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 20 Original 2020 First Extraordinary Session Mincey
Abstract: Requires the Clerk to announce whether a conference committee report is confined and
the names of conferees who signed and who did not sign the report and requires the adoption
of a motion by a majority of the elected members of House to consider a conference
committee report received when there is less than two hours remaining before adjournment
on the last calendar or legislative day of a session.
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 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 retains present House Rule but additionally requires the Clerk to announce to
the House if a conference committee report is confined prior to the consideration of any motion
relative to the report. Further requires the Clerk to announce the names of the conferees who signed
the report and the names of the conferees who did not sign the report. Proposed House Rule further
provides that if a confined conference committee report is received on the last day of a session and
there is less than two hours remaining before adjournment of the session, the motion to take up the
consideration of such a conference committee report shall require the favorable vote of a majority
of the elected members of the House and shall not be debatable. Provides that if an "unconfined"
conference committee report is received and there is less than two hours remaining before
adjournment of the session, the motion to take up the consideration of such a conference committee
report shall require the favorable vote of a majority of the elected members of the House and shall
not be debatable, however, such motion shall not be in order until after the motion to waive the
requirement that the report lie over is adopted. Further specifies that 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 received on the last day shall be treated like a confined
conference committee report even if it is not.
(Amends House Rule 8.21)