HLS 20RS-17 ENGROSSED
2020 Regular Session
HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 18
BY REPRESENTATIVE BACALA
HOUSE/RULES: Provides an option in the House Rules to limit the debate on legislative
instruments on final passage or adoption by a majority vote of the elected members
of the House
1 A RESOLUTION
2To amend and readopt House Rule 5.7(A) of the Rules of Order of the House of
3 Representatives and to adopt House Rule 5.7.1 of the Rules of Order of the House
4 of Representatives to provide relative to the limits on debate.
5 BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Legislature of Louisiana
6that House Rule 5.7(A) of the Rules of Order of the House of Representatives is hereby
7amended and readopted and House Rule 5.7.1 of the Rules of Order of the House of
8Representatives is hereby adopted to read as follows:
9 Rule 5.7. Limits on debate
10 A. No Except as otherwise provided in House Rule 5.7.1, no member shall
11 speak more than twice during debate on the same question, nor more than
12 one-quarter of an hour on each occasion, without leave of the House, nor more than
13 once until every member choosing to speak shall have spoken. The author of a
14 legislative instrument, if it that originated in the House, and the member handling the
15 an instrument, if it that originated in the Senate, shall have the right to open and
16 close the debate or to designate a member or members to represent him. Closing
17 Except as otherwise provided in House Rule 5.7.1, closing debate shall be limited to
18 fifteen minutes.
19 * * *
Page 1 of 3
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions. HLS 20RS-17 ENGROSSED
HR NO. 18
1 Rule 5.7.1. Special limits on debate on instruments on final passage or adoption
2 A. By motion adopted by a favorable vote of a majority of the elected
3 members of the House, the limits on debate of legislative instruments on final
4 passage or adoption shall be as provided in this Rule rather than the limits on debate
5 provided in House Rule 5.7 until the members of the House adopt a motion by a
6 favorable vote of a majority of the elected members of the House to return to the
7 limits on debate established in House Rule 5.7.
8 B. During debate on a legislative instrument on final passage or adoption,
9 no member shall speak more than twice during the debate, nor more than three
10 minutes on each occasion, without leave of the House, nor more than once until
11 every member who has requested recognition to speak shall have spoken. The author
12 of a legislative instrument that originated in the House and the member handling an
13 instrument that originated in the Senate shall have the right to open and close the
14 debate or to designate a member or members to represent him. All questions to the
15 author or to the member handling the instrument or to a member offering an
16 amendment to the instrument shall be limited to ten minutes. Opening and closing
17 debate on a legislative instrument shall be limited to three minutes.
18 C. A member may yield part of his allotted time to another member only
19 upon closing remarks in a debate.
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 18 Engrossed 2020 Regular Session Bacala
Abstract: Provides an option in the House Rules for the House to limit debate on final
passage or adoption of a legislative instrument by a majority vote of the elected
members of House. The limited debate option provides that a member may speak
for no more than three minutes per occasion without leave of the House, provides
that all questions to the author or member handling a legislative instrument or a
member offering an amendment shall be limited to 10 minutes, and limits opening
and closing debate to three minutes.
Present House Rule provides that no member shall speak more than twice during debate on
the same question, nor more than 15 minutes on each occasion, without leave of the House,
nor more than once until every member choosing to speak shall have spoken. Provides that
Page 2 of 3
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions. HLS 20RS-17 ENGROSSED
HR NO. 18
the author or member handling the instrument shall have the right to open and close the
debate or to designate a member or members to represent him. Limits closing debate to 15
minutes. Further provides that a member may yield part of his allotted time to another
member only upon closing remarks in a debate.
Proposed House Rule, provides that by motion adopted by a favorable vote of a majority of
the elected members of the House, the limits on debate of legislative instruments on final
passage or adoption shall limit each member to speaking on a legislative instrument for no
more than three minutes per occasion without leave of the House, limit all questions to the
author or member handling a legislative instrument or to a member offering an amendment
to the instrument to 10 minutes, and limit opening and closing debate to three minutes.
Otherwise retains present House Rule. Further provides that the limits in the proposed
House Rule are applicable until the members of the House adopt a motion by a favorable
vote of a majority of the elected members to return to the limits on debate established in
present House Rule (House Rule 5.7).
(Amends House Rule 5.7(A); Adds House Rule 5.7.1)
Page 3 of 3
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.