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2015 Regular Session
HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 74
BY REPRESENTATIVES HARRIS AND CARTER
HOUSE/RULES: Provides relative to conference committees and conference committee
reports
1 A RESOLUTION
2To amend and readopt House Rule 8.21(A) of the Rules of Order of the House of
3 Representatives and to adopt House Rule 6.14(C) of the Rules of Order of the House
4 of Representatives to provide relative to conference committees and conference
5 committee reports.
6 BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Legislature of Louisiana
7that House Rule 8.21(A) of the Rules of Order of the House of Representatives is hereby
8amended and readopted and House Rule 6.14(C) of the Rules of Order of the House of
9Representatives is hereby adopted to read as follows:
10 Rule 6.14. Conference committees; membership; appointment; limitations
11 * * *
12 C. (1) Except as otherwise provided in Subparagraph (2) of this Paragraph,
13 conference committee appointees from the House of Representatives on a legislative
14 instrument, other than an appropriation bill, the Capital Outlay Bill, and the omnibus
15 bond authorization bill, shall limit their discussions and their actions solely to
16 recommending amendments confined to resolving the differences between the two
17 houses regarding the amendments that were rejected by the house of origin and
18 recommending technical amendments.
19 (2) The author or member handling a legislative instrument, with the
20 concurrence of all other members of the conference committee, may request
21 permission of the House to allow the conference committee to consider
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1 recommending amendments that are not confined to resolving the differences
2 between the two houses regarding the amendments that were rejected by the house
3 of origin and recommending technical amendments. The adoption of a motion to
4 request the permission of the House shall require the favorable vote of a majority of
5 the elected members of the House and shall be a debatable motion.
6 (3) The Clerk shall not accept nor place on the calendar a conference
7 committee report unless the conference committee appointees have complied with
8 the provisions of this Paragraph.
9 (4) Notwithstanding House Rule 13.2(A), the adoption of a motion to waive
10 any provision of this Paragraph shall require the favorable vote of a majority of the
11 elected members of the House and shall be a debatable motion.
12 * * *
13 Rule 8.21. Conference committee reports; consideration
14 A.(1) A conference committee report shall be a privileged report and notice
15 of its receipt shall be given by the Clerk on the legislative day of its receipt at the
16 first opportunity without interrupting pending business. The question of
17 consideration of a conference committee report shall lie over until the appropriate
18 order of business during the Regular Orders on the next legislative day. The Clerk
19 shall place each conference committee report on the calendar in the order in which
20 it was received for consideration.
21 (2) Notwithstanding House Rule 13.2(A), on the last calendar or calendar or
22 legislative day of a session the adoption of a motion to suspend the requirement that
23 the question of consideration of a conference committee report lie over until the next
24 legislative day contained in waive the provisions of Subparagraph (1) of this
25 Paragraph shall require the favorable vote of a majority of the elected members of
26 the House. A motion to suspend the provisions of this Paragraph and shall be a
27 debatable motion.
28 * * *
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HR NO. 74
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HR 74 Engrossed 2015 Regular Session Harris
Abstract: Limits the discussion and actions of House conference committee appointees on
a legislative instrument, other than an appropriation bill, the Capital Outlay Bill, and
the omnibus bond authorization bill, to resolving the differences between the two
houses regarding the amendments which were rejected by the house of origin and
recommending technical amendments, unless permission of the House is obtained
by adoption of a debatable motion by a favorable vote of a majority of the elected
members. Prohibits consideration of a conference committee report unless the
conferees have complied with requirements.
Present House Rule (6.14) provides for the appointment of conference committee appointees
from the House, including the member who authored or handled the instrument, the
chairman of the committee that reported the instrument, and one member appointed by the
Speaker. Further provides that conference committee appointments on a Senate instrument
shall be made only after the speaker has received a request from the member who handled
the instrument or a member of the committee that reported the instrument.
Proposed House Rule further provides that conference committee appointees from the House
on a legislative instrument, other than an appropriation bill, the Capital Outlay Bill, and the
omnibus bond authorization bill, shall limit their discussions and their actions solely to
resolving the differences between the two houses regarding the amendments which were
rejected by the house of origin and recommending technical amendments. However, the
author or member handling a legislative instrument, with the concurrence of all other
members of the conference committee, may request permission of the House to allow the
conference committee to consider recommending amendments to the instrument which are
not confined to resolving the differences regarding the amendments rejected by the house
of origin and recommending technical amendments. Provides that the adoption of such
motion requires the favorable vote of a majority of the elected members of each house and
is a debatable motion. Further prohibits the Clerk from accepting or placing on the calendar
a conference committee report unless the conferees have complied with the provisions of the
proposed House Rule. Provides that the adoption of a motion to waive any provision of the
proposed House Rule requires the favorable vote of a majority of the elected members of the
House and is debatable.
Present House Rule (8.21(A)) provides that a conference committee report shall be a
privileged report and notice of receipt shall be given by the Clerk at the first opportunity
without interrupting pending business. Provides that the question of consideration of a
conference committee report shall lie over until the appropriate order of business during the
Regular Orders on the next legislative day. Present House Rule further provides that, on the
last calendar or legislative day of a session, the favorable vote of a majority of the elected
members of the House is required to adopt a motion to suspend the requirement that the
question of consideration of a conference committee report lie over until the appropriate
order of business during Regular Orders on the next legislative day. Additionally provides
that a motion to suspend these provisions is a debatable motion. Present House Rule
(8.21(C)) provides that the House shall consider a conference committee report confined to
resolving the differences between the two houses regarding the amendments which were
rejected by the house of origin and recommending technical amendments received on the last
day (calendar or legislative) of a session upon motion of any member duly adopted by a
majority of those present and voting. Present House Rule provides that a motion to take up
consideration of a conference committee report is a privileged incidental motion, in order
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HR NO. 74
when another motion or instrument is not pending, and to be adopted by a majority of those
present and voting is applicable only to such confined reports received on the last day.
Present House Rule (8.21(D)(1)) specifies that if a conference committee report on any
appropriation bill supplementing the General Appropriation Act, the Capital Outlay Bill, the
bill appropriating funds for the judicial branch, the bill appropriating funds for the legislative
branch, or the omnibus bond authorization bill is received on the last day, the provisions of
Present House Rule (8.21(C)) shall apply even if the conference committee report is not
confined to resolving the differences between the two houses regarding the amendments
which were rejected by the house of origin and recommending technical amendments.
Present House Rule (8.21(D)(2)) specifies that Present House Rule (8.15), which provides
that a vote on a conference committee report on the General Appropriation Bill shall not
occur until at least 48 hours have intervened after the receipt of the report and requires (at
least 24 hours prior to voting) an unofficial enrollment and a summary, applies to conference
committee reports on the General Appropriation Bill. Present House Rule (8.15) provides
that the requirements may be waived by a majority vote of the elected members of the
House.
Proposed House Rule changes "motion to suspend" to "motion to waive", makes technical
changes, and otherwise retains Present House Rule.
(Amends House Rule 8.21(A); Adds House Rule 6.14(C))
Summary of Amendments Adopted by House
The Committee Amendments Proposed by House Committee on House and
Governmental Affairs to the original resolution:
1. Make technical changes.
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