Connecticut 2021 Regular Session

Connecticut Senate Bill SR00001 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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8	8	LCO No. 458 1 of 13
9	9
10	10	General Assembly Senate Resolution No. 1
11	11	January Session, 2021
12	12	LCO No. 458
13	13
14	14
15	15	Referred to Committee on No Committee
16	16
17	17
18	18	Introduced by:
19	19	SEN. LOONEY, 11
20	20	th
21	21	Dist.
22	22	SEN. DUFF, 25
23	23	th
24	24	Dist.
25	25
26	26
27	27
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29	29
30	30	RESOLUTION CONCERNIN G THE RULES OF THE SENATE.
31	31	Resolved by the Senate:
32	32
33	33	That the following are the Senate Rules for the 2021 and 2022 sessions: 1
34	34	1. The President shall take the chair on each session day, at the hour 2
35	35	to which the Senate stands adjourned. The President shall thereupon 3
36	36	call the Senate to order and after prayer and recitation of the pledge of 4
37	37	allegiance, if a quorum is present, proceed to business. 5
38	38	2. In the absence of a quorum, the President may adjourn the Senate 6
39	39	to a subsequent time on that day or to the next session day. At all other 7
40	40	times an adjournment shall be pronounced by the President on motion. 8
41	41	3. The President shall preserve order and decorum and shall decide 9
42	42	all questions of order, upon which no debate shall be allowed except at 10
43	43	the request of the President; but the decision shall be subject to an appeal 11
44	44	to the Senate which must be seconded and on which no member shall 12
45	45	speak more than once. No other business shall be in order until such 13
46	46	Senate Resolution No.
47	47
48	48
49	49	LCO No. 458 2 of 13
50	50
51	51	appeal is disposed of. 14
52	52	4. The President shall rise to put a question or to address the Senate, 15
53	53	but may read sitting. 16
54	54	5. If there is any disturbance, disorderly conduct or other activity in 17
55	55	or about the chamber which, in the opinion of the presiding officer, may 18
56	56	impede the orderly transaction of the business of the Senate, the 19
57	57	presiding officer may take such action as is deemed necessary to 20
58	58	preserve and restore order. 21
59	59	6. If the President while presiding, wishes to leave the chair, the 22
60	60	President Pro Tempore shall preside, or, in the absence of the President 23
61	61	Pro Tempore, the President Pro Tempore's designee shall preside for a 24
62	62	period not exceeding one day. 25
63	63	7. Within one week after appointment, the President Pro Tempore 26
64	64	shall nominate a chaplain and up to three deputy chaplains, and if such 27
65	65	nominations are confirmed by the Senate by a majority vote, the 28
66	66	candidates so nominated and confirmed shall serve for the 2021 and 29
67	67	2022 sessions. 30
68	68	8. The clerk shall keep a journal of the Senate, and shall enter therein 31
69	69	a record of each day's proceedings and record any amendment that may 32
70	70	be offered to any bill or resolution. 33
71	71	9. (a) Upon acceptance of a Senate agenda, the clerk's office shall act 34
72	72	upon the items listed as indicated and shall incorporate the items by 35
73	73	reference in the Senate journal and Senate transcript. The clerk shall 36
74	74	keep a Calendar on which he or she shall enter daily (1) all bills and joint 37
75	75	resolutions received from the House for action except (a) bills and 38
76	76	resolutions which do not have a favorable or unfavorable report of a 39
77	77	joint committee which shall, upon being read by the clerk, be referred 40
78	78	without further action to the appropriate committee, (b) all bills and 41
79	79	joint resolutions received from the House for action by the Senate which 42
80	80	have not been referred by the Senate to any committee, and (2) all bills 43
81	81	Senate Resolution No.
82	82
83	83
84	84	LCO No. 458 3 of 13
85	85
86	86	and resolutions favorably reported to the Senate from any committee; 44
87	87	and these shall be entered on the Calendar in the order in which they 45
88	88	are received. Each joint resolution proposing an amendment to the 46
89	89	constitution and each bill so entered shall be printed and in the files and 47
90	90	on the Calendar, with a file number for two session days and shall be 48
91	91	starred for action on the session day next succeeding, except that: 49
92	92	(A) A resolution may be acted on in accordance with Rule 17(b) of the 50
93	93	joint rules of the Senate and the House of Representatives, 51
94	94	(B) A bill or resolution certified in accordance with section 2-26 of the 52
95	95	general statutes, if filed in the House, may be transmitted to and acted 53
96	96	upon first by the Senate with the consent of the speaker; and if filed in 54
97	97	the Senate, may be transmitted to and acted upon first by the House 55
98	98	with the consent of the President Pro Tempore, 56
99	99	(C) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (c) of this rule, any 57
100	100	bill or resolution certified in accordance with section 2-26 of the general 58
101	101	statutes, may be acted upon immediately in the first house, may be 59
102	102	transmitted immediately to the second house and may be acted upon 60
103	103	immediately when received by the second house, 61
104	104	(D) If the Senate rejects an amendment adopted by the House, the bill 62
105	105	or resolution after final action by the Senate may be transmitted 63
106	106	immediately to the House, or if the House rejects an amendment 64
107	107	adopted by the Senate, the bill or resolution when received from the 65
108	108	House may be placed immediately on the Calendar, 66
109	109	(E) During the last five calendar days of the session, if the Senate 67
110	110	rejects an amendment adopted by the House, or adopts a Senate 68
111	111	amendment to a bill or resolution received from the House, or takes any 69
112	112	action on the bill or resolution requiring further action by the House, the 70
113	113	bill or resolution after final action by the Senate, may be transmitted 71
114	114	immediately to the House, or if the House rejects an amendment 72
115	115	adopted by the Senate or adopts a House amendment to a bill or 73
116	116	resolution received from the Senate, or takes any action on the bill or 74
117	117	Senate Resolution No.
118	118
119	119
120	120	LCO No. 458 4 of 13
121	121
122	122	resolution requiring further action by the Senate, the bill or resolution 75
123	123	when received from the House may be placed immediately on the 76
124	124	calendar and may be acted upon immediately, 77
125	125	(F) During the last five calendar days of the session, any bill or 78
126	126	resolution after final action by the Senate may be transmitted 79
127	127	immediately to the House, or 80
128	128	(G) During the last five calendar days of the session, any bill or 81
129	129	resolution received by the Senate after final action by the House may be 82
130	130	placed on the Calendar immediately. 83
131	131	(b) All bills and resolutions starred for action shall be acted upon only 84
132	132	when reached in their regular order, and any bill or resolution passed 85
133	133	over when so reached shall retain its place on the Calendar unless it is 86
134	134	passed temporarily, put on the foot of the Calendar or its consideration 87
135	135	is made the order of the day for some specified time. 88
136	136	(c) The clerk shall immediately provide an electronic notice of the 89
137	137	filing, in either chamber, and number of any emergency certified bill 90
138	138	introduced by the President Pro Tempore and the speaker, certified in 91
139	139	accordance with section 2-26 of the general statutes, that is the biennial 92
140	140	budget bill or a bill that amends or implements the biennial budget bill 93
141	141	to the members of the Senate. No such emergency certified bill may be 94
142	142	marked ready for action or acted upon less than twelve hours following 95
143	143	the provision of such electronic notice. 96
144	144	(d) (1) On any day that is not scheduled as a session day, the President 97
145	145	Pro Tempore and the Minority Leader, or their designees, may call the 98
146	146	Senate into session for purposes of transacting business of a procedural 99
147	147	nature by filing with the clerk or the clerk's designee a written 100
148	148	instruction to conduct a pro forma Senate session with or without the 101
149	149	presence of a senator. Said direction shall include a written motion to 102
150	150	adopt the day's Senate agenda and act on all items as indicated and 103
151	151	incorporate the items by reference into the Senate journal and Senate 104
152	152	transcript. Said motion shall be read into the record and shall have the 105
153	153	Senate Resolution No.
154	154
155	155
156	156	LCO No. 458 5 of 13
157	157
158	158	same force and effect as if the Senate were convened with a presiding 106
159	159	officer and senator. 107
160	160	(2) Only during declarations of a public health or civil preparedness 108
161	161	emergency related to COVID-19 by the Governor, or at any other time 109
162	162	deemed necessary by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate for public 110
163	163	health concerns related to COVID-19, on any day that is not scheduled 111
164	164	as a session day, there shall be a pro forma session, with or without the 112
165	165	presence of a senator, for purposes of transacting business of a 113
166	166	procedural nature. There shall be a written motion to adopt the day's 114
167	167	Senate agenda and act on all items as indicated and incorporate the 115
168	168	items by reference into the Senate journal and Senate transcript. Said 116
169	169	motion shall be read into the record and shall have the same force and 117
170	170	effect as if the Senate were convened with a presiding officer and 118
171	171	senator. 119
172	172	10. The clerk shall retain all bills, resolutions and other papers, in 120
173	173	reference to which any member has a right to move a reconsideration, 121
174	174	until the right of reconsideration has expired, and no longer. 122
175	175	11. The clerk shall also keep a record of all petitions, resolutions, and 123
176	176	bills for all acts which are presented for the consideration of the Senate, 124
177	177	and said record shall be so kept as to show by a single reference the 125
178	178	action of the Senate on each of them to that date. 126
179	179	12. The assistant clerk shall have the same powers and perform the 127
180	180	same duties as the clerk, subject to the direction of the clerk. The bill 128
181	181	clerk and the journal clerk shall perform such duties as are assigned to 129
182	182	them by the clerk. 130
183	183	13. The clerk shall cause the journals and calendars to be distributed 131
184	184	on the desks of the members daily, before the opening of the session. 132
185	185	14. No member shall speak more than twice upon the same question 133
186	186	without leave of the Senate, except to explain. 134
187	187	15. No member who is interested in the decision of any question in 135
188	188	Senate Resolution No.
189	189
190	190
191	191	LCO No. 458 6 of 13
192	192
193	193	such manner that he or she cannot vote thereon may stay in the chamber 136
194	194	when such question is discussed or decided. 137
195	195	16. If a member, in speaking or otherwise, transgresses the rules and 138
196	196	order of the Senate, the President shall, or any member may, call such 139
197	197	member to order; and if speaking, such member shall sit down, unless 140
198	198	permitted to explain; and if a member is guilty of a breach of any of the 141
199	199	rules and orders, such member may be required by the Senate, on 142
200	200	motion, to make satisfaction therefor, and until satisfaction has been 143
201	201	made, shall not be allowed to vote or speak except by way of excuse. 144
202	202	17. If a candidate for the Senate notifies the clerk on or before the 145
203	203	opening day of the session that such candidate contests the results of the 146
204	204	election for his or her district, a committee of three shall be appointed 147
205	205	by the President Pro Tempore within the first two days of the session. If 148
206	206	a candidate for the Senate in a special election notifies the clerk no later 149
207	207	than fourteen days following such election that such candidate contests 150
208	208	the results of the election for his or her district, a committee of three shall 151
209	209	be appointed by the President Pro Tempore no later than sixteen days 152
210	210	following such election. The committee shall take into consideration 153
211	211	such contested election and report the facts with its opinion thereon. 154
212	212	18. The majority leader shall be elected by the members of the 155
213	213	majority party in the Senate. The other leaders of the majority party in 156
214	214	the Senate and the chairperson and vice chairpersons of each standing 157
215	215	committee shall be appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the 158
216	216	Senate. Chairpersons and vice chairpersons shall serve at the pleasure 159
217	217	of the President Pro Tempore and the majority leader. The clerks of the 160
218	218	standing committees and the chairpersons of the subcommittees thereof 161
219	219	shall be appointed by the chairpersons of the respective committees 162
220	220	with the approval of the President Pro Tempore of the Senate. The 163
221	221	minority leader shall be elected by the members of the minority party in 164
222	222	the Senate and the other leaders of the minority party in the Senate shall 165
223	223	be appointed by the minority leader. The minority leader shall appoint 166
224	224	ranking minority members to each standing committee. Such ranking 167
225	225	Senate Resolution No.
226	226
227	227
228	228	LCO No. 458 7 of 13
229	229
230	230	members shall serve at the pleasure of the minority leader. All standing 168
231	231	committee members shall be appointed by the President Pro Tempore 169
232	232	by the fifth regular session day of the first year of the term, except to fill 170
233	233	a vacancy caused by death or incapacity or resignation from the Senate 171
234	234	or from a committee; and except that the President Pro Tempore may 172
235	235	appoint any member elected after the fifth regular session day of the 173
236	236	first year of the term to any committee within five calendar days after 174
237	237	the member takes the oath of office. Not more than nine senators shall 175
238	238	be appointed to any standing committee, except that the joint standing 176
239	239	committee on Judiciary shall consist of not more than eleven senators 177
240	240	and the joint standing committees on Appropriations and Finance, 178
241	241	Revenue and Bonding shall consist of not more than thirteen senators. 179
242	242	The member first named shall be chairperson. The chairperson of each 180
243	243	committee may appoint one of the members of the committee as clerk 181
244	244	thereof. All Senate leaders, standing committee assignments, 182
245	245	chairpersons, vice chairpersons and clerks and subcommittee 183
246	246	chairpersons shall serve for both the 2021 and the 2022 sessions. 184
247	247	19. The order of business shall be as follows: 185
248	248	1. Reception of petitions. 186
249	249	2. Reception of communications from the Governor, secretary of 187
250	250	the state, annual and biennial reports, interim committee 188
251	251	reports and reports. 189
252	252	3. Introduction of bills and resolutions. 190
253	253	4. Reports of committees. 191
254	254	5. Reception of business from the House. 192
255	255	6. Business on the Calendar. 193
256	256	7. Introduction of guests. 194
257	257	8. Miscellaneous business. 195
258	258	Senate Resolution No.
259	259
260	260
261	261	LCO No. 458 8 of 13
262	262
263	263	9. Resolutions removed from consent calendar. 196
264	264	20. Before any petition or resolution is received, a brief statement of 197
265	265	its object shall be made by the introducer. 198
266	266	21. When a motion is made, it shall be stated to the Senate by the 199
267	267	President before any debate is had thereon, and every motion shall be 200
268	268	reduced to writing if the President so directs or any member desires it. 201
269	269	22. When a motion is stated by the President, or read by the clerk, it 202
270	270	shall be deemed to be in the possession of the Senate. It may be 203
271	271	withdrawn by the mover at any time before decision or amendment, but 204
272	272	not after amendment, unless the Senate gives leave. 205
273	273	23. If the question under debate consists of two or more independent 206
274	274	propositions any member may move to have the question divided. The 207
275	275	President shall rule on the order of voting on the division of a question. 208
276	276	24. (a) The yeas and nays shall be cast on the roll call machine on all 209
277	277	final action on bills on the regular calendar and on all other questions at 210
278	278	the desire of one-fifth of the members present, expressed at any time 211
279	279	before a declaration of the vote. 212
280	280	(b) Exceptions to this rule shall be allowed as to how and where the 213
281	281	yeas and nays are cast and recorded as follows: 214
282	282	(1) In the case that the roll call machine is not functioning properly, 215
283	283	the roll may be called by the clerk; or 216
284	284	(2) Only during declarations of a public health or civil preparedness 217
285	285	emergency related to COVID-19 by the Governor, or at any other time 218
286	286	deemed necessary by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate for public 219
287	287	health concerns related to COVID-19, the business of the Senate may be 220
288	288	conducted in either the Senate or House chamber, as determined by the 221
289	289	President Pro Tempore, and any member who is unwilling or unable to 222
290	290	be in the chamber may vote remotely outside of the chamber from the 223
291	291	Legislative Office Building or State Capitol. Any member who chooses 224
292	292	Senate Resolution No.
293	293
294	294
295	295	LCO No. 458 9 of 13
296	296
297	297	to vote remotely shall inform the President of the Senate by telephone 225
298	298	that such member intends to cast each such vote remotely on any roll 226
299	299	call taken for the remainder of that session day and affirm that such 227
300	300	member is present and will remain present at the Legislative Office 228
301	301	Building or State Capitol for each such vote cast by the member, which 229
302	302	information the President shall promptly announce to the chamber. If 230
303	303	the member is voting remotely, (A) any such vote shall be cast using the 231
304	304	electronic remote voting system, or (B) if the electronic remote voting 232
305	305	system is not functioning properly, any such vote may be cast by the 233
306	306	member in writing, citing the LCO number of the bill, resolution or 234
307	307	amendment or the number of the consent calendar upon which the vote 235
308	308	is cast and signed by the member's hand. Such written remote vote shall 236
309	309	be delivered by a runner selected by the member's caucus to the 237
310	310	presiding officer before the roll call is announced. The presiding officer 238
311	311	shall announce the result of any such vote by such member as indicated 239
312	312	in the member's written remote vote and such vote shall be included in 240
313	313	the roll call vote announced after the receipt of such vote. No voice vote 241
314	314	may be made by written remote vote. The clerk shall retain each written 242
315	315	remote vote until the end of the regular session in which the vote was 243
316	316	cast. 244
317	317	25. Whenever the result of a vote as stated by the presiding officer is 245
318	318	doubted, it shall be taken again by rising. 246
319	319	26. When a vote has been taken, it shall be in order for any senator on 247
320	320	the prevailing side to move for a reconsideration thereof on the day of 248
321	321	the vote or on the next succeeding session day, if the bill is still in the 249
322	322	possession of the Senate; provided also that there shall be no 250
323	323	reconsideration of the following motions: To adjourn, for the previous 251
324	324	question or to reconsider, and no question shall be twice reconsidered. 252
325	325	27. Pairs may be made by senators whose votes if they were present 253
326	326	would be cast on opposite sides of any question, by filing with the clerk 254
327	327	of the Senate a memorandum, containing the names of the senators, and 255
328	328	their votes, who are thus paired and the subject matter or matters to 256
329	329	Senate Resolution No.
330	330
331	331
332	332	LCO No. 458 10 of 13
333	333
334	334	which such pairs apply. Senators making any such pairs shall be 257
335	335	excused from voting upon the merits of the matters involved while the 258
336	336	pair continues, but no pairs shall operate while both of the senators 259
337	337	paired are present. 260
338	338	28. Persons, other than members of the General Assembly, shall not 261
339	339	be permitted on the chamber floor while the Senate is in session. 262
340	340	Lobbyists shall be prohibited from the chamber floor on any day during 263
341	341	which the Senate is in session except during a public hearing in the 264
342	342	chamber. This rule shall not apply to the staff of the General Assembly, 265
343	343	to any state or municipal official or member of the media who has been 266
344	344	given permission to be on the chamber floor by the President of the 267
345	345	Senate, President Pro Tempore, majority leader or minority leader, or to 268
346	346	persons invited to the chamber for purposes of recognition or ceremony. 269
347	347	Other persons who desire to speak with a member of the Senate while it 270
348	348	is in session shall communicate such desire through one of the 271
349	349	messengers and shall not converse with such member in the chamber 272
350	350	while the Senate is in session. 273
351	351	29. When a question is under debate, no motion shall be received 274
352	352	except: 275
353	353	1. To adjourn. 276
354	354	2. To recess. 277
355	355	3. For the previous question. 278
356	356	4. To close the debate at a specified time. 279
357	357	5. To pass temporarily. 280
358	358	6. To pass retain. 281
359	359	7. To postpone to a certain time. 282
360	360	8. To commit or recommit. 283
361	361	Senate Resolution No.
362	362
363	363
364	364	LCO No. 458 11 of 13
365	365
366	366	9. To divide the question. 284
367	367	10. To amend. 285
368	368	11. To refer to another committee. 286
369	369	12. To postpone indefinitely. 287
370	370	13. To place at foot of calendar. 288
371	371	These several motions shall have precedence in the order listed in this 289
372	372	rule, and no motion to commit or recommit, to continue to the next 290
373	373	General Assembly or to postpone indefinitely, having been once 291
374	374	decided, shall be again allowed at the same session and at the same state 292
375	375	of the bill or subject matter. 293
376	376	30. (a) Amendments shall be filed with the clerk of the Senate before 294
377	377	12 noon on the day the bill is acted upon. Exceptions to this rule shall be 295
378	378	allowed: (1) Upon approval of any two of the following: The President 296
379	379	Pro Tempore, the majority leader of the Senate, the minority leader of 297
380	380	the Senate; or (2) in the case of bills or resolutions not starred for action 298
381	381	or bills or resolutions reported in accordance with subdivision (1) of 299
382	382	paragraph (d) of Rule 15 of the joint rules of the Senate and the House 300
383	383	of Representatives. 301
384	384	(b) Upon approval of an amendment pursuant to subdivision (1) of 302
385	385	subsection (a) of this section, the sponsor of the amendment shall cause 303
386	386	a copy of the signed approval to be provided electronically or by hand 304
387	387	to a designated leader or staff member of the other party. 305
388	388	(c) Any member who offers an amendment, originating in the Senate 306
389	389	which, if adopted, would reduce state revenues or increase state 307
390	390	expenditures by a specified amount or which would involve a 308
391	391	significant fiscal impact, shall make available to the President, President 309
392	392	Pro Tempore, the majority leader of the Senate and the minority leader 310
393	393	of the Senate at the time the amendment is offered, in addition to a fiscal 311
394	394	note, a signed and typewritten explanation, of the decrease in 312
395	395	Senate Resolution No.
396	396
397	397
398	398	LCO No. 458 12 of 13
399	399
400	400	expenditures or the source of the increased revenues required to balance 313
401	401	the state budget. 314
402	402	(d) Whenever a bill or resolution is substantively amended, it may be 315
403	403	referred to the legislative commissioners to be re-examined for the 316
404	404	purposes set forth in Rule 13 of the joint rules of the Senate and the 317
405	405	House of Representatives and to be reprinted as amended. The 318
406	406	legislative commissioners' office shall complete its examination of any 319
407	407	such bill within three calendar days of its receipt. It shall then be printed 320
408	408	in the files with a file number and marked on the calendar starred for 321
409	409	action on the session day on which it appears. 322
410	410	31. There shall be a consent calendar on which shall be entered such 323
411	411	bills and resolutions as the majority and minority leaders of the 324
412	412	respective house shall designate. All bills and resolutions starred for 325
413	413	action on the consent calendar shall be passed on motion without 326
414	414	discussion unless, at any time before voting has commenced, a member 327
415	415	requests removal of a bill or resolution from the consent calendar in 328
416	416	which case such bill or resolution shall be so removed. 329
417	417	32. The rules of parliamentary practice comprised in the 2010 edition 330
418	418	of Mason's Manual of Legislative Procedure shall govern the Senate 331
419	419	whenever applicable and whenever they are not inconsistent with the 332
420	420	standing rules and orders of the Senate or the joint rules of the Senate 333
421	421	and the House of Representatives. 334
422	422	33. The rules of the Senate shall take precedence over the joint rules 335
423	423	of the Senate and the House of Representatives or Mason's Manual of 336
424	424	Legislative Procedure in the event of conflict. 337
425	425	34. No person shall smoke in the chamber or the gallery. No person 338
426	426	shall operate a wireless telephone or similar device in the chamber or 339
427	427	gallery or use any such device to take photographs or to make video or 340
428	428	sound recordings while the Senate is in session. The presiding officer 341
429	429	shall enforce this rule. 342
430	430	Senate Resolution No.
431	431
432	432
433	433	LCO No. 458 13 of 13
434	434
435	435	35. (a) These rules shall not be altered, amended or suspended except 343
436	436	by vote of at least two-thirds of the members present. 344
437	437	(b) Motions to suspend the rules shall be in order on any session day. 345
438	438	Suspension of a rule shall be for a specified purpose; after the 346
439	439	accomplishment of such purpose, the rule shall remain in force as 347
440	440	before. 348
441	441	36. Every member present in the chamber when a question is put by 349
442	442	the presiding officer shall vote, unless excused under Rule 15. 350
443	443	37. As used in these rules, "COVID-19" means the respiratory disease 351
444	444	designated by the World Health Organization on February 11, 2020, as 352
445	445	coronavirus 2019, and any related mutation thereof recognized by said 353
446	446	organization as a communicable respiratory disease. 354
447	447