Connecticut 2023 Regular Session

Connecticut Senate Bill SR00002 Compare Versions

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

Old	New	Differences
1	1
2	2
3	3	LCO No. 320 1 of 12
4	4
5	5	General Assembly Senate Resolution No. 2
6	6	January Session, 2023
7	7	LCO No. 320
8	8
9	9
10	10	Referred to Committee on No Committee
11	11
12	12
13	13	Introduced by:
14	14	SEN. LOONEY, 11
15	15	th
16	16	Dist.
17	17	SEN. DUFF, 25
18	18	th
19	19	Dist.
20	20
21	21
22	22
23	23
24	24
25	25	RESOLUTION CONCERNING THE RULES OF THE SENATE.
26	26	Resolved by the Senate:
27	27
28	28	That the following are the Senate Rules for the 2023 and 2024 sessions: 1
29	29	1. The President shall take the chair on each session day, at the hour 2
30	30	to which the Senate stands adjourned. The President shall thereupon 3
31	31	call the Senate to order and after prayer and recitation of the pledge of 4
32	32	allegiance, if a quorum is present, proceed to business. 5
33	33	2. In the absence of a quorum, the President may adjourn the Senate 6
34	34	to a subsequent time on that day or to the next session day. At all other 7
35	35	times an adjournment shall be pronounced by the President on motion. 8
36	36	3. The President shall preserve order and decorum and shall decide 9
37	37	all questions of order, upon which no debate shall be allowed except at 10
38	38	the request of the President; but the decision shall be subject to an appeal 11
39	39	to the Senate which must be seconded and on which no member shall 12
40	40	speak more than once. No other business shall be in order until such 13
41	41	appeal is disposed of. 14
42	42	Senate Resolution No.
43	43
44	44
45	45	LCO No. 320 2 of 12
46	46
47	47	4. The President shall rise to put a question or to address the Senate, 15
48	48	but may read sitting. 16
49	49	5. If there is any disturbance, disorderly conduct or other activity in 17
50	50	or about the chamber which, in the opinion of the presiding officer, may 18
51	51	impede the orderly transaction of the business of the Senate, the 19
52	52	presiding officer may take such action as is deemed necessary to 20
53	53	preserve and restore order. 21
54	54	6. If the President while presiding, wishes to leave the chair, the 22
55	55	President Pro Tempore shall preside, or, in the absence of the President 23
56	56	Pro Tempore, the President Pro Tempore's designee shall preside for a 24
57	57	period not exceeding one day. 25
58	58	7. Within one week after appointment, the President Pro Tempore 26
59	59	shall nominate a chaplain and up to three deputy chaplains, and if such 27
60	60	nominations are confirmed by the Senate by a majority vote, the 28
61	61	candidates so nominated and confirmed shall serve for the 2023 and 29
62	62	2024 sessions. 30
63	63	8. The clerk shall keep a journal of the Senate, and shall enter therein 31
64	64	a record of each day's proceedings and record any amendment that may 32
65	65	be offered to any bill or resolution. 33
66	66	9. (a) Upon acceptance of a Senate agenda, the clerk's office shall act 34
67	67	upon the items listed as indicated and shall incorporate the items by 35
68	68	reference in the Senate journal and Senate transcript. The clerk shall 36
69	69	keep a Calendar on which he or she shall enter daily (1) all bills and joint 37
70	70	resolutions received from the House for action except (a) bills and 38
71	71	resolutions which do not have a favorable or unfavorable report of a 39
72	72	joint committee which shall, upon being read by the clerk, be referred 40
73	73	without further action to the appropriate committee, (b) all bills and 41
74	74	joint resolutions received from the House for action by the Senate which 42
75	75	have not been referred by the Senate to any committee, and (2) all bills 43
76	76	and resolutions favorably reported to the Senate from any committee; 44
77	77	and these shall be entered on the Calendar in the order in which they 45
78	78	Senate Resolution No.
79	79
80	80
81	81	LCO No. 320 3 of 12
82	82
83	83	are received. Each joint resolution proposing an amendment to the 46
84	84	constitution and each bill so entered shall be printed and in the files and 47
85	85	on the Calendar, with a file number for two session days and shall be 48
86	86	starred for action on the session day next succeeding, except that: 49
87	87	(A) A resolution may be acted on in accordance with Rule 17(b) of the 50
88	88	joint rules of the Senate and the House of Representatives, 51
89	89	(B) A bill or resolution certified in accordance with section 2-26 of the 52
90	90	general statutes, if filed in the House, may be transmitted to and acted 53
91	91	upon first by the Senate with the consent of the speaker; and if filed in 54
92	92	the Senate, may be transmitted to and acted upon first by the House 55
93	93	with the consent of the President Pro Tempore, 56
94	94	(C) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (c) of this rule, any 57
95	95	bill or resolution certified in accordance with section 2-26 of the general 58
96	96	statutes, may be acted upon immediately in the first house, may be 59
97	97	transmitted immediately to the second house and may be acted upon 60
98	98	immediately when received by the second house, 61
99	99	(D) If the Senate rejects an amendment adopted by the House, the bill 62
100	100	or resolution after final action by the Senate may be transmitted 63
101	101	immediately to the House, or if the House rejects an amendment 64
102	102	adopted by the Senate, the bill or resolution when received from the 65
103	103	House may be placed immediately on the Calendar, 66
104	104	(E) During the last five calendar days of the session, if the Senate 67
105	105	rejects an amendment adopted by the House, or adopts a Senate 68
106	106	amendment to a bill or resolution received from the House, or takes any 69
107	107	action on the bill or resolution requiring further action by the House, the 70
108	108	bill or resolution after final action by the Senate, may be transmitted 71
109	109	immediately to the House, or if the House rejects an amendment 72
110	110	adopted by the Senate or adopts a House amendment to a bill or 73
111	111	resolution received from the Senate, or takes any action on the bill or 74
112	112	resolution requiring further action by the Senate, the bill or resolution 75
113	113	when received from the House may be placed immediately on the 76
114	114	Senate Resolution No.
115	115
116	116
117	117	LCO No. 320 4 of 12
118	118
119	119	calendar and may be acted upon immediately, 77
120	120	(F) During the last five calendar days of the session, any bill or 78
121	121	resolution after final action by the Senate may be transmitted 79
122	122	immediately to the House, or 80
123	123	(G) During the last five calendar days of the session, any bill or 81
124	124	resolution received by the Senate after final action by the House may be 82
125	125	placed on the Calendar immediately. 83
126	126	(b) All bills and resolutions starred for action shall be acted upon only 84
127	127	when reached in their regular order, and any bill or resolution passed 85
128	128	over when so reached shall retain its place on the Calendar unless it is 86
129	129	passed temporarily, put on the foot of the Calendar or its consideration 87
130	130	is made the order of the day for some specified time. 88
131	131	(c) The clerk shall immediately provide an electronic notice of the 89
132	132	filing, in either chamber, and number of any emergency certified bill 90
133	133	introduced by the President Pro Tempore and the speaker, certified in 91
134	134	accordance with section 2-26 of the general statutes, that is the biennial 92
135	135	budget bill or a bill that amends or implements the biennial budget bill 93
136	136	to the members of the Senate. No such emergency certified bill may be 94
137	137	marked ready for action or acted upon less than twelve hours following 95
138	138	the provision of such electronic notice. 96
139	139	(d) On any day that is not scheduled as a session day, there shall be a 97
140	140	pro forma session, with or without the presence of a senator, for 98
141	141	purposes of transacting business of a procedural nature. There shall be 99
142	142	a written motion to adopt the day's Senate agenda and act on all items 100
143	143	as indicated and incorporate the items by reference into the Senate 101
144	144	journal and Senate transcript. Said motion shall be read into the record 102
145	145	and shall have the same force and effect as if the Senate were convened 103
146	146	with a presiding officer and senator. 104
147	147	10. The clerk shall retain all bills, resolutions and other papers, in 105
148	148	reference to which any member has a right to move a reconsideration, 106
149	149	Senate Resolution No.
150	150
151	151
152	152	LCO No. 320 5 of 12
153	153
154	154	until the right of reconsideration has expired, and no longer. 107
155	155	11. The clerk shall also keep a record of all petitions, resolutions, and 108
156	156	bills for all acts which are presented for the consideration of the Senate, 109
157	157	and said record shall be so kept as to show by a single reference the 110
158	158	action of the Senate on each of them to that date. 111
159	159	12. The assistant clerk shall have the same powers and perform the 112
160	160	same duties as the clerk, subject to the direction of the clerk. The bill 113
161	161	clerk and the journal clerk shall perform such duties as are assigned to 114
162	162	them by the clerk. 115
163	163	13. The clerk shall cause the journals and calendars to be distributed 116
164	164	on the desks of the members daily, before the opening of the session. 117
165	165	14. No member shall speak more than twice upon the same question 118
166	166	without leave of the Senate, except to explain. 119
167	167	15. No member who is interested in the decision of any question in 120
168	168	such manner that he or she cannot vote thereon may stay in the chamber 121
169	169	when such question is discussed or decided. 122
170	170	16. If a member, in speaking or otherwise, transgresses the rules and 123
171	171	order of the Senate, the President shall, or any member may, call such 124
172	172	member to order; and if speaking, such member shall sit down, unless 125
173	173	permitted to explain; and if a member is guilty of a breach of any of the 126
174	174	rules and orders, such member may be required by the Senate, on 127
175	175	motion, to make satisfaction therefor, and until satisfaction has been 128
176	176	made, shall not be allowed to vote or speak except by way of excuse. 129
177	177	17. If a candidate for the Senate notifies the clerk on or before the 130
178	178	opening day of the session that such candidate contests the results of the 131
179	179	election for his or her district, a committee of three shall be appointed 132
180	180	by the President Pro Tempore within the first two days of the session. If 133
181	181	a candidate for the Senate in a special election notifies the clerk no later 134
182	182	than fourteen days following such election that such candidate contests 135
183	183	the results of the election for his or her district, a committee of three shall 136
184	184	Senate Resolution No.
185	185
186	186
187	187	LCO No. 320 6 of 12
188	188
189	189	be appointed by the President Pro Tempore no later than sixteen days 137
190	190	following such election. The committee shall take into consideration 138
191	191	such contested election and report the facts with its opinion thereon. 139
192	192	18. The majority leader shall be elected by the members of the 140
193	193	majority party in the Senate. The other leaders of the majority party in 141
194	194	the Senate and the chairperson and vice chairpersons of each standing 142
195	195	committee shall be appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the 143
196	196	Senate. Chairpersons and vice chairpersons shall serve at the pleasure 144
197	197	of the President Pro Tempore and the majority leader. The clerks of the 145
198	198	standing committees and the chairpersons of the subcommittees thereof 146
199	199	shall be appointed by the chairpersons of the respective committees 147
200	200	with the approval of the President Pro Tempore of the Senate. The 148
201	201	minority leader shall be elected by the members of the minority party in 149
202	202	the Senate and the other leaders of the minority party in the Senate shall 150
203	203	be appointed by the minority leader. The minority leader shall appoint 151
204	204	ranking minority members to each standing committee. Such ranking 152
205	205	members shall serve at the pleasure of the minority leader. All standing 153
206	206	committee members shall be appointed by the President Pro Tempore 154
207	207	by the fifth regular session day of the first year of the term, except to fill 155
208	208	a vacancy caused by death or incapacity or resignation from the Senate 156
209	209	or from a committee; and except that the President Pro Tempore may 157
210	210	appoint any member elected after the fifth regular session day of the 158
211	211	first year of the term to any committee within five calendar days after 159
212	212	the member takes the oath of office. Not more than nine senators shall 160
213	213	be appointed to any standing committee, except that the joint standing 161
214	214	committee on Judiciary shall consist of not more than eleven senators 162
215	215	and the joint standing committees on Appropriations and Finance, 163
216	216	Revenue and Bonding shall consist of not more than thirteen senators. 164
217	217	The member first named shall be chairperson. The chairperson of each 165
218	218	committee may appoint one of the members of the committee as clerk 166
219	219	thereof. All Senate leaders, standing committee assignments, 167
220	220	chairpersons, vice chairpersons and clerks and subcommittee 168
221	221	chairpersons shall serve for both the 2023 and the 2024 sessions. 169
222	222	Senate Resolution No.
223	223
224	224
225	225	LCO No. 320 7 of 12
226	226
227	227	19. The order of business shall be as follows: 170
228	228	1. Reception of petitions. 171
229	229	2. Reception of communications from the Governor, secretary of 172
230	230	the state, annual and biennial reports, interim committee 173
231	231	reports and reports. 174
232	232	3. Introduction of bills and resolutions. 175
233	233	4. Reports of committees. 176
234	234	5. Reception of business from the House. 177
235	235	6. Business on the Calendar. 178
236	236	7. Introduction of guests. 179
237	237	8. Miscellaneous business. 180
238	238	9. Resolutions removed from consent calendar. 181
239	239	20. Before any petition or resolution is received, a brief statement of 182
240	240	its object shall be made by the introducer. 183
241	241	21. When a motion is made, it shall be stated to the Senate by the 184
242	242	President before any debate is had thereon, and every motion shall be 185
243	243	reduced to writing if the President so directs or any member desires it. 186
244	244	22. When a motion is stated by the President, or read by the clerk, it 187
245	245	shall be deemed to be in the possession of the Senate. It may be 188
246	246	withdrawn by the mover at any time before decision or amendment, but 189
247	247	not after amendment, unless the Senate gives leave. 190
248	248	23. If the question under debate consists of two or more independent 191
249	249	propositions any member may move to have the question divided. The 192
250	250	President shall rule on the order of voting on the division of a question. 193
251	251	24. (a) The yeas and nays shall be cast on the roll call machine or 194
252	252	Senate Resolution No.
253	253
254	254
255	255	LCO No. 320 8 of 12
256	256
257	257	through use of the electronic remote voting system on all final action on 195
258	258	bills on the regular calendar and on all other questions at the desire of 196
259	259	one-fifth of the members present, expressed at any time before a 197
260	260	declaration of the vote. A vote may only be cast using the electronic 198
261	261	remote voting system from the Legislative Office Building or State 199
262	262	Capitol. 200
263	263	(b) Exceptions to this rule shall be allowed as to how and where the 201
264	264	yeas and nays are cast and recorded as follows: 202
265	265	(1) In the case that the roll call machine or electronic remote voting 203
266	266	system is not functioning properly, the roll may be called by the clerk; 204
267	267	or 205
268	268	(2) If the electronic remote voting system is not functioning properly 206
269	269	and there is a member who is unwilling or unable to be in the chamber, 207
270	270	such member may vote remotely from the Legislative Office Building or 208
271	271	State Capitol in writing, citing the LCO number of the bill, resolution or 209
272	272	amendment or the number of the consent calendar upon which the vote 210
273	273	is cast and signed by the member's hand. Such written remote vote shall 211
274	274	be delivered by a runner selected by the member's caucus to the 212
275	275	presiding officer before the roll call is announced. The presiding officer 213
276	276	shall announce the result of any such vote by such member as indicated 214
277	277	in the member's written remote vote and such vote shall be included in 215
278	278	the roll call vote announced after the receipt of such vote. No voice vote 216
279	279	may be made by written remote vote. The clerk shall retain each written 217
280	280	remote vote until the end of the regular session in which the vote was 218
281	281	cast. 219
282	282	25. Whenever the result of a vote as stated by the presiding officer is 220
283	283	doubted, it shall be taken again by rising. 221
284	284	26. When a vote has been taken, it shall be in order for any senator on 222
285	285	the prevailing side to move for a reconsideration thereof on the day of 223
286	286	the vote or on the next succeeding session day, if the bill is still in the 224
287	287	possession of the Senate; provided also that there shall be no 225
288	288	Senate Resolution No.
289	289
290	290
291	291	LCO No. 320 9 of 12
292	292
293	293	reconsideration of the following motions: To adjourn, for the previous 226
294	294	question or to reconsider, and no question shall be twice reconsidered. 227
295	295	27. Pairs may be made by senators whose votes if they were present 228
296	296	would be cast on opposite sides of any question, by filing with the clerk 229
297	297	of the Senate a memorandum, containing the names of the senators, and 230
298	298	their votes, who are thus paired and the subject matter or matters to 231
299	299	which such pairs apply. Senators making any such pairs shall be 232
300	300	excused from voting upon the merits of the matters involved while the 233
301	301	pair continues, but no pairs shall operate while both of the senators 234
302	302	paired are present. 235
303	303	28. Persons, other than members of the General Assembly, shall not 236
304	304	be permitted on the chamber floor while the Senate is in session. 237
305	305	Lobbyists shall be prohibited from the chamber floor on any day during 238
306	306	which the Senate is in session except during a public hearing in the 239
307	307	chamber. This rule shall not apply to the staff of the General Assembly, 240
308	308	to any state or municipal official or member of the media who has been 241
309	309	given permission to be on the chamber floor by the President of the 242
310	310	Senate, President Pro Tempore, majority leader or minority leader, or to 243
311	311	persons invited to the chamber for purposes of recognition or ceremony. 244
312	312	Other persons who desire to speak with a member of the Senate while it 245
313	313	is in session shall communicate such desire through one of the 246
314	314	messengers and shall not converse with such member in the chamber 247
315	315	while the Senate is in session. 248
316	316	29. When a question is under debate, no motion shall be received 249
317	317	except: 250
318	318	1. To adjourn. 251
319	319	2. To recess. 252
320	320	3. For the previous question. 253
321	321	4. To close the debate at a specified time. 254
322	322	Senate Resolution No.
323	323
324	324
325	325	LCO No. 320 10 of 12
326	326
327	327	5. To pass temporarily. 255
328	328	6. To pass retain. 256
329	329	7. To postpone to a certain time. 257
330	330	8. To commit or recommit. 258
331	331	9. To divide the question. 259
332	332	10. To amend. 260
333	333	11. To refer to another committee. 261
334	334	12. To postpone indefinitely. 262
335	335	13. To place at foot of calendar. 263
336	336	These several motions shall have precedence in the order listed in this 264
337	337	rule, and no motion to commit or recommit, to continue to the next 265
338	338	General Assembly or to postpone indefinitely, having been once 266
339	339	decided, shall be again allowed at the same session and at the same state 267
340	340	of the bill or subject matter. 268
341	341	30. (a) Amendments shall be filed with the clerk of the Senate before 269
342	342	12 noon on the day the bill is acted upon. Exceptions to this rule shall be 270
343	343	allowed: (1) Upon approval of any two of the following: The President 271
344	344	Pro Tempore, the majority leader of the Senate, the minority leader of 272
345	345	the Senate; or (2) in the case of bills or resolutions not starred for action 273
346	346	or bills or resolutions reported in accordance with subdivision (1) of 274
347	347	paragraph (d) of Rule 15 of the joint rules of the Senate and the House 275
348	348	of Representatives. 276
349	349	(b) Upon approval of an amendment pursuant to subdivision (1) of 277
350	350	subsection (a) of this section, the sponsor of the amendment shall cause 278
351	351	a copy of the signed approval to be provided electronically or by hand 279
352	352	to a designated leader or staff member of the other party. 280
353	353	Senate Resolution No.
354	354
355	355
356	356	LCO No. 320 11 of 12
357	357
358	358	(c) Any member who offers an amendment, originating in the Senate 281
359	359	which, if adopted, would reduce state revenues or increase state 282
360	360	expenditures by a specified amount or which would involve a 283
361	361	significant fiscal impact, shall make available to the President, President 284
362	362	Pro Tempore, the majority leader of the Senate and the minority leader 285
363	363	of the Senate at the time the amendment is offered, in addition to a fiscal 286
364	364	note, a signed and typewritten explanation, of the decrease in 287
365	365	expenditures or the source of the increased revenues required to balance 288
366	366	the state budget. 289
367	367	(d) Whenever a bill or resolution is substantively amended, it may be 290
368	368	referred to the legislative commissioners to be re-examined for the 291
369	369	purposes set forth in Rule 13 of the joint rules of the Senate and the 292
370	370	House of Representatives and to be reprinted as amended. The 293
371	371	legislative commissioners' office shall complete its examination of any 294
372	372	such bill within three calendar days of its receipt. It shall then be printed 295
373	373	in the files with a file number and marked on the calendar starred for 296
374	374	action on the session day on which it appears. 297
375	375	31. There shall be a consent calendar on which shall be entered such 298
376	376	bills and resolutions as the majority and minority leaders of the 299
377	377	respective house shall designate. All bills and resolutions starred for 300
378	378	action on the consent calendar shall be passed on motion without 301
379	379	discussion unless, at any time before voting has commenced, a member 302
380	380	requests removal of a bill or resolution from the consent calendar in 303
381	381	which case such bill or resolution shall be so removed. 304
382	382	32. The rules of parliamentary practice comprised in the 2010 edition 305
383	383	of Mason's Manual of Legislative Procedure shall govern the Senate 306
384	384	whenever applicable and whenever they are not inconsistent with the 307
385	385	standing rules and orders of the Senate or the joint rules of the Senate 308
386	386	and the House of Representatives. 309
387	387	33. The rules of the Senate shall take precedence over the joint rules 310
388	388	of the Senate and the House of Representatives or Mason's Manual of 311
389	389	Legislative Procedure in the event of conflict. 312
390	390	Senate Resolution No.
391	391
392	392
393	393	LCO No. 320 12 of 12
394	394
395	395	34. No person shall smoke in the chamber or the gallery. 313
396	396	35. (a) These rules shall not be altered, amended or suspended except 314
397	397	by vote of at least two-thirds of the members present. 315
398	398	(b) Motions to suspend the rules shall be in order on any session day. 316
399	399	Suspension of a rule shall be for a specified purpose; after the 317
400	400	accomplishment of such purpose, the rule shall remain in force as 318
401	401	before. 319
402	402	36. Every member present in the chamber when a question is put by 320
403	403	the presiding officer shall vote, unless excused under Rule 15. 321
404	404	37. If deemed necessary in the opinion of the President Pro Tempore 322
405	405	due to public health concerns related to COVID-19, each member or 323
406	406	other person present in or about the chamber shall maintain a cloth face 324
407	407	covering or mask over the member's or person's nose and mouth. This 325
408	408	rule does not apply to a member who is in the chamber and is 326
409	409	addressing the chair and able to maintain a distance of at least six feet 327
410	410	from any other member or person. For purposes of this rule, "COVID-328
411	411	19" means the respiratory disease designated by the World Health 329
412	412	Organization on February 11, 2020, as coronavirus 2019, and any related 330
413	413	mutation thereof recognized by said organization as a communicable 331
414	414	respiratory disease. 332
415	415