UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS BR 812 Page 1 of 46 XXXX 1/7/2025 12:14 PM Jacketed A RESOLUTION adopting the Rules of Procedure for the 2025 Regular Session of 1 the House of Representatives. 2 Be it resolved by the House of Representatives of the General Assembly of the 3 Commonwealth of Kentucky: 4 Section 1. The following Rules of Procedure are adopted to govern the 2025 5 Regular Session of the House of Representatives. 6 Rule 1. Hours of Meeting. The House shall meet at times set by the Committee 7 on Committees. 8 Rule 2. Quorum. A majority of the members elected to the House shall 9 constitute a quorum. If a quorum is not present at the time fixed for a meeting of the 10 House, five members may adjourn or recess from day to day or from time to time and 11 fifteen members may order a call of the House and send for absent members. 12 On any session day during which remote voting is authorized under House Rule 13 67A or alternative voting is authorized under House Rule 68A, the determination of a 14 quorum shall include those members physically present in the House Chamber, as well as 15 those members physically present in their Capitol Annex office or in their automobile on 16 the Capitol Campus, as applicable, and whose presence has been verified by the Speaker 17 or other presiding officer under Rule 26 through appropriate means, including but not 18 limited to a video call in which the member’s face can be seen. 19 Rule 3. Call of the House. Upon a call of the House, the Clerk shall call the 20 roll. Absentees are then only noted, but no excuses shall be made until the full roll is 21 called. The Clerk shall then call the absentees again. Excuses will be heard at this time. 22 The doors of the House Chamber shall then be closed and the absentees not excused by 23 the House may be sent for and arrested by the Sergeant-at-Arms and the House shall 24 determine upon what conditions they shall be discharged from arrest. Members who 25 voluntarily appear shall be immediately admitted to the floor of the House and names 26 returned upon the Journal as present unless the House otherwise directs. Excuses for 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS BR 812 Page 2 of 46 XXXX 1/7/2025 12:14 PM Jacketed leaves of absence must receive a consent approval of two-thirds of the members elected. 1 On any session day during which remote voting is authorized under House Rule 2 67A or alternative voting is authorized under House Rule 68A, any member physically 3 present in the House Chamber or any member physically present in their Capitol Annex 4 office or in their automobile on the Capitol Campus, as applicable, and whose presence 5 has been verified by the Speaker or other presiding officer under Rule 26 through 6 appropriate means, including but not limited to a video call in which the member’s face 7 can be seen, shall be permitted to answer the convening roll call. 8 ORDER OF BUSINESS 9 Rule 4. Order of Business. The order of business shall be as follows: 10 1. Invocation. 11 2. Pledge of Allegiance. 12 3. Roll Call. 13 4. Reading and Approval of the Journal. 14 5. Introduction of Guests. 15 6. Second Reading of Bills. 16 7. Report of Committees and First Reading of Bills. 17 8. Orders of the Day. 18 9. Motions, Petitions, Communications, and Announcements. 19 10. Introduction of Bills and Resolutions. 20 11. Meeting and Report of the Committee on Committees and the Rules 21 Committee. 22 12. Introduction of Floor Amendments. 23 13. Adjournment. 24 Under the order of business Introduction of Guests, the Majority Caucus Chair and 25 the Minority Caucus Chair shall be recognized to read a cumulative list of the guests for 26 the day. No more than 30 minutes shall be allotted to Motions, Petitions, 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS BR 812 Page 3 of 46 XXXX 1/7/2025 12:14 PM Jacketed Communications, and Announcements. 1 Rule 4A. Order of Business on the First Day of the 2025 Regular Session. The 2 order of business on the first day of the 2025 Regular Session shall be as follows: 3 1. Invocation. 4 2. Pledge of Allegiance. 5 3. Certificates of Election. 6 4. Administration of Oath to Members. 7 5. Roll Call. 8 6. Election of the Speaker of the House of Representatives. 9 7. Election of Speaker Pro Tempore of the House of Representatives. 10 8. Election of Constitutional Officers. 11 9. Approval of the Journal. 12 10. Special First Day Introduction of Guests. 13 11. Report of Party Leadership Elections. 14 12. Motions, Petitions, Communications, and Announcements. 15 13. Introduction of Bills and Resolutions. 16 14. Meeting and Report of the Committee on Committees and the Rules 17 Committee. 18 15. Introduction of Floor Amendments. 19 16. Adjournment. 20 Rule 5. Unfinished Business. Unfinished business which was being considered 21 upon adjournment shall have precedence in the class of business to which it properly 22 belongs upon the next succeeding legislative day. 23 MOTIONS 24 Rule 6. Reading of Motions. When a motion has been made and seconded, it 25 shall be stated by the Speaker, or, being in written form, it shall be read by the Clerk 26 before debate, amendment or motion concerning it shall be in order. 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS BR 812 Page 4 of 46 XXXX 1/7/2025 12:14 PM Jacketed Rule 7. Withdrawal of Motions. Every oral motion after it has been stated by 1 the Speaker, and every written motion, bill, resolution or other paper, after it has been 2 read by the Clerk, shall be the property and in the possession of the House and shall not 3 be withdrawn without consent of the House. Every written motion, report or measure 4 may be committed or recommitted at the pleasure of the House. 5 Rule 8. Order of Questions. All questions, whether in Committee of the Whole 6 or in the House, when not privileged questions, shall be propounded in the order in which 7 they were moved, except that in filling blanks the smallest sum and the most remote date 8 shall be put first. 9 Rule 9. Precedence of Motions. When a question is under consideration, no 10 motion shall be in order except: 11 1. To call the House when there is no quorum present. 12 2. To fix the time to which the House shall adjourn. 13 3. To adjourn. 14 4. To take recess. 15 5. To lay on the table. 16 6. For the previous question. 17 7. To limit or extend limits of debate. 18 8. To postpone to a fixed time. 19 9. To lay on the Clerk’s desk. 20 10. To refer or commit. 21 11. To amend. 22 12. To postpone indefinitely. 23 The above several motions shall have precedence in the order in which they are 24 arranged and the first seven of them shall not be debatable. 25 A second motion to adjourn, to take a recess, to lay on the table, for the previous 26 question, to limit or extend limits of debate, to postpone to a time certain, to lay on the 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS BR 812 Page 5 of 46 XXXX 1/7/2025 12:14 PM Jacketed Clerk’s desk, to refer or commit or to postpone indefinitely shall not be in order on the 1 same day, upon the same question, and at the same status unless other business 2 intervenes; provided, however, that amendments may be made to the time to which it is 3 proposed to adjourn, to take a recess or to postpone to a fixed time. 4 Rule 10. Motion to Adjourn. A motion to adjourn, to take a recess, or a motion 5 to adjourn to a time certain, shall always be in order, except when a member is speaking, 6 while a vote is being taken or when the Committee on Committees is reporting; subject, 7 however, to the limitations set out in Rule 9. A motion to adjourn or a motion to adjourn 8 to a time certain shall be taken by roll call vote, unless the motion is made after the 9 House has reached adjournment in the order of business under Rule 4, in which case 10 adjournment shall be by voice vote unless a roll call is ordered by a majority of the 11 members. 12 Rule 11. Motion to Table. The adoption of the motion to table, under these rules, 13 defeats the subject matter under consideration. The reconsideration of the motion to table 14 shall require approval of a majority of the members elected. 15 Rule 12. Previous Question. The previous question may be ordered by a three-16 fifths majority of the members elected. [On the call of the roll, and subject to any motion 17 to limit debate, no member shall be allowed to speak more than two minutes to explain a 18 vote, and no more than one minute if the member has already spoken on the measure, and 19 shall not speak at all if the question is not a debatable question. ]The effect of the 20 previous question shall be to put an end to debate on any pending amendment; to prevent 21 the offering of additional amendments and to bring the House to an immediate vote upon 22 any amendment that has been called and is in order. Once the previous question has been 23 ordered, and any pending amendment has been voted upon, all debate shall cease and the 24 House shall immediately vote on the main question. In any case when the previous 25 question is ordered, no member shall be permitted to debate or explain their vote. 26 Rule 13. Motion to Set the Limits on Debate. A motion to set a time limit for 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS BR 812 Page 6 of 46 XXXX 1/7/2025 12:14 PM Jacketed debate on a measure, which may include a time limit for explanation of votes, in excess 1 of that permitted under Rule 12, shall be in order unless the previous question shall have 2 been ordered on the measure. The time limit set for debate and explanation of votes under 3 this rule shall be allotted by the Speaker evenly between the opponents of the measure 4 and the proponents of the measure. Adoption of a motion under this rule does not prevent 5 the offering of additional amendments. 6 Rule 14. Motion to Reconsider. A motion to reconsider a vote shall not be in 7 order unless made by a member who voted upon the prevailing side of the question, nor 8 shall that motion be in order unless made within two legislative days in which the House 9 is in session next after the date the vote was taken and the bill or resolution is in the 10 possession of the House; however, the motion to reconsider when coupled with the 11 additional motion to lay that motion upon the table may be made by any member. For 12 purposes of this rule, a member who is recorded as "not voting" on a proposition which 13 failed is considered to have voted on the prevailing side. Procedural motions, such as a 14 motion to lay on the table or lay on the clerk’s desk, shall not be subject to a motion to 15 reconsider. 16 Rule 15. Motion to Lay on Clerk’s Desk. The effect of the adoption of a motion 17 to lay on the Clerk’s desk under these rules is to place in charge of the Clerk the pending 18 question and everything adhering to it. A motion laid on the Clerk’s desk may be taken 19 from the desk and proceeded with at any time in the same order as when laid on the 20 Clerk’s desk. 21 Rule 16. Motion to Strike Out Enacting Clause. A motion to amend by striking 22 out the enacting words of a bill or resolution shall have precedence over a motion to 23 amend; and, if adopted, shall have the same effect as though the bill or resolution were 24 regularly voted upon and rejected. 25 Rule 17. Motion to Separate Part of a Measure. A motion to commit, 26 recommit, or postpone a part of a measure so as to separate that part of the measure from 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS BR 812 Page 7 of 46 XXXX 1/7/2025 12:14 PM Jacketed the remainder shall not be in order. A motion to divide a measure shall refer to and be 1 accompanied by an introduced House floor amendment. 2 Rule 18. Postponement of Measure. When a measure shall have been postponed 3 indefinitely it shall not be in order again during the session. 4 Rule 19. Reading of Pending Papers. Any pending bill, resolution, motion or 5 report shall be read upon the request of any member, with the concurrence of a majority 6 of the members elected to the House, but it shall not again be read on the same day unless 7 so ordered by the House. 8 Rule 20. Nominations. In all elections a previous nomination shall be made. 9 MEMBERS 10 Rule 21. Attendance of Members. No member shall be absent from a session of 11 the House without leave from the House. For the purposes of this rule, a member shall be 12 considered present if the member is in his or her Capitol Annex office during any session 13 when remote voting is authorized pursuant to House Rule 67A or if the member is in his 14 or her automobile on the Capitol Campus during any session when alternative voting is 15 authorized pursuant to House Rule 68A. 16 Rule 22. Decorum of Members. No member shall designate another member by 17 name. All members shall treat fellow members with the utmost courtesy and respect. All 18 members’ remarks in debate shall be confined to the subject under debate, avoiding 19 personality. A sign, poster, or any other object, the purpose of which can be reasonably 20 construed to indicate support or opposition to any measure before the House, and which 21 is large enough to be generally visible from the chair, shall not be displayed in the House 22 Chamber, or in a member’s Capitol Annex office during any session when remote voting 23 is authorized pursuant to House Rule 67A, by any member while the House is in session. 24 Rule 22A. Point of Personal Privilege. To be in order, a point of personal 25 privilege must relate to allegations regarding the rights, reputation, or conduct of a 26 member personally, in the member’s capacity as a representative, that, if true, would 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS BR 812 Page 8 of 46 XXXX 1/7/2025 12:14 PM Jacketed incapacitate them for membership. Members who have the floor after claiming a point of 1 personal privilege shall confine themselves to defending their own rights, reputations, or 2 conduct, and not those of other members. Members wishing to make general comments 3 about pending legislation, media coverage, or other matters that would be out of order if 4 raised as a point of personal privilege shall use Motions, Petitions, Communications, and 5 Announcements. 6 Rule 22B. Required Training. Each member of the House shall complete 7 workplace harassment prevention training at the beginning of each session of the General 8 Assembly. 9 Rule 23. Call to Order. If any member, in speech or otherwise, transgresses the 10 rules of order or decorum, the member shall immediately be called to order by the chair 11 and shall be seated. After hearing a short explanation from the member called to order, or 12 upon the withdrawal of the objectionable language, the Speaker may permit the member 13 to proceed, or may compel silence upon the member until the matter is disposed of. The 14 ruling of the chair shall be subject to an appeal to the House. A member offending the 15 House shall be liable to censure. 16 Rule 24. Debate. No member may speak more than once to the same subject until 17 all members desiring to be heard have spoken, but nothing in this rule shall do away with 18 the previous question if then in effect, nor permit debate on an undebatable motion. 19 No member shall speak more than thirty minutes in the aggregate on any question 20 or measure, at the end of which period, or any portion thereof, the floor shall be returned 21 to the Speaker. 22 Rule 25. Members Shall Vote at Seats. Except when remote voting is 23 authorized pursuant to House Rule 67A or alternative voting is authorized pursuant to 24 House Rule 68A, a member shall vote only when at the member’s seat or visibly 25 approaching it. 26 OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS BR 812 Page 9 of 46 XXXX 1/7/2025 12:14 PM Jacketed Rule 26. Duties of Speaker. The Speaker shall take the chair every day precisely 1 at the hour fixed for the meeting of the House and on the appearance of a quorum, shall 2 cause the Journal of the preceding day to be read, unless the reading of the same is 3 dispensed with by the House. 4 The Speaker shall preserve decorum and order and, in the event of any disorder in 5 the gallery or in the House Chamber, may cause the same to be cleared of any persons 6 creating disturbances or disorders. 7 All writs, warrants, subpoenas or other processes shall be signed by the officer who 8 may be presiding over the House when the paper is issued; and the presiding officer’s 9 signature shall be attested by the Clerk, when ordered by a majority of the members. 10 Any reference made to the Speaker in these rules shall refer to the Speaker of the 11 House or, in the proper context, any member, including the Speaker Pro Tempore, who is 12 acting as the presiding officer. 13 Rule 27. Appeal from Decision of Chair. The Speaker while presiding may 14 speak to points of order in preference to members. The Speaker shall decide points of 15 order and manner of procedure. If two or more members arise from their respective seats 16 and address the chair, the Speaker shall determine who was first and recognize that 17 member. 18 Any decision made by the Speaker shall be subject to appeal to the House. Every 19 appeal shall be in writing and signed by at least two members. During the pendency of an 20 appeal to the House from a decision of the chair, the Speaker shall vacate the chair and 21 call the Speaker Pro Tempore to preside. When the Speaker Pro Tempore is presiding on 22 an appeal to the House from a decision of the Chair, no motion or business shall be in 23 order except the motion on appeal from the decision of the Chair, and that motion shall 24 not be debatable. The ruling of the Speaker shall be sustained unless a majority of the 25 members elected to the House oppose the ruling. 26 For purposes of an appeal, the Chair includes the Speaker, Speaker Pro Tempore, or 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS BR 812 Page 10 of 46 XXXX 1/7/2025 12:14 PM Jacketed other designee of the Speaker or Speaker Pro Tempore, or other member serving as Chair 1 in the absence of the Speaker or Speaker Pro Tempore. 2 Rule 28. Speaker Pro Tempore. The House shall elect a Speaker Pro Tempore. 3 The Speaker Pro Tempore shall perform the duties of the Speaker in the absence of the 4 Speaker or when empowered by the Speaker to perform the duties of the Chair. 5 Rule 29. Duties of the Clerk. The Clerk shall have charge of all clerical, 6 technical and procedural matters which relate to legislation including but not limited to: 7 notification of committees of their appointment and business referred to them; keeping a 8 calendar showing such bills as are entitled to their second reading each day, 9 distinguishing between House and Senate bills; supervising the engrossing and enrolling 10 of bills; and such other matters as are assigned by the Committee on Committees. The 11 Clerk shall read to the House papers ordered to be read; call the roll and note the answers 12 of members when a question is taken by yeas and nays; assist the Speaker in taking the 13 count when any vote of the House is taken; attest all writs, warrants, and subpoenas 14 issued by order of the House; certify to the passage of all bills and to the adoption of all 15 joint and concurrent resolutions by the General Assembly; and make all reports to the 16 Senate. The Clerk shall perform such other duties as are assigned by the Committee on 17 Committees. 18 Rule 29A. Duties of the Legislative Research Commission. The Legislative 19 Research Commission staff shall have charge of clerical and administrative functions as 20 assigned by the Clerk and shall cooperate with the Clerk to facilitate the work of the 21 House. 22 Rule 30. Journal of Proceedings. The Clerk shall cause to be kept the Journal of 23 the proceedings of the House. The Clerk shall note upon the Journal all questions of 24 order, together with the disposition of same, and the dates upon which all bills and 25 resolutions were sent to committee and returned to the House. The House may correct 26 errors in the Journal the day the Journal containing errors is presented to the House. No 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS BR 812 Page 11 of 46 XXXX 1/7/2025 12:14 PM Jacketed record which is in the hands of the Clerk and is required by law to be entered upon the 1 Journal of the House shall be copied by any person until same shall have been entered 2 upon the Journal and that Journal shall have been approved. 3 Half an hour before the time fixed for the meeting of the House each day, the Clerk 4 or an assistant shall be present at the Clerk’s desk with the Journal of the preceding 5 session for inspection of any member of the House. 6 The Clerk or an assistant shall transmit the Journal for each day, as soon as it has 7 been approved by the House, to the Legislative Research Commission, which shall 8 deliver it to the public printer. The Commission staff shall proofread and index the 9 Journal upon return from the printer and make necessary typographical corrections. 10 Rule 31. Custody of Papers. The Clerk shall have custody of all records, 11 minutes, reports, and documents pertaining to legislation, and shall not allow them to be 12 taken from his or her possession without the leave of the House, unless to be delivered to 13 the chair of a committee to which they have been referred or to the Legislative Research 14 Commission. The Clerk shall cause to be enclosed on bills and papers brief notes of 15 proceedings had thereon by the House and preserve the same in convenient files for 16 reference. The Director of the Legislative Research Commission shall implement a policy 17 to provide for the maintenance and distribution of the records, papers, and bills of the 18 legislative branch. 19 Rule 32. Accounts of Expenditures. The Legislative Research Commission shall 20 keep the accounts for pay and mileage of members, officers and attaches, and for printing 21 and other contingent expenses of the House and Senate. 22 Rule 33. Printing of House Papers. The Legislative Research Commission shall 23 have supervision and charge of all printing done for the House as certified by the Clerk 24 and the public printer shall print only such documents and other matter as the Legislative 25 Research Commission authorizes. The Clerk shall report to the Speaker every failure to 26 execute printing work correctly and promptly. 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS BR 812 Page 12 of 46 XXXX 1/7/2025 12:14 PM Jacketed Rule 34. Duties of the Sergeant-at-Arms. It shall be the duty of the Sergeant-at-1 Arms and the Doorkeeper to exclude or remove all persons not entitled to the floor of the 2 House. One hour before convening of the House each day the Sergeant-at-Arms shall 3 announce in a loud, distinct voice: "All persons not entitled to the floor of the House 4 under the rules thereof will now vacate the House Chamber." The Sergeant-at-Arms shall 5 then compel all persons who are not entitled to remain therein to leave the House 6 Chambers and shall prohibit their entry until one hour after the House has adjourned. 7 Rule 35. Appointment and Conduct of Constitutional Employees. The 8 constitutional employees of the House shall be appointed by election during the regular 9 sessions of the General Assembly and shall serve one year terms or until the election of 10 their successors. 11 All the constitutional employees of the House, shall, one hour before the meeting of 12 the House each day, report to the Clerk, who shall report to the Committee on 13 Committees whether or not all of the employees are on duty. The Committee on 14 Committees, whenever it deems it necessary, shall report to the House any dereliction of 15 duty. 16 Rule 36. Other Employees. All other professional, clerical and other services 17 required by the House or its committees shall be furnished by the Legislative Research 18 Commission, upon the request of the Committee on Committees. Employees performing 19 such services shall be under the supervision of the Committee on Committees. 20 No officer or employee of the House shall receive any fee, tip or compensation 21 from any member and violation of this rule shall be ground for dismissal. 22 COMMITTEES 23 Rule 37. Committee on Committees. There shall be a Committee on 24 Committees composed of the Speaker of the House, the Speaker Pro Tempore, the 25 Majority Caucus Chair, the Majority Floor Leader of the House, the Majority Whip, the 26 Minority Floor Leader of the House, the Minority Caucus Chair, and the Minority Whip. 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS BR 812 Page 13 of 46 XXXX 1/7/2025 12:14 PM Jacketed The Speaker shall be Chair of the Committee and the majority of the Committee shall 1 have full power to act on all matters referred to the Committee, either by these rules or by 2 the action of the House. All bills and joint or concurrent resolutions shall, upon their 3 introduction, be automatically referred to the Committee on Committees who shall[may] 4 refer same to the proper Committee not later than the fifth day in which the House is in 5 session after the date of introduction. In the event of a vacancy on the Committee on 6 Committees, the other remaining members of the majority or minority party’s leadership 7 serving on the Committee on Committees may determine whether there is a vacancy on 8 the Committee on Committees and shall appoint a replacement for that member. 9 The Committee on Committees shall have supervision and control over all 10 employees of the House, whether elected by the House or provided by the Legislative 11 Research Commission, and the Committee on Committees shall see that they perform all 12 of their duties to the House and the members thereof. The Committee on Committees is 13 empowered to discharge any or all said employees and officers except the constitutional 14 officers of the House. The Committee on Committees shall appoint the members of all 15 standing and special committees and shall fill any vacancies thereon in accordance with 16 Rule 39. 17 Rule 38. Standing Committees. The following shall be the standing committees 18 of the House: 19 1. Agriculture 20 2. Appropriations and Revenue 21 3. Banking and Insurance 22 4. Economic Development and Workforce Investment 23 5. Primary and Secondary Education 24 6. Postsecondary Education 25 7. Elections, Constitutional Amendments and Intergovernmental Affairs 26 8[7]. Families and Children 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS BR 812 Page 14 of 46 XXXX 1/7/2025 12:14 PM Jacketed 9[8]. Health Services 1 10[9]. Judiciary 2 11[10]. Licensing, Occupations and Administrative Regulations 3 12[11]. Local Government 4 13[12]. Natural Resources and Energy 5 14[13]. Small Business and Information Technology 6 15[14]. State Government 7 16[15]. Tourism and Outdoor Recreation 8 17[16]. Transportation 9 18[17]. Veterans, Military Affairs and Public Protection 10 Rule 39. Appointment of Committees. The Committee on Committees shall 11 appoint the Chair, Vice-Chairs and the members of all standing and special committees 12 and shall fill any vacancies thereon. In making the appointments to standing committees, 13 the Committee on Committees shall appoint a member with service in the immediately 14 preceding regular session to at least one committee on which the member served in that 15 previous regular session. That appointment to the one committee shall be at the 16 preference of the member, and the Committee on Committees shall be bound by the 17 member’s preference for that one committee; provided, however, a member who was a 18 committee chair in the preceding regular session shall select for reappointment the 19 committee the member so chaired if the member wishes to be considered for the 20 chairmanship of that committee; if another selection is made, the member shall not be 21 reappointed chair of the committee which the member chaired in the preceding regular 22 session. A member of the Committee on Committees shall not serve as chair of a standing 23 committee. A chair of a standing committee shall not serve as a member of the 24 Committee on Appropriations and Revenue. The Committee on Committees shall select 25 members of each standing and special committee in proportion to the representation of 26 each political party in the House. The Vice-Chair shall act in the absence of the Chair. 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS BR 812 Page 15 of 46 XXXX 1/7/2025 12:14 PM Jacketed The Chair of any committee may appoint subcommittees to conduct hearings or study 1 any matters which have been referred to the committee. 2 Before the Committee on Committees shall appoint the members of standing and 3 special committees, the number of members on the committee to be appointed shall be 4 established by the Committee on Committees. At the same time, the Committee on 5 Committees shall establish the number of members of the committee of the majority 6 party and the minority party. 7 Every member of the House shall be appointed to at least one standing committee. 8 In appointing the membership of standing committees, the Committee on 9 Committees shall consider the predominant business interests or occupation of each 10 member so that the private interests of a majority of a committee’s members do not 11 correspond to the jurisdiction of the standing committee. 12 Rule 40. Jurisdiction of Standing Committees. The Committee on Committees 13 shall refer each bill to the Committee with control over the subject matter. All bills and 14 resolutions on the same subject matter shall be referred to the same committee. The 15 general jurisdiction of the several standing committees shall be: 16 1. Agriculture: matters pertaining to crops, livestock, poultry and their 17 marketing; disease control and warehousing; tobacco; stockyards; agricultural 18 cooperatives and marketing associations; agriculture weights and measures; veterinarians; 19 the State Fair; county fairs. 20 2. Appropriations and Revenue: matters pertaining to the executive budget 21 and other appropriations of state monies; the levying of state and local taxes, including 22 school taxes; property tax rates and assessments; the state debt; revenue bond projects; 23 claims upon the treasury; accounting of state funds by local officers; audits for state 24 purposes; budget and financial administration; payment, collection and refund of taxes. 25 3. Banking and Insurance: matters pertaining to banking; banks and trust 26 companies; consumer loan companies; building and loan associations; credit unions; 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS BR 812 Page 16 of 46 XXXX 1/7/2025 12:14 PM Jacketed investment companies; industrial loan corporations; securities; the Blue Sky Law; 1 mortgage guaranty insurance; assessment and cooperative insurance; fraternal benefit 2 societies; hospital service corporations; burial associations; medical and dental service 3 corporations; life, accident, indemnity and other forms of insurance; stock and mutual 4 insurance companies; banking and insurance aspects of the Uniform Commercial Code; 5 interest and usury; pawnbrokers; private credit; consumer credit; sale of checks; 6 installment sales contracts; legal investments; principal and income. 7 4. Economic Development and Workforce Investment: matters pertaining to 8 commerce, industry, and economic and industrial development; the workforce and the 9 workplace; economic development planning, international trade and investment; 10 investment companies and industrial loan corporations as they relate to economic and 11 industrial development; recruitment of business and industry; small business matters 12 relative to economic and industrial development; financing of business and industrial 13 development; business regulatory matters, including the Uniform Commercial Code, 14 relative to economic and industrial development; worker training; technology 15 development and application; chambers of commerce; convention centers and publicly 16 owned exhibition and parking facilities; arts and arts exhibition facilities; state, interstate, 17 and national parks and historic sites; travel promotion and advertising; wages and hours; 18 garnishments; safety and health of employees; child labor; employment agencies; 19 apprenticeship; unemployment compensation; workers’ compensation; consumer 20 protection; industrial weights and measures. 21 5. Primary and Secondary Education: matters pertaining to public primary 22 and[,] secondary [and higher ]education; the State Board of Education; the State 23 Department of Education; the powers and duties of local boards of education; conduct of 24 schools; attendance; state support of education; the operation of school districts, teachers’ 25 qualifications and tenure; the school curriculum; teachers’ retirement; school employees; 26 pupil transportation; school property and buildings; vocational education and 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS BR 812 Page 17 of 46 XXXX 1/7/2025 12:14 PM Jacketed rehabilitation; [universities and colleges; community colleges; regional education; 1 ]educational television. 2 6. Postsecondary Education: matters pertaining to higher education; 3 universities and colleges; community colleges; regional education; postsecondary 4 education property and buildings. 5 7. Elections, Constitutional Amendments and Intergovernmental Affairs: 6 matters pertaining to the proposing of constitutional amendments and the calling of a 7 constitutional convention; ratification of amendments to the United States Constitution; 8 the election of officers to state, local and school board positions; election commissioners, 9 officers and precincts; qualifications, registration and purging of voters; regular elections; 10 primary elections; presidential and congressional elections; special elections to fill 11 vacancies; contest of elections; corrupt practices and election financing; election offenses 12 and prosecutions; voting machines; absentee ballots; intergovernmental cooperation; 13 state-federal relations; interstate compacts. 14 8[7]. Families and Children: matters pertaining to child welfare; adoptions; 15 assistance to children; children's homes; commitment and care of children and families; 16 child protective services; adult protective services; state guardianship; caregiver support 17 services; child support programs; support of dependents; family preservation programs; 18 social service programs; child care; senior citizens and aging; disabilities; rape crisis 19 centers; domestic violence shelters; sexual assault programs; public assistance programs 20 such as TANF, CCAP, SNAP, LIHEAP, and WIC. 21 9[8]. Health Services: matters pertaining to health care and health care delivery; 22 human development; health outcomes; disabled persons; mental health; health, medical, 23 and dental scholarships; public health; local health departments; vital statistics; 24 communicable diseases; epidemiology; certificate of need; hospitals, health clinics, and 25 long-term care facilities; substance abuse; maternal and child health; foods, drugs, and 26 poisons; hotel, restaurant, and trailer park regulations; sanitation plants; sanitation 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS BR 812 Page 18 of 46 XXXX 1/7/2025 12:14 PM Jacketed districts; suicide prevention; physicians, osteopaths, and podiatrists; chiropractors; 1 dentists and dental specialists; nurses; pharmacists; embalmers and funeral directors; 2 clinical psychologists; optometrists and ophthalmic dispensers; physical therapists; 3 Medicaid. 4 10[9]. Judiciary: matters pertaining to contracts; the Uniform Commercial 5 Code; debtor-creditor relations; ownership and conveyance of property; private 6 corporations and associations; competency proceedings; administration of trusts and 7 estates of persons under disability; descent, wills and administration of decedents’ 8 estates; domestic relations; support of dependents; statutory actions and limitations; 9 eminent domain; arbitration; declaratory judgments; witnesses; evidence; legal notices; 10 construction of statutes; civil procedure; the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeals, circuit 11 courts and district courts; family courts; jurisdiction, rules, terms, judges, commissioners, 12 selections, districts, qualifications, compensation and retirement; clerks of courts; juries, 13 attorneys; receivers; court reporters; habeas corpus; crimes and punishments; criminal 14 procedure; probation and parole; correctional facilities; civil rights; and juvenile matters. 15 11[10]. Licensing, Occupations and Administrative Regulations: matters 16 pertaining to professional licensing not assigned specifically to another committee; 17 racing; prize fighting and wrestling; places of entertainment; alcoholic beverage control; 18 private corporations; cooperative corporations and marketing associations; religious, 19 charitable and educational societies; nonprofit corporations; professional service 20 corporations; cemeteries; barbers and cosmetologists; professional engineers and land 21 surveyors; architects; real estate brokers and agents; public accountants; detection of 22 deception examiners; auctioneers; business schools; warehouses; partnerships; trade 23 practices; building codes; review of administrative regulations. 24 12[11]. Local Government: matters pertaining to the officers, organization, 25 government and financing of city and county governments; city and county imposed 26 taxes and licenses; special purpose assessment and taxing districts within a city; city 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS BR 812 Page 19 of 46 XXXX 1/7/2025 12:14 PM Jacketed revenue bond projects; city indebtedness; incorporation and classification of cities; forms 1 of city government; charter county, urban-county, and consolidated local governments 2 generally; county and special district debt; city and county finances and revenue; the 3 imposition of duties and costs on cities and counties; special districts not assigned to 4 another committee; the powers, duties and composition of fiscal court; compensation of 5 city and county officers and employees; local government civil service systems and local 6 government retirement systems; planning and zoning; interlocal cooperation and 7 consolidation of local government services; county roads; public road districts; city 8 streets and sidewalks; housing; manufactured housing; urban renewal and redevelopment; 9 water districts; acquisition of waterworks and water districts by cities; financing of 10 municipal improvements; urban service districts; fire protection districts; police 11 departments, fire departments and local public safety agencies; issuance of bonds for 12 county and special district projects; sewers; metropolitan sewer and sanitation districts; 13 local air pollution control districts; city and county libraries; library districts; annexation 14 of territory; public works; parks and playgrounds. 15 13[12]. Natural Resources and Energy: matters pertaining to forestry; mining; 16 soil and water conservation; flood control and water usage; drainage and irrigation; 17 geology and water resources; waterways and dams; oil, gas and salt water wells; state and 18 national parks; drainage districts; water pollution; air pollution; management of waste; 19 protection of the environment; Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Cabinet; 20 privately owned public utilities; rates, permits and certifications of convenience and 21 necessity; water district rates; utilities in cities; public utility cooperatives; electric and 22 gas utilities and cooperatives; oil and gas transmission companies; municipal utilities and 23 water works; energy and fuel development; energy waste disposal; the Public Service 24 Commission; solar and other renewable energy; hydroelectric and thermonuclear energy; 25 gasohol and other alternative fuels. 26 14[13]. Small Business and Information Technology: development and 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS BR 812 Page 20 of 46 XXXX 1/7/2025 12:14 PM Jacketed support of small businesses; job creation and job-training programs; federal, state and 1 local regulations that impact small businesses and their employees; all other matters not 2 specifically assigned to another committee relating to administrative, regulatory or 3 operating issues which, because of their smaller size, uniquely impact small business; 4 information technology planning; statewide standards related to information technology; 5 broadband Internet; Internet service providers. 6 15[14]. State Government: matters pertaining to the sovereignty and 7 jurisdiction of the Commonwealth; the General Assembly, its committees, officers and 8 service agencies; redistricting; the Governor; the Lieutenant Governor; administrative 9 organization; administrative regulations; administrative agencies; Department of Law; 10 constitutional offices; state personnel; state retirement systems; public property and 11 public printing; public officers, their terms, appointments, fees, compensation, removal, 12 oaths and bonds; public information; disaster and emergency services; state and regional 13 planning; libraries; archives and records; public corporations; Commonwealth’s 14 attorneys; circuit clerks. 15 16[15]. Tourism and Outdoor Recreation: matters relating to tourism and 16 travel promotion and development; state, interstate, and national parks and historic sites; 17 fish and wildlife; small business matters relative to tourism development; hotels and 18 motels generally; hotel and restaurant regulations; billboards; advertising related to 19 tourism development; entertainment establishments; campgrounds; the Tourism Cabinet; 20 hunting and fishing; boating; horseback riding; hiking; bird watching; rock climbing; 21 recreational use of all-terrain vehicles; mountain biking; cycling; kayaking; recreational 22 land use. 23 17[16]. Transportation: matters relating to airports and aviation; boats and 24 boating; licensing of motor vehicles; operators and trailers; financial responsibility law; 25 nonresident motorists; motor vehicle sales; railroad rates, service and operating 26 regulations; motor carriers; matters pertaining to the construction and maintenance of the 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS BR 812 Page 21 of 46 XXXX 1/7/2025 12:14 PM Jacketed state highway system; the Transportation Cabinet; state aid for local roads and streets; the 1 state police; the Federal Highway Safety Law; turnpike authority; state and federal 2 highways; limited access facilities; use of road bond monies; automobile recyclers; 3 highway beautification; bridges, tunnels and ferries; traffic regulations; vehicle 4 equipment and storage; driver training schools. 5 18[17]. Veterans, Military Affairs and Public Protection: military affairs and 6 civil defense; national guard; veterans; retention of military bases; veterans’ rights, 7 benefits, and education; veterans’ nursing homes; military memorials and cemeteries; fire 8 prevention and protection; foods, drugs, and poisons; pure foods and drugs; trailer park 9 regulations; hotel and restaurant regulations as they pertain to public health; sanitation 10 plants; garbage and refuse disposal. 11 Rule 41. Rules Committee. There shall be a Rules Committee composed of the 12 Speaker of the House, the Speaker Pro Tempore, the Majority Floor Leader, the Majority 13 Caucus Chair, the Majority Whip, the Minority Floor Leader, the Minority Caucus Chair, 14 and the Minority Whip. All bills and resolutions having been reported out of the 15 committee to which referred and having received their second reading shall be referred to 16 the Rules Committee. The Rules Committee may refer any bill or resolution before it 17 back to a standing committee. If a bill which includes incarceration as a possible penalty 18 has been received by the Rules Committee from a standing committee other than the 19 Committee on Judiciary, the bill shall be referred to the Committee on Judiciary. No bill 20 or resolution shall be referred back by the Rules Committee on more than one occasion. 21 All meetings of the Rules Committee shall be open. In the event of a vacancy on the 22 Rules Committee, the other remaining members of the majority or minority party’s 23 leadership serving on the Rules Committee may determine whether there is a vacancy on 24 the Rules Committee and shall appoint a replacement for that member. 25 The Majority Floor Leader shall while the Rules Committee is in session call bills 26 and resolutions for consideration by the Rules Committee. A bill or resolution may be 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS BR 812 Page 22 of 46 XXXX 1/7/2025 12:14 PM Jacketed placed for consideration in the first order of business at the next regular Rules Committee 1 meeting by a majority of the membership voting for such consideration. 2 Each member shall be given an opportunity upon request to appear before the Rules 3 Committee when a bill of which the member is a sponsor or co-sponsor is under 4 consideration including the subsequent vote thereon. No measure shall be posted in the 5 Orders of the Day for final passage except by order of the Rules Committee unless 6 otherwise ordered posted for the next succeeding legislative day by a majority of the 7 members voting. The Rules Committee shall arrange the Orders of the Day so that all 8 measures shall appear thereon for the consideration of the House, but the Rules 9 Committee may not place in the Orders of the Day any bill or other measure in the 10 possession of a standing or special committee of the House. The Rules Committee, prior 11 to each day’s session, shall post a notice in a regular place in the House Chamber listing 12 the bills to be considered that day in the Orders of the Day. Should the House not 13 complete any day’s Orders of the Day, the bills and resolutions remaining unconsidered 14 shall go to the top of the Orders of the Day on the next day that Orders of the Day are 15 considered. 16 The Speaker of the House shall be the Chair of the Rules Committee. The Majority 17 Floor Leader of the House shall act for the Rules Committee in calling from the Orders of 18 the Day any bills or resolutions in the order the Majority Floor Leader deems proper and 19 shall be recognized by the Speaker for that purpose during all times that the Rules 20 Committee is in charge of posting the Orders of the Day. The Speaker Pro Tempore shall 21 act as chair in the absence of the Speaker. 22 Rule 42. Liaison Subcommittees. The Committee on Appropriations and 23 Revenue shall be divided into the following eight standing subcommittees of no more 24 than ten members each: 25 1. Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Protection, Tourism and 26 Energy; 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS BR 812 Page 23 of 46 XXXX 1/7/2025 12:14 PM Jacketed 2. Subcommittee on Personnel, Public Retirement and Finance; 1 3. Subcommittee on General Government; 2 4. Subcommittee on Justice, Public Safety and Judiciary; 3 5. Subcommittee on Primary and Secondary Education and Workforce 4 Development; 5 6. Subcommittee on Postsecondary Education; 6 7. Subcommittee on Transportation; 7 8. Subcommittee on Health and Family Services. 8 The Committee on Committees shall appoint to each standing subcommittee no 9 more than four members of the Committee on Appropriations and Revenue and no more 10 than six members from the membership of one or more of the remaining standing 11 committees of the House. No member of the Committee on Committees shall serve as a 12 member of a liaison subcommittee. A member of the Committee on Appropriations and 13 Revenue shall serve on no more than one standing subcommittee. The chair of each 14 standing subcommittee shall be appointed by the Committee on Committees from among 15 the members of the Committee on Appropriations and Revenue serving on the particular 16 standing subcommittee. 17 The liaison subcommittee members of a standing subcommittee shall have full 18 voting authority in all matters before a standing subcommittee. 19 The Committee on Committees may assign the chair of a standing committee as an 20 ex officio non-voting member of a standing subcommittee. The chairman and vice 21 chairman of the Committee on Appropriations and Revenue shall serve as ex officio 22 members of each standing subcommittee. 23 Rule 42A. Budget Review. The standing budget review subcommittees shall notify 24 the membership of the standing substantive committees whose jurisdictional area will be 25 affected by their action of any meetings or hearings and the members of the standing 26 committees may participate as non-voting members. 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS BR 812 Page 24 of 46 XXXX 1/7/2025 12:14 PM Jacketed When the budget review subcommittees have concluded their hearings and 1 formulated their recommendations they shall communicate their recommendations to the 2 affected standing committee or committees who may thereafter file a written response to 3 the recommendations, which response shall be transmitted to the full Committee on 4 Appropriations and Revenue with the subcommittee recommendations. 5 When the full Committee on Appropriations and Revenue has reported the final 6 budget bill or bills to the floor, it shall notify the affected standing committees of the 7 content of the budget relating to their areas of jurisdiction. 8 The Rules Committee shall not post for passage any budget bill less than one day 9 after the bill has been finally reported out of committee, and no budget bill or amendment 10 thereto shall be voted upon without providing at least twenty-four hours for review after 11 the bill is posted for passage. 12 Rule 43. Enrollment Committee. The Committee on Committees shall appoint 13 an Enrollment Committee of not more than seven members. The Enrollment Committee 14 shall be responsible for the engrossment and enrollment of bills and resolutions. 15 Rule 44. Conference Committees. When a House bill has been amended in the 16 Senate and the House refuses to concur in the amendment, or when a Senate bill has been 17 amended in the House and the Senate refuses to concur in the amendment and when 18 neither will recede from that action, the Committee on Committees shall appoint a 19 Conference Committee to meet a like committee from the Senate. The Conference 20 Committee shall confer with the Senate Committee and report back to the House within a 21 reasonable time, in the same manner as reports are made for House bills. The conference 22 report shall make no recommendation other than agreement upon or rejection of the 23 matter or matters in controversy, and shall be voted upon, and, if adopted the bill shall 24 immediately be put upon its final passage. 25 Should a conference committee report its inability to submit a report, or if either 26 house refuses to adopt its report, each house may appoint a free conference committee, 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS BR 812 Page 25 of 46 XXXX 1/7/2025 12:14 PM Jacketed consisting of three or more members. A free conference committee shall propose no new 1 appropriation or any appropriation above the level originally designed by either chamber. 2 The free conference report shall be voted on, and if adopted, the bill shall immediately be 3 put upon its final passage. 4 A conference committee or free conference committee report shall be signed by a 5 majority from each house or it shall not be in order. 6 Where both majority and minority conference or free conference reports are 7 submitted, a motion to adopt the majority report shall first be considered and a motion to 8 adopt a minority report shall not be in order unless a motion to adopt the majority report 9 fails. Once the majority or minority report is adopted, the bill shall immediately be put 10 upon its final passage. 11 Rule 44A. Majority and Minority Caucuses.[ The Majority Caucus of the House 12 of Representatives shall consist of all House members of majority party affiliation. The 13 Minority Caucus of the House of Representatives shall consist of all House members of 14 minority party affiliation.] The majority and minority caucuses of the House of 15 Representatives shall be committees, other than standing committees, of the House of 16 Representatives and General Assembly. Each member of the House shall be a 17 presumptive member of the caucus of his or her party affiliation. Notwithstanding the 18 above provisions, by a two-thirds vote of the respective caucus, an individual member 19 may be removed from or added to that caucus. 20 Rule 45. Meetings of Committees. No committee except the Committee on 21 Committees, the Enrollment Committee and a Conference Committee between the House 22 and the Senate shall sit while the House is in session, unless by consent of the House. The 23 Committee on Committees and Enrollment Committee may report at any time except 24 during roll call or while a vote is being taken. 25 The Committee on Committees, in conference with committee chairs, shall 26 schedule a definite time and place for the regular weekly meetings of each committee, 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS BR 812 Page 26 of 46 XXXX 1/7/2025 12:14 PM Jacketed and that schedule shall be posted in the House Chamber and published in the Legislative 1 Record. A committee shall meet at the regular weekly scheduled time and place so long 2 as business is pending before the committee. The Chair or a majority of any committee 3 may call a special meeting in addition to those regularly scheduled. 4 The Chair shall keep a record of the attendance of members at meetings, which 5 record shall be filed with the Clerk. 6 The Director of the Legislative Research Commission, under the direction of the 7 Committee on Committees, shall assign a secretary to each committee and provide any 8 professional, clerical or other employees required by any committee. 9 The Committee on Committees shall meet on call of the Speaker or on call of a 10 majority of the members of the Committee on Committees. 11 Rule 46. Committee Reports. No bill or resolution shall be considered by the 12 House except on report of committee. A standing committee may report a bill or 13 resolution in the following manner: 14 "With the expression of opinion that the same should pass," or 15 "With the expression of opinion that the same should pass, with the committee 16 amendment attached thereto," or 17 "With the expression of opinion that the same should pass, with the committee 18 substitute attached thereto," or 19 "With the expression of opinion that the same should not pass." 20 Rule 47. Standing and Special Committee Reports. It shall require a majority 21 of the committee membership to report a bill or resolution. The chair shall keep a record 22 of the vote of each member on the disposition of each bill, and shall report the total vote 23 on each side to the House. The chair may sign reports on behalf of a majority of the 24 committee members. The chair’s signature shall attest to the action of a majority, but 25 shall not be construed as the chair’s personal approval or disapproval of the bill. 26 A committee report may be accompanied by a minority report, signed by those 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS BR 812 Page 27 of 46 XXXX 1/7/2025 12:14 PM Jacketed members who have dissented from the committee’s report, and it shall be in order to 1 move the adoption of the minority report as a substitute for the committee’s report when 2 the committee offers its report. It shall require a majority of the members elected to adopt 3 the minority report. The committee’s report shall always be read before the minority 4 report is read. Where both majority and minority reports are submitted, a motion to adopt 5 the majority report shall first be considered, and a motion to adopt a minority report shall 6 not be in order unless a motion to adopt the majority report fails. 7 Rule 48. Discharge Petition. Whenever a committee fails or refuses to report 8 [within a reasonable time ]a bill submitted to it, any member may, upon filing with the 9 Clerk a written petition to determine if the committee has held the bill for an 10 unreasonable time,[a member may sponsor and file with the Clerk a written request, 11 signed by twenty-five or more members, to] call the petition[same up] for consideration 12 on the next succeeding legislative day after its[the] filing[ of the request]. The petition is 13 deemed filed when it is read into the record by the Clerk of the House. [The effect of 14 this petition shall be to bring before the House the question of whether the committee to 15 which the bill has been assigned has held the bill for an unreasonable time. Upon the 16 motion of the member sponsoring the request, and if]If a majority of the members elected 17 to the House concur that the bill has been held an unreasonable time by signing the 18 petition, the bill shall be considered as though it had been regularly reported[,] and shall 19 be given its first reading and thereafter treated as any other bill which had been 20 reported from a committee[sent to the Rules Committee]. 21 Rule 49. Procedure in Committee. The rules of procedure in the House shall be 22 observed in committee insofar as the same are applicable. Any bill or resolution referred 23 to a committee by the Committee on Committees shall be considered eligible for 24 consideration and action thereon by the committee at the discretion of the committee 25 chair. 26 BILLS AND RESOLUTIONS 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS BR 812 Page 28 of 46 XXXX 1/7/2025 12:14 PM Jacketed Rule 50. Form of Bills. All bills introduced shall be printed on the computerized 1 bill preparation system of the Legislative Research Commission, and none otherwise 2 prepared shall be accepted for introduction. Bills shall be offered as one original and 3 three distinctly legible copies. Identical bills for introduction in the other chamber may be 4 exact reproductions of original bill provided one copy is authenticated by the Director of 5 the Legislative Research Commission as the original to be introduced in the other 6 chamber. The original shall be the official bill, and shall be retained by the Clerk for the 7 use of the House until engrossed and sent to the Senate. A replacement original of a bill, 8 generated pursuant to these Rules, shall thereafter be considered the original and official 9 bill. One copy shall be used by committees; one copy shall be retained for the use of 10 legislative staff; and one copy shall be provided to the Legislative Research Commission. 11 Each copy shall be backed with a protective cover, as provided for this purpose by the 12 Legislative Research Commission. The title of the bill, or a portion thereof, and the 13 signature of the member introducing the bill shall be placed on each cover. 14 In all bills, as introduced and as printed, any new matter contained therein shall be 15 underscored; and when an amendment proposes the elimination of matter in an existing 16 law, that elimination shall be indicated on the bill by placing the material proposed to be 17 eliminated in brackets, and by striking through the words to be eliminated with a single 18 line so as not to render those words illegible. In any bill seeking to repeal existing 19 sections of the Kentucky Revised Statutes, the sections sought to be repealed shall be 20 identified by way of inclusion of the headnotes applied to each section as it appears in the 21 Kentucky Revised Statutes. All bills recommending or reauthorizing a study by an 22 interim committee, task force, or special committee of the Legislative Research 23 Commission shall include the following language: "Provisions of this statute to the 24 contrary notwithstanding, the Legislative Research Commission shall have the authority 25 to alternatively assign the issues identified herein to an interim joint committee or 26 subcommittee thereof, and to designate a study completion date." The Legislative 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS BR 812 Page 29 of 46 XXXX 1/7/2025 12:14 PM Jacketed Research Commission staff shall see that all bills introduced have been prepared through 1 the computerized bill preparation system of the Legislative Research Commission. 2 Rule 51. Introduction of Bills. A member may introduce bills and resolutions by 3 filing them with the House Clerk on the floor or in the Clerk’s office at any time the 4 office is open. The member filing the bill or resolution shall be the primary sponsor of the 5 bill or resolution, and with the sponsor’s permission, one member may sign the bill as 6 primary co-sponsor. Other members may co-sponsor the bill or resolution only with the 7 sponsor’s permission and by either filing the proper papers with the Clerk or by 8 indicating their desire to co-sponsor the bill or resolution in the Legislative Research 9 Commission Remote Voting System or, upon motion by the primary sponsor of a simple 10 resolution to allow co-sponsorship by a roll call vote made immediately following 11 adoption of the resolution, by indicating their desire to co-sponsor the resolution by an 12 affirmative vote. Bills and resolutions must be signed by the sponsors and co-sponsors 13 with the member’s legislative district numbers beside their signature, except in the case 14 of co-sponsorship by the Legislative Research Commission Remote Voting System or 15 roll call vote as permitted by this rule. A co-sponsor may withdraw co-sponsorship of the 16 bill or resolution with or without the sponsor’s permission by filing the proper papers 17 with the Clerk. Bills and resolutions filed after the House has concluded the Introduction 18 and Reading of New Bills, in Rule 4, Order of Business, shall be considered as having 19 been introduced the next succeeding legislative day. The House Clerk shall number bills 20 in the order received and transmit a copy immediately after introduction on the House 21 floor to the Committee on Committees for reference to committee. 22 In a regular session in an even-numbered year, no bill or resolution having the force 23 of law shall be introduced after the thirty-eighth legislative day of the session. In a 24 regular session in an odd-numbered year, no bill or resolution having the force of law 25 shall be introduced after the fourteenth legislative day of the session. 26 The last two legislative days preceding the veto recess shall be reserved by the 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS BR 812 Page 30 of 46 XXXX 1/7/2025 12:14 PM Jacketed House exclusively for the business of concurring in amended House bills, receding from 1 House amendments, considering conference and free conference committee reports, and 2 final passage and enrollment of legislation. No House bills or House resolutions having 3 the force of law, other than those referred to in the previous sentence, shall be placed 4 upon their passage later than the fifty-third legislative day in even-year regular sessions, 5 nor later than the twenty-fifth legislative day in odd-year regular sessions; and on the 6 fifty-fourth legislative day in an even-year regular session and on the twenty-sixth 7 legislative day in an odd-year regular session, all bills other than those referred to in the 8 previous sentence that remain in the Orders of the Day shall be returned to the Rules 9 Committee. 10 The House shall not consider any bills or resolutions having the force of law for 11 concurrence, recession, adoption of conference or free conference committee reports, or 12 final passage if they are received after 5 p.m. on the final concurrence day of a regular 13 session. Any legislative day falling after the veto recess shall be reserved by the House 14 exclusively for the purposes of considering gubernatorial veto messages. 15 Rule 52. Statutory Fiscal Impact Statements. The staff of the Legislative 16 Research Commission shall analyze and prepare a fiscal statement for any bill which, if 17 enacted, would fiscally affect local governments in a significant manner through the 18 imposition of a local mandate; constitute a mandated health benefit; change the financial 19 liability of any public retirement system administered by an agency of state government; 20 or fiscally affect state or local corrections services in a significant manner, including any 21 bill which would modify or create a criminal penalty or otherwise affect the population of 22 a correctional system or facility. No measure for which the preparation of a fiscal 23 statement has been requested or is required pursuant to this rule shall be placed in the 24 Orders of the Day until the fiscal statement is attached, unless the requirement is waived 25 by a vote of a majority of the members elected to the House. 26 Rule 52A. Member Requested Fiscal Notes. A sponsor of a bill which, if enacted, 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS BR 812 Page 31 of 46 XXXX 1/7/2025 12:14 PM Jacketed would affect the revenues or expenditures of the Commonwealth generally, may at any 1 time by request cause the staff of the Legislative Research Commission to analyze and 2 prepare a fiscal note for the measure describing such impacts on revenues or 3 expenditures. The fiscal note, if requested, shall be delivered to the sponsor. 4 The chair or a majority of the committee to which a bill has been referred may 5 require that a fiscal note be attached to the bill prior to final committee action. 6 Members may require, by majority vote, that a fiscal note be prepared for any bill 7 on the Orders of the Day. In that instance, the fiscal note shall be attached to the bill prior 8 to final consideration on the floor of the House. 9 Rule 53. Member Requested Fiscal Notes and Statutory Fiscal Impact 10 Statements for Amendments. Any member proposing an amendment from the floor for 11 a measure to which a fiscal note or fiscal statement has been attached shall cause an 12 amended fiscal note or fiscal statement, as appropriate, to be prepared and attached to the 13 amendment. 14 Rule 54. Reference of Bills. The Committee on Committees shall[may] refer all 15 bills[a bill] to the proper standing committee not later than the fifth day in which the 16 House is in session after the date of introduction. When a House bill has been amended 17 in the Senate and has been returned to the House for concurrence in the amendment, it 18 shall be referred to the Rules Committee. In these instances, the Clerk shall distribute 19 copies of the bill and its proposed amendment to each member of the Rules Committee. 20 The Rules Committee may post these bills to the Orders of the Day for consideration of 21 the amendment, and final passage, giving precedence to these bills over all other matters 22 posted. When bills with amendments for concurrence are reached in the Orders of the 23 Day, the Speaker shall first put the question of concurrence in the amendment, 24 whereupon if that is favorable, the bill shall be put immediately upon its final passage. 25 Bills originating in and passed by the Senate when reported to the House shall be referred 26 to the Committee on Committees and shall take the same course as other bills. 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS BR 812 Page 32 of 46 XXXX 1/7/2025 12:14 PM Jacketed Rule 55. Printing of Bills. Upon receipt of a bill, the Legislative Research 1 Commission shall examine the form of the bill to ensure that it is free from errors of form 2 or typography and has been assigned the proper KRS section or chapter numbers. If a 3 formal change is necessary the Commission shall request the sponsor of the bill to sign a 4 form approving the specified changes. If a bill is found to be correct, or corrections have 5 been approved, the Commission shall authorize its printing. 6 The Legislative Research Commission shall have printed for the use of the 7 members a sufficient number of copies of each bill or resolution carrying the force and 8 effect of law introduced in the House and of each bill or resolution carrying the force and 9 effect of law acted on by the Senate and reported to the House. Bills shall be printed in 10 the order in which they are introduced and shall be distributed to members immediately 11 upon receipt from the printer. For the purposes of this rule, printing and distribution of 12 bills and resolutions shall be considered satisfied when any bill or resolution is 13 distributed electronically to each member’s electronic bill book, provided that any 14 member may at any time request the additional printing of a paper copy of any bill or 15 resolution introduced in or reported to the House. 16 Rule 56. Readings of Bills. If a bill is reported with the expression of opinion 17 that it should not pass, a vote may then be taken on whether it shall be read at length and 18 be placed on the Calendar, if a majority of the members elected to the House shall concur 19 therein. When reported favorably by the committee, the bill shall then be given its first 20 reading at length and shall be placed by the Clerk upon the Calendar, and shall then be 21 entitled to its second reading the next succeeding legislative day. 22 Every bill shall be read at length on three different legislative days; but the second 23 and third readings may be dispensed with by a majority of all the members elected to the 24 House. 25 Rule 57. Calendar; Consent Calendar. (1)[ In order to reduce the time required 26 for final passage of bills posted in the Orders of the Day, a consent procedure for the 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS BR 812 Page 33 of 46 XXXX 1/7/2025 12:14 PM Jacketed consideration of noncontroversial bills shall be established and designated as follows: 1 (a)] The Clerk shall keep a Regular Calendar [and a Consent Calendar ]for each 2 legislative day showing the bills receiving their second reading. 3 (2)[(b)] The Clerk shall also keep a Regular Orders and, when necessary, a 4 Consent Orders showing bills posted for final passage by the Rules Committee. 5 (3)[(2)] Bills reported by a Standing Committee with a regular "should pass" or 6 "should pass with committee amendment/substitute attached" recommendation shall be 7 shown in the Regular Calendar on the day on which they are entitled to a second reading. 8 (4)[(3)] A consent procedure for the consideration of noncontroversial bills 9 shall be established and designated as follows: 10 (a) The Rules Committee may recommend that any House or Senate Bill having 11 been favorably reported by a Standing Committee be placed in the Consent 12 Orders[Calendar], provided the bill receives a recommendation from the Rules 13 Committee by a unanimous vote of the members present.[ Any House or Senate Bill 14 recommended for consent shall be placed in the Consent Calendar and shall continue to 15 be shown in that Calendar until taken therefrom by the Rules Committee and posted in 16 the Consent Orders. Bills receiving a second reading should be so designated to 17 distinguish them from bills which have already received their second reading. 18 (4) A certificate shall be attached to each bill recommended for the Consent 19 Calendar showing the unanimous recommendation of the members of the Rules 20 Committee present, signed by the Chair.] 21 (b)[(5)] [After a sufficient number of bills have accumulated in the Consent 22 Calendar, ]The Rules Committee may post any or all of those bills to the Consent Orders 23 for a day certain. On that day, the Consent Orders shall be called before the Regular 24 Orders. 25 (c)[(6)] Upon the call of the Consent Orders each bill in those Orders shall be 26 given a third reading by title only. The Speaker shall then allow a reasonable time for 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS BR 812 Page 34 of 46 XXXX 1/7/2025 12:14 PM Jacketed questions from the floor and any explanation necessary by the sponsor or committee 1 chair. Consent Order bills may not be amended from the floor. 2 (d)[(7)] The Clerk shall attach a roll call to each bill in the Consent 3 Orders[Calendar] and any member may at any time prior to passage of the Consent 4 Orders record with the Clerk a "nay"[ or "pass"] vote on any bill within the[ Consent 5 Calendar or] Consent Orders. 6 (e)[(8)] Upon the call for the question on the Consent Orders, the Speaker shall 7 instruct the Clerk to announce the "nay"[ and "pass"] votes previously filed on each bill 8 in the Consent Orders. All other members present in the chamber on the day and at the 9 time the Consent Orders are called shall be considered as having voted "aye" and the roll 10 call attached to each bill shall so reflect as the final vote. 11 Rule 58. Orders of the Day. When a bill has had its second reading it shall be 12 referred to the Rules Committee for consideration of whether it shall be placed in the 13 Orders of the Day, or be recommitted, and when next reached in the House it shall be 14 ready for recommitment, or to be read a third time and placed upon its passage, and the 15 Speaker shall so announce to the House. 16 A bill may be recommitted or amended in accordance with these rules at any time 17 before its passage. Bills shall be placed in the Orders of the Day in the order in which 18 they have been given their first reading, and shall be taken therefrom in accordance with 19 Rule 41. When a House bill is in the Orders of the Day, it shall be in order on motion of 20 the author to substitute for it an identical Senate bill which is in the Calendar of the 21 House. 22 No bill shall be taken from the Orders of the Day unless it shall have been printed 23 and previously distributed to members, which for the purposes of this rule shall include 24 electronic distribution to each member’s electronic bill book. No bill, amendment, or 25 committee substitute relating to congressional or legislative redistricting shall be taken 26 from the Orders of the Day unless it shall have been verified by Legislative Research 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS BR 812 Page 35 of 46 XXXX 1/7/2025 12:14 PM Jacketed Commission staff using the Commission’s redistricting software, for plan integrity and 1 geographic integrity. The verification shall be evidenced by the Legislative Record 2 summary notation "PLAN INTEGRITY VERIFIED" and the "Geographic Integrity 3 Verified" notation on amendments. 4 Rule 59. Final Passage. When a House bill has been amended in the Senate and 5 the House has concurred in the amendment, or a Senate bill has been amended in the 6 House, but the Senate refuses to concur, and the House recedes from its amendment, the 7 bill shall immediately be placed upon its passage. 8 Rule 60. Amendments to Bills. All amendments offered shall be on sheets with a 9 proper heading printed in black, furnished by the Commission staff, and shall bear the 10 signature and district number of the members offering the same. An amendment prepared 11 for one member but signed by another shall be considered the amendment of the member 12 signing the amendment. All amendments shall give the proper page and line of the 13 printed bill. An original and one copy of each amendment shall be introduced. No 14 amendment shall be in order that is not germane to the matter under consideration and 15 unless it shall have been printed and previously distributed by the Clerk to members at 16 least one legislative day prior to consideration of the bill or resolution; and the Speaker, 17 when the question is raised, shall rule as to the admissibility of the proposed amendment, 18 subject to appeal to the House. 19 No amendment to a bill under consideration shall be in order if it contains the 20 substantial text of the language of any other bill introduced during the session which has 21 not passed the House. The commission staff shall cause those amendments to be 22 identified when the bill proposed to be amended thereby is posted on the Orders of the 23 Day. When a question is raised as to the identity of the proposed amendment containing 24 the substantial text of any other bill introduced during the session, the Speaker shall rule 25 thereon, subject to appeal to the House. 26 A committee substitute, upon its adoption, shall be considered as the original bill 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS BR 812 Page 36 of 46 XXXX 1/7/2025 12:14 PM Jacketed for purposes relating to the permissible degree of further amendment of the bill. 1 A proposal to amend the title of a bill shall be by separate title amendment. The 2 question of adoption of an offered title amendment for a bill shall be presented to the 3 body immediately after adoption of the bill. 4 A proposal to amend the Constitution of Kentucky shall be introduced as a bill, and 5 no such proposal shall be in order if it is offered as an amendment to any bill. 6 If a proposed floor amendment to a branch budget bill will result, if adopted, in a 7 loss of revenues or an increase in expenditures for a budget unit, the amendment shall 8 specify by budget unit the amount and source of funds that will offset the loss of revenues 9 or specify the budget unit or other source of funds that will support the increased 10 expenditures. If a budget unit or other source of funds is specified, the amendment shall 11 include all necessary language to effect the changes. It shall be out of order for a floor 12 amendment to a branch budget bill to: (a) specify in general language that funds to 13 support the change shall come from broadly defined sources, such as the budget of a 14 particular cabinet, branch of government, or multiple unrelated budget units, unless the 15 effect on each of these is specifically defined by program and amount; (b) require or 16 permit any other branch or unit of government to determine which specific programs 17 would be affected; or (c) reduce the Budget Reserve Trust Fund. 18 Rule 61. Engrossment of Bills. Every House bill and joint resolution, together 19 with the amendments thereto, which has been passed by the House and not subject to 20 further amendment or motion, shall be engrossed by the Clerk. The Clerk shall endorse 21 thereon the day of passage or adoption. The bill shall be delivered to the Senate in open 22 session by the Clerk or someone designated by the Clerk, and Senate concurrence asked 23 therein. A like procedure shall be observed toward Senate bills. 24 When engrossing a bill, the Clerk may incorporate amendments by means of typing 25 or by generating a replacement original of the bill through computerized process. 26 Rule 62. Enrollment of Bills. All House bills and resolutions which have passed 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS BR 812 Page 37 of 46 XXXX 1/7/2025 12:14 PM Jacketed both the Senate and the House shall be delivered by the Clerk to the Enrolling Clerk, 1 taking a receipt therefor, in the order in which passed. The Clerk shall keep the number 2 and title of all bills and joint and concurrent resolutions carrying the force and effect of 3 law, passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate in a suitable record book 4 attesting the fact and date of passage. 5 If a bill which originates in the House is amended by the Senate and the House 6 concurs in the amendments proposed and adopted by the Senate, the Clerk shall engross 7 those amendments in the original copy of the bill by typing or may generate a 8 replacement original copy of the House bill through computerized process, before 9 delivering the bill to the Enrolling Clerk of the House. 10 In cases of extreme emergency and during the last three days prior to sine die 11 adjournment, where no correct printed copy can be produced, the Enrolling Clerk may 12 enroll the bill or resolution by typing the same. 13 The original bill or resolution or replacement therefor, if applicable, and an enrolled 14 copy shall be delivered to the Committee on Enrollment. The Enrolling Clerk shall certify 15 that each is in the exact form as finally passed prior to their delivery. The Committee on 16 Enrollment and the Enrolling Clerk shall jointly compare the original bill with the 17 enrolled copy, and if the enrollment is ascertained to be correctly done, the Committee 18 shall report the same to the House. If any bill or resolution is found not correctly enrolled, 19 it shall be returned to the Enrolling Clerk to be properly enrolled and delivered to the 20 Committee on Enrollment as is first provided herein. 21 Rule 63. Signing of Bills. The Enrolling Clerk of the House shall deliver the 22 enrolled copies of House bills and resolutions signed by the Speaker to the Chair of the 23 Enrollment Committee of the Senate for presentation to the President of the Senate for 24 the President’s signature. When signed by the President of the Senate, the enrolled bill or 25 resolution shall be returned by the Enrolling Clerk to the Clerk of the House who shall 26 present the enrolled bill or resolution to the Governor for the Governor’s approval and 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS BR 812 Page 38 of 46 XXXX 1/7/2025 12:14 PM Jacketed take a receipt for same. 1 Rule 64. Resolutions. Resolutions having the force and effect of law shall be 2 treated and considered as bills in all respects under these rules. A simple resolution 3 expressing the will of the House shall upon its introduction be automatically referred to 4 the Committee on Committees, which may refer it to the floor if it is honorary, 5 benevolent, and does not direct further action; otherwise, it shall be referred to a standing 6 committee. Simple resolutions referred to a standing committee may be considered for 7 adoption only after receiving a recommendation from a standing committee and being 8 posted for passage by the Rules Committee. A resolution shall not be accepted for 9 introduction if offered in lieu of a legislative citation. No resolution shall be considered 10 unless it shall have been distributed to all members. All resolutions recommending or 11 reauthorizing a study by an interim committee, task force, or special committee of the 12 Legislative Research Commission shall include the following language: "Provisions of 13 this resolution to the contrary notwithstanding, the Legislative Research Commission 14 shall have the authority to alternatively assign the issues identified herein to an interim 15 joint committee or subcommittee thereof, and to designate a study completion date." All 16 resolutions recommending or reauthorizing a study, or which recommend or reauthorize 17 creation of a task force or special committee of the Legislative Research Commission 18 shall be concurrent or joint resolutions. 19 Rule 65. Legislative Citations. For the purpose of extending the commendations, 20 condolences or congratulations of the General Assembly to a particular person, or to 21 recognize a particular event or occasion, there may be issued a "Legislative Citation." 22 Citations may not be used for procedural matters, matters of a controversial or partisan 23 political nature, nor in place of resolutions memorializing the U.S. Congress, but only 24 when appropriate to express the feeling of the House or of the General Assembly with 25 reference to a person or event. 26 Staff of the Legislative Research Commission shall prepare proposed legislative 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS BR 812 Page 39 of 46 XXXX 1/7/2025 12:14 PM Jacketed citations for adoption by the House and shall assign those citations a number. The 1 sponsor shall receive the original citation and a copy shall also be transmitted to the Clerk 2 of the House prior to adoption. Each citation shall bear the signature of the sponsor and 3 the name of the person or event cited, and upon adoption shall be spread at length upon 4 the Journal. Citations shall be read by title and sponsor only and considered in the order 5 of business "Motions, Petitions, Communications and Announcements." 6 VOTING 7 Rule 66. Roll Call. Any member, with a second, may require a roll call on any 8 matter pending before the House. The names of members shall be arranged alphabetically 9 when taking a yea and nay vote. 10 Any time these rules require a roll-call vote, or a yea and a nay vote of the 11 members, that vote may be taken by either a voice roll call or the electrical voting system, 12 as ordered by the Speaker. 13 The Speaker, before each roll-call vote is taken, shall instruct the Clerk to sound the 14 warning chimes installed in that part of the Capitol assigned to the use of the House. 15 During a roll call any one member, with a second, may request and be afforded a 16 delay of two minutes prior to the closing of the roll. Except when remote voting is 17 authorized pursuant to House Rule 67A or alternative voting is authorized pursuant to 18 House Rule 68A, only one such motion shall be observed during any one roll call. 19 Rule 67. Electrical Voting System. When the House is ready to vote upon any 20 question requiring a roll call, and the vote is to be taken by the electrical roll call system, 21 the Speaker shall announce: 22 "The question is on the passage of (designating the matter to be voted upon). All in 23 favor of the question shall vote ‘yea,’ and all opposed shall vote ‘nay.’ The House roll is 24 now open for voting." 25 The Speaker shall recognize any member who rises for the purpose of explaining a 26 vote. No member shall be allowed to speak more than two minutes to explain a vote, and 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS BR 812 Page 40 of 46 XXXX 1/7/2025 12:14 PM Jacketed no more than one minute if the member has already spoken on the measure, and shall not 1 speak at all if the question is not a debatable question. The recognition of a member for 2 the purpose of explaining a vote and the time limit allotted by this rule for explanation are 3 subject to, and may be further limited by, a motion to set limits on debate. 4 When sufficient time has been allowed the members to vote and to explain their 5 vote, the Speaker shall announce: "Have all voted?" "Does anyone desire to change their 6 vote?" and, after sufficient pause, shall lock the roll call system and instruct the Clerk to 7 record the vote. Except when alternative voting is authorized pursuant to House Rule 8 68A, it shall be the responsibility of each member to determine the accuracy of the 9 member’s individual vote as registered opposite the member’s name on the electrical roll 10 call board and advise the Speaker of any desired change before the roll call system is 11 locked. If alternative voting is authorized pursuant to House Rule 68A, either the member 12 or the designee of the member’s caucus that is permitted to cast votes on behalf of the 13 member may determine the accuracy of the member’s individual vote and advise the 14 Speaker of any desired change before the roll call system is locked. In the case of 15 alternative voting, the Speaker shall recognize each caucus designee that is permitted to 16 cast votes on behalf of any member for an affirmation that all member votes are 17 registered correctly before the roll call system is locked. 18 The Clerk shall immediately start the recording equipment, and when completely 19 recorded, shall present the result to the Speaker who shall announce same to the House. 20 The Clerk shall enter upon the Journal the result in the manner provided by the rules of 21 the House. 22 At the same time the vote is recorded by the electric recording equipment an 23 original and five duplicate roll call sheets shall be made showing the vote, two of which 24 duplicates shall be for use of the press, and one copy shall be furnished to the Legislative 25 Research Commission. 26 With respect to any roll call vote on a question that is not on the passage of a bill, 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS BR 812 Page 41 of 46 XXXX 1/7/2025 12:14 PM Jacketed adoption of an amendment or committee substitute, concurrence or recession from a 1 Senate amendment, adoption of a conference committee or free conference committee 2 report, or override of a gubernatorial veto, the electrical voting system shall indicate that 3 the question subject of the roll call vote is procedural in nature, and the roll call vote shall 4 be described as a procedural vote on the original roll call sheet and on all duplicates. 5 Rule 67A. Remote Voting Permitted. At any time, the Speaker, or other presiding 6 officer as specified in House Rule 26, may authorize remote voting procedures for the 7 members on any matter pending before the House. At any time, a committee chair may 8 authorize remote voting procedures for the members of the committee on any matter 9 pending before the committee. 10 If remote voting is authorized in the House, any member physically present in their 11 Capitol Annex office may cast a vote on any matter pending before the House by 12 utilizing the Legislative Research Commission Remote Voting System to indicate the 13 member’s yea or nay vote on the matter. Any votes cast by members in person in a 14 member’s Capitol Annex office through the Legislative Research Commission Remote 15 Voting System shall be reflected on the electrical voting system. 16 Rule 67B. Vote Modification. Following the close of any vote, a member may 17 only enter a new vote or modify a previously cast vote by motion, and only if the 18 member’s vote will not change the outcome of the original vote on the measure. If the 19 member’s motion is granted, the member shall file with the Clerk the vote the member 20 wishes the Clerk to enter or modify on a form provided by the Clerk, and the Clerk shall 21 thereafter enter upon the Journal the member’s new or modified vote; provided that no 22 vote cast or modified by motion under this rule shall amend an original roll call sheet. 23 Rule 68. Voting for Others Prohibited. Except when alternative voting is 24 authorized pursuant to House Rule 68A, no member shall vote for another member, nor 25 shall any person not a member cast a vote for a member. In addition to any penalties as 26 may be prescribed by law, any member who shall vote or attempt to vote for another 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS BR 812 Page 42 of 46 XXXX 1/7/2025 12:14 PM Jacketed member who is not authorized to vote for the member by House Rule 68A may be 1 punished in a manner as the House may determine. If a person not a member shall vote or 2 attempt to vote for any member, that person shall be barred from the floor of the House 3 for the remainder of the session and may be further punished in any manner as the House 4 may deem proper, in addition to the punishment as may be prescribed by law. 5 Rule 68A. Alternative Voting for Others Permitted. If any member is diagnosed 6 with COVID-19 or is under a quarantine order related to COVID-19, the Speaker, or 7 other presiding officer as specified in House Rule 26, may authorize alternative voting 8 procedures for the member. 9 If alternative voting is authorized for a member, and if the member is physically 10 present in their automobile on the Capitol Campus, the member may cast a vote on any 11 matter pending before the House by advising the Speaker, the Clerk, or a designee of the 12 member’s caucus who will be physically present during a session of the House of the 13 member’s yea or nay vote on the matter. 14 Prior to the Speaker, the Clerk, or the caucus designee accepting and casting a vote 15 for another member, the Speaker, the Clerk, or the caucus designee shall verify the 16 member’s identity and desired vote on a specific measure under consideration through 17 appropriate means, including but not limited to a video call in which the member’s face 18 can be seen and their desired vote on a specific measure can be clearly communicated. 19 At the appropriate time, the Speaker shall announce the specific measure to be 20 considered and announce in open session any votes received by him or her directly, as 21 well as any votes received by the Clerk. The Speaker shall then recognize the caucus 22 designees who shall announce in open session any votes received by them on behalf of 23 any other members. All of the announced votes, as well as any votes cast by members in 24 person, shall be reflected on the electrical voting system. 25 The Clerk shall enter upon the Journal the result in the manner provided by the 26 rules of the House. 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS BR 812 Page 43 of 46 XXXX 1/7/2025 12:14 PM Jacketed Rule 69. Pairing. All pairs announced in the House shall be entered on the 1 Journal. 2 Rule 70. Adjournment Extended During Roll Call. When the roll is being 3 called in taking a yea and nay vote, and the hour of an adjournment arrives, the same 4 shall stand extended until after the yea and nay vote has been completed and the result 5 announced. 6 PRIVILEGE OF THE FLOOR 7 Rule 71. Persons Entitled to the Floor. No person shall be permitted upon the 8 floor of the House or within the member’s offices on the third and fourth floor of the 9 Capitol Annex when the House is in session and upon the floor of the House one hour 10 before and after the House is in session except the present members of the General 11 Assembly, former members of the General Assembly, and all officers and employees of 12 the General Assembly. Bona fide news media correspondents shall be admitted to the 13 gallery when recommended by the Committee on Committees and shall be governed by 14 the rules of the House and assigned by the Committee on Committees to a media section 15 specifically set aside for them. 16 Members may submit the names of guests to their caucus chair. The Majority 17 Caucus Chair and the Minority Caucus Chair shall read the names of their respective 18 caucus members’ guests to the House. Members shall not introduce guests from the floor. 19 Rule 72. Restriction of Lobbying and Access to the House Chambers and 20 Office Areas. No person shall engage in lobbying for or against any measure while the 21 House is in session, or in recess, in any of the corridors or passages or in any of the 22 rooms in that part of the Capitol or Capitol Annex assigned to the use of the House, and 23 no registered lobbyist shall enter that part of the Capitol or the member’s offices on the 24 third and fourth floor of the Capitol Annex while the House is in session. This rule shall 25 not be construed to prohibit the use of the corridors or passages in going to and from the 26 House gallery by any person. 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS BR 812 Page 44 of 46 XXXX 1/7/2025 12:14 PM Jacketed A sign, poster, or any other object, the purpose of which can be reasonably 1 construed to indicate support or opposition to any measure before the House, and which 2 is large enough to be generally visible from the House floor, shall not be permitted in the 3 gallery. 4 Only authorized persons shall be allowed access to the office areas assigned for use 5 of the members and staff of the House. For the purposes of this paragraph, "authorized 6 person" means a member of the General Assembly, an employee of the General 7 Assembly or Legislative Research Commission, or a person having obtained specific 8 access authorization from a member or employee. For the purposes of this paragraph, 9 "office areas" means the fourth floor of the Capitol, that part of the third floor of the 10 Capitol assigned to the use of the House, and the third and fourth floors of the Capitol 11 Annex. 12 Rule 73. Restrictions. For purposes of this rule, "material" shall mean any letter, 13 report, writing, article, booklet, pamphlet, image, photograph, object, or any other item, 14 including any physical object or electronic transmission containing audio, video, or 15 electronic communication, which is requested to be placed upon either the desk of a 16 member on the House floor or in a member’s office in the Annex. This material shall not 17 be distributed unless the party interested in the distribution of the material is clearly and 18 physically identified on the material to be distributed. All this material shall conform to 19 accepted public taste, shall contain no matter appealing to prurient interest or without 20 redeeming social value, and shall uphold the dignity of the legislative process. Material 21 originating from the general public shall be delivered to the administrative offices of the 22 Legislative Research Commission or the Clerk of the House and shall upon direction of 23 the Clerk, after inspection, be placed on the members’ desk in the Capitol Annex 24 provided the following conditions are met: 25 (1) Unless 100 copies are provided, all material should be individually addressed 26 to each member expected to receive a copy; 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS BR 812 Page 45 of 46 XXXX 1/7/2025 12:14 PM Jacketed (2) If several pages or items are to be provided to each member, they should be 1 securely fastened or placed together in an envelope; and 2 (3) Sufficient copies of all material should be provided; staff shall not make 3 additional copies of material. 4 Material that may be distributed by the Clerk in the House Chamber is restricted to 5 official communications relating to pending legislation or the operation of the House, 6 material sent by a member clearly identified on the face of the material or its attachments 7 to any other member, or other material as designated by the Speaker’s Office. The 8 Sergeant-at-Arms shall be charged with the duty of ensuring that no individual other than 9 employees of the House under the direction of the Clerk or House members shall cause 10 materials of any nature to be distributed in the House Chamber. Members shall not 11 circumvent this rule by reading from materials in the House Chamber that do not 12 conform to this rule or that have not been distributed to all House members. Questions 13 as to the propriety of materials shall be referred to the Committee on Committees for 14 resolution. Any material distributed by unauthorized individuals shall be collected from 15 the members’ desks and treated as litter, and any material submitted but not distributed 16 that is unclaimed after one week shall be discarded. Material which is received via e-mail 17 or via any digital storage device or media with a request for distribution electronically by 18 LRC staff shall be refused or returned to the sender. Nothing in this rule restricts the right 19 of any person to communicate directly with any member, either electronically or through 20 the United States mail. 21 RULES 22 Rule 74. Mason’s Manual. In the absence of a specific rule of the House, the 23 most recent edition of Mason’s Manual of Legislative Procedure, as adopted by the 24 National Conference of State Legislatures, shall govern the proceedings, except that in all 25 cases where general parliamentary law provides for a rule of two-thirds, it shall mean in 26 this House a majority of all members elected thereto. 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS BR 812 Page 46 of 46 XXXX 1/7/2025 12:14 PM Jacketed Rule 75. Change of Rules. The rules of the House, after their adoption shall not 1 be altered, changed, amended, suspended or interrupted, unless the same be done by a 2 majority of the members elected to the House. No rule shall be suspended for the purpose 3 of any action affecting the passage of a bill or resolution carrying the force of law unless 4 the rule is suspended by a majority of the members elected to the House. Whenever a rule 5 is suspended, no measure shall be considered under suspension except the measure or 6 measures in whose favor the suspension was invoked, and only for that day. 7