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General Assembly Senate Resolution No. 2
January Session, 2019
LCO No. 853
Referred to Committee on NO COMMITTEE
Introduced by:
SEN. LOONEY, 11
th
Dist.
SEN. DUFF, 25
th
Dist.
SEN. FASANO, 34
th
Dist.
RESOLUTION CONCERNIN G THE RULES OF THE SENATE.
Resolved by the Senate:
That the following are the Senate Rules for the 2019 and 2020 1
sessions: 2
1. The President shall take the chair on each session day, at the hour 3
to which the Senate stands adjourned. The President shall thereupon 4
call the Senate to order and after prayer and recitation of the pledge of 5
allegiance, if a quorum is present, proceed to business. 6
2. In the absence of a quorum, the President may adjourn the Senate 7
to a subsequent time on that day or to the next session day. At all other 8
times an adjournment shall be pronounced by the President on motion. 9
3. The President shall preserve order and decorum and shall decide 10
all questions of order, upon which no debate shall be allowed except at 11
the request of the President; but the decision shall be subject to an 12
appeal to the Senate which must be seconded and on which no 13
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member shall speak more than once. No other business shall be in 14
order until such appeal is disposed of. 15
4. The President shall rise to put a question or to address the Senate, 16
but may read sitting. 17
5. If there is any disturbance, disorderly conduct or other activity in 18
or about the Senate Chamber which, in the opinion of the presiding 19
officer, may impede the orderly transaction of the business of the 20
Senate, the presiding officer may take such action as is deemed 21
necessary to preserve and restore order. 22
6. If the President while presiding, wishes to leave the chair, the 23
President Pro Tempore shall preside, or, in the absence of the President 24
Pro Tempore, the President Pro Tempore's designee shall preside for a 25
period not exceeding one day. 26
7. Within one week after appointment, the President Pro Tempore 27
shall nominate a chaplain and up to three deputy chaplains, and if 28
such nominations are confirmed by the Senate by a majority vote, the 29
candidates so nominated and confirmed shall serve for the 2019 and 30
2020 sessions. 31
8. The clerk shall keep a journal of the Senate, and shall enter therein 32
a record of each day's proceedings and record any amendment that 33
may be offered to any bill or resolution. 34
9. (a) Upon acceptance of a Senate agenda, the clerk's office shall act 35
upon the items listed as indicated and shall incorporate the items by 36
reference in the Senate journal and Senate transcript. The clerk shall 37
keep a Calendar on which he or she shall enter daily (1) all bills and 38
joint resolutions received from the House for action except (a) bills and 39
resolutions which do not have a favorable or unfavorable report of a 40
joint committee which shall, upon being read by the clerk, be referred 41
without further action to the appropriate committee, (b) all bills and 42
joint resolutions received from the House for action by the Senate 43
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which have not been referred by the Senate to any committee, and (2) 44
all bills and resolutions favorably reported to the Senate from any 45
committee; and these shall be entered on the Calendar in the order in 46
which they are received. Each joint resolution proposing an 47
amendment to the constitution and each bill so entered shall be printed 48
and in the files and on the Calendar, with a file number for two session 49
days and shall be starred for action on the session day next succeeding, 50
except that: 51
(A) A resolution may be acted on in accordance with Rule 17(b) of 52
the joint rules of the Senate and the House of Representatives, 53
(B) A bill or resolution certified in accordance with section 2-26 of 54
the general statutes, if filed in the House, may be transmitted to and 55
acted upon first by the Senate with the consent of the speaker; and if 56
filed in the Senate, may be transmitted to and acted upon first by the 57
House with the consent of the President Pro Tempore, 58
(C) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (c) of this rule, any 59
bill or resolution certified in accordance with section 2-26 of the 60
general statutes, may be acted upon immediately in the first house, 61
may be transmitted immediately to the second house and may be acted 62
upon immediately when received by the second house, 63
(D) If the Senate rejects an amendment adopted by the House, the 64
bill or resolution after final action by the Senate may be transmitted 65
immediately to the House, or if the House rejects an amendment 66
adopted by the Senate, the bill or resolution when received from the 67
House may be placed immediately on the Calendar, 68
(E) During the last five calendar days of the session, if the Senate 69
rejects an amendment adopted by the House, or adopts a Senate 70
amendment to a bill or resolution received from the House, or takes 71
any action on the bill or resolution requiring further action by the 72
House, the bill or resolution after final action in the Senate, may be 73
transmitted immediately to the House, or if the House rejects an 74
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amendment adopted by the Senate or adopts a House amendment to a 75
bill or resolution received from the Senate, or takes any action on the 76
bill or resolution requiring further action by the Senate, the bill or 77
resolution when received from the House may be placed immediately 78
on the calendar and may be acted upon immediately, 79
(F) During the last five calendar days of the session, any bill or 80
resolution after final action by the Senate may be transmitted 81
immediately to the House, or 82
(G) During the last five calendar days of the session, any bill or 83
resolution received by the Senate after final action by the House may 84
be placed on the calendar immediately. 85
(b) All bills and resolutions starred for action shall be acted upon 86
only when reached in their regular order, and any bill or resolution 87
passed over when so reached shall retain its place on the Calendar 88
unless it is passed temporarily, put on the foot of the Calendar or its 89
consideration is made the order of the day for some specified time. 90
(c) The clerk shall immediately provide an electronic notice of the 91
filing, in either chamber, and number of any emergency certified bill 92
introduced by the President Pro Tempore and the speaker, certified in 93
accordance with section 2-26 of the general statutes, that is the biennial 94
budget bill or a bill that amends or implements the biennial budget bill 95
to the members of the Senate. No such emergency certified bill may be 96
marked ready for action or acted upon less than twelve hours 97
following the provision of such electronic notice. 98
(d) On any day that is not scheduled as a session day, the President 99
Pro Tempore and the Minority Leader, or their designees, may call the 100
Senate into session for purposes of transacting business of a procedural 101
nature by filing with the clerk or the clerk's designee a written 102
instruction to conduct a pro forma Senate session with or without the 103
presence of a senator. Said direction shall include a written motion to 104
adopt the day's Senate agenda and act on all items as indicated and 105
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incorporate the items by reference into the Senate journal and Senate 106
transcript. Said motion shall be read into the record and shall have the 107
same force and effect as if the Senate were convened with a presiding 108
officer and senator. 109
10. The clerk shall retain all bills, resolutions and other papers, in 110
reference to which any member has a right to move a reconsideration, 111
until the right of reconsideration has expired, and no longer. 112
11. The clerk shall also keep a record of all petitions, resolutions, 113
and bills for all acts which are presented for the consideration of the 114
Senate, and said record shall be so kept as to show by a single 115
reference the action of the Senate on each of them to that date. 116
12. The assistant clerk shall have the same powers and perform the 117
same duties as the clerk, subject to the direction of the clerk. The bill 118
clerk and the journal clerk shall perform such duties as are assigned to 119
them by the clerk. 120
13. The clerk shall cause the journals and calendars to be distributed 121
on the desks of the members daily, before the opening of the session. 122
14. No member shall speak more than twice upon the same question 123
without leave of the Senate, except to explain. 124
15. No member who is interested in the decision of any question in 125
such manner that he or she cannot vote thereon may stay in the Senate 126
when such question is discussed or decided. 127
16. If a member, in speaking or otherwise, transgresses the rules and 128
order of the Senate, the president shall, or any member may, call such 129
member to order; and if speaking, such member shall sit down, unless 130
permitted to explain; and if a member is guilty of a breach of any of the 131
rules and orders, such member may be required by the Senate, on 132
motion, to make satisfaction therefor, and until satisfaction has been 133
made, shall not be allowed to vote or speak except by way of excuse. 134
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17. If a candidate for the Senate notifies the clerk on or before the 135
opening day of the session that such candidate contests the results of 136
the election for his or her district, a committee of three shall be 137
appointed by the President Pro Tempore within the first two days of 138
the session. If a candidate for the Senate in a special election notifies 139
the clerk no later than fourteen days following such election that such 140
candidate contests the results of the election for his or her district, a 141
committee of three shall be appointed by the President Pro Tempore 142
no later than sixteen days following such election. The committee shall 143
take into consideration such contested election and report the facts 144
with its opinion thereon. 145
18. The majority leader shall be elected by the members of the 146
majority party in the Senate. The other leaders of the majority party in 147
the Senate and the chairperson and vice chairpersons of each standing 148
committee shall be appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the 149
Senate. Chairpersons and vice chairpersons shall serve at the pleasure 150
of the President Pro Tempore and the majority leader. The clerks of the 151
standing committees and the chairpersons of the subcommittees 152
thereof shall be appointed by the chairpersons of the respective 153
committees with the approval of the President Pro Tempore of the 154
Senate. The minority leader shall be elected by the members of the 155
minority party in the Senate and the other leaders of the minority 156
party in the Senate shall be appointed by the minority leader. The 157
minority leader shall appoint ranking minority members to each 158
standing committee. Such ranking members shall serve at the pleasure 159
of the minority leader. All standing committee members shall be 160
appointed by the President Pro Tempore by the fifth regular session 161
day of the first year of the term, except to fill a vacancy caused by 162
death or incapacity or resignation from the Senate or from a 163
committee; and except that the President Pro Tempore may appoint 164
any member elected after the fifth regular session day of the first year 165
of the term to any committee within five calendar days after the 166
member takes the oath of office. Not more than nine senators shall be 167
appointed to any standing committee, except that the joint standing 168
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committee on Judiciary shall consist of not more than eleven senators 169
and the joint standing committees on Appropriations and Finance, 170
Revenue and Bonding shall consist of not more than thirteen senators. 171
The member first named shall be chairperson. The chairperson of each 172
committee may appoint one of the members of the committee as clerk 173
thereof. All Senate leaders, standing committee assignments, 174
chairpersons, vice chairpersons and clerks and subcommittee 175
chairpersons shall serve for both the 2019 and the 2020 sessions. 176
19. The order of business shall be as follows: 177
1. Reception of petitions. 178
2. Reception of communications from the Governor, secretary 179
of the state, annual and biennial reports, interim committee 180
reports and reports. 181
3. Introduction of bills and resolutions. 182
4. Reports of committees. 183
5. Reception of business from the House. 184
6. Business on the Calendar. 185
7. Introduction of guests. 186
8. Miscellaneous business. 187
9. Resolutions removed from consent calendar. 188
20. Before any petition or resolution is received, a brief statement of 189
its object shall be made by the introducer. 190
21. When a motion is made, it shall be stated to the Senate by the 191
president before any debate is had thereon, and every motion shall be 192
reduced to writing if the president so directs or any member desires it. 193
22. When a motion is stated by the president, or read by the clerk, it 194
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shall be deemed to be in the possession of the Senate. It may be 195
withdrawn by the mover at any time before decision or amendment, 196
but not after amendment, unless the Senate gives leave. 197
23. If the question under debate consists of two or more 198
independent propositions any member may move to have the question 199
divided. The president shall rule on the order of voting on the division 200
of a question. 201
24. The yeas and nays shall be taken on the roll call machine on all 202
final action on bills on the regular calendar and on all other questions 203
at the desire of one-fifth of the members present, expressed at any time 204
before a declaration of the vote. 205
25. Whenever the result of a vote as stated by the presiding officer is 206
doubted, it shall be taken again by rising. 207
26. When a vote has been taken, it shall be in order for any senator 208
on the prevailing side to move for a reconsideration thereof on the day 209
of the vote or on the next succeeding session day, if the bill is still in 210
the possession of the Senate; provided also that there shall be no 211
reconsideration of the following motions: To adjourn, for the previous 212
question or to reconsider, and no question shall be twice reconsidered. 213
27. Pairs may be made by senators whose votes if they were present 214
would be cast on opposite sides of any question, by filing with the 215
clerk of the Senate a memorandum, containing the names of the 216
senators, and their votes, who are thus paired and the subject matter or 217
matters to which such pairs apply. Senators making any such pairs 218
shall be excused from voting upon the merits of the matters involved 219
while the pair continues, but no pairs shall operate while both of the 220
senators paired are present. 221
28. Persons, other than members of the General Assembly, shall not 222
be permitted on the floor of the Senate while it is in session. Lobbyists 223
shall be prohibited from the floor of the Senate on any day during 224
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which the Senate is in session except during a public hearing in the 225
Senate chamber. This rule shall not apply to the staff of the General 226
Assembly, to any state or municipal official or member of the media 227
who has been given permission to be on the Senate floor by the 228
president of the Senate, President Pro Tempore, majority leader or 229
minority leader, or to persons invited to the Senate for purposes of 230
recognition or ceremony. Other persons who desire to speak with a 231
member of the Senate while it is in session shall communicate such 232
desire through one of the messengers and shall not converse with such 233
member in the chamber while the Senate is in session. 234
29. When a question is under debate, no motion shall be received 235
except: 236
1. To adjourn. 237
2. To recess. 238
3. For the previous question. 239
4. To close the debate at a specified time. 240
5. To pass temporarily. 241
6. To pass retain. 242
7. To postpone to a certain time. 243
8. To commit or recommit. 244
9. To divide the question. 245
10. To amend. 246
11. To refer to another committee. 247
12. To postpone indefinitely. 248
13. To place at foot of calendar. 249
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These several motions shall have precedence in the order listed in 250
this rule, and no motion to commit or recommit, to continue to the next 251
General Assembly or to postpone indefinitely, having been once 252
decided, shall be again allowed at the same session and at the same 253
state of the bill or subject matter. 254
30. (a) Amendments shall be filed with the clerk of the Senate before 255
12 noon on the day the bill is acted upon. Exceptions to this rule shall 256
be allowed: (1) Upon approval of any two of the following: The 257
President Pro Tempore, the majority leader of the Senate, the minority 258
leader of the Senate; or (2) in the case of bills or resolutions not starred 259
for action or bills or resolutions reported in accordance with 260
subdivision (1) of paragraph (d) of Rule 15 of the joint rules of the 261
Senate and the House of Representatives. 262
(b) Upon approval of an amendment pursuant to subdivision (1) of 263
subsection (a) of this section, the sponsor of the amendment shall cause 264
a copy of the signed approval to be provided electronically or by hand 265
to a designated leader or staff member of the other party. 266
(c) Any member who offers an amendment, originating in the 267
Senate which, if adopted, would reduce state revenues or increase state 268
expenditures by a specified amount or which would involve a 269
significant fiscal impact, shall make available to the President, 270
President Pro Tempore, the majority leader of the Senate and the 271
minority leader of the Senate at the time the amendment is offered, in 272
addition to a fiscal note, a signed and typewritten explanation, of the 273
decrease in expenditures or the source of the increased revenues 274
required to balance the state budget. 275
(d) Whenever a bill or resolution is substantively amended, it may 276
be referred to the legislative commissioners to be re-examined for the 277
purposes set forth in Rule 13 of the joint rules of the Senate and the 278
House of Representatives and to be reprinted as amended. The 279
legislative commissioners' office shall complete its examination of any 280
such bill within three calendar days of its receipt. It shall then be 281
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printed in the files with a file number and marked on the calendar 282
starred for action on the session day on which it appears. 283
31. There shall be a consent calendar on which shall be entered such 284
bills and resolutions as the majority and minority leaders of the 285
respective house shall designate. All bills and resolutions starred for 286
action on the consent calendar shall be passed on motion without 287
discussion unless, at any time before voting has commenced, a 288
member requests removal of a bill or resolution from the consent 289
calendar in which case such bill or resolution shall be so removed. 290
32. The rules of parliamentary practice comprised in the 2010 291
edition of Mason's Manual of Legislative Procedure shall govern the 292
Senate whenever applicable and whenever they are not inconsistent 293
with the standing rules and orders of the Senate or the joint rules of the 294
Senate and the House of Representatives. 295
33. The rules of the Senate shall take precedence over the joint rules 296
of the Senate and the House of Representatives or Mason's Manual of 297
Legislative Procedure in the event of conflict. 298
34. No person shall smoke in the Senate chamber or the gallery. No 299
person shall operate a wireless telephone or similar device in the 300
Senate chamber or gallery or use any such device to take photographs 301
or to make video or sound recordings while the Senate is in session. 302
The presiding officer shall enforce this rule. 303
35. (a) These rules shall not be altered, amended or suspended 304
except by vote of at least two-thirds of the members present. 305
(b) Motions to suspend the rules shall be in order on any session 306
day. Suspension of a rule shall be for a specified purpose; after the 307
accomplishment of such purpose, the rule shall remain in force as 308
before. 309
36. Every member present in the Senate Chamber when a question 310
is put by the presiding officer shall vote, unless excused under Rule 15. 311