Nevada 2025 Regular Session

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1	1
2	2	- 83rd Session (2025)
3	3	Senate Resolution No. 1–Senators Cannizzaro and Titus
4	4
5	5	FILE NUMBER..........
6	6	SENATE RESOLUTION —Adopting the Standing Rules of the
7	7	Senate for the 83rd Session of the Legislature.
8	8	RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, That the
9	9	Senate Standing Rules are hereby adopted for the 83rd Session of
10	10	the Legislature as follows:
11	11
12	12	I. OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES
13	13
14	14	DUTIES OF OFFICERS
15	15
16	16	Rule No. 1. President.
17	17	The President shall take the chair and call the Senate to order
18	18	precisely at the hour appointed for meeting, and if a quorum is
19	19	present shall cause the Journal of the preceding day to be read.
20	20	The President shall preserve order and decorum, and in case of
21	21	any disturbance or disorderly conduct within the Senate Chamber,
22	22	shall order the Sergeant at Arms to suppress it, and may order the
23	23	arrest of any person creating any disturbance within the Senate
24	24	Chamber. The President may speak to points of order in
25	25	preference to members, rising from the President’s seat for that
26	26	purpose, and shall decide questions of order without debate,
27	27	subject to an appeal to the Senate by two members, on which
28	28	appeal no member may speak more than once without leave of the
29	29	Senate. The President shall sign all acts, addresses and joint
30	30	resolutions, and all writs, warrants and subpoenas issued by order
31	31	of the Senate; all of which must be attested by the Secretary. The
32	32	President has general direction of the Senate Chamber.
33	33
34	34	Rule No. 2. President pro Tempore and Other Presiding
35	35	Officers.
36	36	1. Except as otherwise provided in subsection 2:
37	37	(a) The President pro Tempore has all the power and shall
38	38	discharge all the duties of the President during his or her absence
39	39	or inability to discharge the duties of his or her office.
40	40	(b) If the President is unwilling to discharge the duties of his
41	41	or her office, the Senate may, by majority vote of the Senate, call
42	42	upon the President pro Tempore to serve as the President. Upon
43	43	such call, the President pro Tempore has all the power and shall
44	44	discharge all the duties of the President during his or her
45	45	unwillingness to discharge the duties of his or her office.
46	46	– 2 –
47	47
48	48
49	49	- 83rd Session (2025)
50	50	(c) In the absence or inability of the President pro Tempore to
51	51	discharge the duties of the President’s office, the Chair of the
52	52	Standing Committee on Legislative Operations and Elections shall
53	53	serve as the presiding officer. In the absence or inability of the
54	54	Chair, the Vice Chair of the Standing Committee on Legislative
55	55	Operations and Elections shall serve as the presiding officer. In
56	56	the absence or inability of the Vice Chair of the Standing
57	57	Committee on Legislative Operations and Elections, the Senate
58	58	shall, regardless of whether a quorum is present, elect one of its
59	59	members to serve as the presiding officer by a majority vote of the
60	60	members present. A member who is serving as the presiding
61	61	officer has all the power and shall discharge all the duties of the
62	62	President until the absence or inability which resulted in the
63	63	member serving as the presiding officer has ended.
64	64	2. When the President pro Tempore or another member is
65	65	serving as the presiding officer, the President pro Tempore or
66	66	other member may vote on any question for which he or she is
67	67	otherwise qualified to vote as a member. If the Senate is equally
68	68	divided on the question, the President pro Tempore or other
69	69	member may not give an additional deciding vote or casting vote
70	70	pursuant to Senate Standing Rule No. 31 or Section 17 of Article 5
71	71	of the Nevada Constitution.
72	72
73	73	Rule No. 3. Secretary.
74	74	1. The Secretary of the Senate is elected by the Senate, and
75	75	shall:
76	76	(a) Recruit, interview, select, train and supervise all staff
77	77	employed to assist with the work of the Senate.
78	78	(b) See that these employees perform their respective duties.
79	79	(c) Administer the daily business of the Senate, including the
80	80	provision of staff to its committees.
81	81	(d) Adopt such administrative policies as the Secretary deems
82	82	necessary to carry out the business of the Senate.
83	83	(e) Unless otherwise ordered by the Senate, transmit at the end
84	84	of each working day those bills and resolutions upon which the
85	85	next action is to be taken by the Assembly.
86	86	2. The Secretary is responsible to the Majority Leader.
87	87	3. The President and the Secretary are authorized to make
88	88	any necessary corrections and additions to the final Journal, Daily
89	89	History and committee minutes of the Senate.
90	90	4. In the absence of the Secretary and subject to the
91	91	discretion of the Majority Leader, the Assistant Secretary shall
92	92	attest all writs, warrants and subpoenas issued by order of the
93	93	– 3 –
94	94
95	95
96	96	- 83rd Session (2025)
97	97	Senate and certify as to the passage of bills and resolutions; and in
98	98	the absence of both officers, the Majority Leader shall designate a
99	99	signatory.
100	100	5. The Secretary shall have custody of all bills, resolutions,
101	101	petitions, papers and other documents, including, without
102	102	limitation, matters referred to the committees of the Senate.
103	103	6. When preparing publications, signage, nameplates or other
104	104	materials which are presented to the public and contain the name
105	105	of a Senator, the Secretary shall ensure that such materials do not
106	106	contain a professional designation as part of the name of a
107	107	Senator, including, without limitation, pre-nominal or post-
108	108	nominal initials.
109	109
110	110	Rule No. 4. Sergeant at Arms.
111	111	The Sergeant at Arms shall:
112	112	1. Attend the Senate during its sittings, and execute its
113	113	commands and all process issued by its authority.
114	114	2. Keep the secrets of the Senate.
115	115	3. Superintend the upkeep of the Senate’s Chamber, private
116	116	lounge and meeting rooms for committees.
117	117
118	118	Rule No. 5. Deputy Sergeant at Arms and Assistant Sergeants
119	119	at Arms.
120	120	The Deputy Sergeant at Arms and Assistant Sergeants at Arms
121	121	shall serve as doorkeepers and shall preserve order in the Senate
122	122	Chamber and shall assist the Sergeant at Arms. The Deputy
123	123	Sergeant at Arms and Assistant Sergeants at Arms shall keep the
124	124	secrets of the Senate. In the event that the Sergeant at Arms is
125	125	incapacitated or absent for any reason, the Deputy Sergeant at
126	126	Arms shall serve as the Sergeant at Arms until the incapacity or
127	127	absence has ended.
128	128
129	129	Rule No. 6. Continuation of Leadership and Standing Rules of
130	130	the Senate During the Interim Between Regular Sessions.
131	131	1. Except as otherwise provided in subsections 2, 3 and 4, the
132	132	tenure of the President pro Tempore, Majority Leader and
133	133	Minority Leader extends during the interim between regular
134	134	sessions of the Legislature.
135	135	2. The President pro Tempore, Majority Leader and Minority
136	136	Leader for the next succeeding regular session shall perform any
137	137	duty that is required of that officer by the Standing Rules of the
138	138	Senate and the Nevada Revised Statutes in the period between
139	139	– 4 –
140	140
141	141
142	142	- 83rd Session (2025)
143	143	the time of their designation after the general election and the
144	144	organization of the next succeeding regular session.
145	145	3. The Majority Leader and Minority Leader for the next
146	146	succeeding regular session shall appoint the regular and alternate
147	147	members to the Committee on Ethics as set forth in Senate
148	148	Standing Rule No. 23.
149	149	4. The Majority Leader shall:
150	150	(a) Determine the start time of the Senate’s organizational
151	151	session.
152	152	(b) Refer prefiled bills and resolutions to committee, subject to
153	153	ratification by a majority vote of the members of the Senate once
154	154	the Senate is organized and ready for business.
155	155	(c) Appoint committees during the interim between regular
156	156	sessions of the Legislature for any proper purpose, including,
157	157	without limitation, taking testimony, compelling the attendance of
158	158	witnesses, punishing persons or entities for contempt and
159	159	reporting findings to the next session of the Legislature.
160	160	5. The Standing Rules of the Senate set forth herein shall
161	161	remain in full force and effect throughout the interim between
162	162	regular sessions of the Legislature and until new Standing Rules
163	163	of the Senate are adopted as part of the organization of a newly
164	164	constituted Senate at the commencement of a session, unless a
165	165	conflict exists with a rule adopted by the Senate for a special
166	166	session occurring between regular sessions.
167	167
168	168	The next rule is 10.
169	169
170	170	II. SESSIONS AND MEETINGS
171	171
172	172	Rule No. 10. Time of Meeting.
173	173	1. Except as otherwise provided in subsection 2, the President
174	174	shall call the Senate to order each day of sitting at 11:00 o’clock
175	175	a.m., unless the Senate has adjourned to some other hour.
176	176	2. In the event an emergency occurs during a regular or
177	177	special session of the Legislature which requires a meeting of the
178	178	Senate, the Majority Leader shall call the members back to order
179	179	before the hour to which the Senate has adjourned.
180	180
181	181	Rule No. 11. Call of Senate—Moved by Three Members.
182	182	A Call of the Senate may be moved by three Senators, and if
183	183	carried by a majority of all present, the Secretary shall call the roll
184	184	and note the absentees, after which the names of the absentees
185	185	shall again be called over. The doors shall then be closed and the
186	186	– 5 –
187	187
188	188
189	189	- 83rd Session (2025)
190	190	Sergeant at Arms directed to take into custody all who may be
191	191	absent without leave, and all Senators so taken into custody shall
192	192	be presented at the bar of the Senate for such action as to the
193	193	Senate may seem proper.
194	194
195	195	Rule No. 12. Absence—Leave Required.
196	196	No Senator shall absent himself or herself from the service of
197	197	the Senate without leave, except in case of accident or sickness,
198	198	and if any Senator or officer shall so absent himself or herself, the
199	199	per diem of the Senator shall not be allowed to him or her.
200	200
201	201	Rule No. 13. Open Meetings.
202	202	1. Except as provided in the Constitution of the State of
203	203	Nevada and in subsection 2, all meetings of the Senate and its
204	204	committees must be open to the public.
205	205	2. A Senate committee meeting may be closed to consider the
206	206	character, alleged misconduct, professional competence, or
207	207	physical or mental health of a person.
208	208
209	209	Rule No. 14. Convening of Senate between Legislative
210	210	Sessions.
211	211	1. The Senate may be convened at any time between sessions
212	212	of the Legislature upon a petition signed by a majority of the
213	213	members elected to the Senate to consider and take action on any
214	214	matter that is solely and exclusively within the constitutional or
215	215	inherent powers of the Senate, including, without limitation, any
216	216	matter that may be considered and acted on by the Senate
217	217	pursuant to its plenary and exclusive constitutional powers under
218	218	Article 4, Section 6 of the Nevada Constitution or pursuant to its
219	219	inherent powers of institutional self-protection and self-
220	220	preservation to govern, control and regulate its membership and
221	221	its internal organization, affairs and management.
222	222	2. A petition convening the Senate pursuant to this Rule must
223	223	specify the matter that will be considered or acted on by the
224	224	Senate, indicate a date for the Senate to convene and be
225	225	transmitted to the Secretary of the Senate. Upon receipt of one or
226	226	more substantially similar petitions signed, in the aggregate, by a
227	227	majority of the members elected to the Senate, the Secretary shall
228	228	notify all members of the Senate that the Senate will be convened
229	229	pursuant to this Rule and the date on which the Senate will be
230	230	convened.
231	231	3. The Senate hereby finds and declares that:
232	232	– 6 –
233	233
234	234
235	235	- 83rd Session (2025)
236	236	(a) The Nevada Constitution invests each House of the
237	237	Legislature with certain plenary and exclusive constitutional
238	238	powers which may be exercised only by that House and which
239	239	cannot be usurped, infringed or impaired by the other House or by
240	240	any other branch of Nevada’s State Government. (Heller v.
241	241	Legislature, 120 Nev. 456 (2004); Commission on Ethics v. Hardy,
242	242	125 Nev. 285 (2009); Mason’s Manual of Legislative Procedure §§
243	243	2-3 & 560-564 (2010) (Mason’s Manual))
244	244	(b) Article 4, Section 6 of the Nevada Constitution invests each
245	245	House with plenary and exclusive constitutional powers to govern,
246	246	control and regulate its membership and its internal organization,
247	247	affairs and management, expressly providing that: “Each House
248	248	shall judge of the qualifications, elections and returns of its own
249	249	members, choose its own officers (except the President of the
250	250	Senate), determine the rules of its proceedings and may punish its
251	251	members for disorderly conduct, and with the concurrence of two
252	252	thirds of all the members elected, expel a member.”
253	253	(c) In addition to its plenary and exclusive constitutional
254	254	powers, each House possesses certain inherent powers of
255	255	institutional self-protection and self-preservation to govern,
256	256	control and regulate its membership and its internal organization,
257	257	affairs and management. (In re Chapman, 166 U.S. 661, 668
258	258	(1897); Mason’s Manual § 2; Luther S. Cushing, Elements of the
259	259	Law & Practice of Legislative Assemblies § 533 (1856) (Cushing’s
260	260	Legislative Assemblies))
261	261	(d) The inherent powers of each House are considered “so
262	262	essential to the authority of a legislative assembly, that it cannot
263	263	well exist without them; and they are consequently entitled to be
264	264	regarded as belonging to every such assembly as a necessary
265	265	incident.” (Cushing’s Legislative Assemblies § 533)
266	266	(e) The inherent powers of each House authorize it to take all
267	267	necessary and proper institutional actions that are “recognized by
268	268	the common parliamentary law.” (Cushing’s Legislative
269	269	Assemblies § 684)
270	270	(f) Thus, it is well established that each House is “vested with
271	271	all the powers and privileges which are necessary and incidental to
272	272	a free and unobstructed exercise of its appropriate functions.
273	273	These powers and privileges are derived not from the Constitution;
274	274	on the contrary, they arise from the very creation of a legislative
275	275	body, and are founded upon the principle of self-preservation.”
276	276	(Ex parte McCarthy, 29 Cal. 395, 403 (1866))
277	277
278	278
279	279	– 7 –
280	280
281	281
282	282	- 83rd Session (2025)
283	283	The next rule is 20.
284	284
285	285	III. DECORUM AND DEBATE
286	286
287	287	Rule No. 20. Points of Order.
288	288	1. If any Senator, in speaking or otherwise, transgresses the
289	289	rules of the Senate, the President shall, or any Senator may, call
290	290	him or her to order. If a Senator is so called to order, he or she
291	291	shall not proceed without leave of the Senate. If such leave is
292	292	granted, it must be upon the motion, “That he or she be allowed to
293	293	proceed in order,” and the Senator shall confine himself or herself
294	294	to the proposal under consideration and avoid personality.
295	295	2. Every ruling on points of order made by the President is
296	296	subject to appeal, and a discussion of a question of order may be
297	297	allowed only upon the appeal of two Senators. In all cases of
298	298	appeal, the question must be, “Shall the ruling of the Chair stand
299	299	as the judgment of the Senate?”
300	300
301	301	Rule No. 21. Breaches of Decorum.
302	302	1. In cases of breaches of decorum or propriety, any Senator,
303	303	officer or other person is liable to such censure or punishment as
304	304	the Senate may deem proper.
305	305	2. If any Senator is called to order for offensive or indecorous
306	306	language or conduct, the person calling the Senator to order shall
307	307	report the offensive or indecorous language or conduct to the
308	308	presiding officer. No member may be held to answer for any
309	309	language used on the floor of the Senate if business has
310	310	intervened before exception to the language was taken.
311	311	3. Indecorous conduct or boisterous or unbecoming language
312	312	is not permitted in the Senate Chamber.
313	313
314	314	Rule No. 22. Portable Electronic Communication Devices.
315	315	1. A person who is within the Senate Chambers shall not
316	316	engage in a telephone conversation via the use of a portable
317	317	telephone when the Senate is convened.
318	318	2. Before entering the Senate Chambers, any person who
319	319	possesses a portable electronic communication device that emits
320	320	an audible alert, such as a ringing or beeping sound, to signal an
321	321	incoming message or call, shall turn the audible alert off. A device
322	322	that contains a nonaudible alert, such as a silent vibration, may be
323	323	operated in a nonaudible manner within the Senate Chambers.
324	324
325	325
326	326	– 8 –
327	327
328	328
329	329	- 83rd Session (2025)
330	330	Rule No. 23. Committee on Ethics; Legislative Ethics.
331	331	1. The Committee on Ethics consists of:
332	332	(a) Two members of the Senate appointed by the Majority
333	333	Leader from the majority political party;
334	334	(b) One member of the Senate appointed by the Minority
335	335	Leader from the minority political party; and
336	336	(c) Three qualified electors of the State, two of whom are
337	337	appointed by the Majority Leader and one who is appointed by the
338	338	Minority Leader, and none of whom is a present member of the
339	339	Legislature or employed by the State of Nevada.
340	340	 Not more than four members of the Committee may be
341	341	members of the same political party.
342	342	2. The Majority Leader shall appoint the Chair and Vice
343	343	Chair of the Committee. The Vice Chair shall serve as the acting
344	344	Chair if the Chair is unable to serve for any reason during the
345	345	consideration of a specific proposal.
346	346	3. The Majority Leader shall appoint an alternate member
347	347	with the qualifications set forth in paragraph (a) of subsection 1
348	348	and an alternate member with the qualifications set forth in
349	349	paragraph (c) of subsection 1. The Minority Leader shall appoint
350	350	an alternate member with the qualifications set forth in paragraph
351	351	(b) of subsection 1 and an alternate member with the
352	352	qualifications set forth in paragraph (c) of subsection 1. If a
353	353	member of the Committee is unable to serve for any reason during
354	354	the consideration of a specific proposal, the alternate appointed
355	355	with the qualifications from the same paragraph in subsection 1
356	356	shall serve as a member of the Committee during the
357	357	consideration of the specific proposal.
358	358	4. A member of the Committee is disqualified to serve during
359	359	the consideration of a specific proposal if:
360	360	(a) The member is the requester of advice concerning the
361	361	question of ethics or conflict of interest, or the member is the
362	362	subject of the complaint concerning the specific question; or
363	363	(b) A reasonable person in the member’s situation could not
364	364	exercise independent judgment on the matter in question.
365	365	5. The members of the Committee shall perform any duty
366	366	required in the period between the time of their appointment after
367	367	the general election and the organization of the next succeeding
368	368	regular session, or until the Majority Leader or the Minority
369	369	Leader appoint new members to the Committee, whichever occurs
370	370	first.
371	371	6. The tenure of the members of the Committee shall extend
372	372	during the interim between regular sessions of the Legislature.
373	373	– 9 –
374	374
375	375
376	376	- 83rd Session (2025)
377	377	7. The Committee:
378	378	(a) May hear requests brought by Senators for advice on
379	379	specific questions of potential breaches of ethics and conflicts of
380	380	interest; and
381	381	(b) Shall hear complaints brought by Senators and others on
382	382	specific questions of alleged breaches of ethics and conflicts of
383	383	interest, including, without limitation, alleged breaches of the
384	384	Legislative Code of Ethical Standards in the Joint Standing Rules.
385	385	8. All proceedings held by the Committee to consider the
386	386	character, alleged misconduct, professional competence or
387	387	physical or mental health of any person on matters of ethics or
388	388	conflicts of interest and all materials related to those proceedings
389	389	are confidential, unless the person who is the subject of the
390	390	proceedings requests a public hearing or discloses the content of
391	391	the proceedings or materials.
392	392	9. An individual may file a complaint which alleges a breach
393	393	of ethics or a conflict of interest, including, without limitation, an
394	394	alleged breach of the Legislative Code of Ethical Standards in the
395	395	Joint Standing Rules. If the alleged breach of ethics or conflict of
396	396	interest involves the conduct of more than one person, separate
397	397	complaints must be filed regarding each person. A complaint must
398	398	be:
399	399	(a) Made in writing on a form provided by the Legislative
400	400	Counsel;
401	401	(b) Signed and verified under penalty of perjury by the
402	402	individual making the allegation; and
403	403	(c) Filed with the Legislative Counsel who shall review the
404	404	complaint and any other relevant information and consult with
405	405	the Chair of the Committee or, if the Chair is the subject of the
406	406	complaint, with the Vice Chair, to evaluate whether the Committee
407	407	has jurisdiction and whether an investigation is warranted in the
408	408	matter. If it is determined that the Committee:
409	409	(1) Does not have jurisdiction or that an investigation is not
410	410	warranted in the matter, the Legislative Counsel shall send written
411	411	notice of the determination to the individual who filed the
412	412	complaint.
413	413	(2) Has jurisdiction and an investigation is warranted in
414	414	the matter, the Legislative Counsel shall send written notice of the
415	415	determination and a copy of the complaint to the person who is the
416	416	subject of the complaint.
417	417	10. Each Legislator is subject, at all times, to the Legislative
418	418	Code of Ethical Standards in the Joint Standing Rules and, in
419	419	addition, must determine whether he or she has a conflict of
420	420	– 10 –
421	421
422	422
423	423	- 83rd Session (2025)
424	424	interest upon any matter in question before the Legislator. In
425	425	determining whether the Legislator has such a conflict of interest,
426	426	the Legislator should consider whether the independence of
427	427	judgment of a reasonable person in his or her situation upon the
428	428	matter in question would be materially affected by the
429	429	Legislator’s:
430	430	(a) Acceptance of a gift or loan;
431	431	(b) Private economic interest; or
432	432	(c) Commitment to a member of his or her household or
433	433	immediate family.
434	434	 In interpreting and applying the provisions of this subsection, it
435	435	must be presumed that the independence of judgment of a
436	436	reasonable person in the Legislator’s situation would not be
437	437	materially affected by the Legislator’s private economic interest or
438	438	the Legislator’s commitment to a member of his or her household
439	439	or immediate family where the resulting benefit or detriment
440	440	accruing to the Legislator, or if the Legislator has a commitment
441	441	to a member of his or her household or immediate family,
442	442	accruing to those other persons, is not greater than that accruing
443	443	to any other member of the general business, profession,
444	444	occupation or group that is affected by the matter.
445	445	11. Except as otherwise provided in subsection 12, if a
446	446	Legislator knows he or she has a conflict of interest pursuant to
447	447	subsection 10, the Legislator shall make a disclosure of the
448	448	conflict of interest on the record in a meeting of a committee or on
449	449	the floor of the Senate, as applicable. Such a disclosure must be
450	450	entered:
451	451	(a) If the Legislator makes the disclosure in a meeting of a
452	452	committee, in the minutes for that meeting.
453	453	(b) If the Legislator makes the disclosure on the floor of the
454	454	Senate, in the Journal.
455	455	12. If, on one or more prior occasions during the current
456	456	session of the Legislature, a Legislator has made a general
457	457	disclosure of a conflict of interest on the record in a meeting of a
458	458	committee or on the floor of the Senate, the Legislator is not
459	459	required to make that general disclosure at length again regarding
460	460	the same conflict of interest if, when the matter in question arises
461	461	on subsequent occasions, the Legislator makes a reference on the
462	462	record to the previous disclosure.
463	463	13. In determining whether to abstain from voting upon,
464	464	advocating or opposing a matter concerning which a Legislator
465	465	has a conflict of interest pursuant to subsection 10, the Legislator
466	466	should consider whether:
467	467	– 11 –
468	468
469	469
470	470	- 83rd Session (2025)
471	471	(a) The conflict impedes his or her independence of judgment;
472	472	and
473	473	(b) His or her interest is greater than the interests of an entire
474	474	class of persons similarly situated.
475	475	14. The provisions of this Rule do not under any
476	476	circumstances and regardless of any conflict of interest:
477	477	(a) Prohibit a Legislator from requesting or introducing a
478	478	legislative measure; or
479	479	(b) Require a Legislator to take any particular action before or
480	480	while requesting or introducing a legislative measure.
481	481	15. If a Legislator who is a member of a committee declares
482	482	on the record when a vote is to be taken by the committee that he
483	483	or she will abstain from voting because of the requirements of this
484	484	Rule, the necessary quorum to act upon and the number of votes
485	485	necessary to act upon the matter is reduced as though the
486	486	Legislator abstaining were not a member of the committee.
487	487	16. The standards and procedures set forth in this Rule which
488	488	govern whether and to what extent a Senator has a conflict of
489	489	interest, should disclose a conflict of interest or should abstain
490	490	from voting upon, advocating or opposing a matter concerning
491	491	which the Senator has a conflict of interest pursuant to
492	492	subsection 10:
493	493	(a) Are exclusive and are the only standards and procedures
494	494	that apply to Senators with regard to such matters; and
495	495	(b) Supersede and preempt all other standards and procedures
496	496	with regard to such matters,
497	497	 except that this subsection does not exempt any Senators from
498	498	the Legislative Code of Ethical Standards in the Joint Standing
499	499	Rules.
500	500	17. For purposes of this Rule, “immediate family” means a
501	501	person who is related to the Legislator by blood, adoption or
502	502	marriage within the first degree of consanguinity or affinity.
503	503
504	504	The next rule is 30.
505	505
506	506	IV. QUORUM, VOTING, ELECTIONS
507	507
508	508	Rule No. 30. Recorded Vote—Three Required to Call For.
509	509	1. A recorded vote must be taken upon final passage of a bill
510	510	or joint resolution, and in any other case when called for by three
511	511	members. Every Senator within the bar of the Senate shall vote
512	512	“yea” or “nay” or record himself or herself as “not voting,” unless
513	513	excused by unanimous vote of the Senate. A Senator who records
514	514	– 12 –
515	515
516	516
517	517	- 83rd Session (2025)
518	518	himself or herself as “not voting” must make a full and complete
519	519	disclosure of a conflict of interest pursuant to Senate Standing
520	520	Rule No. 23.
521	521	2. The votes and names of those absent or recorded as “not
522	522	voting” and the names of Senators demanding the recorded vote
523	523	must be entered in the Journal.
524	524
525	525	Rule No. 31. President to Decide—Tie Vote.
526	526	A question is lost by a tie vote, but when the Senate is equally
527	527	divided on any question except the passage of a bill or joint
528	528	resolution, the President may give the deciding vote.
529	529
530	530	Rule No. 32. Manner of Election—Voting.
531	531	1. In all cases of election by the Senate, the vote must be
532	532	taken viva voce. In other cases, if a vote is to be recorded, it may
533	533	be taken by oral roll-call or by electronic recording.
534	534	2. When a recorded vote is taken, no Senator may:
535	535	(a) Vote except when at his or her seat, unless authorized to
536	536	use a remote-technology system to vote pursuant to Senate
537	537	Standing Rule No. 136;
538	538	(b) Explain his or her vote or discuss the question while the
539	539	voting is in progress; or
540	540	(c) Change his or her vote after the result is announced.
541	541	3. The announcement of the result of any vote must not be
542	542	postponed.
543	543
544	544	The next rule is 40.
545	545
546	546	V. LEGISLATIVE BODIES
547	547
548	548	Rule No. 40. Standing and Select Committees.
549	549	1. Except as otherwise provided in Senate Standing Rule No.
550	550	23, the Majority Leader shall appoint all standing and select
551	551	committees and shall determine the majority-minority party
552	552	composition of all standing and select committees. Appointments
553	553	to committees shall be made by the Majority Leader for the
554	554	majority party members and by the Minority Leader for the
555	555	minority party members. The Majority Leader shall designate
556	556	the Chair and Vice Chair of all standing and select committees.
557	557	2. The Majority Leader shall refer prefiled bills and
558	558	resolutions to committee, subject to ratification by a majority vote
559	559	of the Senate once the Senate is organized and ready for business.
560	560	– 13 –
561	561
562	562
563	563	- 83rd Session (2025)
564	564	3. Except as otherwise provided in subsection 4, the standing
565	565	and select committees of the Senate and their respective
566	566	jurisdiction for the reference of bills and resolutions are as
567	567	follows:
568	568	(a) Commerce and Labor, eight members, with jurisdiction
569	569	over measures affecting primarily titles 52-55 of NRS, and
570	570	chapters 97-100, 118-119, 119B, 461, 461A, 489, 678A, 678B,
571	571	678D, 679A-693A, 694A-697, 711 and 712 of NRS, except
572	572	measures affecting primarily state and local revenue.
573	573	(b) Education, seven members, with jurisdiction over measures
574	574	affecting primarily chapters 353B, 378-380A, 385-386 and 388-
575	575	399 of NRS, except measures affecting primarily state and local
576	576	revenue.
577	577	(c) Finance, eight members, with jurisdiction over measures
578	578	affecting primarily chapters 1A, 387 and 400 of NRS,
579	579	appropriations, operating and capital budgets, state and federal
580	580	budget issues and bonding, except measures affecting primarily
581	581	state and local revenue, and over any measures carrying or
582	582	requiring appropriations and favorably reported by any other
583	583	committee.
584	584	(d) Government Affairs, five members, with jurisdiction over
585	585	measures affecting primarily titles 20, 21, 25, 27, 28, 30, 36 and 37
586	586	of NRS, and chapters 223-228, 232-233I, 234-237, 238-242, 271,
587	587	277-280, 286-289, 353, 353A, 353C-358, 381, 384, 472, 474, 477,
588	588	693B, 709, 710 and 720 of NRS, except measures affecting
589	589	primarily the provisions of the Nevada Administrative Procedure
590	590	Act that govern the adjudication of contested cases, the Tahoe
591	591	Regional Planning Compact and the Tahoe Regional Planning
592	592	Agency, state and local revenue and state and federal budget
593	593	issues.
594	594	(e) Growth and Infrastructure, five members, with jurisdiction
595	595	over measures affecting primarily title 44 of NRS, and chapters
596	596	403-405, 408, 410, 459A, 476, 480-487, 490 and 701-708 of NRS,
597	597	except measures affecting primarily state and local revenue.
598	598	(f) Health and Human Services, five members, with
599	599	jurisdiction over measures affecting primarily titles 38 and 39 of
600	600	NRS, chapters 439-442 of NRS, NRS 444.002-444.430 and
601	601	chapters 446-453C, 454-458A, 460, 583-585 and 678C of NRS,
602	602	except measures affecting primarily state and local revenue.
603	603	(g) Judiciary, eight members, with jurisdiction over measures
604	604	affecting primarily the provisions of the Nevada Administrative
605	605	Procedure Act that govern the adjudication of contested cases,
606	606	titles 2-7, 9, 11-16 and 41 of NRS, and chapters 1, 2-7, 101-104A,
607	607	– 14 –
608	608
609	609
610	610	- 83rd Session (2025)
611	611	111-117, 119A, 120, 120A, 475, 719, 721 and 722 of NRS, except
612	612	measures affecting primarily state and local revenue.
613	613	(h) Legislative Operations and Elections, five members, with
614	614	jurisdiction over measures affecting primarily titles 17, 24 and 29
615	615	of NRS, chapters 281-285 of NRS, and the operation of the
616	616	legislative session, except measures affecting primarily state and
617	617	local revenue.
618	618	(i) Natural Resources, five members, with jurisdiction over
619	619	measures affecting primarily titles 26 and 45-50 of NRS, chapters
620	620	383, 407 and 407A of NRS, NRS 444.435-444.650, chapters 444A-
621	621	445D, 459, 488, 581, 582 and 586-590 of NRS, and the Tahoe
622	622	Regional Planning Compact and the Tahoe Regional Planning
623	623	Agency, except measures affecting primarily state and local
624	624	revenue.
625	625	(j) Revenue and Economic Development, five members, with
626	626	jurisdiction over measures affecting primarily title 32 of NRS,
627	627	chapters 231, 231A, 237A, 271A-274 and 453D of NRS, and state
628	628	and local revenue.
629	629	4. The Chair of the Standing Committee on Finance may
630	630	assign any portion of a proposed executive budget to any of the
631	631	other standing or select committees of the Senate for review. Upon
632	632	receiving such an assignment the standing or select committee
633	633	shall complete its review expeditiously and report its findings and
634	634	any recommendations to the Standing Committee on Finance for
635	635	its independent evaluation.
636	636
637	637	Rule No. 41. Appointment of Alternates.
638	638	If the Chair or any member of a committee is temporarily
639	639	unable to perform his or her duties, the Majority Leader shall
640	640	appoint an alternate of the same political party to serve in the
641	641	Chair’s or the member’s place for such time as is determined by
642	642	the Majority Leader.
643	643
644	644	Rule No. 42. Committee Expenses.
645	645	No committee shall employ assistance or incur any expense,
646	646	except by permission of the Majority Leader previously obtained.
647	647
648	648	Rule No. 43. Duties of Committees.
649	649	The several committees shall acquaint themselves with the
650	650	interests of the State specially represented by the committee and
651	651	shall present such bills and reports as in their judgment will
652	652	advance the interests and promote the welfare of the people of the
653	653	State.
654	654	– 15 –
655	655
656	656
657	657	- 83rd Session (2025)
658	658	Rule No. 44. Reserved.
659	659
660	660	Rule No. 45. Reserved.
661	661
662	662	Rule No. 46. Forming Committee of the Whole.
663	663	In forming the Committee of the Whole, the Senator who has
664	664	so moved shall name a Chair to preside. All amendments proposed
665	665	by the Committee shall be reported by the Chair to the Senate.
666	666
667	667	Rule No. 47. Rules Applicable to Committee of the Whole.
668	668	The Rules of the Senate shall apply to proceedings in the
669	669	Committee of the Whole, except that the previous question shall
670	670	not be ordered, nor the yeas and nays demanded, but the
671	671	Committee may limit the number of times that any member may
672	672	speak, at any stage of proceedings, during its sitting. Messages
673	673	may be received by the President while the Committee is sitting; in
674	674	which case the President shall resume the chair and receive the
675	675	message. After receiving the message, the President shall vacate
676	676	the chair in favor of the Chair of the Committee.
677	677
678	678	Rule No. 48. Motion to Rise Committee of the Whole.
679	679	A motion that the Committee rise shall always be in order, and
680	680	shall be decided without debate.
681	681
682	682	Rule No. 49. Reference to Committee.
683	683	When a motion is made to refer any subject, and different
684	684	committees are proposed, the subject may be referred to the
685	685	committee with jurisdiction over the subject as set forth in Senate
686	686	Standing Rule No. 40, or to a different committee, upon a majority
687	687	vote of the members present.
688	688
689	689	Rule No. 50. Return From Committee.
690	690	1. Any bill or other matter referred to a committee of the
691	691	Senate must not be withdrawn or ordered taken from the
692	692	committee for consideration by the Senate, for re-referral, or for
693	693	any other reason without a majority vote of the Senate, and at
694	694	least 1 day’s notice of the motion therefor.
695	695	2. No such motion is in order:
696	696	(a) If the bill to be withdrawn or ordered taken from the
697	697	committee may no longer be considered by the Senate; or
698	698	(b) On the last day of the session, or on the day preceding the
699	699	last day of the session.
700	700	– 16 –
701	701
702	702
703	703	- 83rd Session (2025)
704	704	3. This Rule does not take from any committee the rights and
705	705	duties of committees provided for in Senate Standing Rule No. 43.
706	706
707	707	Rule No. 51. Concurrent Referrals.
708	708	When a bill or resolution is referred to two committees, the bill
709	709	or resolution must go to the first committee named. If the first
710	710	committee votes to amend the bill or resolution, it must be
711	711	reprinted with amendments and then returned to the first
712	712	committee or sent immediately to the next committee. If there is no
713	713	amendment proposed by the first committee, or if the first
714	714	committee acts upon the bill or resolution after amendment, the
715	715	bill or resolution must be sent with the committee recommendation
716	716	to the Secretary for transmittal to the second committee.
717	717
718	718	Rule No. 52. Reserved.
719	719
720	720	Rule No. 53. Committee Rules.
721	721	1. The rules of the Senate, as far as applicable, are the rules
722	722	of committees of the Senate. Procedure in committees, where not
723	723	otherwise provided in this Rule, must follow the procedure of the
724	724	Senate. For matters not included in the rules of the Senate or
725	725	these rules, Mason’s Manual of Legislative Procedure must be
726	726	followed.
727	727	2. A majority of any committee constitutes a quorum for the
728	728	transaction of business.
729	729	3. A meeting of a committee may not be opened without a
730	730	quorum present.
731	731	4. In addition to regularly scheduled meetings of a committee
732	732	or those called by the Chair of the committee, meetings may be set
733	733	by a written petition of a majority of the committee and filed with
734	734	the Chair of the committee.
735	735	5. A bill may be passed from a committee only by a majority
736	736	of the committee membership. A simple majority of those present
737	737	and voting is sufficient to adopt committee amendments.
738	738	6. Subcommittees may be appointed by the Chair of a
739	739	committee to consider subjects specified by the Chair and shall
740	740	report back to the committee. If a member of a subcommittee is
741	741	not a member of the standing or select committee for which the
742	742	subcommittee is created, the approval of the Majority Leader is
743	743	required for that member’s appointment. If a subcommittee is so
744	744	appointed, the Chair of the committee shall determine whether the
745	745	subcommittee shall keep minutes of its meetings. Any minutes
746	746	– 17 –
747	747
748	748
749	749	- 83rd Session (2025)
750	750	required to be kept pursuant to this subsection must comply with
751	751	the provisions of subsection 12.
752	752	7. A committee shall act only when together, and all votes
753	753	must be taken in the presence of the committee. A member shall
754	754	not be recorded as voting unless the member was actually present
755	755	in the committee at the time of the vote. The Chair of the
756	756	committee must be present when the committee votes to take any
757	757	final actions on bills or resolutions, but the Chair is not required
758	758	to vote. In addition to the use of remote-technology systems
759	759	pursuant to Senate Standing Rule No. 136, upon approval of the
760	760	Majority Leader, a committee may meet together by video
761	761	conference or other appropriate remote-technology systems. A
762	762	member who is actually present in the committee at a posted video
763	763	conference or other remote location is present and in attendance
764	764	at the meeting for all purposes. A member who is participating in
765	765	a committee meeting with all committee members participating
766	766	through the use of a remote-technology system pursuant to the
767	767	direction of the Majority Leader shall participate in the committee
768	768	meeting from a location other than a committee meeting room.
769	769	The provisions of this subsection do not prohibit the prefiling of
770	770	legislative bills and resolutions on behalf of a committee in the
771	771	manner prescribed by the Legislative Commission.
772	772	8. All committee and subcommittee meetings are open to the
773	773	public, except as otherwise provided in Senate Standing Rule
774	774	No. 13.
775	775	9. Before a Chair of a committee reports a bill or resolution
776	776	to the Senate, the committee may reconsider its action. A motion to
777	777	reconsider must be made by any member who voted on the action.
778	778	10. The Chair of a committee shall determine the agenda of
779	779	each meeting of the committee except that a member of the
780	780	committee may request an item for the agenda by communicating
781	781	with the Chair at least 4 days before the meeting. A majority of a
782	782	committee may, by vote, add an item to the agenda of the next
783	783	regularly scheduled meeting.
784	784	11. Secretaries of committees shall give notices of hearings
785	785	on bills to anyone requesting notices of particular bills.
786	786	12. All committees shall keep minutes of meetings. The
787	787	minutes must cover members present and absent, subjects under
788	788	discussion, witnesses who appear, committee members’ statements
789	789	concerning legislative intent, action taken by the committee, as
790	790	well as the vote of individual members on all matters on which a
791	791	vote is taken. Upon approval of the Chair, any member may
792	792	submit to the secretary additional remarks to be included in the
793	793	– 18 –
794	794
795	795
796	796	- 83rd Session (2025)
797	797	minutes and records of committee meetings. Upon completion of
798	798	the minutes, the Chair will review for approval. If the Chair does
799	799	not approve the completed minutes within 60 days after the
800	800	completed minutes are submitted to the Chair for review, such
801	801	completed minutes shall be deemed the official minutes of the
802	802	meeting without requiring the approval or signature of the Chair.
803	803	At the conclusion of the legislative session, the Secretary of the
804	804	Senate shall deliver all minutes and records of committee meetings
805	805	in his or her possession to the Research Library of the Legislative
806	806	Counsel Bureau.
807	807	13. In addition to the minutes, the committee secretary shall
808	808	maintain a record of all bills, including:
809	809	(a) Date bill referred;
810	810	(b) Date bill received;
811	811	(c) Date set for hearing the bill;
812	812	(d) Date or dates bill heard and voted upon; and
813	813	(e) Date report prepared.
814	814	14. Each committee secretary shall file the minutes of each
815	815	meeting with the Secretary of the Senate as soon as practicable
816	816	after the meeting.
817	817	15. All committee minutes and any subcommittee minutes
818	818	required to be kept pursuant to subsection 6 are open to public
819	819	inspection upon request and during normal business hours. The
820	820	official record of the committee meeting is the minutes approved
821	821	by the Chair.
822	822
823	823	Rule No. 54. Review of State Agency Programs.
824	824	In addition to or concurrent with committee action taken on
825	825	specific bills and resolutions during a regular session of the
826	826	Legislature, each standing committee of the Senate is encouraged
827	827	to plan and conduct a general review of selected programs of state
828	828	agencies or other areas of public interest within the committee’s
829	829	jurisdiction.
830	830
831	831	The next rule is 60.
832	832
833	833	VI. RULES GOVERNING MOTIONS
834	834
835	835	A. MOTIONS GENERALLY
836	836
837	837	Rule No. 60. Entertaining.
838	838	1. No motion may be debated until it is announced by the
839	839	President.
840	840	– 19 –
841	841
842	842
843	843	- 83rd Session (2025)
844	844	2. By consent of the Senate, a motion may be withdrawn
845	845	before amendment or decision.
846	846
847	847	Rule No. 61. Precedence of Motions.
848	848	When a proposal is under debate no motion shall be received
849	849	but the following, which shall have precedence in the order
850	850	named:
851	851	1. To adjourn.
852	852	2. For a call of the Senate.
853	853	3. To recess.
854	854	4. To lay on the table.
855	855	5. For the previous question.
856	856	6. To postpone to a day certain.
857	857	7. To refer to committee.
858	858	8. To amend.
859	859	9. To postpone indefinitely.
860	860	 The first three motions shall be decided without debate, and a
861	861	motion to lay on the table without question or debate.
862	862
863	863	Rule No. 62. When Not Entertained.
864	864	1. When a motion to postpone indefinitely has been decided,
865	865	it must not be again entertained on the same day.
866	866	2. When a proposal has been postponed indefinitely, it must
867	867	not again be introduced during the session unless this Rule is
868	868	suspended by a majority vote of the Senate.
869	869	3. There must be no reconsideration or recission of a vote on
870	870	a motion to postpone indefinitely.
871	871
872	872	B. PARTICULAR MOTIONS
873	873
874	874	Rule No. 63. To Adjourn.
875	875	A motion to adjourn shall always be in order unless a motion to
876	876	reconsider a final vote on a bill or resolution or any other action is
877	877	pending. The name of the Senator moving to adjourn, and the
878	878	time when the motion was made, shall be entered in the Journal.
879	879
880	880	Rule No. 64. Lay on the Table.
881	881	A motion to lay on or take from the table shall be carried by a
882	882	majority vote.
883	883
884	884	Rule No. 65. Reserved.
885	885
886	886
887	887	– 20 –
888	888
889	889
890	890	- 83rd Session (2025)
891	891	Rule No. 66. To Strike Enacting Clause.
892	892	A motion to strike out the enacting clause of a bill has
893	893	precedence over a motion to refer to committee or to amend. If a
894	894	motion to strike out the enacting clause of a bill is carried, the bill
895	895	is rejected.
896	896
897	897	Rule No. 67. Division of Proposal.
898	898	1. Any Senator may call for a division of a proposal.
899	899	2. A proposal must be divided if the Senate determines it
900	900	embraces subjects so distinct that if one subject is taken away, a
901	901	substantive proposal remains for the decision of the Senate.
902	902	3. A motion to strike out and insert must not be divided.
903	903
904	904	Rule No. 68. To Reconsider—Precedence of.
905	905	A motion to reconsider has precedence over every other
906	906	motion, including a motion to adjourn. A motion to reconsider a
907	907	final vote on a bill or resolution or any other action shall be in
908	908	order only on the day on which the final vote or action is taken
909	909	and the vote on such a motion to reconsider must be taken on the
910	910	same day.
911	911
912	912	Rule No. 69. Explanation of Motion.
913	913	Whenever a Senator moves to change the usual disposition of a
914	914	bill or resolution, he or she shall describe the subject of the bill or
915	915	resolution and state the reasons for requesting the change in the
916	916	processing of the bill or resolution.
917	917
918	918	The next rule is 80.
919	919
920	920	VII. DEBATE
921	921
922	922	Rule No. 80. Speaking on Proposal.
923	923	1. Every Senator who speaks shall, in his or her place,
924	924	address “Mr. or Madam President,” in a courteous manner, and
925	925	shall confine himself or herself to the proposal before the Senate.
926	926	2. No Senator may speak:
927	927	(a) More than twice during the consideration of any one
928	928	question on the same day, except for explanation.
929	929	(b) A second time without leave when others who have not
930	930	spoken desire the floor.
931	931	3. Incidental and subsidiary proposals arising during debate
932	932	shall not be considered the same proposal.
933	933
934	934	– 21 –
935	935
936	936
937	937	- 83rd Session (2025)
938	938	Rule No. 81. Previous Question.
939	939	The previous question shall not be put unless demanded by
940	940	three Senators, and it shall be in this form: “Shall the main
941	941	question be put?” When sustained by a majority of Senators
942	942	present it shall put an end to all debate and bring the Senate to a
943	943	vote on the proposal or proposals before it, and all incidental
944	944	proposals arising after the motion was made shall be decided
945	945	without debate. A person who is speaking on a proposal shall not
946	946	while he or she has the floor move to put that question.
947	947
948	948	The next rule is 90.
949	949
950	950	VIII. CONDUCT OF BUSINESS
951	951
952	952	A. GENERALLY
953	953
954	954	Rule No. 90. Mason’s Manual.
955	955	The rules of parliamentary practice contained in Mason’s
956	956	Manual of Legislative Procedure shall govern the Senate in all
957	957	cases in which they are applicable and in which they are not
958	958	inconsistent with the standing rules and orders of the Senate, and
959	959	the Joint Standing Rules of the Senate and Assembly.
960	960
961	961	Rule No. 91. Suspension of Rule.
962	962	No standing rule or order of the Senate shall be rescinded or
963	963	changed without a majority vote of the Senate and 1 day’s notice
964	964	of the motion therefor; but a rule or order may be temporarily
965	965	suspended for a special purpose by a majority vote of the members
966	966	present. When the suspension of a rule is called for, and after due
967	967	notice from the President no objection is offered, the President
968	968	can announce the rule suspended and the Senate may proceed
969	969	accordingly; but this shall not apply to that portion of Senate
970	970	Standing Rule No. 109 relating to the third reading of bills, which
971	971	cannot be suspended.
972	972
973	973	Rule No. 92. Notices of Bills, Topics and Public Hearings.
974	974	Adequate notice shall be provided to the Legislators and the
975	975	public by posting information relative to the bills, topics and
976	976	public hearings which are to come before committees. Notices
977	977	shall include the date, time, place and agenda, and shall be posted
978	978	conspicuously in the Legislative Building and shall be made
979	979	available to the news media. This requirement of notice may be
980	980	– 22 –
981	981
982	982
983	983	- 83rd Session (2025)
984	984	suspended for an emergency by the affirmative vote of a majority
985	985	of the committee members appointed.
986	986
987	987	Rule No. 93. Protest.
988	988	Any Senator, or Senators, may protest against the action of the
989	989	Senate upon any question, and have such protest entered in the
990	990	Journal.
991	991
992	992	Rule No. 94. Privilege of the Floor.
993	993	1. Except as otherwise provided in subsection 2, to preserve
994	994	decorum and facilitate the business of the Senate, only the
995	995	following persons may be present on the floor of the Senate during
996	996	formal sessions:
997	997	(a) State officers;
998	998	(b) Officers and members of the Senate;
999	999	(c) Employees of the Legislative Counsel Bureau;
1000	1000	(d) Staff of the Senate; and
1001	1001	(e) Members of the Assembly whose presence is required for
1002	1002	the transaction of business.
1003	1003	2. Guests of Senators must be seated in a section of the upper
1004	1004	or lower gallery of the Senate Chamber to be specially designated
1005	1005	by the Sergeant at Arms. The Majority Leader may specify special
1006	1006	occasions when guests may be seated on the floor of the Senate
1007	1007	with a Senator.
1008	1008	3. A majority of Senators may authorize the President to have
1009	1009	the Senate Chamber cleared of all persons except Senators and
1010	1010	officers of the Senate.
1011	1011	4. The Senate Chamber must not be used for any public or
1012	1012	private business other than legislative, except by permission of the
1013	1013	Senate.
1014	1014
1015	1015	Rule No. 95. Material Placed on Legislators’ Desks.
1016	1016	1. Only the Sergeant at Arms and officers and employees of
1017	1017	the Senate may place papers, letters, notes, pamphlets and other
1018	1018	written material upon a Senator’s desk. Such material must
1019	1019	contain the name of the Legislator requesting the placement of the
1020	1020	material on the desk or a designation of the origin of the material.
1021	1021	2. This Rule does not apply to books containing the legislative
1022	1022	bills and resolutions, the daily histories and daily journals of the
1023	1023	Senate or Assembly, or Legislative Counsel Bureau material.
1024	1024
1025	1025	Rule No. 96. Reserved.
1026	1026
1027	1027	– 23 –
1028	1028
1029	1029
1030	1030	- 83rd Session (2025)
1031	1031	Rule No. 97. Petitions.
1032	1032	The contents of any petition shall be briefly stated by the
1033	1033	President or any Senator presenting it. It shall then lie on the table
1034	1034	or be referred, as the President or Senate may direct.
1035	1035
1036	1036	Rule No. 98. Reserved.
1037	1037
1038	1038	Rule No. 99. Peddling, Begging and Soliciting.
1039	1039	1. Peddling, begging and soliciting are strictly forbidden in
1040	1040	the Senate Chambers, and in the lobby, gallery and halls adjacent
1041	1041	thereto.
1042	1042	2. No part of the Senate Chambers may be used for, or
1043	1043	occupied by, signs or other devices for any kind of advertising.
1044	1044	3. No part of the hallways adjacent to the Senate Chambers
1045	1045	may be used for, or occupied by, signs or other devices for any
1046	1046	kind of advertising for commercial or personal gain.
1047	1047
1048	1048	Rule No. 100. Reserved.
1049	1049
1050	1050	Rule No. 101. Reserved.
1051	1051
1052	1052	Rule No. 102. Objection to Reading of Paper.
1053	1053	Where the reading of any paper is called for, and is objected to
1054	1054	by any Senator, it shall be determined by a vote of the Senate, and
1055	1055	without debate.
1056	1056
1057	1057	Rule No. 103. Questions Relating to Priority of Business.
1058	1058	All questions relating to the priority of business shall be
1059	1059	decided without debate.
1060	1060
1061	1061	B. BILLS AND RESOLUTIONS
1062	1062
1063	1063	Rule No. 104. Reserved.
1064	1064
1065	1065	Rule No. 105. Reserved.
1066	1066
1067	1067	Rule No. 106. Skeleton Bills.
1068	1068	Skeleton bills may be introduced after the beginning of a
1069	1069	session when, in the opinion of the sponsor and the Legislative
1070	1070	Counsel, the full drafting of the bill would entail extensive
1071	1071	research or be of considerable length. A skeleton bill will be a
1072	1072	presentation of ideas or statements of purpose, sufficient in style
1073	1073	and expression to enable the Legislature and the committee to
1074	1074	– 24 –
1075	1075
1076	1076
1077	1077	- 83rd Session (2025)
1078	1078	which the bill may be referred to consider the substantive merits of
1079	1079	the legislation proposed.
1080	1080
1081	1081	Rule No. 107. Information Concerning Bills.
1082	1082	1. Bills introduced may be accompanied by information
1083	1083	relative to witnesses and selected persons of departments and
1084	1084	agencies who should be considered for committee hearings on the
1085	1085	proposed legislation. At the time of or after introduction of a bill, a
1086	1086	list of witnesses who are proponents of the bill together with their
1087	1087	addresses and telephone numbers may be given to the secretary of
1088	1088	the committee to which the bill is referred. This information may
1089	1089	be provided by:
1090	1090	(a) The Senator introducing the bill;
1091	1091	(b) The person requesting a committee introduction of the bill;
1092	1092	or
1093	1093	(c) The Chair of the committee introducing the bill.
1094	1094	2. The secretary of the committee shall deliver this
1095	1095	information to the Chair of the committee to which the bill is
1096	1096	referred. Members of the committee may suggest additional names
1097	1097	for witnesses.
1098	1098	3. The Legislator may provide an analysis which may
1099	1099	describe the intent, purpose, justification and effects of the bill, or
1100	1100	any of them.
1101	1101
1102	1102	Rule No. 108. Reserved.
1103	1103
1104	1104	Rule No. 109. Reading of Bills.
1105	1105	1. Every bill must receive three readings before its passage,
1106	1106	unless, in case of emergency, this Rule is suspended by a two-
1107	1107	thirds vote of the Senate. The reading of a bill is by number,
1108	1108	sponsor and summary.
1109	1109	2. The first reading of a bill is for information, and if there is
1110	1110	opposition to the bill, the question must be, “Shall this bill be
1111	1111	rejected?” If there is no opposition to the bill, or if the question to
1112	1112	reject is defeated, the bill must then take the usual course.
1113	1113	3. No bill may be referred to committee until once read, nor
1114	1114	amended until twice read.
1115	1115	4. The third reading of every bill must be by sections.
1116	1116
1117	1117	Rule No. 110. Second Reading File—Consent Calendar.
1118	1118	1. All bills reported by committee must be placed on a Second
1119	1119	Reading File unless recommended for placement on the Consent
1120	1120	Calendar.
1121	1121	– 25 –
1122	1122
1123	1123
1124	1124	- 83rd Session (2025)
1125	1125	2. A committee shall not recommend a bill for placement on
1126	1126	the Consent Calendar if:
1127	1127	(a) An amendment of the bill is recommended;
1128	1128	(b) It contains an appropriation;
1129	1129	(c) It requires a two-thirds vote of the Senate; or
1130	1130	(d) It is controversial in nature.
1131	1131	3. A bill recommended for placement on the Consent
1132	1132	Calendar must be included in the Daily File listed in the Daily
1133	1133	History of the Senate at least 1 calendar day before it may be
1134	1134	considered.
1135	1135	4. A bill must be removed from the Consent Calendar at the
1136	1136	request of any Senator, without question or debate. A bill so
1137	1137	removed must be immediately placed on the Second Reading File
1138	1138	for consideration in the usual order of business.
1139	1139	5. When the Consent Calendar is called:
1140	1140	(a) The bills remaining on the Consent Calendar must be read
1141	1141	by number, sponsor and summary, and the vote must be taken on
1142	1142	their final passage as a group.
1143	1143	(b) No remarks or questions are in order and the bills
1144	1144	remaining on the Consent Calendar must be voted upon without
1145	1145	debate.
1146	1146
1147	1147	Rule No. 111. Publications.
1148	1148	1. An appropriate number of copies of all bills and
1149	1149	resolutions of general interest must be printed for the use of the
1150	1150	Senate and Assembly. Such other matter must be printed as may
1151	1151	be ordered by the Senate.
1152	1152	2. Bill books will not be prepared for legislators unless they
1153	1153	qualify for and request the service. The service, if approved, will
1154	1154	be limited to the provision of one full set of bills, journals,
1155	1155	histories and indexes for the Senator’s desk in the Senate
1156	1156	chamber. Bill books will not be prepared for a Senator for
1157	1157	individual committees.
1158	1158	3. A Senator may request the provision of bill book service
1159	1159	pursuant to subsection 1 if either:
1160	1160	(a) The Senator has served in the Senate for 10 or more years;
1161	1161	or
1162	1162	(b) A physical or medical condition requires the Senator to use
1163	1163	the bill books rather than viewing bills on a laptop computer.
1164	1164	4. A request for bill book service must be made to the
1165	1165	Majority Leader of the Senate. If the Majority Leader determines
1166	1166	that the Senator qualifies for the service, the Majority Leader shall
1167	1167	direct the Legislative Counsel Bureau to provide the service.
1168	1168	– 26 –
1169	1169
1170	1170
1171	1171	- 83rd Session (2025)
1172	1172	Rule No. 112. Sponsorship.
1173	1173	1. A Senator may request that his or her name be added as a
1174	1174	sponsor of a bill or resolution that is introduced in the Senate if
1175	1175	the Senator has submitted to the Secretary of the Senate a
1176	1176	statement approving the request signed by the Senator who
1177	1177	introduced the bill or resolution, including, without limitation,
1178	1178	submission by electronic means. A Senator may make a request to
1179	1179	have his or her name added as a sponsor of:
1180	1180	(a) A resolution of the Senate, at any time after the resolution
1181	1181	is introduced in the Senate and before the resolution is passed by
1182	1182	the Senate.
1183	1183	(b) A bill or a joint or concurrent resolution:
1184	1184	(1) At any time after the bill or resolution is introduced in
1185	1185	the Senate and before the bill or resolution is passed out of the
1186	1186	Senate to the Assembly; and
1187	1187	(2) At any time after the bill or resolution is returned to the
1188	1188	Senate following passage by the Assembly and before the bill or
1189	1189	resolution is enrolled.
1190	1190	2. A Senator who is a sponsor of a bill or resolution that is
1191	1191	introduced in the Senate may request that his or her name be
1192	1192	removed as a sponsor of the bill or resolution. A Senator may
1193	1193	make a request to have his or her name removed as a sponsor of:
1194	1194	(a) A resolution of the Senate, at any time after the resolution
1195	1195	is introduced in the Senate and before the resolution is passed by
1196	1196	the Senate.
1197	1197	(b) A bill or a joint or concurrent resolution:
1198	1198	(1) At any time after the bill or resolution is introduced in
1199	1199	the Senate and before the bill or resolution is passed out of the
1200	1200	Senate to the Assembly; and
1201	1201	(2) At any time after the bill or resolution is returned to the
1202	1202	Senate following passage by the Assembly and before the bill or
1203	1203	resolution is enrolled.
1204	1204	 In such case, if the Senator is the only sponsor of the bill or
1205	1205	resolution, another Senator may request that his or her name be
1206	1206	added to the bill or resolution as a sponsor without receiving the
1207	1207	approval from the original sponsor.
1208	1208	3. If a Senator makes a request to have his or her name
1209	1209	added or removed as a sponsor of a bill or resolution that was
1210	1210	introduced in the Senate, the request must be entered in the
1211	1211	Journal.
1212	1212	4. If a Senator who is the only sponsor of a bill or resolution
1213	1213	that was introduced in the Senate removes his or her name from
1214	1214	the bill or resolution while the bill or resolution is in the Senate
1215	1215	– 27 –
1216	1216
1217	1217
1218	1218	- 83rd Session (2025)
1219	1219	and no other Senator adds his or her name as the sponsor of the
1220	1220	bill or resolution at the time of the request for removal, no further
1221	1221	action on the bill or resolution is allowed for that legislative
1222	1222	session.
1223	1223	5. Notwithstanding any provision of the Standing Rules of the
1224	1224	Senate or the Joint Standing Rules of the Senate and Assembly, if
1225	1225	all Senators who are primary sponsors or cosponsors of a bill or
1226	1226	resolution remove their names as sponsors of the bill or resolution
1227	1227	while the bill or resolution is in the Senate and no other Senator
1228	1228	adds his or her name as a sponsor of the bill or resolution, the
1229	1229	names of the primary joint sponsor or sponsors and the non-
1230	1230	primary joint sponsor or sponsors, if any, must be removed from
1231	1231	the bill or resolution without an amendment.
1232	1232
1233	1233	Rule No. 113. Reading of Bills—General File.
1234	1234	1. Upon reading of bills on the Second Reading File, Senate
1235	1235	and Assembly bills reported without amendments must be ordered
1236	1236	to the General File. Committee amendments reported with bills
1237	1237	must be considered upon their second reading and such
1238	1238	amendments may be adopted by a majority vote of the members
1239	1239	present. Bills so amended must be reprinted, engrossed or
1240	1240	reengrossed, and ordered to the General File. The File must be
1241	1241	made available to members of the public each day by the
1242	1242	Secretary.
1243	1243	2. Any member may move to amend a bill during its reading
1244	1244	on the Second Reading File or during its third reading and the
1245	1245	motion to amend may be adopted by a majority vote of the
1246	1246	members present. Bills so amended on second reading must be
1247	1247	treated the same as bills with committee amendments. Any bill so
1248	1248	amended upon the General File must be reprinted and engrossed
1249	1249	or reengrossed.
1250	1250	3. Committee amendments and all other amendments must be
1251	1251	made available to members of the public after the amendments are
1252	1252	submitted to the Secretary for processing in order to be considered
1253	1253	on the Second Reading File or the General File.
1254	1254	4. An appropriate number of copies of all amended bills must
1255	1255	be printed.
1256	1256
1257	1257	Rule No. 114. Referral of Bill With Special Instructions.
1258	1258	A bill may be referred to committee with special instructions to
1259	1259	amend at any time before taking the final vote.
1260	1260
1261	1261
1262	1262	– 28 –
1263	1263
1264	1264
1265	1265	- 83rd Session (2025)
1266	1266	Rule No. 115. Reconsideration of Vote on Bill.
1267	1267	1. A vote may be reconsidered on motion of any member.
1268	1268	2. Motions to reconsider a vote upon amendments to any
1269	1269	pending proposal and upon a final vote on a bill or resolution may
1270	1270	be made and decided at once.
1271	1271
1272	1272	Rule No. 116. Vetoed Bills.
1273	1273	Bills which have passed the Legislature, and forwarded by
1274	1274	letter, to the Senate by the Secretary of State or the Governor and
1275	1275	which are accompanied by a message of the Governor’s
1276	1276	disapproval, or veto of the same, shall become a special order and,
1277	1277	at which time, the said message shall be read, together with the bill
1278	1278	or bills so disposed or vetoed; and the message and bill shall be
1279	1279	read without interruption, consecutively, one following the other,
1280	1280	and not upon separate occasions; and no such bill or message
1281	1281	shall be referred to any committee, or otherwise acted upon, save
1282	1282	as provided by rule, custom and law; that is to say, that
1283	1283	immediately following such reading the only questions (except as
1284	1284	hereinafter stated) which shall be put by the Chair is, “Shall the
1285	1285	bill pass, notwithstanding the objections of the Governor?” It shall
1286	1286	not be in order, at any time, to vote upon such vetoed bill without
1287	1287	the same having first been read; the merits of the bill itself may be
1288	1288	debated and the only motions entertained after the Chair has
1289	1289	stated the question are a motion for “The previous question,” or a
1290	1290	motion for “No further consideration” of the vetoed bill.
1291	1291
1292	1292	Rule No. 117. Different Subject Not Admitted as Amendment.
1293	1293	No subject different from that under consideration shall be
1294	1294	admitted as an amendment; and no bill or resolution shall be
1295	1295	amended by incorporating any irrelevant subject matter or by
1296	1296	association or annexing any other bill or resolution pending in the
1297	1297	Senate, but a substitute may be offered at any time so long as the
1298	1298	original is open to amendment.
1299	1299
1300	1300	Rule No. 118. Joint Resolutions.
1301	1301	1. Joint resolutions must be used to address Congress, or
1302	1302	either House thereof, or the President of the United States, or the
1303	1303	heads of any of the national departments, or to propose
1304	1304	amendments to the State Constitution. A roll call vote must be
1305	1305	taken upon final passage of a joint resolution and entered in the
1306	1306	Journal.
1307	1307	2. Upon introduction, the reading of a joint resolution is for
1308	1308	informational purposes and referral to committee, unless the joint
1309	1309	– 29 –
1310	1310
1311	1311
1312	1312	- 83rd Session (2025)
1313	1313	resolution is rejected or a member moves to immediately consider
1314	1314	the joint resolution for final passage. The motion to immediately
1315	1315	consider the joint resolution for final passage may be adopted by a
1316	1316	majority vote of the Senate.
1317	1317	3. Committee amendments reported with joint resolutions
1318	1318	may be adopted by a majority vote of the members present. Joint
1319	1319	resolutions so amended must be reprinted, engrossed or
1320	1320	reengrossed, and ordered to the Resolution File.
1321	1321	4. Any member may move to amend a joint resolution and the
1322	1322	motion to amend may be adopted by a majority vote of the
1323	1323	members present. Joint resolutions so amended must be treated
1324	1324	the same as joint resolutions with committee amendments. Any
1325	1325	joint resolution so amended must be reprinted and engrossed or
1326	1326	reengrossed, and ordered to the Resolution File.
1327	1327	5. Committee amendments and all other amendments must be
1328	1328	available to members of the public after the amendments are
1329	1329	submitted to the Secretary for processing in order to be considered
1330	1330	for the Resolution File.
1331	1331	6. The Secretary shall make the Resolution File available to
1332	1332	members of the public each day.
1333	1333	7. A joint resolution proposing an amendment to the State
1334	1334	Constitution must be entered in the Journal in its entirety.
1335	1335	8. An appropriate number of copies of all amended joint
1336	1336	resolutions must be printed.
1337	1337
1338	1338	Rule No. 118.2. Memorial Resolutions.
1339	1339	Once the sponsor has moved for the adoption of a memorial
1340	1340	resolution, not more than one member from each caucus, and,
1341	1341	upon request of a member of the body and the approval of the
1342	1342	Majority Leader, one additional member may speak on the
1343	1343	resolution.
1344	1344
1345	1345	Rule No. 119. Certain Resolutions Treated as Motions.
1346	1346	Except as otherwise provided in Senate Standing Rules Nos.
1347	1347	118 and 118.2, resolutions must be treated as motions in all
1348	1348	proceedings of the Senate.
1349	1349
1350	1350	Rule No. 119.2. Return From the Secretary of State.
1351	1351	A Senate resolution may be used to request the return from the
1352	1352	Secretary of State of an enrolled Senate resolution for further
1353	1353	consideration.
1354	1354
1355	1355
1356	1356	– 30 –
1357	1357
1358	1358
1359	1359	- 83rd Session (2025)
1360	1360	C. ORDER OF BUSINESS, SPECIAL ORDERS AND OTHER MATTERS
1361	1361
1362	1362	Rule No. 120. Order of Business.
1363	1363	1. Roll Call.
1364	1364	2. Prayer and Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.
1365	1365	3. Reading and Approval of the Journal.
1366	1366	4. Reports of Committees.
1367	1367	5. Messages from the Governor.
1368	1368	6. Messages from the Assembly.
1369	1369	7. Communications.
1370	1370	8. Waivers and Exemptions.
1371	1371	9. Motions, Resolutions and Notices.
1372	1372	10. Introduction, First Reading and Reference.
1373	1373	11. Consent Calendar.
1374	1374	12. Second Reading and Amendment.
1375	1375	13. General File and Third Reading.
1376	1376	14. Unfinished Business.
1377	1377	15. Special Orders of the Day.
1378	1378	16. Remarks from the Floor; Introduction of Guests. A
1379	1379	Senator may speak under this order of business for a period of not
1380	1380	more than 10 minutes.
1381	1381
1382	1382	Rule No. 121. Privilege.
1383	1383	Any Senator may explain a matter personal to himself or
1384	1384	herself by leave of the President, but the Senator shall not discuss
1385	1385	any pending proposal in such explanation.
1386	1386
1387	1387	Rule No. 122. Reserved.
1388	1388
1389	1389	Rule No. 123. Reserved.
1390	1390
1391	1391	Rule No. 124. Preference to Speak.
1392	1392	When two or more Senators request to speak at the same time
1393	1393	the President shall name the one who may first speak—giving
1394	1394	preference, when practicable, to the mover or introducer of the
1395	1395	subject under consideration.
1396	1396
1397	1397	Rule No. 125. Special Order of Business.
1398	1398	The President shall call the Senate to order on the arrival of
1399	1399	the time fixed for the consideration of a special order, and
1400	1400	announce that the special order is before the Senate, which shall
1401	1401	be considered, unless it be postponed by a majority vote of the
1402	1402	Senate, and any business before the Senate at the time of the
1403	1403	– 31 –
1404	1404
1405	1405
1406	1406	- 83rd Session (2025)
1407	1407	announcement of the special order shall go to Unfinished
1408	1408	Business.
1409	1409
1410	1410	Rule No. 126. Reserved.
1411	1411
1412	1412	Rule No. 127. Reserved.
1413	1413
1414	1414	Rule No. 128. Seniority Among Senators.
1415	1415	1. The Senate shall determine seniority among the Senators
1416	1416	as follows:
1417	1417	(a) Credit total continuous service in the Senate first;
1418	1418	(b) Credit total noncontinuous service in the Senate second;
1419	1419	(c) Credit total continuous service in the Assembly third; and
1420	1420	(d) Credit total noncontinuous service in the Assembly fourth.
1421	1421	2. In every case where there are ties, those ties are broken by
1422	1422	alphabetical order.
1423	1423
1424	1424	Rule No. 129. Reserved.
1425	1425
1426	1426	D. CONTESTS OF ELECTIONS
1427	1427
1428	1428	Rule No. 130. Procedure.
1429	1429	1. The Senate shall not dismiss a statement of contest for
1430	1430	want of form if any ground of contest is alleged with sufficient
1431	1431	certainty to inform the defendant of the charges he or she is
1432	1432	required to meet. The following grounds are sufficient, but are not
1433	1433	exclusive:
1434	1434	(a) That the election board or any member thereof was guilty
1435	1435	of malfeasance.
1436	1436	(b) That a person who has been declared elected to an office
1437	1437	was not at the time of election eligible to that office.
1438	1438	(c) That illegal votes were cast and counted for the defendant,
1439	1439	which, if taken from the defendant, will reduce the number of
1440	1440	legal votes below the number necessary to elect him or her.
1441	1441	(d) That the election board, in conducting the election or in
1442	1442	canvassing the returns, made errors sufficient to change the result
1443	1443	of the election as to any person who has been declared elected.
1444	1444	(e) That the defendant has given, or offered to give, to any
1445	1445	person a bribe for the purpose of procuring his or her election.
1446	1446	(f) That there was a possible malfunction of any voting or
1447	1447	counting device.
1448	1448	2. The contest must be submitted so far as may be possible
1449	1449	upon depositions or by written or oral arguments as the Senate
1450	1450	– 32 –
1451	1451
1452	1452
1453	1453	- 83rd Session (2025)
1454	1454	may order. Any party to a contest may take the deposition of any
1455	1455	witness at any time after the statement of contest is filed with the
1456	1456	Secretary of State and before the contest is finally decided. At least
1457	1457	5 days’ notice must be given to the prospective deponent and to the
1458	1458	other party. If oral statements are made at any hearing before the
1459	1459	Senate or a committee thereof which purport to establish matters
1460	1460	of fact, they must be made under oath. Strict rules of evidence do
1461	1461	not apply.
1462	1462	3. The contestant has the burden of proving that any
1463	1463	irregularities shown were of such nature as to establish the
1464	1464	probability that the result of the election was changed thereby.
1465	1465	After consideration of all the evidence, the Senate shall declare
1466	1466	the defendant elected unless the Senate finds from the evidence
1467	1467	that a person other than the defendant received the greatest
1468	1468	number of legal votes, in which case the Senate shall declare that
1469	1469	person elected.
1470	1470
1471	1471	E. REMOTE-TECHNOLOGY SYSTEMS
1472	1472
1473	1473	Rule No. 131. Reserved.
1474	1474
1475	1475	Rule No. 132. Reserved.
1476	1476
1477	1477	Rule No. 133. Reserved.
1478	1478
1479	1479	Rule No. 134. Reserved.
1480	1480
1481	1481	Rule No. 135. Reserved.
1482	1482
1483	1483	Rule No. 136. Authorized Use of Remote-Technology Systems
1484	1484	in Exceptional Circumstances.
1485	1485	1. As used in this Rule, “remote-technology system” means
1486	1486	any system or other means of communication that is:
1487	1487	(a) Approved by the Majority Leader and uses any electronic,
1488	1488	digital or other similar technology to enable a member of the
1489	1489	Senate from a remote location to attend, participate, vote and take
1490	1490	any other action in any proceedings of the Senate or the
1491	1491	Committee of the Whole even though the member is not physically
1492	1492	present within the Senate Chambers or at a meeting of the
1493	1493	Committee of the Whole.
1494	1494	(b) Approved by the chair of a committee, other than the
1495	1495	Committee of the Whole, and uses any electronic, digital or other
1496	1496	similar technology to enable a member of the Senate from a
1497	1497	– 33 –
1498	1498
1499	1499
1500	1500	- 83rd Session (2025)
1501	1501	remote location to attend, participate, vote and take any other
1502	1502	action in any proceedings of the committee even though the
1503	1503	member is not physically present at a meeting of the committee.
1504	1504	2. Upon request by a member of the Senate:
1505	1505	(a) Except as otherwise provided in this paragraph, the
1506	1506	Majority Leader may authorize the member to use a remote-
1507	1507	technology system to attend, participate, vote and take any other
1508	1508	action in any proceedings of the Senate or the Committee of the
1509	1509	Whole if the Majority Leader determines that exceptional
1510	1510	circumstances warrant such use by the member. If the Majority
1511	1511	Leader grants such authorization:
1512	1512	(1) It must be entered in the Journal of the Senate.
1513	1513	(2) A member who uses a remote-technology system to
1514	1514	attend or participate in a proceeding of the Senate may not vote on
1515	1515	any matter on which a vote is taken in that proceeding unless the
1516	1516	member is using the remote-technology system to attend or
1517	1517	participate in the proceeding from a location in this State.
1518	1518	(b) The chair of a committee, other than the Committee of the
1519	1519	Whole, with the approval of the Majority Leader, may authorize
1520	1520	the member to use a remote-technology system to attend,
1521	1521	participate, vote and take any other action in any proceedings of
1522	1522	the committee if the chair and the Majority Leader determine that
1523	1523	exceptional circumstances warrant such use by the member. If the
1524	1524	chair grants such authorization, it must be entered in the records
1525	1525	of the committee.
1526	1526	3. Except as otherwise provided in subparagraph (2) of
1527	1527	paragraph (a) of subsection 2, if a member of the Senate uses a
1528	1528	remote-technology system to attend, participate, vote and take any
1529	1529	other action in any proceedings pursuant to this Rule, the member
1530	1530	shall be deemed to be present and in attendance at the proceedings
1531	1531	for all purposes.
1532	1532	4. For the purposes of voting in proceedings of:
1533	1533	(a) The Committee of the Whole, the Secretary of the Senate or
1534	1534	an authorized assistant shall call the roll of each member who is
1535	1535	authorized to use a remote-technology system for the proceedings
1536	1536	and, in accordance with the procedures of the Senate, cause the
1537	1537	member’s vote to be entered into the record for the purposes of the
1538	1538	records of the Committee of the Whole.
1539	1539	(b) A committee, other than the Committee of the Whole, the
1540	1540	committee secretary shall call the roll of each member who is
1541	1541	authorized to use a remote-technology system for the proceedings
1542	1542	and, in accordance with the procedures of the committee, cause
1543	1543	– 34 –
1544	1544
1545	1545
1546	1546	- 83rd Session (2025)
1547	1547	the member’s vote to be entered into the record for the purposes of
1548	1548	the records of the committee.
1549	1549	5. Except as otherwise provided in subsection 7 of Senate
1550	1550	Standing Rule No. 53, this Rule supersedes, takes precedence and
1551	1551	controls over any other rule, provision or principle of law to the
1552	1552	extent of any conflict with this Rule.
1553	1553	6. The Senate hereby finds and declares that:
1554	1554	(a) The Nevada Constitution invests each House of the
1555	1555	Legislature with certain plenary and exclusive constitutional
1556	1556	powers which may be exercised only by that House and which
1557	1557	cannot be usurped, infringed or impaired by the other House or by
1558	1558	any other branch of Nevada’s State Government. (Heller v.
1559	1559	Legislature, 120 Nev. 456 (2004); Commission on Ethics v. Hardy,
1560	1560	125 Nev. 285 (2009); Mason’s Manual of Legislative Procedure §§
1561	1561	2-3 & 560-564 (2010) (Mason’s Manual))
1562	1562	(b) Section 6 of Article 4 of the Nevada Constitution invests
1563	1563	each House with plenary and exclusive constitutional powers to
1564	1564	determine the rules of its proceedings and to govern, control and
1565	1565	regulate its membership and its internal organization, affairs and
1566	1566	management, expressly providing that: “Each House shall judge
1567	1567	of the qualifications, elections and returns of its own members,
1568	1568	choose its own officers (except the President of the Senate),
1569	1569	determine the rules of its proceedings and may punish its members
1570	1570	for disorderly conduct, and with the concurrence of two thirds of
1571	1571	all the members elected, expel a member.”
1572	1572	(c) In addition to its plenary and exclusive constitutional
1573	1573	powers, each House possesses certain inherent powers of
1574	1574	institutional self-protection and self-preservation to govern,
1575	1575	control and regulate its membership and its internal organization,
1576	1576	affairs and management. (In re Chapman, 166 U.S. 661, 668
1577	1577	(1897); Mason’s Manual § 2; Luther S. Cushing, Elements of the
1578	1578	Law & Practice of Legislative Assemblies § 533 (1856) (Cushing’s
1579	1579	Legislative Assemblies))
1580	1580	(d) The inherent powers of each House are considered “so
1581	1581	essential to the authority of a legislative assembly, that it cannot
1582	1582	well exist without them; and they are consequently entitled to be
1583	1583	regarded as belonging to every such assembly as a necessary
1584	1584	incident.” (Cushing’s Legislative Assemblies § 533)
1585	1585	(e) The inherent powers of each House authorize it to take all
1586	1586	necessary and proper institutional actions that are “recognized by
1587	1587	the common parliamentary law.” (Cushing’s Legislative
1588	1588	Assemblies § 684)
1589	1589	– 35 –
1590	1590
1591	1591
1592	1592	- 83rd Session (2025)
1593	1593	(f) Thus, it is well established that each House is “vested with
1594	1594	all the powers and privileges which are necessary and incidental to
1595	1595	a free and unobstructed exercise of its appropriate functions.
1596	1596	These powers and privileges are derived not from the Constitution;
1597	1597	on the contrary, they arise from the very creation of a legislative
1598	1598	body, and are founded upon the principle of self-preservation.”
1599	1599	(Ex parte McCarthy, 29 Cal. 395, 403 (1866))
1600	1600	(g) Under the Nevada Constitution, there are no constitutional
1601	1601	provisions establishing a particular method for determining
1602	1602	whether a member of either House is present at legislative
1603	1603	proceedings.
1604	1604	(h) The United States Supreme Court has held that when there
1605	1605	are no constitutional provisions establishing a particular method
1606	1606	for determining whether a member of a legislative house is present
1607	1607	at legislative proceedings, “it is therefore within the competency of
1608	1608	the house to prescribe any method which shall be reasonably
1609	1609	certain to ascertain the fact.” (United States v. Ballin, 144 U.S. 1,
1610	1610	6 (1892))
1611	1611	(i) The United States Supreme Court has also held that when a
1612	1612	legislative house adopts a rule establishing a reasonable method
1613	1613	for determining whether a member is present at legislative
1614	1614	proceedings, that rule must be given great deference by the courts
1615	1615	because:
1616	1616	Neither do the advantages or disadvantages, the wisdom or
1617	1617	folly, of such a rule present any matters for judicial
1618	1618	consideration. With the courts the question is only one of
1619	1619	power. The constitution empowers each house to determine
1620	1620	its rules of proceedings. It may not by its rules ignore
1621	1621	constitutional restraints or violate fundamental rights, and
1622	1622	there should be a reasonable relation between the mode or
1623	1623	method of proceeding established by the rule and the result
1624	1624	which is sought to be attained. But within these limitations
1625	1625	all matters of method are open to the determination of the
1626	1626	house, and it is no impeachment of the rule to say that some
1627	1627	other way would be better, more accurate, or even more just.
1628	1628	It is no objection to the validity of a rule that a different one
1629	1629	has been prescribed and in force for a length of time. The
1630	1630	power to make rules is not one which once exercised is
1631	1631	exhausted. It is a continuous power, always subject to be
1632	1632	exercised by the house, and, within the limitations
1633	1633	– 36 –
1634	1634
1635	1635
1636	1636	- 83rd Session (2025)
1637	1637	suggested, absolute and beyond the challenge of any other
1638	1638	body or tribunal.
1639	1639
1640	1640	(United States v. Ballin, 144 U.S. 1, 5 (1892))
1641	1641	7. The Senate hereby exercises its constitutional and inherent
1642	1642	powers and privileges and adopts this Rule to:
1643	1643	(a) Govern, control and regulate its membership and its
1644	1644	internal organization, affairs and management;
1645	1645	(b) Ensure its institutional self-protection and self-
1646	1646	preservation; and
1647	1647	(c) Establish a reasonable method for determining whether a
1648	1648	member of the Senate is present at legislative proceedings during
1649	1649	exceptional circumstances.
1650	1650
1651	1651	The next rule is 140.
1652	1652
1653	1653	IX. LEGISLATIVE INVESTIGATIONS
1654	1654
1655	1655	Rule No. 140. Compensation of Witnesses.
1656	1656	Witnesses summoned to appear before the Senate, or any of its
1657	1657	committees, shall be compensated as provided by law for witnesses
1658	1658	required to attend in the courts of the State of Nevada.
1659	1659
1660	1660	And be it further
1661	1661	RESOLVED, That this resolution becomes effective upon
1662	1662	adoption.
1663	1663
1664	1664	20 ~~~~~ 25