested by 3
him or her and the Clerk (Joint Rules of the House of Representatives and 4
the Senate, Rule 10; Arkansas Code, Title 21, Chapter 10 - Uniform Facsimile 5
Signatures of Public Officials Act); 6
11.(e) Decide, with assistance of the Parliamentarian, all points of 7
order, subject to appeal by any representative; 8
11.(f) Appoint and confirm all representatives to certain committees 9
and to appoint and confirm committee chairpersons and vice chairpersons in 10
accordance with the House Rules and Statutes; 11
11.(g) Assign all bills to their appropriate committee; 12
11.(h) The Speaker shall not be requ ired to vote, but may do so at 13
his/her discretion. If the Speaker allows a substitute Speaker, neither the 14
Speaker nor the substitute Speaker, if voting, shall be struck during the 15
sounding of the ballot. 16
11.(i) State the question to the House before ea ch vote is taken; 17
11.(j) Appoint, at the beginning of each session, a member of the 18
House to serve as Speaker Pro Tempore. The Speaker Pro Tempore shall serve 19
during the absences of the Speaker and shall perform the Speaker’s duties. 20
The Speaker Pro Tempore shall not serve more than ten (10) consecutive 21
legislative days without the consent of the House, or beyond adjournment. 22
The Speaker of the House may appoint four (4) Assistant Speakers Pro Tempore; 23
11.(k) Supervise and direct the preparation of the daily House 24
calendar; 25
11.(l) Administer the Oath of Office to the Chief Clerk and the 26
Parliamentarian at the beginning of each legislative session; 27
11.(m) Vacate the Speaker’s office by January 1 of the calendar year 28
that a new General Assembly is to convene (odd-numbered years) so as to allow 29
the Speaker-designate the privilege of the use of the office in preparation 30
for the forthcoming General Assembly; 31
11.(n) Vacate the Speaker’s premises by December 15 in the even -32
numbered years; and 33
11.(o) Keep a permanent register of the seniority of the members of 34
the House of Representatives. 35
11.(p) When either body shall request a conference, and appoint a 36 HR1001
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committee for that purpose, the other body shall also appoint a committee of 1
equal number to conf er, and such conference shall be held at any time and 2
place agreed on by the chairpersons. 3
11.(q) Approve, by cosigning with either the Chief of Staff or the 4
Coordinator of Legislative Services, the disbursement of all House funds. 5
6
CHIEF OF STAFF 7
12. The Chief of Staff shall be appointed by the Speaker with the 8
approval of the House Management Committee. 9
13. The duties of the Chief of Staff shall be to: 10
13.(a) Oversee all facets of the daily operations of the House 11
ensuring compliance with all Rul es of the House, all local, state and federal 12
laws, policies, regulations and policy statements; 13
13.(b) Act as travel supervisor or assign duty to designated staff; 14
13.(c) Act as purchasing agent or assign duty to designated staff; 15
13.(d) Coordinate preparation for General, Fiscal and Special Sessions 16
of the House of Representatives; and 17
13.(e) Act as custodian of House properties. 18
19
COORDINATOR OF LEGISLATIVE SERVICES 20
14. The Coordinator of House Legislative Services shall be appointed 21
by the Speaker of the House with the approval of the House Management 22
Committee. 23
15. The duties of the Coordinator of House Legislative Services shall 24
be to: 25
15.(a) Coordinate and s upervise the activities of the Chief Clerk, 26
employees of the House Fiscal Office, and other temporary and permanent 27
employees as assigned by the Chief of Staff; 28
15.(b) Keep or cause to be kept all fiscal accounts and records; and 29
15.(c) Report to the Chief of Staff. 30
31
THE CHIEF CLERK 32
16. The Chief Clerk shall be appointed by the Speaker, subject to 33
confirmation by a majority vote of the membership of the House. 34
17. The duties of the Chief Clerk shall be to (Arkansas Code § 10-2-35
102): 36 HR1001
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17.(a) Have custody of all bills, papers and records of the House and 1
not to permit them to be taken out of his or her custody except by the 2
provisions established in Rule 8 of the Rules of the House of 3
Representatives. Staff must sign a receipt for all bills taken f rom the 4
Clerk; 5
17.(b) Keep the Journal of the proceedings of the House, and, under 6
the direction of the Speaker, subject to the will of the House, correct 7
errors in the Journal; 8
17.(c) Keep the necessary records for the House; 9
17.(d) Supervise the en grossment and enrollment of bills and to 10
certify their passage, with the assistance of the appropriate committee 11
(Joint Rules of the House of Representatives and the Senate, Rules 6 -- 9.); 12
17.(e) Transmit bills, other documents, and messages to the Sena te, as 13
required and secure a receipt thereof and to receive communications from the 14
Senate and receipts of bills, documents and messages; 15
17.(f) Attend every session of the House, call or delegate the reading 16
of the roll and the reading of all bills, res olutions and other papers as 17
directed by the Speaker; 18
17.(g) Coordinate and supervise activities of temporary and permanent 19
employees as assigned by the Chief of Staff; 20
17.(h) Be responsible for the distribution of all literature within 21
the House Chamber and other House premises. One copy of such literature 22
which is distributed in the House Chamber and House premises must bear the 23
signature of a representative authorizing distribution and the signed copy 24
must be filed with the Chief Clerk; and 25
17.(i) The Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the House are 26
authorized, subject to approval by the appropriate designated committee, to 27
correct obvious errors occurring in documents originating in the House and 28
the Senate respectively, provided that each s uch correction is noted on the 29
bill jacket and is documented by a “correction note” at the end of the 30
official daily Journal for the date on which the correction was made. 31
32
PARLIAMENTARIAN 33
18. The duties of the Parliamentarian shall be to: 34
18.(a) Convene the first session of the House at the time prescribed 35
by law. The Parliamentarian shall call the members to order, call the roll, 36 HR1001
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preserve order and decorum, and decide all questions of order subject to 1
appeal by any representative pending the electio n of the Speaker. The 2
Parliamentarian of the previous House shall serve as the official 3
Parliamentarian until the appointment of a new Parliamentarian. In the 4
absence of a Parliamentarian of the previous House, the Speaker of the House 5
shall designate a temporary Parliamentarian to convene the first session of 6
the House; 7
18.(b) Assist the Speaker in deciding all points of order; 8
18.(c) Advise the Speaker on the proprieties of motions and the 9
numbers of votes necessary for passage; 10
18.(d) Assist the Speaker in the supervision of the preparation of the 11
daily House calendar; 12
18.(e) Assist the Speaker in the selection of a Chaplain for the day; 13
18.(f) Assist the Speaker in the assignment of bills to their 14
appropriate committee; 15
18.(g) Sit as an ex-officio non-voting member of the House Rules 16
Committee, and serve as secretary and advisor to the House Committee on the 17
Journal; Engrossed and Enrolled Bills; 18
18.(h) Prepare and distribute the House Rules and amendments thereto, 19
under the supervision of the Speaker and the House Rules Committee; and 20
18.(i) Have an adequate knowledge of Parliamentary Law and the Rules 21
of the Arkansas House of Representatives. 22
23
PARLIAMENTARY PRACTICE 24
19. When a question is under debate, motions shall have precedence in 25
the following order (the request for a quorum call is always in order; the 26
Chairperson is not compelled to accept any motion): 27
19.(a) To fix the time to which the House will adjourn (non -debatable) 28
(majority of a quorum); 29
19.(a)(1) (A majority of a quorum is a majority of those voting when 30
at least a majority of the members are present and voting;) 31
19.(b) To adjourn (non -debatable) (majority of a quorum); 32
19.(c) To take a recess (non -debatable) (majority of a quorum); 33
19.(d) Postpone temporari ly; lay on the table (non -debatable) 34
(majority of a quorum) To take from the table (non -debatable) (majority of a 35
quorum) (when the motion to take from the table is adopted, the proposition 36 HR1001
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takes the same position it held when the motion to lay on the tabl e was 1
adopted); 2
19.(e) Immediate consideration (non -debatable) (2/3 of a quorum); 3
19.(f) Previous question (non -debatable) (5 seconds) (majority of a 4
quorum); 5
19.(g) Limit or extend debate (non -debatable) (2/3 of a quorum); 6
19.(h) To expunge (deba table) (2/3 of membership) (67); 7
19.(i) Postpone to a day certain (debatable) (majority of a quorum); 8
19.(j) Committee of the Whole, go into (non -debatable) (majority of a 9
quorum); 10
19.(k) Refer (debatable) (majority of a quorum); 11
19.(l) Amend (debatable) (majority of a quorum); 12
19.(m) Postpone indefinitely (debatable) (majority of membership); 13
19.(n) Take out of proper order (non -debatable) (2/3 of a quorum); 14
19.(o) Special order of business (debatable) (2/3 of a quorum); and 15
19.(p) To suspend the rules (non-debatable) (2/3 of a quorum). 16
20. A motion to adjourn shall always be in order, when the Floor can 17
be obtained for that purpose, except when the previous question has been 18
ordered. 19
21. The motion to recess, when the Floor can be obta ined for that 20
purpose, must specify the time which shall elapse and the time for 21
reconvening. It may be amended to alter specific time. 22
22. Previous question: 23
22.(a) When any debatable question is before the House, any member may 24
move the previous que stion. It shall be seconded by five (5) members whether 25
the question shall be stated. When the previous question shall have been 26
adopted, the proponents shall be allowed fifteen (15) minutes in which to 27
debate it, and the opponents of the main question s hall be allowed fifteen 28
(15) minutes, after which time a vote upon the main question shall be taken. 29
22.(b) Pending a vote on the main question, one (1) motion to refer is 30
permitted. A motion to refer under this rule applies to House resolutions as 31
well as to House bills, to Senate bills and to Senate amendments to a House 32
bill, and to a motion to amend the Journal. The motion to refer under this 33
rule is non-debatable and may not be laid upon the table. 34
23. A motion to postpone to a day certain may no t specify the hour; a 35
special order is necessary to specify the hour; the motion may be amended and 36 HR1001
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it is debatable within narrow limits only, confined to the merit of the 1
motion itself. 2
24. The simple motion to refer is debatable within its narrow limit s, 3
but the merits of the proposition to which it is proposed to refer may not be 4
brought into the debate. The motion to refer with instructions is debatable 5
(majority vote of a quorum). When a question is raised about the proper 6
referral of a bill to com mittee, if the Speaker admits error in the referral 7
of the bill to a committee, the bill may be re -referred by a majority vote of 8
a quorum; however, if the Speaker does not admit error in the referral of the 9
bill to committee, the bill may only be re -referred by a two-thirds (2/3) 10
vote of a quorum. When a bill is re -referred to a committee, any previous 11
committee recommendation is automatically stripped from the bill. 12
24.(a) When a motion is under consideration, only two (2) substitutes 13
to that motion shall be in order. Only a motion applicable to the main 14
motion and of a higher precedence upon recognition may be substituted for the 15
motion under consideration. A substitute to the third degree shall not be in 16
order. Unless specified otherwise by the pre senter of the motion at the time 17
the motion is made, a substitute motion shall apply to the main motion. 18
25. The motion to postpone indefinitely opens to debate all the merits 19
of the proposition to which it is applied. It may not be applied to the 20
motion to refer, or to suspend the rules, or to motions relating to the order 21
of business. 22
25.(a) The motion for indefinite postponement and possible 23
consideration by a joint interim committee shall be as follows: "Mr. Speaker, 24
I move that consideration of __ _____ be postponed indefinitely and that 25
consideration be given by the joint interim committee on _______ for a study 26
of ______." (majority of membership). 27
26. The motion to limit or extend debate must specify time 28
limitations. A substitute motion speci fying a lesser time may be accepted. 29
27. Reconsideration: 30
27.(a) When a proposition has been made and carried or lost, it shall 31
be in order for any member of the majority on the same or succeeding 32
legislative day to move for the reconsideration thereof , or give notice of 33
his or her intentions to do so and such motion shall take precedence over 34
other questions except consideration of a conference report or a motion to 35
adjourn: Provided, the motion or proposition shall only be considered during 36 HR1001
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the period reserved for regular bills. The notice shall not be withdrawn 1
after the said succeeding legislative day without the consent of the House, 2
and thereafter any member may call it up for consideration: Provided, the 3
notice to reconsider must be disposed of within three (3) legislative days 4
following the day the vote was taken; provided, that such notice to 5
reconsider cannot be given after the 57th day of a regular session or during 6
a special session or fiscal session during which times a motion to reconsider 7
must be disposed of immediately. 8
27.(b) The provisions of the rule that the motion may be made “by any 9
member of the majority” is construed, in case of a tie, to mean the member of 10
the prevailing side, and the same construction applies in the case of a two-11
thirds (2/3) vote. Where the yeas and nays have not been ordered recorded in 12
the Journal, any member, irrespective of whether he or she voted with the 13
majority or not, may make the motion to reconsider or give notice thereof; 14
but a member who was abse nt or who was paired in favor of the majority 15
contention and did not vote may not make a motion. 16
27.(c) A bill in the possession of the House is not considered passed 17
or an amendment agreed to if a motion to reconsider is pending; the effect of 18
the motion being to suspend the original proposition. A notice or motion to 19
reconsider shall not be allowed unless the bill is in the House. A bill 20
shall not leave the House once notice of reconsideration is given. When the 21
motion to reconsider is decided in the affirmative, the question immediately 22
recurs on the motion reconsidered. However, prior to consideration of the 23
question at hand, the Speaker shall have the title, expressing the main 24
contents of the proposition being reconsidered, read to the House. Wh en the 25
motion to reconsider is defeated, a second motion to reconsider may not be 26
made. 27
27.(d) The motion to reconsider is agreed to by a majority of a 28
quorum, even though the vote reconsidered requires a majority or more of the 29
membership. Upon reconsi deration when a proposition has been voted twice and 30
either carried or lost it is considered "Clinched". 31
27.(e) A notice to reconsider is not debatable. A motion to 32
reconsider is debatable when the item to which it applies is debatable. 33
27.(f) No bill, petition, memorial, or resolution referred to a 34
committee or reported there -from for recommitment shall be brought back into 35
the House on a motion to reconsider. 36 HR1001
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27.(g) The "Clincher” motion is two (2) motions in one (1); it is a 1
motion to reconsider a nd to lay on the table. Having prevailed, the 2
proposition shall not be again considered except by expunging the record. 3
The "Clincher" motion is adopted by a majority of the membership. The 4
Speaker shall accept a "Sound the Ballot" request after the "Cl incher" has 5
been adopted and before the next order of business is called. 6
27.(h) No “Clincher” motion shall be entertained on a bill passed 7
during the morning hour or which has been represented to be non -controversial 8
regardless of when passed. Prior to the 60th day of a session, no bill 9
passed during the morning hour, or a bill appearing on the non -controversial 10
bill calendar which has passed, shall be transmitted to the Senate until the 11
expiration of the morning hour of the day next following its passa ge in which 12
the House is in session. 13
28. No dilatory motion shall be entertained by the Speaker. 14
29. Two-thirds (2/3) of a quorum may suspend the rules, other than 15
rules that require a two -thirds (2/3) or three -fourths (3/4) vote of the 16
membership. Rule 12 of the Joint Rules of the Senate and House of 17
Representatives - Suspension of Joint Rules 18
30. No standing rule or order shall be revised without one (1) day’s 19
notice being given thereof. 20
31. In every case not provided for in the House rules, the S peaker, 21
the Parliamentarian, and the members shall be guided by Mason’s Manual of 22
Legislative Procedure. Each member of the Rules Committee may be furnished a 23
copy of the current edition and of each new or revised edition of Mason’s 24
Manual of Legislative Procedure and additional copies may be available to 25
other members from the Parliamentarian, upon approval of the Rules Committee. 26
27
DAILY ORDER OF BUSINESS 28
32. The House shall convene at a time ordered by the House membership. 29
33. The daily order of bus iness shall be: 30
(a) Prayer 31
(b) Pledge of Allegiance 32
(c) Roll Call 33
(d) Leaves of absence 34
(e) Reading and approval of the previous day’s Journal 35
(f) Reports from select committees 36 HR1001
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(g) Reports from standing committees 1
(h) Unfinished business 2
(i) Executive communications 3
(j) Introduction, reading and advancement of bills and resolutions 4
33.(k)1. Senate communications and amendments to House bills 5
2. Introduction, reading and advancement of bills and joint 6
resolutions 7
3. Bills and resolutions from the Senate on first reading 8
4. Bills and resolutions from the Senate on second reading 9
5. Senate bills and joint resolutions on third reading 10
33.(l) Announcement of committee meetings, and 11
33.(m) Adjournment. 12
34.(a) Introduction an d reading of bills and resolutions may be 13
ordered by the Speaker of the House at his or her discretion. 14
34.(b) The following types of resolutions shall be considered for 15
passage during the time set aside for the consideration of members' own 16
amendments to their own bills: a memorial resolution, a concurrent memorial 17
resolution, and a resolution or a concurrent resolution that commends, 18
congratulates, or recognizes an individual, group, or other entity. 19
Notwithstanding Rule 27 (h), a concurrent resolution or concurrent memorial 20
resolution that is subject to this rule may be transmitted to the Senate on 21
the same day that it is passed. A joint resolution proposing a 22
Constitutional amendment shall be placed on the regular House calendar and is 23
subject to Rule 27 (h). 24
35. Items “(a)” through “(h)” shall take no more than one (1) hour of 25
House time each day unless extended by a majority vote of the House members 26
present. 27
36. Unfinished business items, except items “(a)” through “(g)", take 28
up where the House left the day before when it adjourned. Items “(a)” 29
through “(g)" begin new each day. 30
37. Privileged matters may interrupt the order of business. These 31
privileged matters are: 32
37.(a) Appropriation bills and revenue bills, sponsored by the 33
committees on Budget, Revenue and Taxation and the Committee on Rules; 34
37.(b) Conference reports; 35
37.(c) Special orders reported by the Committee on Rules for 36 HR1001
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consideration by the House; 1
37.(d) Consideration of amendments between the House and Senate after 2
disagreement; 3
37.(e) Question of privilege; 4
37.(f) Privileged resolutions reported under the right to report any 5
time; and 6
37.(g) Bills returned with the objections of the Governor. 7
8
BILLS 9
38. Any representative may introduce bills, petitions, resol utions and 10
memorials by filing them with the Clerk of the House. (Arkansas Code § 10-2-11
112 - Prefiling of bills and resolutions -- Assignment to committee --12
Printing.) 13
38.(a) Each measure must have an original along with copies and 14
captions, the number of which is to be determined by the Chief Clerk. 15
38.(b) The Clerk shall take the original and perforate or stamp it as 16
the original. 17
38.(c) No action shall be taken in the House on any bill, resolution, 18
or amendment that is not physically in the House. However, in the House the 19
motion to recall a bill or resolution may be made regardless of the location 20
of the bill or resolution. 21
38.(d) No alterations or erasures or otherwise defacement of the bill 22
or amendments shall be permitted. 23
38.(e) All amendments shall be entered on a separate sheet of paper 24
noting the page number, the line or lines to be changed and the words to be 25
deleted or inserted. 26
38.(f) All bills, resolutions, amendments, petitions and memorials 27
must be signed by the author. 28
38.(g) The improper introduction of a bill, resolution, amendment, 29
petition or memorial involves a question of privilege. Such measures 30
improperly introduced, as determined by the Speaker or the House Committee on 31
the Journal; Engrossed and Enrolled Bills, shal l be returned to the 32
representative who introduced them. 33
38.(h) The style of the laws of the State of Arkansas shall be: “Be it 34
enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Arkansas.” (Arkansas 35
Constitution, Article 5, § 19 - Style of laws -- Enacting Clause.) 36 HR1001
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38.(i) The General Assembly of Arkansas shall not pass any local or 1
special act. This amendment shall not prohibit the repeal of local or 2
special acts. (Arkansas Constitution, Amendment 14 - Local Acts.) 3
38.(j) No bill shall be passed by ei ther house containing more than 4
one subject, which shall be expressed in the title, and the subtitle. Rule 4 5
of the Joint Rules of the Senate and House of Representatives - Contents of 6
Bills 7
38.(k) In making appropriations for any fiscal year, the Genera l 8
Assembly shall first pass the General Appropriation Bill provided for in 9
Section 30 of Article 5 of the Constitution, and no other appropriation bill 10
may be enacted before that shall have been done. (Arkansas Constitution, 11
Article 5, § 40 - General appropriation bill -- Enactment. 12
38.(l) No money shall be drawn from the treasury except in pursuance 13
of specific appropriation made by law, the purpose of which shall be 14
distinctly stated in the bill, and the maximum amount which may be drawn 15
shall be specified in dollars and cents; and no appropriation shall be for a 16
longer period than one (1) fiscal year. (Arkansas Constitution, Article 5, 17
§ 29 - Appropriations.) 18
The general appropriation bill shall embrace nothing but appropriations 19
for the ordinary expen se of the executive, legislative and judicial 20
departments of the State; all other appropriations shall be made by separate 21
bills, each embracing but one (1) subject. (Arkansas Constitution, Article 5, 22
§ 30 - General and special appropriations.) 23
No state tax shall be allowed, or appropriation of money made, except 24
to raise means for the payment of the just debts of the State, for defraying 25
the necessary expenses of government, to sustain common schools, to repel 26
invasion and suppress insurrection, except by a majority of two-thirds (2/3) 27
of both houses of the General Assembly. (Arkansas Constitution, Article 5, 28
§ 31 - Purposes of taxes and appropriations.) 29
None of the rates for property, excise, privilege or personal taxes, 30
now levied shall be increased by the General Assembly except after the 31
approval of the qualified electors voting thereon at an election, or in case 32
of emergency, by the votes of three -fourths (3/4) of the members elected to 33
each House of the General Assembly. (Arkansas Constitution, Artic le 5, § 38 -34
Taxes -- Increase -- Approval by electors.) 35
Excepting monies raised or collected for educational purposes, highway 36 HR1001
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purposes, to pay Confederate pensions and the just debts of the State, the 1
General Assembly is hereby prohibited from appropria ting or expending more 2
than the sum of Two and One -Half Million Dollars for all purposes, for any 3
fiscal year; provided the limit herein fixed may be exceeded by the votes of 4
three-fourths (3/4) of the members elected to each House of the General 5
Assembly. (Arkansas Constitution, Article 5, § 39 - State expenses --6
Limitation -- Exceptions.) 7
38.(m)(a)(1) No appropriation bill shall be filed for introduction in 8
either the House of Representatives or the Senate later than the fiftieth 9
(50th) day of a regula r session except upon consent of two -thirds (2/3) of 10
the members elected to each house. 11
(b)(1)(2)(A) No appropriation bill shall be filed for 12
introduction in either the House of Representatives or the Senate later than 13
the fifteenth (15th) day of a fi scal session except upon consent of two -14
thirds (2/3) of the members elected to each house. 15
(2)(B) For a fiscal session, a non -appropriation bill 16
shall not be filed for introduction until identical resolutions authorizing 17
the introduction of the non -appropriation bill have been approved by an 18
affirmative vote of two -thirds (2/3) of the members elected to each house. 19
(3)(C) The identical resolutions authorizing the 20
introduction of a non -appropriation bill in a fiscal session shall not be 21
filed for introduction in either the House of Representatives or the Senate 22
later than the first (1st) day of a fiscal session. 23
(4)(D) A non-appropriation bill shall not be filed for 24
introduction in either the House of Representatives or the Senate later than 25
the fifteenth (15th) day of a fiscal session. 26
(c)(3) When the filing deadline for any bills or resolutions 27
ends on Saturday or Sunday, the deadline is extended until the close of 28
business the following Monday. 29
38.(n)(a)(1) No resolution proposing a constitutional amendment shall 30
be filed in the House of Representatives after the thirty -first (31st) day of 31
each regular session of the General Assembly. Proposed constitutional 32
amendments may only be considered during regular sessions. 33
38.(n)(b)(2) All resolutions proposing constitutional amendments shall 34
be referred to the House Committee on State Agencies and Governmental 35
Affairs, which by an affirmative vote of its members may recommend proposals 36 HR1001
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one-at-a-time to the House of Representatives for i ts consideration. 1
38.(n)(c)(3) Any proposed constitutional amendment initiated in and 2
approved by the House of Representatives shall be transmitted to the Senate 3
for its consideration. If the Senate fails to approve a House -proposed 4
constitutional amendment, the House of Representatives may proceed to 5
initiate other proposed constitutional amendments one -at-a-time for Senate 6
consideration. 7
38.(n)(d)(4) Any proposed constitutional amendment received from the 8
Senate shall be referred to the House Commi ttee on State Agencies and 9
Governmental Affairs, which by an affirmative vote of its members may 10
recommend the proposal to the House of Representatives for its consideration. 11
38.(n)(e)(5) Upon adoption by the General Assembly of a House -proposed 12
constitutional amendment and a Senate -proposed constitutional amendment, in 13
accordance with the Joint Rules, a third proposed constitutional amendment 14
may be considered and voted upon by the General Assembly only after identical 15
resolutions authorizing the conside ration of the third proposed 16
constitutional amendment have been approved by an affirmative vote of two -17
thirds (2/3) of the members elected to each house. 18
38.(o)(a)(1) Any proposed legislation affecting any publicly supported 19
retirement system or pension plan to be considered by the General Assembly at 20
a regular session shall be introduced in the General Assembly during the 21
first fifteen (15) calendar days of a regular session. (Arkansas Code § 10-2-22
115, Introduction of bills affecting public retirement pr ograms.) 23
38.(o)(b)(2) No such bill shall be introduced after the fifteenth day 24
of a regular session unless its introduction is first approved by a three -25
fourths (3/4) vote of the full membership of each House of the General 26
Assembly. (Arkansas Code § 10-2-115, Introduction of bills affecting public 27
retirement programs.) 28
38.(o)(c)(3) A bill affecting any publicly supported retirement system 29
or systems shall not be introduced or considered at any special session or 30
fiscal session of the General Assembly unless the introduction and 31
consideration of the bill is first approved by a three -fourths (3/4) vote of 32
the full membership of each House of the General Assembly. (Arkansas Code 33
§ 10-2-115, Introduction of bills affecting public retirement programs.) 34
38.(p)(1) A bill affecting the State and Public School Life and Health 35
Insurance Program or that imposes a new or increased cost obligation for 36 HR1001
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health benefit plans, including pharmacy benefits, on an entity of the state 1
to be considered by the General Assembly at a regular session shall be 2
introduced in the General Assembly during the fi rst fifteen (15) calendar 3
days of a regular session. 4
(2)(A) A bill affecting the State and Public School Life 5
and Health Insurance Program or that imposes a new or increased cost 6
obligation for health benefit plans, including pharmacy benefits, on an 7
entity of the state shall not be introduced after the fifteenth day of a 8
regular session unless the introduction of the bill is first approved by a 9
three-fourths (3/4) vote of the full membership of each house of the General 10
Assembly. 11
(B) If the General Assembly recesses for longer than 12
three (3) consecutive days during the first fifteen (15) calendar days of a 13
regular session, the fifteen -day introduction deadline shall be extended for 14
a time period equal to the recess. 15
(3) A bill affecting the Sta te and Public School Life and 16
Health Insurance Program or that imposes a new or increased cost obligation 17
for health benefit plans, including pharmacy benefits, on an entity of the 18
state shall not be introduced or considered at a fiscal session or an 19
extraordinary session of the General Assembly unless the introduction and 20
consideration of the bill is first approved by a two -thirds (2/3) vote of the 21
full membership of each house of the General Assembly. 22
38.(q)(1) The following proposed legislation to be co nsidered by the 23
General Assembly at a regular session shall be introduced in the General 24
Assembly during the first thirty -one (31) calendar days of a regular session: 25
(A) A bill that creates a new scholarship to be funded 26
with net proceeds from the sta te lottery or the Higher Education Grants Fund 27
Account, as applicable; and 28
(B) A bill that affects an existing scholarship that is 29
funded with net proceeds from the state lottery or the Higher Education 30
Grants Fund Account, as applicable. 31
(2)(A) A bill creating a new scholarship to be funded with net 32
proceeds from the state lottery or the Higher Education Grants Fund Account, 33
as applicable, or affecting an existing scholarship that is funded with net 34
proceeds from the state lottery or the Higher Education Grants Fund Account, 35
as applicable, shall not be introduced after the thirty -first day of a 36 HR1001
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regular session unless its introduction is first approved by a three -fourths 1
(3/4) vote of the full membership of each chamber of the General Assem bly. 2
(B) If the General Assembly recesses for longer than three 3
(3) consecutive days during the first thirty -one (31) days of a regular 4
session, the deadline imposed under this section shall be extended for a time 5
period equal to the recess. 6
(3) A bill creating a new scholarship to be funded with net 7
proceeds from the state lottery or the Higher Education Grants Fund Account, 8
as applicable, or affecting an existing scholarship that is funded with net 9
proceeds from the state lottery or the Higher Educ ation Grants Fund Account, 10
as applicable, shall not be introduced or considered at a special session or 11
fiscal session of the General Assembly unless the introduction or 12
consideration of the bill is first approved by a two -thirds (2/3) vote of the 13
full membership of each chamber of the General Assembly. 14
38.(p) (r) “Fiscal impact statement” means a realistic statement of the 15
estimated financial cost of implementing or complying with a proposed law 16
regarding: 17
(1) Municipalities; 18
(2) Counties; 19
(3) Education, as related to the State of Arkansas and local 20
school districts grades kindergarten through twelve (K -12); 21
(4) Corrections, if imposing new or additional costs and 22
restrictions on inmate population patterns or affecting programs or services 23
of the Department of Correction; or 24
(5) Lottery, if amending Arkansas Code, Title 23, Chapter 115 or 25
imposing a new or increased cost to the Arkansas Lottery Commission Office of 26
the Arkansas Lottery or a lottery; 27
(6) Health benefit plans, if imposing a new or increased cost 28
obligation for health benefit plans, including pharmacy benefits, on an 29
entity of the state; or 30
(7) New or existing scholarships to be funded with net proceeds 31
from the state lottery or the Higher Education Grants Fund Account, as 32
applicable. 33
38.(q) (s) When any House or Senate bill requiring an expenditure of 34
public funds or otherwise imposing a new or increased cost obligation is 35
pending before any committee of the House of Representatives, any member of 36 HR1001
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the committee may request t hat a fiscal impact statement for such bill be 1
placed on the desk of each member of the committee before the bill is called 2
up for final action in the committee. If such request is made, the 3
chairperson of the committee shall refer the bill to the appropri ate state 4
agency or to the legislative staff for the preparation of a fiscal impact 5
statement, to be returned to the committee in writing not later than five (5) 6
days from the date of the request. 7
38.(r)(t) Any time before a bill requiring an expenditur e of public 8
funds or otherwise imposing a new or increased cost obligation is read for 9
the third time in the House of Representatives, any member of the House may 10
request and the Speaker shall direct that a fiscal impact statement for the 11
bill be prepared and placed on the desk of each member not later than five 12
(5) days from the date of the request. 13
38.(s) (u) Fiscal impact statements shall be made available to House 14
Committees: 15
(1) At least one (1) day before the bill may be called up for 16
final action in the House Committee during a regular legislative session or 17
fiscal session of the General Assembly; and 18
(2) At least one (1) day before the bill may be called up for 19
final action in the House Committee during a special session of the General 20
Assembly. 21
Fiscal impact statements shall be made available to the full House of 22
Representatives at least one (1) day before the bill may be called up for 23
third reading and final action in the House of Representatives. 24
38.(t)(v)(1) Failure Except for bills imp osing a new or increased cost 25
obligation for health benefit plans on an entity of the state or bills 26
regarding new or existing scholarships to be funded with net proceeds from 27
the state lottery or the Higher Education Grants Fund, failure of the sponsor 28
of a bill to provide the fiscal impact statement required in this rule shall 29
not prohibit the consideration of it in the committee to which referred or on 30
the Floor of the House of Representatives, if no objection to it is made at 31
the time such action is tak en. 32
(2)(A) A bill filed in the House of Representatives that 33
will impose a new or increased cost obligation for health benefit plans, 34
including pharmacy benefits, on an entity of the state shall: 35
(i) Have a fiscal impact statement attached to 36 HR1001
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the bill prepared and filed with the chair of the committee to which the bill 1
is referred; and 2
(ii) Not be taken up by the committee to which 3
the bill is referred until a fiscal impact statement is provided to the chair 4
of the committee. 5
(B) If a bill is called up for final passage in the 6
House of Representatives and a fiscal impact statement has not been provided 7
by the sponsor of the bill or by the committee to which the bill was 8
referred, a member of the House of Representatives may object to th e bill’s 9
being called up for final passage until a fiscal impact statement is prepared 10
and made available on the desk of each member of the House of Representatives 11
at least one (1) day before the bill is called up for final passage. 12
(C) An affirmative vote of two-thirds (2/3) of a 13
quorum present and voting shall override the objection. 14
(D) If an objection is made without override, the 15
presiding officer of the House of Representatives shall cause the bill to be 16
referred to an actuary for the prepa ration of a fiscal impact statement, 17
which shall be filed with the presiding officer not later than five (5) days 18
from the date of the request. 19
(3)(A) Any bill filed with the House of Representatives 20
that creates a new scholarship to be funded with net proceeds from the state 21
lottery or the Higher Education Grants Fund Account, as applicable, or 22
affects an existing scholarship that is funded with net proceeds from the 23
state lottery or the Higher Education Grants Fund Account, as applicable, 24
shall: 25
(i) Have a lottery fiscal impact statement 26
attached to it that is in the form set forth in Arkansas Code § 6 -85-502; and 27
(ii) Not be taken up by the House Committee on 28
Education and the Senate Committee on Education meeting jointly, until a 29
lottery fiscal impact statement is attached. 30
39.(a) The first reading of a bill shall be for information and unless 31
otherwise ordered by the House, it shall be placed on the second reading 32
calendar. (Every bill shall be read at length on three different days in 33
each house, unless the rules be suspended by two -thirds (2/3) of the House, 34
when the same may be read a second or third time on the same day; (Arkansas 35
Constitution, Article 5, § 22 - Passage of bills.) 36 HR1001
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39.(b) No bill shall be read and considered either a first, second or 1
third time which does not contain a bill number, at least one author, a title 2
expressing the main contents of the bill, a subtitle, an enacting clause and 3
at least one section which shall be expressed in the title and the subtitle. 4
The Speaker shall not entertain a motion to suspend this rule. 5
39.(c)(1) "Shell bill" means a bill, typically with no substantive 6
provisions, that is introduced for purposes of later being amended to include 7
the actual legislative proposals advanced by the sponsor and within the 8
subject matter of the title of the shell bill. 9
(2) After a bill has been read for the first time, the 10
Speaker may declare a bill to be a shell bill and refer the shell bill to the 11
House Committee on the Journal; Engrossed and Enr olled Bills. 12
(3) Notwithstanding House Rule 40.(d), shell bills may be 13
amended after first reading with a substantive amendment under the process of 14
members amending their own bills with their own amendments. If the Committee 15
on the Journal; Engrossed and Enrolled Bills determines that the shell bill 16
has been substantively amended and engrossed and no longer meets the 17
definition of a shell bill, it shall report its determination to the Speaker. 18
The Speaker shall then direct the Clerk to read the bill a second time and 19
assign the bill to committee. 20
40. Second reading 21
40.(a) A bill shall be read a second time and the Speaker shall assign 22
the bill to its appropriate committee. 23
40.(b) A bill or resolution may not be divided for assignment to 24
committee although it may contain certain matters properly within the 25
jurisdiction of several committees. 26
40.(c) Before consideration by a committee, any representative may 27
attach an amendment to the bill which shall be referred to the committee with 28
the bill, without debate. It is the author’s responsibility to have the 29
amendment properly numbered by the Bill Clerk, not the committee staff. An 30
amendment must be properly filed by the author and properly numbered by the 31
Bill Clerk prior to being voted on by the House. 32
40.(d) In order to amend a bill, it shall be necessary to adopt a 33
motion to place the bill back on second reading for the purpose of submitting 34
an amendment. 35
40.(e) When a bill has a committee recommendation, it is the author’s 36 HR1001
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responsibility to place the bill on the calendar for consideration. 1
41.(a) A bill shall not be called for a third reading and final 2
passage until a photocopied, printed copy, or electronic copy of same shall 3
have been placed on every representative’s desk for twenty -four (24) hours. 4
The twenty-four (24) hour period begins when a bill is initially 5
introduced and read across the desk. 6
41.(b) A bill shall not be placed on a committee agenda until the 7
second calendar day following the initial filing of the bill. 8
42. A calendar of bills and resolutions to be considered in the order 9
of business during any legislative day shall be printed and placed on the 10
members’ desks prior to the adjournment of the preceding legislative day. 11
Calendared items are considered to be a moti on for passage. 12
43. A bill ordered to be engrossed or enrolled shall be typed or 13
photocopied. 14
44. A bill having been rejected may not be brought up again during the 15
same legislative session unless it be an appropriation bill. Appropriation 16
bills may be considered a total of two times during any calendar day. 17
Following a second consideration during the same calendar day, a motion to 18
reconsider or a motion to expunge must be adopted before an appropriation 19
bill may be considered. 20
45.(a) When a bill ha s been passed and transmitted to the Senate, it 21
may be recalled from the Senate by the same vote that was necessary to pass 22
the bill. 23
45.(b) When a bill has been passed and transmitted to the Governor's 24
Office, it may be recalled from the Governor's Offi ce by the same vote that 25
was necessary to pass the bill. 26
46. A committee may receive a bill, resolution, amendment, petition 27
and memorial only through the House, and the House may receive same only 28
through a member. (Art.5, Sec. 34 -- No new bill shall be introduced into 29
either house during the last three days of a regular or fiscal session.) 30
47. Amendments to bills and resolutions: 31
47.(a) When a bill or resolution is under consideration, amendments 32
shall be in order. Upon adoption, amendments shall become a part of the bill 33
or resolution. Amendments to amendments may not be offered. All amendments 34
offered before the House or one of its committees must be typewritten on an 35
approved amendment form and signed by the sponsor. All amendments shall be 36 HR1001
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attached to the original bill, numbered by the Bill Clerk, and shall be 1
placed physically or electronically upon the members’ desks before being 2
acted upon by the House. 3
47.(b) When a House bill has been amended in the Senate, upon return 4
of said bill to the House, the Speaker shall re -refer the bill, together with 5
the Senate amendment(s), to the committee to which the bill was originally 6
referred, for review. Concurrence in the Senate amendment shall not be 7
considered by the House until the committee rep ort is received by the House. 8
When a House bill is amended and passed by the Senate and is returned to the 9
House, the bill shall be reprinted with the Senate amendments included 10
therein and specifically identified and shall be placed on each member’s desk 11
before final action is taken on the bill by the House. When the Senate 12
amendment is before the House, the same number of votes will be required to 13
concur in the Senate amendment as was required in the original passage of the 14
bill in the House. Amendment s containing an emergency clause require sixty -15
seven (67) votes. 16
47.(c) Fifty-one (51) votes shall be required to adopt a House 17
amendment to a House or Senate bill. When a House bill has been amended in 18
the House, it shall not be acted upon until it has been engrossed and such 19
engrossed bill has been printed and placed on each member’s desk. 20
47.(d) Every amendment proposed must be germane to the subject of the 21
proposition to be amended. 22
47.(e) All appropriation bills and other bills which are require d to 23
be submitted to the Budget Committee, or to another designated committee of 24
the House and Senate, which are amended on the Floor of either House of the 25
General Assembly by an amendment which was not recommended favorably by the 26
Budget Committee, or by any other committee of the House and Senate to which 27
referred, shall be re -referred to such committee of the House and Senate for 28
consideration and recommendation before said bill may be considered for final 29
passage or concurrence by the House of Represen tatives. 30
47.(f) Members’ own House bills and Senate bills on which a House 31
member is the lead sponsor may be amended with their own amendments beginning 32
at a specific time set aside by the House. Senate bills may be amended in 33
accordance with the applic able rules provided for amending members' own House 34
bills with their own amendments. 35
47.(g) Members’ own amendments to their own House bills and Senate 36 HR1001
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bills with House sponsors must be signed only by the sponsor of the bill 1
whose name is listed first in the list of sponsors. 2
47.(h) Members’ own amendments to their own House bills and Senate 3
bills on which there are House sponsors must be presented to the House Bill 4
Clerk only by the sponsor of the House or Senate bill whose name is listed 5
first in the list of sponsors. 6
47.(i) After acceptance, the House Bill Clerk shall furnish the 7
sponsor with a stamped and numbered copy of the members’ signed amendment. 8
47.(j) The sponsor shall present a stamped, numbered and signed copy 9
of a proposed amendment to the Calendar Clerk in order to have the bill and 10
amendment placed on the “Members’ Own Bill/Own Amendment Calendar”. 11
47.(k) A House or Senate bill to be amended by a member with his or 12
her own amendment shall only be placed on the “Members’ Own Bill/Own 13
Amendment Calendar” by the sponsor whose name is listed first on the bill. 14
47.(l) An objection by any member, written or oral, to the Speaker of 15
the House or his or her designee, shall cause a member’s own amendment to his 16
or her own bill to not be cons idered and to be removed from the “Members’ Own 17
Bill/Own Amendment Calendar” and automatically placed on the same day’s 18
regular amendment calendar for consideration. 19
47.(m) A member’s own House bill or Senate bill amended with a 20
member’s own amendment sh all be transmitted directly to Engrossing after 21
having been amended. 22
47.(n) No House or Senate bills having been amended shall be 23
considered by any committee or the full House until such bills have been 24
engrossed, proofed and reported “correctly engrosse d”. The Speaker or 25
presiding officer shall not accept a motion to suspend this rule. 26
47.(o) Members’ own House bills or Senate bills to be amended with 27
their own amendments shall be placed on the “Members’ Own Bill/Own Amendment 28
Calendar” no later than 4:30 p.m. the day preceding the day they are to be 29
considered. 30
47.(p) When a bill has a committee recommendation and is subsequently 31
amended to change the title, and/or the list of sponsors and/or an emergency 32
clause, such amendment shall not cause the b ill to be re-referred to 33
committee. 34
47.(q) Members’ own House bills may be withdrawn at a specific time 35
set aside by the House by placing them on the “Withdrawal Calendar” no later 36 HR1001
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than 4:30 p.m., the day preceding the day they are to be withdrawn. House 1
bills for withdrawal may be placed on the “Withdrawal Calendar” only by the 2
member whose name is listed first as author of the bill. The member 3
requesting withdrawal may recommend the bill to be studied by the same 4
committee to which the bill was assigne d at the time of request for 5
withdrawal. 6
47.(r) The Speaker of the House at a specific time set aside by the 7
House may transfer to another committee bills or resolutions by placing them 8
on the “Re-referral Calendar” no later than 4:30 p.m. the day before they are 9
to be transferred. 10
47.(s) Budget bills sponsored by members but recommended to be amended to 11
delete the sponsor and substitute the Joint Budget Committee as sponsor may 12
be amended during the period set aside to amend "Members Own Bills with thei r 13
Own Amendments". 14
47.(t) The Rules governing members amending their own bills with their 15
own amendments shall be in effect for House and Senate Budget bills so far as 16
they are applicable. 17
47.(u) Budget bills to be amended deleting the sponsor and 18
substituting the Joint Budget Committee shall be placed on the Joint Budget 19
Calendar by the Joint Budget Calendar Clerk. 20
47.(v) The House Chairman of the Joint Budget Committee shall sign all 21
amendments deleting the sponsor and substituting the Joint Budget Committee 22
as sponsor. 23
24
RESOLUTIONS 25
48. Resolutions shall follow the same procedure as bills. 26
49. A House resolution shall be directed at some matter for the sole 27
action of the House and may be introduced in extraordinary sessions, lack of 28
germaneness notwithstanding. Fifty -one (51) votes shall be required to adopt 29
a House resolution. 30
50. Joint resolutions are for incidental, unusual, or informal 31
objectives of legislation (i.e., as extending the thanks of the State to 32
individuals; invitations to celeb rities to visit the State), or to submit 33
proposed amendments to the United States Constitution, ratifying United 34
States Constitutional amendments and proposing amendments to the Arkansas 35
Constitution. 36 HR1001
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51. Concurrent resolutions shall be a means of expres sing fact, 1
principles, opinions, purposes, and all other matters requiring concurrence 2
of both houses except the subject matter provided for in the joint 3
resolution. A concurrent resolution is binding on neither house until agreed 4
to by both. 5
52. Resolutions of Inquiry: 6
52.(a) All resolutions of inquiry addressed to the heads of executive 7
departments shall be reported to the House within one (1) week after 8
presentation. 9
52.(b) A House resolution authorizing a committee to request 10
information is treated as a resolution of inquiry. 11
52.(c) A resolution of inquiry from a committee shall have a 12
privileged status to report. 13
14
STANDING, SELECT, AND SPECIAL COMMITTEES 15
(Arkansas Code, Title 10, Subchapter 2 -- Interim Committees Generally) 16
53. The committees of the House of Representatives shall consist of 17
ten (10) standing committees, seven (7) select committees, and three (3) 18
special committees. The standing committees shall be five (5) Class "A" 19
committees and five (5) Class "B" committees. The sev en (7) select 20
committees shall be five (5) joint select committees and two (2) House select 21
committees. The three (3) special committees shall be two (2) joint 22
committees and one (1) House committee. The House standing, joint select, 23
select and special c ommittees are as follows: 24
53.(a) HOUSE STANDING COMMITTEES 25
Class "A" Committees 26
Education 27
Judiciary 28
Public Health, Welfare and Labor 29
Public Transportation 30
Revenue and Taxation 31
Class "B" Committees 32
Aging, Children and Youth, Legislative and Mili tary Affairs 33
Agriculture, Forestry and Economic Development 34
City, County and Local Affairs 35
Insurance and Commerce 36 HR1001
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State Agencies and Governmental Affairs 1
53.(b) JOINT SELECT COMMITTEES 2
(1) Joint Budget -- (to consist of twenty four (24) members of the 3
House and twenty four (24) members of the Senate, and the immediate past co -4
chairs of the Legislative Council and ex -officio members in accordance with 5
Arkansas Code § 10-3-502. (Arkansas Code, Subchapter 5, -- Joint Budget 6
Committee) The House members of the Joint Budget Committee shall be known as 7
the House Budget Committee. 8
(2) Joint Committee on Energy -- (to consist of fifteen (15) members 9
of the House, fifteen (15) House alternates, and ten (10) members of the 10
Senate. (Arkansas Code, Title 10, Subchapter 8 -- Energy Committees.) 11
(3) Joint Committee on Public Retirement and Social Security 12
Programs -- (to consist of ten (10) members of the House, ten (10) House 13
alternates, and ten (10) members of the Senate. (Arkansas Code, Title 10, 14
Subchapter 7 -- Retirement Committees) 15
(4) Joint Performance Review Committee -- (to consist of twenty (20) 16
members of the House and ten (10) members of the Senate. (Arkansas Code, 17
Title 10, Subchapter 9 -- Joint Performance Review Committees) 18
(5) Joint Committee on Advanced Communications and Information 19
Technology -- (to consist of ten (10) members of the House, ten (10) House 20
alternates, and seven (7) members of the Senate. (Arkansas Code, Title 10, 21
Subchapter 17 -- Joint Committee on Advanced Communications and Information 22
Technology) 23
53.(c) HOUSE SELECT COMMITTEES 24
House Rules Committee shall consist of no more than fifteen (15) 25
members. 26
House Management Committee shall consist of the Speaker and no more 27
than six (6) additional members. 28
53.(d) SPECIAL COMMITTEES 29
(1) Joint Interim Committee on Legislative Facilities -- (to consist 30
of fourteen (14) members of the General Assembly, as follows: 31
53.(d)(1)(a) The chairperson of the House Budget Committee; 32
53.(d)(1)(b) Two (2) members of the House of Rep resentatives appointed 33
by the Speaker; 34
53.(d)(1)(c) The chairperson of the House Management Committee and two 35
(2) additional members of the House Management Committee to be designated by 36 HR1001
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its chairperson; 1
53.(d)(1)(d) The Speaker of the House of Represe ntatives or his or her 2
designee; and 3
53.(d)(1)(e) Seven (7) members of the Senate to be named by the Senate 4
Committee on Committees. (Arkansas Code, Title 10, Subchapter 11 -- Joint 5
Interim Committee on Legislative Facilities) 6
53.(2) House Committee on the Journal; Engrossed and Enrolled Bills 7
shall consist of not more than five (5) members. The House Committee on the 8
Journal; Engrossed and Enrolled Bills shall not be considered a standing or 9
select committee. The committee shall consist of the Speake r of the House of 10
Representatives or his or her designee who shall be chairperson, the 11
chairperson of the House Rules Committee who shall be the vice chairperson, 12
the chairperson of the House Management Committee, and two (2) members of the 13
House appointed by the Speaker of the House; and, the House Parliamentarian 14
shall serve as secretary and advisor to the committee. The chairperson of the 15
committee shall receive an allowance in accordance with Arkansas Code § 10 -2-16
215. 17
53.(3) Joint Committee on Legisla tive Printing Requirements and 18
Specifications -- (to consist of the chairperson and vice chairperson of the 19
House Management Committee, the chairperson and vice chairperson of the 20
Senate Efficiency Committee, the Speaker of the House of Representatives or 21
his or her designee and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate. (Arkansas 22
Code, Title 10, Subchapter 6 -- Joint Committee on Legislative Printing 23
Requirements and Specifications) 24
54.(a) STANDING COMMITTEES 25
54.(a)(1) Selection of membership positions on House committees for 26
members-elect shall take place during the caucus of the entire House of 27
Representatives-elect following the November General Election. 28
54.(a)(2) Each standing committee shall consist of twenty (20) 29
members. Each member of the Hou se of Representatives shall serve on two (2) 30
standing committees, one (1) of which shall be a Class “A” standing committee 31
and one (1) of which shall be a Class “B” standing committee. A member may 32
not serve on more than one (1) committee of the same clas s. Members of the 33
standing committees shall be selected as follows: 34
(A) Each Class “A” standing committee and each Class “B” 35
standing committee shall have five (5) members from each of the four (4) 36 HR1001
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House district caucuses. 1
(B)(i) The most senior member of the House of 2
Representatives shall select first and shall choose a position on a Class “A” 3
standing committee. The next -senior member shall then choose a position on a 4
Class “A” standing committee. The seniority rotation procedure shall 5
continue until the member with the least seniority makes his or her 6
selection. 7
(ii) After the member with the least seniority makes 8
his or her Class “A” standing committee selection, the most senior member 9
shall select his or her Class “B” standing committ ee. The seniority rotation 10
shall continue until the member with the least seniority selects his or her 11
Class “B” standing committee. 12
(C)(i) A member may trade a committee membership with 13
another member. 14
(ii) A trade of committee membership may only occur 15
by the close of business on the day of the committee selection process. 16
(iii) A trade of committee membership shall be in 17
writing and signed by the members who are trading their committee 18
memberships, the trading members’ political caucu s leaders, and the Speaker 19
of the House of Representatives. 20
(iv) Once completed, written and signed 21
documentation of the trade of committee membership shall filed in the House 22
Journal. 23
(D)(i) The Speaker of the House shall have the authority 24
to make adjustments to committee membership following the committee selection 25
process only for the purpose of adjusting the majority to minority party 26
ratio on the standing committees. 27
(ii) The adjustments to committee membership made by 28
the Speaker shall not exceed placing eleven (11) members of the majority 29
party on a twenty (20) member committee. 30
54.(a)(3) Standing committee membership shall be confirmed at the same 31
time that House members are administered the oath of office. 32
54.(a)(4) From within each standing committee there shall be created 33
three (3) permanent subcommittees consisting of eight (8) members. Each 34
member of the House of Representatives shall serve on two (2) permanent 35
subcommittees, one (1) from a Class “A” standing committee and one (1) from a 36 HR1001
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Class “B” standing committee. The Speaker of the House of Representatives and 1
the chairperson of each standing committee shall jointly appoint from the 2
membership of the standing committee six (6) persons for each permanent 3
subcommittee availab le, provided further the chairperson and vice chairperson 4
of each standing committee shall be ex -officio, voting members of each 5
permanent subcommittee created from within their standing committee. The 6
permanent subcommittees of the standing committees may meet after having 7
first obtained prior approval of the standing committee chairperson. 8
54.(a)(5) There shall be no transfers from one standing committee to 9
another or from one permanent subcommittee to another during the biennium 10
following initial bien nial appointment and or confirmation. After selection 11
of standing committee members and permanent subcommittee members, a vacancy 12
occurring on a standing committee or permanent subcommittee during the 13
biennium because of the death, resignation, impeachment expulsion, etc., of a 14
member, shall be temporarily filled by the Speaker of the House of 15
Representatives assigning the newly elected member, for the remainder of the 16
biennium, to the “A” and “B” standing committees, and the permanent 17
subcommittees previou sly held by their predecessor. The newly elected member 18
does not automatically assume a chairmanship or vice -chairmanship, which 19
vacancies shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment. 20
54.(a)(6) A non-returning member of the House of Representatives who 21
has been assigned an office or other premises shall vacate the office or 22
other premises by December 15 following the General Election in the even -23
numbered years; and, by the same date, a returning member shall be prepared 24
to vacate his or her assigned office or premises at the direction of the 25
Speaker. 26
54.(b) SELECT COMMITTEES 27
54.(b)(1) With the exception of the House Budget Committee, the 28
Speaker shall appoint all members and all alternates on all House select 29
committees and all Jo int Select Committees. The Speaker shall appoint ex -30
officio members in accordance with the law. 31
54.(b)(2)(A) Selection of positions on the House Budget Committee 32
shall occur following the Class “A” standing committee and Class “B” standing 33
committee selections and in conjunction with selection of members for the 34
Legislative Council and the Legislative Joint Auditing Committee. 35
(B) The most senior member of the House of Representatives 36 HR1001
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shall select first and shall choose a primary or alternate position on the 1
House Budget Committee, the Legislative Council, or the Legislative Joint 2
Auditing Committee. The next -senior member shall then choose a primary or 3
alternate position on the House Budget Committee, the Legislative Council, or 4
the Legislative Joint Auditing Committee. The seniority rotation procedure 5
shall continue until the member with the least seniority makes his or her 6
selection or until all primary and alternate positions on th e House Budget 7
Committee, the Legislative Council, or the Legislative Joint Auditing 8
Committee are filled. 9
(C)(i) The Speaker of the House shall have the authority 10
to make adjustments to committee membership following the committee selection 11
process only for the purpose of adjusting the majority to minority ratio on 12
the House Budget Committee, the Legislative Council, and the Legislative 13
Joint Auditing Committee. 14
(ii) The adjustments to committee membership made by 15
the Speaker shall not exceed the minimum necessary to ensure majority party 16
membership exceeds minority party membership on the committees. 17
(iii) Final committee memberships shall be announced 18
no later than the House Orientation held in December before a Regular 19
Session. 20
54.(b)(3) The House Budget Committee shall consist of six (6) members 21
of the House of Representatives and two (2) alternates from each House caucus 22
district. At the time the alternates are selected, one (1) shall be 23
designated as first alternate and the other as s econd alternate. The term of 24
office of the members shall be from January 1 of odd -numbered years through 25
December 31 of the following even -numbered year. Vacancies in either a member 26
or alternate member position shall be filled in the same manner as the 27
initial member or alternate member position was filled. House Budget 28
Committee membership shall be confirmed at the same time that House members 29
are administered the oath of office. Prior to confirmation, however, members 30
chosen to serve on the House Budget Committee shall conduct pre -session 31
budget hearings, either standing alone or in conjunction with the Legislative 32
Council. 33
54.(b)(4) No member of the House of Representatives shall serve on 34
more than one (1) select committee. The Legislative Council, t he Legislative 35
Joint Auditing Committee, the House Budget Committee, the House Committee on 36 HR1001
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the Journal; Engrossed and Enrolled Bills, and the House Management Committee 1
are excluded therefrom. 2
54.(c)(1) The Speaker of the House of Representatives shall appoint a 3
chairperson and a vice chairperson of each standing committee and each select 4
committee who shall serve at the pleasure of the Speaker of the House of 5
Representatives. The Speaker, in consultation with the chairperson of each 6
standing committee, shall appoint from the membership of each permanent 7
subcommittee, a chairperson and vice chairperson provided however that the 8
vice chairperson of the standing committee may be the chairperson of a 9
permanent subcommittee. No member of the House of Represe ntatives, with the 10
exception of each House standing committee vice chairperson, shall be 11
chairperson or vice chairperson of more than one (1) standing committee, 12
select committee, or permanent subcommittee. 13
54.(c)(2) The rules or proceedings of the Hous e of Representatives 14
shall be observed in all select committees, standing committees, and 15
subcommittees of the House of Representatives so far as the rules or 16
proceedings may be applicable. 17
54.(c)(3) The House Committee on the Journal; Engrossed and Enr olled 18
Bills shall serve as the supervisory committee over the preparation of the 19
Journal and engrossing and enrolling of bills. 20
54.(c)(4) After the membership of a standing committee or a permanent 21
subcommittee is established, no member shall be removed from any standing 22
committee or any permanent subcommittee during the biennium for which he or 23
she was selected. All appointees selected by the Speaker of the House of 24
Representatives serve at his or her discretion. 25
55. Committee Operations. 26
55.(a) Each committee of the House shall be provided a secretary who 27
shall maintain a current record of all bills, resolutions, amendments, 28
petitions, memorials, or other matters filed in committee. A record of 29
committee actions (committee reports, committee adopt ed amendments, etc.) 30
shall be filed with the Chief Clerk of the House as the first priority upon 31
adjournment of the committee. The secretary shall post, on a bulletin board 32
and/or electronically, a current list of all measures pending before the 33
committee. 34
55.(b) All committees shall consider the bills, resolutions, 35
amendments, petitions, and memorials referred to them and make one of the 36 HR1001
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following reports in writing to the House: 1
55.(b)(1) That a bill, resolution, petition or memorial “do pass”; 2
55.(b)(2) That a bill, resolution, petition or memorial “do not pass”, 3
in which event the measure shall not be considered unless the vote is 4
expunged; 5
55.(b)(3) That a bill, resolution, petition or memorial “do pass as 6
amended”. 7
55.(c) No bill, resoluti on, petition or memorial shall be acted upon 8
by the House without a “do pass” or a “do pass as amended” recommendation. 9
No bills shall be placed on the non -controversial calendar or deemed to be 10
non-controversial in any way unless a motion is adopted in t he committee to 11
which the bill was referred. With a quorum present, the motion is considered 12
adopted if there are no negative votes. 13
55.(d) The appropriate subject matter standing committees of the House 14
and the Senate may meet as joint committees whene ver agreed by said 15
committees, for the purposes of holding public hearings or considering any 16
proposed or pending legislation but upon conclusion of the joint meeting of 17
said committees, each standing committee of the House of Representatives and 18
the Senate shall take such action and report to their respective houses as 19
determined by said committees. Whenever the appropriate subject committees 20
of the House and Senate hold hearings or meetings, the chairperson of the 21
House committee and the chairperson of t he Senate committee shall by 22
agreement determine which of them shall preside at the joint meeting. 23
Rules 56-59 [Repealed.] 24
60. Meetings and Hearings: 25
60.(a) All committee and subcommittee meetings including but not 26
limited to hearings at which public testimony is to be taken, (normally 27
called “public hearings”) shall be open to the public (Arkansas Constitution, 28
Article 5, § 13, Sessions to be open.) and shall be scheduled at least 29
eighteen (18) hours in advance; agendas of bills, resolutions, and othe r 30
proposals to be considered at such meetings shall be posted in a designated 31
place at least eighteen (18) hours in advance; but in case of an emergency, a 32
two-thirds (2/3) majority of the membership of the committee may bring bills 33
up for consideration up on notice of not less than two (2) hours. 34
60.(b) Special meetings of a standing committee may be called by the 35
chairperson of the committee or by a majority of the members of the committee 36 HR1001
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for conducting any business of the committee; provided, a special meeting of 1
the committee may not conflict with regularly scheduled meetings of any 2
standing committee; provided further, special meetings shall be subject to 3
the same procedures regarding the publishing of agendas and notices of 4
meetings that apply to reg ular standing committee meetings. 5
60.(c) The Speaker of the House shall establish a schedule of House 6
standing and select committee meetings so as to minimize conflicts. 7
61.(a) All persons wishing to offer testimony to a committee hearing 8
shall be given a reasonable opportunity to do so as determined by a majority 9
of the committee. An oral or written statement shall not be a prerequisite 10
to offer testimony before a committee. 11
61.(b)(1) The committee shall have the opportunity to ask questions of 12
persons offering testimony. 13
61.(b)(2) Electronic devices such as smart phones, tablets or personal 14
computers may be used by participants in debate but during presentations may 15
not be employed for personal communications with outside parties. 16
62. All contested elections cases entertained by the House shall be 17
referred to the Rules Committee which shall make its final recommendation not 18
later than two (2) weeks from the first day of the session. 19
63. No committee shall sit while the House is in session exc ept the 20
Committee on Rules or a Conference Committee, which shall notify the House. 21
64.(a) The following subject areas shall be within the jurisdiction of 22
each of the respective House standing committees: 23
64.(1) Committee on Education – matters pertaining to public 24
kindergarten, elementary, secondary, and adult education, vocational 25
education, vocational -technical schools, vocational rehabilitation, higher 26
education, private educational institutions, similar legislation, and 27
resolutions germane to the subject matter of the committee; 28
64.(2) Committee on Judiciary – matters pertaining to state and local 29
courts, court clerks and stenographers and other employees of the courts, 30
civil and criminal procedures, probate matters, civil and criminal law s, 31
similar matters, and resolutions germane to the subject matter of the 32
committee; 33
64.(3) Committee on Public Health, Welfare and Labor – matters 34
pertaining to public health, mental health, mental retardation, public 35
welfare, human relations and resourc es, environmental affairs, water and air 36 HR1001
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pollution, labor and labor relations, contractors and contracting, similar 1
legislation, and resolutions germane to the subject matter of the committee; 2
64.(4) Committee on Public Transportation – matters pertaining to 3
roads and highways, city streets, county roads, road vehicles, highway 4
safety, airports and air transportation, common and contract carriers, mass 5
transit, similar legislation, and resolutions germane to the subject matter 6
of the committee; 7
64.(5) Committee on Revenue and Taxation – matters pertaining to the 8
levy, increase, reduction, collection, enforcement and administration of 9
taxes and other revenue -producing measures, and resolutions germane to the 10
subject matter of the committee; 11
64.(6) Committee on Aging, Children and Youth, Legislative and 12
Military Affairs – matters pertaining to the aged, child custody, adoptions, 13
problems of aging; children and youth, military, veterans, legislative 14
affairs, memorials, other matters whenever the subject ma tter is not germane 15
to the subject matter of any other standing committee and resolutions germane 16
to the subject matter of the committee; 17
64.(7) Committee on Agriculture, Forestry and Economic Development – 18
matters pertaining to agriculture, livestock, f orestry, industrial 19
development, natural resources, oil and gas, publicity and parks, levee and 20
drainage, rivers and harbors, similar legislation and resolutions germane to 21
the subject matter of the committee; 22
64.(8) Committee on City, County and Local A ffairs – matters 23
pertaining to city and municipal affairs, county affairs, local improvement 24
districts, water districts, interlocal government cooperation, similar 25
legislation and resolutions germane to the subject matter of the committee; 26
64.(9) Committee on Insurance and Commerce – matters pertaining to 27
banks and banking, savings and loan associations, stock, bonds, and other 28
securities, securities dealers, insurance, public utilities, partnerships and 29
corporations, home mortgage financing and housing, similar legislation and 30
resolutions germane to the subject matter of the committee; 31
64.(10) Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs – matters 32
pertaining to state government and state agencies, except where the subject 33
matter relates more app ropriately to another committee, proposed amendments 34
to the Constitution of the State of Arkansas or the Federal government, 35
election laws and procedures, Federal and interstate relations, similar 36 HR1001
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legislation, and resolutions germane to the subject matter of the committee; 1
64.(10)(a)(b) The following permanent subcommittees are hereby created 2
from within each standing committee: 3
64.(10)(a)(1)For the House standing committee on Aging, Children and 4
Youth, Legislative and Military Affairs, the following per manent 5
subcommittees are created: 6
(1)(A) Aging 7
(2)(B) Children and Youth 8
(3)(C) Legislative, Military and Veterans Affairs 9
64.(10)(a)(2) For the House standing committee on Agriculture, 10
Forestry and Economic Development, the following permanent subcommittees are 11
created: 12
(1)(A) Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources 13
(2)(B) Small Business and Economic Development 14
(3)(C) Parks and Tourism 15
64.(10)(a)(3) For House standing committee on City, County and Local 16
Affairs, the following permanent subcommittees are created: 17
(1)(A) Planning 18
(2)(B) Finance 19
(3)(C) Local Government Personnel 20
64.(10)(a)(4) For the House standing committee on Education, the 21
following permanent subcommittees are created: 22
(1)(A) Early Childhood 23
(2)(B) Kindergarten Through Twelve, Vocational/Technical 24
Institutions 25
(3)(C) Higher Education 26
64.(10)(a)(5) For the House standing committee on Insurance and 27
Commerce, the following permanent subcommittees are created: 28
(1)(A) Financial Institutions 29
(2)(B) Insurance 30
(3)(C) Utilities 31
64.(10)(a)(6) For the House standing committee on Judiciary, the 32
following permanent subcommittees are created: 33
(1)(A) Courts/Civil Law 34
(2)(B) Corrections/Criminal Law 35
(3)(C) Juvenile Justice/Child Support 36 HR1001
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64.(10)(a)(7) For the House standing committee on Public Health, 1
Welfare and Labor, the following permanent subcommittees are created: 2
(1)(A) Human Services 3
(2)(B) Health Services 4
(3)(C) Labor and Environment 5
64.(10)(a)(8) For the House standing committee on Public 6
Transportation, the following permanent subcommittees are created: 7
(1)(A) Motor Vehicle and Highways 8
(2)(B) Public Transportation and Rail 9
(3)(C) Waterways and Aeronautics 10
64.(10)(a)(9) For the House standing committee on Revenue and 11
Taxation, the following permanent subcommittees are created: 12
(1)(A) Sales, Use, Miscellaneous Taxes and Exemptions 13
(2)(B) Income Taxes—Personal and Corporate 14
(3)(C) Complaints and Remediation 15
64.(10)(a)(10) For the House standing committee on State Agencies and 16
Governmental Affairs, the following permanent subcommittees are created: 17
(1)(A) State Agencies and Reorganization 18
(2)(B) Constitutional Issues 19
(3)(C) Elections 20
65.(a) Committee on Rules: 21
65.(a)(1) All proposed action touching the rules, joint rules, and 22
order of business shall be referred to the Committee on Rules. 23
65.(a)(2) It shall always be in order to call up, for consideration, a 24
report from the Committee on Rules. 25
65.(a)(3) The Committee on Rules shall present to the House reports 26
concerning rules, joint rules, and order of business on the third day after 27
convening of the House. The permanent rules shall be adopted by a majority 28
of the members and thereafter they may be changed only by a vote of sixty -29
seven (67) members. 30
65.(a)(4) The Speaker shall refer any matter he or she deems 31
appropriate to the Committee on Rules, including without limitation any 32
matters dealing with alcohol, cigarettes, movies, pornography, tobacco, 33
tobacco products, coin operated amusement devices, vending machines, 34
lobbying, code of ethics, bingo, lotteries, raffles, racing, race tracks, 35
pari-mutuel betting and similar legislation. 36 HR1001
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65.(a)(5) Rules of the preceding General Assembly shall automatically 1
be adopted as temporary rules of the current assembly and may be amended or 2
suspended by a majority vote of the membership. 3
65.(b) House Budget Committee. All appropriation bills coming before 4
the House shall be assigned to and considered by the House Budget Committee. 5
66. No committee shall transact business without a quorum (a majority 6
of the committee membership present). The request for a quorum call is 7
always in order. All final action on bills, and on proposed amendments to 8
bills, shall be decided by a majority vote of the total membership of the 9
committee. Provided, however, that the Speaker of the House shall not be 10
included for the purpose of determining what is a majority of a standing 11
committee, unless present at the time of the vote. A member of the committee 12
must be present at the time of the vote for his or her vote to be counted on 13
any matter considered by the committee (no pairs, no proxies). 14
66.(a) A bill, resolution or amendment in a House committee, having 15
been rejected twice, shall not be placed on the committee calendar again or 16
considered again during the same legislative session unless the vote is 17
expunged (two-thirds of the membership of the committee). The motion to 18
expunge shall be placed by a committee membe r at the bottom of the committee 19
agenda. A bill or resolution may be amended before a second consideration; 20
but, unless expunged, even an amended bill having failed twice shall not be 21
placed on the calendar or considered. 22
67. Upon written request by the author of a bill directed to the 23
chairperson of the committee, a bill shall be considered by the full 24
committee within ten (10) days of the time of such request, but the 25
committees may delay final action on a bill by a majority vote of the 26
committee. 27
68. No bill shall be introduced with a committee as the author of said 28
bill unless that committee has voted unanimously to sponsor the bill. 29
69. Committee Records and Reports: 30
69.(a) The chairperson of each committee of the House shall keep or 31
cause to be kept a separate record for each committee meeting in which there 32
shall be entered: 33
69.(a) 1.(1) The time and place of each hearing and each meeting of 34
the committee. 35
69.(a) 2.(2) The number and title of the bill with one of the 36 HR1001
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following three recomme ndations: “do pass”, “do pass as amended”, or “do not 1
pass”. If a committee recommends a bill “do pass as amended” and any of the 2
amendments recommended by the committee are not adopted on the Floor, the 3
bill shall be re-referred to the same committee for further consideration and 4
recommendation. 5
69.(a) 3.(3) A summary of each bill’s major provision which may be 6
several paragraphs in length in case of major bills or simply the title of 7
the bill in the case of minor bills. 8
69.(a) 4.(4) The reason for the committee’s action on the bill, 9
including a brief minority report, if requested by any two (2) committee 10
members. 11
69.(a) 5.(5) A record of how every member voted on each bill when 12
action is taken by the committee, including votes on a motion to postpon e 13
consideration on the bill and a recorded vote on any other motion, if 14
requested by any two (2) committee members. 15
69.(a) 6.(6) A list of all people testifying before a committee on 16
each bill, the interest that they represent, and an indication of their 17
position on the bill. 18
69.(b) Such records for each separate committee meeting shall be 19
approved by the chairperson before the expiration of a seven (7) day period, 20
with the exception of those records referred to in (a) 1. and 2., hereinabove 21
which shall be filed immediately with the Clerk of the House. 22
69.(c) Other reports may be filed with the Clerk of the House. 23
70. Consent Calendar – Supplemental Calendar. In addition to the 24
regular calendar of the House of Representatives, there shall be a consen t 25
calendar on which shall be placed bills that have been recommended “do pass” 26
by committee, which are deemed by the committee or by the Speaker to be non -27
controversial, and may be used for other non -controversial matters such as 28
resolutions and amendments to bills proposed by the author of the bill, if 29
the Speaker deems such matter to be non -controversial. The Speaker of the 30
House shall maintain the consent calendar. Provided, that a list of bills 31
and other matters on the consent calendar which are to be considered on a 32
particular day shall be circulated among the members of the House of 33
Representatives the day prior to the date on which the consent calendar is to 34
be considered. If as many as five (5) members object to a bill or other 35
matter on the consent calendar being considered as non -controversial, the 36 HR1001
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Speaker of the House shall remove the same from the consent calendar and 1
shall place it on the regular calendar of the House business. When deemed 2
advisable, in addition to the regular calendar and th e consent calendar, the 3
Speaker may provide for a supplemental calendar on which shall be placed 4
bills and resolutions and other matters as requested by the members for 5
consideration. The list of bills, resolutions and other matters on the 6
supplemental calendar for consideration on a particular day shall be 7
circulated among the members of the House. If as many as five (5) members 8
object to a bill, resolution or any other matter on the supplemental calendar 9
the same shall be removed and placed on the regul ar House calendar for 10
consideration consistent with the wishes of the House. No bill or resolution 11
may be placed for consideration on any more than one (1) House calendar, 12
supplemental calendars excepted. 13
71. A vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the elected me mbership of the House 14
of Representatives shall be necessary to remove a bill from a committee. A 15
bill may be reported by a committee at any time as provided by the House 16
Rules except for bills introduced after the fiftieth (50th) day of the 17
Regular Session, or during a special session, which shall, upon written 18
request by the author, be acted on at the next regular meeting of the 19
committee, but committees may delay final action on a bill by a majority vote 20
of the committee. 21
72.(a) Except as provided in s ubsection (b), no action may be taken in 22
the House Committee on Public Health, Welfare and Labor or on the Floor of 23
the House of Representatives on any bill that provides for licensure of any 24
profession, occupation or class of health care providers not cur rently 25
licensed or expands the scope of practice of any profession, occupation, or 26
class of health care providers unless the House Committee on Public Health, 27
Welfare and Labor has initiated a study of the feasibility of such 28
legislation at least thirty (3 0) days prior to convening the next legislative 29
session. 30
72.(b) A bill providing for the licensure of any profession, 31
occupation, or class of health care providers not currently licensed or 32
expanding the scope of any practice of any profession, occupatio n, or class 33
of health care providers may be acted upon without the initiation of a 34
feasibility study required in subsection (a) upon a two -thirds (2/3) vote of 35
the House Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee membership. 36 HR1001
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1
COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE 2
73. All measures involving a tax or an appropriation of money, or 3
property, may be first considered in a Committee of the Whole, amendments can 4
be offered in the Committee of the Whole. 5
74. The Speaker of the House, in setting the calendar of budgets or 6
appropriation bills to be considered in the House shall, from time to time, 7
confer with the chairperson of the House Budget Committee on the 8
appropriation bills pending and may designate specific days or times to be 9
set aside in the House to be devoted solely t o consideration of appropriation 10
bills and other budget matters. At least by the end of business on the 11
previous day before any appropriation bill is to be considered by the House, 12
the chairperson of the House Budget Committee shall cause to be prepared a nd 13
placed on each member’s desk a listing of appropriation bills to be 14
considered in the Committee of the Whole or the House, broken down as 15
follows: 16
74.(a) Appropriation bills sponsored by the Joint Budget Committee or 17
the House Budget Committee, prepar ed in accordance with Legislative Council 18
recommendations; 19
74.(b) All other appropriation bills sponsored by the Joint Budget 20
Committee or the House Budget Committee which were not considered by the 21
Legislative Council; 22
74.(c) Bills introduced by membe rs of the House (or Senate) that shall 23
have been recommended by the Joint Budget Committee or the House Budget 24
Committee “do pass” or “do pass as amended”; and 25
74.(d) Appropriation bills amended in the Senate without Joint Budget 26
Committee or House Budge t Committee action. The aforementioned list of 27
appropriation bills shall include the number of the bill, the author of the 28
bill, and the name and agency and/or program for which the appropriation is 29
to be made. In the event the Joint Budget Committee or the House Budget 30
Committee recommendations in regard to the appropriation shall differ, in any 31
respect, from the recommendations made by the Legislative Council in regard 32
thereto, said list shall identify each such change in the appropriation bill 33
which differs from the recommendation of the Legislative Council. 34
75. In forming a Committee of the Whole House, the Speaker may leave 35
his or her chair after appointing a chairperson to preside, who shall have 36 HR1001
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the same power as the Speaker to preserve order. A majority of a quorum is 1
required to resolve the House into a Committee of the Whole. 2
76. When the House resolves itself into the Committee of the Whole, 3
non-members who are to participate in the matters to be discussed may be 4
invited into the House Chamb ers by the proponents or opponents of the 5
proposals to be discussed but all such non -members shall leave at the time 6
the committee arises. 7
77. A Committee of the Whole cannot report a measure without a quorum 8
of its members present. 9
78. The rules and proceedings of the House shall be observed in 10
Committee of the Whole House so far as they may be applicable. Decisions 11
will be made by voice or standing votes. 12
79. No motion which has as its effect the limiting of debate in the 13
Committee of the Whole sh all be entertained by the chairperson. The motion 14
for the disposition of any matter referred to the committee shall be, “Mr. or 15
Madam Chair, I move the committee do now rise and report”. If the committee 16
had no specific report, the motion should be to ri se and report progress. 17
18
LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL; LEGISLATIVE JOINT AUDITING COMMITTEE 19
80. Legislative Council. 20
80.(a)(1) The House of Representatives shall select twenty (20) 21
members to serve on the Legislative Council, to include five (5) members from 22
each of the four (4) House district caucuses, in the manner set forth in Rule 23
54.(b) of these rules. 24
80.(a)(2) The Speaker shall select one (1) of their number as 25
Legislative Council co -chair and one (1) of their number as Legislative 26
Council co-vice-chair. No more than two (2) members selected from each caucus 27
shall reside within the same county. The term of office of the members shall 28
be from January 1 of odd-numbered years to December 31 of the following even -29
numbered year. Legislative Council membership shall be confirmed at the same 30
time that House members are administered the oath of office. 31
80.(b) In order that there may be no House vacancies on the 32
Legislative Council at any time, at the time of selection of the House 33
members to the Legislative Co uncil, there shall be selected from each House 34
Caucus District in the same manner as is set forth in Rule 54.(b) of these 35
rules, a first alternate and a second alternate for each member selected from 36 HR1001
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that district. In the event that any House member or Hou se alternate of the 1
Legislative Council resigns from the Legislative Council, is disqualified 2
from serving on the Legislative Council, dies, or for any other reason there 3
becomes a permanent vacancy in a House position on the Legislative Council, 4
the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall select from the same House 5
caucus district a replacement member or alternate to serve the remainder of 6
the term. When a vacancy occurs in a House member position on the Legislative 7
Council or a House alternate posit ion on the Legislative Council, that 8
person’s alternate shall serve until a new member is chosen. The Speaker of 9
the House of Representatives shall notify the Legislative Council chairperson 10
of all changes in membership on the Legislative Council. 11
80.(c) Ex-officio members shall be selected in accordance with 12
Arkansas Code § 10-3-301. 13
81. Legislative Joint Auditing Committee. 14
81.(a) The House of Representatives shall select twenty (20) members to 15
serve on the Legislative Joint Auditing Committee, to include five (5) 16
members from each of the four (4) House District Caucuses, in the manner set 17
forth in Rule 54.(b) of these rules. Following the selections, the Speaker 18
of the House of Representatives shall select one (1) of their number as 19
Legislative Joint Auditing Committee co -chair and one (1) of their number as 20
Legislative Joint Auditing Committee co -vice-chair. No more than two (2) 21
members shall reside within the same county. The term of office of the 22
members shall be from January 1 of odd -numbered years to December 31 of the 23
following even-numbered year. Legislative Joint Auditing Committee membership 24
shall be confirmed at the same time that House members are administered the 25
oath of office. 26
81.(b) In order that there may be no House vacancies on the 27
Legislative Joint Auditing Committee at any time, at the time of selection of 28
the House members to the Legislative Joint Auditing Committee there shall be 29
selected, from each House Caucus District in the same manner as is set forth 30
in Rule 54.(b) of these rules, a first alternate and a second alternate for 31
each member selected from that House caucus district. In the event that any 32
House member or House alternate of the Legislative Joint Auditing Committee 33
resigns from the Legislative Joint Auditing Com mittee, is disqualified from 34
serving on the Committee, dies, or for any other reason there becomes a 35
permanent vacancy in a House position on the Legislative Joint Auditing 36 HR1001
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Committee, the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall select from the 1
same House caucus district a replacement member or alternate to serve the 2
remainder of the term. When a vacancy occurs in a House member position on 3
the Legislative Joint Auditing Committee or a House alternate position on the 4
Legislative Joint Auditing Committe e, that person’s alternate shall serve 5
until a new member is chosen. The Speaker of the House of Representatives 6
shall notify the Legislative Joint Auditing Committee chairperson of all 7
changes in membership on the Legislative Joint Auditing Committee. 8
81.(c) Ex-officio members shall be selected in accordance with 9
Arkansas Code §§ 10-3-403 and 10-3-404. 10
11
CAUCUS DISTRICTS 12
82. Each of the four caucuses shall select from among the members of 13
the caucus a chairperson. 14
The First Caucus District shall be co mposed of the following House of 15
Representatives Districts: 11; 12; 13; 14; 43; 47; 48; 49; 50; 51; 52; 53; 16
54; 55; 56; 57; 58; 59; 60; 61; 62; 63; 64; 83; and 100 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 27, 17
28, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, a nd 68. 18
The Second Caucus District shall be composed of the following House of 19
Representatives Districts: 23; 27; 28; 29; 30; 31; 32; 33; 34; 35; 36; 37; 20
38; 39; 40; 41; 42; 44; 45; 46; 65; 66; 67; 70; and 72 41, 42, 43, 54, 55, 21
56, 57, 58, 59, 66, 67, 69 , 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 81, 82, 22
and 83. 23
The Third Caucus District shall be composed of the following House of 24
Representatives Districts: 68; 71; 75; 76; 77; 78; 79; 80; 81; 84; 85; 86; 25
87; 88; 89; 90; 91; 92; 93; 94; 95; 96; 97; 98; and 99 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 26
13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 47, 48, 49, 50, and 27
51. 28
The Fourth Caucus District shall be composed of the following House of 29
Representatives Districts: 1; 2; 3; 4; 5; 6; 7; 8; 9; 10; 15; 16; 17; 18; 30
19; 20; 21; 22; 24; 25; 26; 69; 73; 74; and 82 29, 44, 45, 46, 52, 53, 65, 31
80, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, and 100 . 32
33
DEBATE 34
83. When a representative desires to speak or to have the attention of 35
the House, he or she shall rise from his or her seat and respectfully address 36 HR1001
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himself or herself to “Mr. or Madam Speaker”, (or in the Committee of the 1
Whole, “Mr. or Madam Chairperson”) and upon recognition, he or she may 2
address the House from his or her seat or the “well” of the House. 3
Representatives must be at their seats before obtaining recognition. Any 4
representative who receives recognition from the Chair must confine himself 5
or herself to the question before the House, or a privileged motion. No 6
representative shall proc eed until recognized by the Speaker. When two (2) 7
or more representatives arise at once, the Speaker shall name the member who 8
shall be first to speak. 9
84. When a representative desires to interrupt a representative having 10
the Floor, he or she shall fir st obtain recognition of the Speaker and 11
permission of the representative occupying the Floor; and when so recognized 12
and such permission is obtained, he or she may ask questions of the 13
representative occupying the Floor; but shall not propound a series of 14
interrogatives or otherwise badger the representative having the Floor. 15
85. No representative shall occupy more than thirty (30) minutes in 16
debate on any question in the House. The representative reporting a measure 17
under consideration from a committee or the author may open and close debate. 18
If debate shall extend beyond one (1) day, the author or sponsor shall be 19
entitled to thirty (30) minutes to close. The right to close may not be 20
automatically exercised after limited debate, the previous questio n or 21
immediate consideration is voted. 22
86. No representative shall speak more than once on the same question 23
without leave of the House. One (1) mover, proposer or introducer of the 24
question pending may speak the second time and close, but not until eve ry 25
representative choosing to speak shall have been heard. 26
87. A representative having the Floor may not yield it to another for 27
any purpose including making a motion; but, if he or she desires to allow a 28
motion to be made, he or she must yield the Floor . 29
30
DECORUM 31
88. No person other than a member of the Arkansas General Assembly, 32
designated legislative staff, or on special and certain occasions those 33
persons specifically invited by the Speaker of the House, shall be permitted 34
on the Floor of the House Chamber whil e the House is in session or in brief 35
recess. The Speaker shall develop policies governing limited public access 36 HR1001
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to the Floor during the interim. Arrangements for photographers shall be 1
established, the direction and control of which shall be regulated by the 2
Speaker of the House. No one in the House Chamber other than a member of the 3
Legislature may advocate or oppose passage of a measure while the House is in 4
session. No legislative aides, lobbyists or unauthorized persons shall be 5
permitted access to the House Floor, work areas, or House support areas. 6
This Rule shall be enforced by the Speaker of the House and/or the House 7
Management Committee. The House Management Committee and the Rules Committee 8
shall recommend punishment to the House for violati on of this Rule. (Arkansas 9
Code 10-2-110 -- Disorderly Conduct) 10
89. The House Chamber during regular, fiscal and special sessions and 11
during the interim shall be used only for the legislative business of the 12
House and for the caucus meetings of its membe rs, except upon occasions where 13
the House, by resolution, agrees to take part in any ceremonies to be 14
observed therein; and the Speaker shall not entertain a motion for suspension 15
of this rule. 16
90. No representative shall use intemperate language with re ference to 17
the House or its members. 18
91. If any representative, in speaking or otherwise, transgresses the 19
rules of the House, the Speaker shall or any representative may, call him or 20
her to order. He or she shall immediately be seated unless permitted, on a 21
motion of another representative, to explain. The House shall, if called 22
upon, decide on the issue without debate. If the decision is in favor of the 23
representative called to order, he or she shall be free to continue; and, if 24
the dispute shall war rant, a representative shall be open to censure or such 25
punishment as the House shall impose. 26
92. Normal conformity to good manners and taste shall be expected of 27
each member of the House. Representatives shall avoid references to 28
personalities and exte nd to each representative courtesies which they wish 29
for themselves. 30
93. Introduction of and recognition of family, constituents, or groups 31
shall not become excessive. Members should be extremely reluctant in using 32
the time of the House for these person al courtesies. If deemed appropriate by 33
the Speaker of the House, he or she shall make all introductions from 34
information provided to the Speaker by a member or appropriate House staff. 35
94. The smoking of cigarettes, cigars and pipes or other tobacco 36 HR1001
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products shall not be permitted in the Chamber of the House of 1
Representatives or in the members’ private work area. 2
95. A Roll Call shall not be interrupted by a motion or other order of 3
business from the time the Speaker calls up the ballot until he or sh e casts 4
up the ballot and announces the result of said ballot. 5
6
VOTING 7
96. No person not a representative shall cast a vote for a 8
representative. 9
97. Any question or motion, except final passage of a bill or final 10
action on a joint resolution, may be p ut to the House by a voice vote at the 11
discretion of the Speaker. 12
98. Any five (5) representatives shall have the right to call for the 13
ayes and nays and have the result entered on the Journal. (Arkansas 14
Constitution, Article 5, § 12 -- Powers and duties of each house.) 15
99. Any representative who will be absent from the House may pair his 16
or her vote with a representative who shall be present. 17
99.(a) These representatives must be casting opposite votes. 18
99.(b) Dated pairs reflecting the bill number are counted when signed 19
by both representatives, 20
(1) in the presence of each other, and witnessed by another 21
representative, or 22
(2) when the member who will not be present for the vote signs 23
the pair form in the presence of a person authorized by law to take 24
acknowledgements and who verifies the identity of the signer. 25
99.(c) Pairs shall be presented to the Speaker only on the day of the 26
vote for which the representatives are paired is to be taken. 27
99.(d) Pairs shall be announced by the Speaker im mediately prior to 28
the Roll Call from a Pair Form presented to the Speaker by the representative 29
present. At the time of the announcement the Speaker shall (1) determine 30
that the member who is required to be present is present, and (2) provide the 31
membership with an opportunity to express procedural objections to the pairs. 32
99.(e) The representative may not cast his or her vote by other 33
methods when he or she is paired. 34
100. The demand to “Sound the Ballot” (a device to determine how each 35
representative voted) may be accomplished by any five (5) members rising and 36 HR1001
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requesting the Speaker to have the names called and the way the member voted 1
repeated. When contested, any representative (except a representative voting 2
by pair vote and the Speaker and a su bstitute Speaker) who is not present and 3
in his seat shall have his or her vote eliminated. 4
101. After a voice vote, the Speaker or any five (5) representatives 5
that doubt the result may call for a division of the House. 6
101.(a) Representatives voting aye shall stand at their seats until 7
counted. 8
101.(b) Then, representatives voting no shall stand at their seats 9
until counted. 10
101.(c) No representative shall be counted that is not at his or her 11
assigned voting station (his or her seat on the House F loor). 12
101.(d) The Speaker or his or her designee shall be responsible for 13
counting the vote and the Speaker shall announce the result of the vote. 14
102. The Electronic Voting System shall have the same force and effect 15
as a Roll Call. (Not less than a majority of the members of each House of 16
the General Assembly may enact a law.) (Arkansas Constitution, Article 5, 17
§ 21, as added by Arkansas Constitution, Amendment 19, § 1.) 18
103. The Speaker, with three (3) representatives, is sufficient to 19
adjourn, or recess to a time certain, or sine die. (Neither house shall, 20
without the consent of the other, adjourn for more than three (3) days, nor 21
to any other place than that in which the two (2) houses shall be sitting.) 22
(Arkansas Constitution, Article 5, § 28 -- Adjournments) 23
(Governor’s power to adjourn) In cases of disagreement between the 24
two (2) houses of the General Assembly, at a regular or special session, with 25
respect to the time of adjournment, the Governor may, if the facts be 26
certified to him or he r by the presiding officers of the two (2) houses, 27
adjourn them to a time not beyond the day of their next meeting; and, on 28
account of danger from an enemy or disease, to such other place of safety as 29
he or she may think proper. (Arkansas Constitution, Art icle 6, § 20 -- Power 30
to adjourn General Assembly.) 31
104. Vetoes. (Arkansas Constitution, Article 16, §§ 15-17; Arkansas 32
Code § 10-2-116) 33
105. Extraordinary sessions of the General Assembly. (Arkansas 34
Constitution, Article 6, § 19 -- Extraordinary sessions of General Assembly -35
- Calling -- Purposes.) 36 HR1001
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106. Homestead exemption increase (3/4 vote) (Arkansas Constitution, 1
Article 16, § 16, as added by Arkansas Constitution, Amendment 59.) 2
107. Workmen’s Compensation Laws (Arkansas Constitution, Article 5 , 3
§ 32, as amended by Arkansas Constitution, Amendment 26.) 4
108. It shall be a violation of the Rules of the House for any member 5
of the House to accept a campaign contribution during the period beginning 6
thirty (30) days before and ending thirty (30) days after any regular session 7
of the General Assembly. If there is an extended recess of the General 8
Assembly, the period shall end thirty (30) days after the beginning of the 9
recess. It shall also be a violation of the Rules of the House for any member 10
of the House to accept a campaign contribution during any extended session of 11
the General Assembly or during any special session of the General Assembly . 12
109. All Roll Call votes on bills, emergency clauses on bills, 13
resolutions, and amendments in the Hou se of Representatives shall be entered 14
by the House into the General Assembly’s Internet web site. 15
110.(a)(1) Except as provided in subdivisions 110.(a)(2) and (c) of 16
this section, the House of Representatives, when in session, shall recess on 17
January 20 of any year in which the inauguration of an individual to the 18
office of President of the United States is scheduled to occur. 19
(2) If the inauguration of an individual to the office of 20
President of the United States is scheduled to occur on January 21 o f any 21
year, the House of Representatives shall recess on that date rather than 22
January 20. 23
(b) The House of Representatives shall recess without regard to the 24
party affiliation of the individual scheduled for inauguration as President 25
of the United States. 26
(c) This section shall not apply if a recess under this section would 27
occur on a date the House of Representatives shall recess in observance of 28
the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. under Arkansas Code § 10 -2-128. 29
111. Eligibility, Qu alifications, and Removal of Members of the House 30
of Representatives. (Arkansas Constitution, Article 5, § 12; and other 31
applicable constitutional provisions) 32
112. Impeachments. 33
112.(a) The House of Representatives has the sole power of impeachment 34
under Arkansas Constitution, Article 15, § 2, and shall initiate impeachment 35
proceedings by filing articles of impeachment in the form of a House 36 HR1001
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Resolution, co-sponsored by at least thirty -four (34) members. Upon filing 1
of the impeachment resolution, the S peaker of the House shall refer the 2
impeachment resolution to committee for the following purposes: 3
(1) To investigate the allegations asserted in the articles of 4
impeachment; and 5
(2) To make a recommendation to the House of Representatives as 6
to whether cause exists to impeach the official that is the subject of the 7
articles of impeachment. 8
112.(b) All meetings of the committee to which the articles of 9
impeachment are referred shall be open to the public. Advance notice shall 10
be given to the publi c for all meetings consistent with notice requirements 11
of other House committee meetings and shall include publication of the agenda 12
for the meeting. 13
112.(c) The committee shall adopt rules to govern the proceedings 14
concerning the issue of impeachment in order to ensure due process, 15
fundamental fairness, and a thorough investigation, provided that the rules 16
of the committee are not inconsistent with this rule. 17
112.(d) The committee shall gather information and may hear testimony 18
related to the question of whether cause exists to impeach the official that 19
is the subject of the articles of impeachment. 20
112.(e)(1) Upon conclusion of its investigation, the committee shall 21
return its recommendation to the House of Representatives regarding the 22
resolution containing the articles of impeachment. 23
(2) The committee by an affirmative vote of a majority of its 24
membership may offer amendments to the impeachment resolution. 25
(3) The committee shall submit to the House of Representatives, 26
along with its recommen dation on the resolution, a report regarding its 27
findings and conclusions. If the recommendation of the committee is not 28
unanimous, at the request of two (2) members, the members in opposition to 29
the recommendation of the committee may submit a dissenting report. 30
(4) The recommendation of the committee, along with the 31
committee report and any dissenting report, shall be provided to the members 32
of the House of Representatives no less than three (3) business days prior to 33
consideration of the impeachment resolution by the House of Representatives. 34
112.(f) Upon the conclusion of the three (3) business days, the 35
Speaker of the House shall call the House of Representatives into a meeting 36 HR1001
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in order to take up consideration of the impeachment resolution and t he 1
recommendation of the committee. 2
112.(g) Passage of the impeachment resolution shall require an 3
affirmative vote of a majority of the members of the House of 4
Representatives. The vote shall be by roll call. 5
6
ADDENDUM 7
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 8
COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSONS MANUAL 9
AND 10
HOUSE COMMITTEE RULES 11
12
A committee chairperson is a member appointed by the Speaker of the House to 13
function as the parliamentary head of a standing, select, special or joint 14
committee. 15
16
1) The chairperson (or vice chairp erson in his or her absence) shall call 17
the committee to order at the appointed time. 18
19
2) The presider shall determine a quorum present either by declaration, 20
without objection, or by calling the roll (for quorum purposes only a roll 21
call will be required if there is one objection by a committee member to the 22
declaration of the presence of a quorum). 23
24
3) The presider shall maintain order of the committee meeting. 25
26
4) The presider shall decide all questions of order subject to appeal to the 27
Speaker of the House who may refer the question to the Rules Committee whose 28
decision may be appealed to the full House. 29
30
5) The presider shall supervise and direct the staff of the committee. 31
32
6) The presider shall prepare, or supervise the preparation of, and sign a ll 33
reports of the committee and submit them to the full House. 34
35
House Rule 55.(b) and 55.(c) 36 HR1001
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55.(b) All committees shall consider the bills, resolutions, 1
amendments, petitions, and memorials referred to them and make one of the 2
following reports in writi ng to the House: 3
55.(b)(1) That a bill, resolution, petition or memorial “do pass”; 4
55.(b)(2) That a bill, resolution, petition or memorial “do not pass”, 5
in which event the measure shall not be considered unless the vote is 6
expunged; 7
55.(b)(3) That a bill, resolution, petition or memorial “do pass as 8
amended”. 9
55.(c) No bill, resolution, petition or memorial shall be acted upon 10
by the House without a “do pass” or a “do pass as amended” recommendation. 11
No bills shall be placed on the non -controversial calendar or deemed to be 12
non-controversial in any way unless a motion is adopted in the committee to 13
which the bill was referred. With a quorum present, the motion is considered 14
adopted if there are no negative votes. 15
16
7) A quorum (one more than hal f the total membership of the committee) must 17
be present to transact official House committee business. 18
19
(House Rule 66) No committee shall transact business without a quorum (a 20
majority of the committee membership present). All final action on bills or 21
resolutions, and on proposed amendments to bills or resolutions, shall be 22
decided by a majority vote of the total membership of the committee. 23
Provided, however, that the Speaker of the House shall not be included for 24
the purpose of determining what is a m ajority of a standing committee, unless 25
present at the time of the vote. A member of the committee must be present 26
at the time of the vote for his or her vote to be counted on any matter 27
considered by the committee (no pairs, no proxies). 28
29
8) (House Rule 54. (c)(2)) The rules or proceedings of the House of 30
Representatives shall be observed in all select committees, standing 31
committees, and subcommittees of the House so far as they may be applicable. 32
33
The precedence of motions so far as they are applicabl e shall be as listed in 34
House Rule 19(a) – (q): 35
36 HR1001
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(House Rule 19) When a question is under debate, motions shall have 1
precedence in the following order (the request for a quorum call is always in 2
order; the chairperson is not compelled to accept any motion ): 3
19(a) To fix the time to which the House will adjourn (non -debatable) 4
(majority of a quorum); 5
19(a)(1) (A majority of a quorum is a majority of those voting when at least 6
a majority of the members are present and voting); 7
19(b) To adjourn (non -debatable) (majority of a quorum); 8
19(c) To take a recess (non -debatable) (majority of a quorum); 9
19(d) Postpone temporarily; lay on the table (non -debatable) (majority of a 10
quorum) To take from the table (non -debatable) (majority of a quorum) (when 11
the motion to take from the table is adopted, the proposition takes the same 12
position it held when the motion to lay on the table was adopted); 13
19(e) Immediate consideration (non -debatable) (2/3 of a quorum); 14
19(f) Previous question (non -debatable) (5 seconds) (ma jority of a quorum); 15
19(g) Limit or extend debate (non -debatable) (2/3 of a quorum); 16
19(h) To expunge (debatable) (2/3 of membership) (67); 17
19(i) Postpone to a day certain (debatable) (majority of a quorum); 18
19(j) Committee of the Whole, go into (non -debatable) (majority of a 19
quorum); 20
19(k) Refer (debatable) (majority of a quorum); 21
19(l) Amend (debatable) (majority of a quorum); 22
19.(m) Postpone indefinitely (debatable) (majority of membership); 23
19.(n) Take out of proper order (non -debatable) (2/3 of a quorum); 24
19.(o) Special order of business (debatable) (2/3 of a quorum); and 25
19.(p) To suspend the rules (non -debatable) (2/3 of a quorum). 26
27
9) (House Rule 60(a)) All committee and subcommittee meetings including but 28
not limited to hearings at whic h public testimony is to be taken, (normally 29
called “public hearings”) shall be open to the public (Art. V, Sec. 13) and 30
shall be scheduled at least eighteen (18) hours in advance; agendas of bills, 31
resolutions, and other proposals to be considered at such meetings shall be 32
posted in a designated place at least eighteen (18) hours in advance; but in 33
case of an emergency, a two -thirds (2/3) majority of the membership of the 34
committee may bring bills or resolutions up for consideration upon notice of 35
not less than two (2) hours. 36 HR1001
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1
10) (House Rule 60(b)) Special meetings of a standing committee may be 2
called by the chairperson of the committee or by a majority of the members of 3
the committee for conducting any business of the committee; provided, a 4
special meeting of the committee m ay not conflict with regularly scheduled 5
meetings of any standing committee; provided further, special meetings shall 6
be subject to the same procedures regarding the publishing of agendas and 7
notices of meetings that apply to regular standing committee mee tings. 8
9
11) (House Rule 61(a)) All persons wishing to offer testimony to a 10
committee hearing shall be given a reasonable opportunity to do so as 11
determined by a majority of the committee. An oral or written statement 12
shall not be a prerequisite to offe r testimony before a committee. 13
14
12) (House Rule 63) No committee shall sit while the House is in session 15
except the Committee on Rules or a Conference Committee, which shall notify 16
the House. 17
18
13) (House Rule 66(a)) A bill, resolution or amendment in a House 19
committee, having been rejected twice, shall not be placed on the committee 20
agenda again or considered again during the same legislative session unless 21
the vote is expunged (two -thirds of the membership of the committee). The 22
motion to expunge sha ll be placed on the committee agenda, by a committee 23
member, and placed at the bottom of the active list. A bill or resolution may 24
be amended before a second consideration; but, unless expunged, even an 25
amended bill having failed twice shall not be placed on the agenda or 26
considered. Notice of reconsideration not permitted in committee. 27
28
14) (House Rule 47(a)) When a bill or resolution is under consideration, 29
amendments shall be in order. Upon adoption, amendments shall become a part 30
of the bill or resol ution. Amendments to amendments may not be offered. All 31
amendments offered before the House or one of its committees must be 32
typewritten on an approved amendment form and signed by the sponsor. All 33
amendments shall be attached to the original bill or re solution, numbered by 34
the Bill Clerk, and shall be placed upon the members’ desks before being 35
acted upon by the House. 36 HR1001
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1
(House Rule 38(e)) All amendments shall be entered on a separate sheet of 2
paper noting the line or lines to be changed and the words t o be deleted or 3
inserted. 4
5
15) (House Rule 68) No bill or resolution shall be introduced with a 6
committee as the author of said bill or resolution unless that committee has 7
voted unanimously to sponsor the bill or resolution. 8
9
16) (House Rule 69) Commi ttee Records and Reports 10
69(a) The chairperson of each committee of the House shall keep or cause to 11
be kept a separate record for each committee meeting in which there shall be 12
entered: 13
69(a) 1.(1) The time and place of each hearing and each meeting of the 14
committee. 15
69(a) 2.(2) The number and title of the bill or resolution with one of the 16
following three recommendations: “do pass”, “do pass as amended”, or “do not 17
pass”. If a committee recommends a bill or resolution “do pass as amended” 18
and any of the amendments recommended by the committee are not adopted on the 19
floor, the bill or resolution shall be re -referred to the same committee for 20
further consideration and recommendation. 21
69(a) 3.(3) A summary of each bill or resolution's major provisions wh ich 22
may be several paragraphs in length in case of major bills or resolutions or 23
simply the title of the bill or resolution in the case of minor bills or 24
resolutions. 25
69(a) 4.(4) The reason for the committee’s action on the bill or resolution, 26
including a brief minority report, if requested by any two (2) committee 27
members. 28
69(a) 5.(5) A record of how every member voted on each bill or resolution 29
when action is taken by the committee, including votes on a motion to 30
postpone consideration on the bill or re solution and a recorded vote on any 31
other motion, if requested by any two (2) committee members. 32
69(a) 6.(6) A list of all people testifying before a committee on each bill 33
or resolution, the interest that they represent, and an indication of their 34
position on the bill or resolution. 35
36 HR1001
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17) (House Rule 69(b)) Such records for each separate committee meeting 1
shall be approved by the chairperson before the expiration of a seven (7) day 2
period, with the exception of those records referred to in (a) 1.(1) and 3
2.(2), hereinabove which shall be filed immediately with the Clerk of the 4
House. 5
6
18) (House Rule 24 part) When a question is raised about the proper 7
referral of a bill or resolution to committee, if the Speaker admits error in 8
the referral of the bill o r resolution to a committee, the bill or resolution 9
may be re-referred by a majority vote of a quorum; however, if the Speaker 10
does not admit error in the referral of the bill or resolution to committee, 11
the bill or resolution may only be re -referred by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of 12
a quorum. When a bill or resolution is re -referred to a committee, any 13
previous committee recommendation is automatically stripped from the bill or 14
resolution. When a motion is under consideration, only two (2) substitutes 15
to that motion shall be in order. Only a motion applicable to the main 16
motion and of a higher precedence upon recognition may be substituted for the 17
motion under consideration. A substitute to the third degree shall not be in 18
order. Unless specified otherwise by the presenter of the motion at the time 19
the motion is made, a substitute motion shall apply to the main motion. 20
21
19) (House Rule 55 (a)) House Committee Staff will automatically and 22
without delay place prepare a list of all bills or resolutions referr ed to 23
the committees and on the committee agendas. Staff will notify the sponsor 24
of bills or resolutions assigned to committee. Referred bills shall be 25
placed on the committee’s active agenda in the order they are read across the 26
desk on the House Floor. A bill shall not be placed on a committee agenda 27
until the second calendar day following the initial filing of the bill. When 28
an active agenda is established in a committee and bills from that agenda are 29
not placed on the deferred list and if the bills are passed over, they are 30
placed at the bottom of the list of the day’s active agenda. 31
32
20) After a bill or resolution has appeared on the committee agenda and has 33
been called up for consideration by the committee and the sponsor of the bill 34
or resolution or a representative is not present to present the bill or 35
resolution, the bill or resolution will be placed on the active agenda two 36 HR1001
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(2) additional times, but will be placed at the bottom of the active agenda. 1
The chairperson of each committee will designate which bills or resolutions 2
will appear on the agenda for each committee meeting. A bill shall not be 3
placed on a committee agenda until the second calendar day following the 4
initial filing of the bill. 5
6
21) The sponsor may request a bill or resolution be moved to a deferred list 7
of bills and resolutions. A bill or resolution passed over af ter appearing 8
on three (3) committee agendas shall be moved to the deferred list. Sponsor 9
requests to move bills or resolutions from the deferred list to the active 10
agenda must be made by 2:30 p.m. two (2) days prior to the scheduled 11
committee meeting. Bills or resolutions moved from the deferred list to the 12
active agenda shall be listed at the bottom of the active agenda. Bills or 13
resolutions on the deferred list may be moved to the active calendar as 14
provided by rule for a total of three (3) times only . A suspension of this 15
rule by the committee (two -thirds of a quorum) will be required for each 16
transfer of any bill or resolution having been moved three (3) times 17
previously. 18
19
22) Bills or resolutions suggested as non -controversial will be considered 20
before consideration of controversial bills or resolutions on the agenda. 21
Bills and resolutions designated by sponsors as non -controversial shall 22
appear on a consent agenda section of a committee’s agenda. The objection of 23
one (1) committee member to the c onsideration of a bill or resolution as non -24
controversial will automatically keep the bill or resolution from being 25
considered as being non -controversial shall result in the bill or resolution 26
being moved back to the referred items list. A committee by un animous 27
consent a quorum being present, may designate as non -controversial any bill 28
or resolution receiving a “do pass” or “do pass as amended” recommendation . 29
Even though a bill or resolution has been considered as non -controversial, it 30
will be necessary after a “do pass” or “do pass as amended” recommendation 31
that a motion be made and there be unanimous consent of no less than a quorum 32
of the committee for a bill or resolution to be eligible to be placed on the 33
House non-controversial calendar. 34
35
23) If a bill or resolution is discussed by a committee at a meeting, but is 36 HR1001
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not voted on because of time limitations or because the vote is deferred to 1
the next meeting, the bill or resolution will not lose its order on the 2
agenda and will not be counted as havi ng been considered. 3
4
24) The author/sponsor of a bill or resolution may make a presentation for 5
his or her bill or resolution and may elect at that time to respond to 6
questions from the committee members. Following the initial presentation, 7
non-legislative---non-committee members will be allowed to alternately speak 8
against and for the bill or resolution. A procedural motion made by a member 9
of the committee and adopted by the committee to limit or end debate will be 10
allowed to govern non -legislative--non-committee members' discussions. At the 11
conclusion of the non -legislative--non-committee member proponent and 12
opponent presentations, the sponsor may return to the podium and may elect to 13
field questions from the committee members. Those questions should be 14
limited to requests for clarification or the securing of information. 15
Questions that are rhetorically offered and are dilatory for the effect of 16
debate are discouraged. At this point, the chair will entertain motions from 17
committee members only. For disposition of a proposition in a House 18
Committee, procedural motions (limit debate, immediate consideration, etc.) 19
are allowed only following a main motion (do pass, do not pass, do pass as 20
amended, etc.). Discussion from that point forward is limited to committee 21
members for and against the motion, if debatable, in alternating fashion. If 22
immediate consideration is not adopted and if debate has not been limited and 23
time has not expired, the sponsor of the motion will be allowed to close for 24
his or her motion. During the closing, the sponsor of the motion may elect 25
to field questions from committee members. At the conclusion of these 26
presentations, a vote will be taken on the motion properly before the 27
committee. 28
29
25) As determined by the presider cour tesy may be extended to General 30
Assembly members who are non -committee members who need to return to their 31
own committee meetings. 32
33
26) (House Rule 66) Eleven (11) members of a standing committee constitute 34
a committee quorum with the Speaker present if he or she is a member of the 35
committee and ten (10) members when the Speaker is not present. A committee 36 HR1001
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recommendation of a bill or resolution will require these same numbers. 1
2
27) Smoking is prohibited in the committee rooms and all adjoining rooms. 3
4
28) (House Rule 69(a) 5(5)) A roll call vote will be required if requested 5
by any two (2) committee members, except for a quorum call which may be 6
requested by one (1) member. The request for a quorum call is always in 7
order. 8
9
29) When a roll call is req uired, the roll will be called by seniority with 10
the vice chairperson being called next to last and the chairperson last. For 11
a member's vote to be counted and recorded, he or she must vote "yes", "no" 12
or "present". 13
14
30) During a roll call vote, when a me mber’s name has been called twice and 15
he or she does not respond, or when a member passes, they will not be allowed 16
to vote at a later time on the current issue before the committee. 17
18
31) No seconds are required during the legislative process except those that 19
are explicit in the rules, (roll call, previous question, sound the ballot, 20
etc.) 21
22
32) (House Rule 38(p)(r)) "Fiscal impact statement" means a realistic 23
statement of the estimated financial cost of implementing or complying with a 24
proposed law regarding: 25
(1) Municipalities; 26
(2) Counties; 27
(3) Education, as related to the State of Arkansas and local school 28
districts grades kindergarten through twelve (K -12); 29
(4) Corrections, if imposing new or additional costs and restrictions 30
on inmate population patterns or affecting programs or services of the 31
Department of Correction; or 32
(5) Lottery, if amending Arkansas Code, Title 23, Chapter 115, or 33
imposing a new or increased cost to the Arkansas Lottery Commission Office of 34
the Arkansas Lottery or a lottery; 35
(6) Health benefit plans, if imposing a new or increased cost obligation for 36 HR1001
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health benefit plans, including pharmacy benefits, on an entity of the state ; 1
or 2
(7) New or existing scholarships to be funded with net proceeds from the 3
state lottery or the Higher Education Grants Fund Account, as applicable . 4
5
33) (House Rule 38(q)(s)) When any House or Senate bill or resolution 6
requiring an expenditure of public funds or otherwise imposing a new or 7
increased cost obligation is pending before any committee of the House of 8
Representatives, any member of the committee may request that a fiscal impact 9
statement for such bill or resolution be placed on the desk of each member of 10
the committee before the bill or resolution is called up for final action in 11
the committee. If such request is made, the chairperson of the committee 12
shall refer the bill or resolution to the appropriate state agency or to the 13
legislative staff for the preparation of a fiscal impact statement, to be 14
returned to the committee in writing not later than five (5) days from the 15
date of the request. 16
17
34) (House Rule 38(s)(u)) Fiscal impact statements shall be made available 18
to House Committees: 19
(1) At least one (1) day before the bill may be called up for final 20
action in the House Committee during a regular legislative session or fiscal 21
session of the General Assembly; and 22
(2) At least one (1) day before the bill may be called up for final 23
action in the House Committee during a special session of the General 24
Assembly. 25
Fiscal impact statements shall be made available to the full House of 26
Representatives at least one (1) day before the bill may be called up for 27
third reading and final action in the House of Representatives. 28
29
35) (House Rule 38(t)(v)) (1) Failure Except for bills imposing a new or 30
increased cost obligation for health benefit plans on an entity of the state 31
or bills regarding new or existing scholarships to be funded with net 32
proceeds from the state lottery or the Higher Education Grants Fund, failure 33
of the sponsor of a bill or resolution to provide the fiscal impact statement 34
required in this rule shall not prohibit the consideration of it in the 35
committee to which referred or on the floor of the House of Representatives, 36 HR1001
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if no objection to it is made at the time such action is taken. 1
(2) A bill filed in the House of Representatives that will impose a new 2
or increased cost obligation for health benefit plans, including pharmacy 3
benefits, on an entity of the state shall: 4
(A) Have a fiscal impact statement attached to the bill prepared 5
and filed with the chair of the committee to which the bill is referred; and 6
(B) Not be taken up by the committee to which the bill is 7
referred until a fiscal impact statement is provided to the chair of the 8
committee. 9
(3)(A) Any bill filed with the House of Representatives that creates a 10
new scholarship to be funded with net proceeds from the state lottery or the 11
Higher Education Grants Fund A ccount, as applicable, or affects an existing 12
scholarship that is funded with net proceeds from the state lottery or the 13
Higher Education Grants Fund Account, as applicable, shall: 14
(i) Have a lottery fiscal impact statement 15
attached to it that is in the form set forth in Arkansas Code § 6 -85-502; and 16
(ii) Not be taken up by the House Committee on 17
Education and the Senate Committee on Education meeting jointly, until a 18
lottery fiscal impact statement is attached. 19
20
TRACKING ITEM 24 21
1. “The next item on the Committee’s agenda is HB/SB _____.” 22
2. “Sen./Rep. _____, you are recognized to present HB/SB _____.” 23
3. Presentation of bill by sponsor. The sponsor may respond to questions 24
from committee members. 25
a. If there are amendments, recognize a mendment sponsor(s) to present 26
amendment(s). 27
b. To consider amendment(s), use same procedure listed below for 28
consideration of bill(s). (Items 4 – 9) 29
c. Declare disposition of amendment(s). 30
d. Continue with bill as amended or unamended (back to Item 4). 31
4. Go to list of citizen proponents and opponents or ask “Is there anyone in 32
the audience that desires to speak for or against the bill?” Recognition of 33
citizens for discussion, alternating speakers in support and in opposition. 34
5. A procedural motion made by a member of the Committee and adopted by the 35
Committee to limit or end debate will be allowed to govern non -legislative, 36 HR1001
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non-Committee members' (citizen) discussion. 1
6. Upon completion of public commentary, recognize the sp onsor for 2
questions, then move to committee discussion and motions. 3
7. Ask “What is the pleasure of the Committee?” 4
Motions (after recognition and the motion by a committee member 5
only) 6
a. “Rep. _____, would you like to explain your motion?” 7
b. Recognize committee members for questions/discussion. 8
c. In discussion, alternate between those supporting and those 9
opposing the motion. 10
d. A procedural motion made by a member of the Committee and adopted 11
by the Committee to limit or end debate (immediat e consideration) will be 12
allowed to govern the legislative members' discussion. 13
e. Recognize the member making the motion to close for the motion if 14
debate has not been limited and time has not expired (proponents may save 15
some time for member to close). 16
f. Repeat until all motions are resolved, and action on the bill is 17
complete. 18
8. “The motion before the committee is __________. All of those in support 19
of the motion indicate so by saying ‘aye’; those opposed, ‘no’.” 20
9. The motion passes/fails, and state the disposition of the bill. 21
10. Roll call. (If requested by two or more members) Ask the committee 22
staff person to call the roll, then state the disposition of the bill. 23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36