Oklahoma House Bill HR1002 Latest Draft

                            Resolution 
ENROLLED HOUSE 
RESOLUTION NO. 1002 	By: Hilbert, Lawson, Bashore, 
West (Tammy), Pfeiffer, 
Cantrell, Pae, Archer, 
Hill, Kannady, Stinson, 
Fetgatter, Moore, Harris, 
Gise, Kerbs, Ford, Boles, 
West (Kevin), Banning, 
Osburn, Grego, Hardin, 
Newton, Duel, Kane, Jo hns, 
Dempsey, Luttrell, 
Patzkowsky, Caldwell 
(Trey), Miller, Burns, and 
Strom 
 
 
 
 
 
A Resolution relating to the Rules of the Oklahoma 
House of Representatives . 
 
 
 
 
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 1ST SESSION OF 
THE 60TH OKLAHOMA LEGISLATURE: 
 
STATEMENT OF AUTHORITY 
 
Pursuant to Article V, Section 30 of the Oklahoma Constitution, 
the Oklahoma House of Representatives adopts the following rules to 
govern its operations and procedures. The provisions of these rules 
shall be deemed the on ly requirements binding upon the House of 
Representatives under Article V, Section 30 of the Oklahoma 
Constitution, notwithstanding any other requirements expr essed in 
statute. 
 
RULE ONE 
 
DUTIES AND RIGHTS OF THE SPEAKER 
 
1.1 – Convening  
  ENR. H. R. NO. 1002 	Page 2 
(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) and (c) of this 
section, the Speaker of the House, or designee, shall convene the 
House of Representatives on the day and at the hour to which the 
House was adjourned on the previous legislative day. 
 
(b) Upon taking the chair, th e Speaker shall call the House to 
order and, except in the absence of a quorum, proceed under the 
customary categories of legislative business set forth in the se 
rules. 
 
(c) The Speaker is authorized to convene the House other than 
the time the House adjo urned to, in times of necessity, as 
determined by the Speaker. 
 
(d) The Speaker may designate any other member of the House to 
serve as the presiding officer, but such designation shall not last 
beyond that day’s adjournment. 
 
1.2 – Voting Rights of the P residing Officer 
 
The Speaker shall have the same right as other members to vote.  
On all questions on which ayes and nays are taken, the Speaker shall 
vote under the title “Speaker”. 
 
1.3 – Preservation of Order and Decorum 
 
(a) The Speaker shall preserv e order and decorum.  In case of 
any disturbance or disorderly conduct in the Hall of the House of 
Representatives or in other areas of the Capitol assigned to the 
House, the Speaker shall have the power to order the Hall of the 
House of Representatives or areas of the Capitol assigned to the 
House to be cleared or direct any other action necessary to preserve 
order and decorum. 
 
(b) Appearances or presentation s by school or other groups 
shall not be permitted on the floor of the House during legislative 
deadline weeks, except as authorized by the Speaker. 
 
1.4 – Referral of Legislation 
 
(a) All proposed legislation, as governed by Rule 8.3 (b), if 
not referred directly to the General Order category of the House 
Calendar, shall be referred by the Speaker t o an appropriate 
standing or special committee. 
  ENR. H. R. NO. 1002 	Page 3 
(b) Prior to the time a bill or resolution is taken up for 
consideration by a committee or subcommittee, the Speaker may 
reassign such bill or resolution. 
 
1.5 – Speaker to Sign Bills, Resolutions, and Pape rs 
 
(a) The Speaker, or a member of the House designated by the 
Speaker, shall sign all bills and resolutions passed by the 
Legislature. 
 
1.  The signatures required by this section shall be executed 
either by physical signature or by electronic signature as 
determined by the Speaker.  
 
2.  The certifications required by this section shall be made 
while the House is in session and shall be made a matter of rec ord 
in the House Journal. 
 
(b) The Speaker shall sign all subpoenas, warrants, writs, 
vouchers for expenditures chargeable to the House, contracts binding 
upon the House, or other papers issued by the House.  The Speaker 
may delegate the authority to sign papers authorizing payments and 
other papers of an administrative nature. 
 
1.6 – Authorization of Counsel 
 
(a) The Speaker may authorize or engage legal counsel on behalf 
of the House, a committee of the House, a member, or former member 
of the House in his or her legal capacity as a member, or an 
officer, employee or agent of the House in their off icial capacity 
when the Speaker determines that such action would be in the best 
interest of the House of Representatives.  In compliance with the 
requirements contained in paragraph (b) of this section, expenses 
incurred for legal services authorized by t hese Rules may be paid 
upon approval of the Speaker. 
 
(b) If a claim arising from allegations of unlawful 
discrimination, as defined in federal law, is made a gainst the House 
of Representatives itself or against a committee of the House, a 
member, or former member of the House in his or her legal capacity 
as a member, or an officer, employee, or agent of the House in their 
official capacity, the Speaker shall not enter into a settlement 
agreement on behalf of the House that requires the expenditure of 
House funds in excess of Fifteen Thousand Dollars ($15,000.00)  ENR. H. R. NO. 1002 	Page 4 
without first receiving the approval of a committee appointed 
pursuant to Rule 1.8. 
 
1.7 – Supervision of the House 
 
(a) The Speaker shall have general supervision over the Hall of 
the House and the areas of the Capitol Building assigned to the 
House of Representatives. 
 
(b) The Speaker shall assign committee rooms to the various 
standing, special, joint, and standing conference committees. 
 
(c) The Speaker may reserve a portion of the gallery fo r former 
members of the House, former members of the Senate, and the families 
of members of the House and their guests. 
 
1.8 – Standing, Special, and Joint Com mittees 
 
(a) The Speaker shall create, abolish, and establish the 
jurisdiction of all standing c ommittees, oversight committees, 
policy committees, special committees, and subcommittees of the 
House of Representatives.  
 
(b) The Speaker shall appoint the chairpersons and vice –
chairpersons of all standing committees, oversight committees, 
policy committees, special committees, and subcommittees of the 
House of Representatives and shall appoint the co –chairpersons and 
co–vice–chairpersons from the House fo r any joint committees of the 
Legislature.    
 
(c) The Speaker shall appoint the membership of a ll standing 
committees, oversight committees, policy committees, special 
committees, and subcommittees of the House of Representatives and 
shall appoint the members constituting the House’s delegation to any 
joint committees of the Legislature. 
 
(d) All chairpersons, co–chairpersons, vice–chairpersons, co–
vice–chairpersons, and members of any House committee, subcommittee, 
or joint committee shall serve at the pleasure of the Speaker. 
 
(e) The Speaker shall be an ex officio voting member of all 
standing, oversight, policy, special, and joint committees. 
 
(f) The Speaker shall have the authority to release a measure 
from the jurisdiction of a policy committee and assign the measure  ENR. H. R. NO. 1002 	Page 5 
to the Rules Committee. If the Speaker releases and assigns a 
measure pursuant to the provisions of this paragraph, the measure 
shall not be re-assigned to a policy committee except upon the 
express written approval of the Speaker w hich approval shall be 
communicated to the Chair of the Rules Committee. 
 
1.9 – Conference Committees 
 
(a) The Speaker shall create, abolish, and establish the 
jurisdiction of all standing and special conference committees of 
the House of Representatives.  
 
(b) Upon creation of a conference committee, the Speaker shall 
appoint the chairperson, vice –chairperson, and membership of the 
conference committee. 
 
(c) The Speaker shall be an ex officio voting member of all 
conference committees. 
 
RULE TWO 
 
SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE 
 
2.1 – Convening 
 
(a) In the absence of the Speaker, the Speaker Pro Tempore, as 
presiding officer, shall convene the House of Representatives on the 
day and at the hour to which the House was adjourned on the previous 
legislative day.  
 
(b) Upon taking the chair, the Speaker Pro Tempore shall call 
the House to order and, except in th e absence of a quorum, proceed 
under the order of business adopted by the House. 
 
(c) In the absence of the Speaker, the Speaker Pro Tempore may 
designate any other member of the House to serve as the presiding 
officer, but such designation shall not last beyond that day’s 
adjournment. 
 
2.2 – Duties 
 
(a) The Speaker Pro Tempore shall perform the duties of Speaker 
in the absence of the Speaker. 
  ENR. H. R. NO. 1002 	Page 6 
(b) The Speaker Pro Tempore shall be an ex officio voting 
member of all standing, oversight, policy, special, and joint 
committees. 
 
(c) The Speaker Pro Tempore shall be an ex officio voting 
member of all conference committees. 
 
2.3 – Succession 
 
(a) If, while the House is meeting in regular or special 
session, the office of Speaker becomes vacant fifteen (15) c alendar 
days or more prior to the date of sine die adjournment, the Speaker 
Pro Tempore shall serve as Acting Speaker of the House until a new 
Speaker is elected, which election shall be set by the Acting 
Speaker and shall be carried out no later than fift een (15) calendar 
days after the day of the vacancy.  If the office of Speaker becomes 
vacant less than fifteen (15) calendar days prior to the date of 
sine die adjournment, the Speaker Pro Tempore shall accede to the 
office of Speaker of the House continu ing as Speaker until the 
conclusion of the present term of office, as established in 14 O.S., 
Section 145, unless the House shall decide otherwise by electing 
another member Speaker of the House pursuant to Article V, Section 
29 of the Oklahoma Constitutio n.  In the event the office of Speaker 
becomes vacant after the organizational session required in Article 
V, Section 26 of the Oklahoma Constitution but befor e the first 
Monday in February of the same year, no election for the office of 
Speaker shall be held prior to the time the House convenes at twelve 
o'clock noon on the first Monday in February. 
 
(b) When only acting as Speaker pursuant to paragraph (a) of 
this section, the Speaker Pro Tempore shall not exercise the powers 
of appointment provided to a Speaker of the House by statute or by 
House or Joint Rule and shall not be considered the Speaker of the 
House within the meaning of Article VI, Section 15 of the Oklahoma 
Constitution establishing the line of succession to the Governor.  
Upon accession to the office of Speaker of the House, under 
paragraph (a) of this section, the Speaker Pro Tempore shall take 
the oath of office as Speaker of the House and shall file said oath 
with the office of the Secretary of State and shall be authorized to 
exercise all authority granted to the Speaker of the House under law 
or by House or Joint Rule including, but not limited to, the powers 
of appointment and inclusion in the line of succession to the office 
of Governor as provided by Article VI, Section 15 of the Ok lahoma 
Constitution. 
  ENR. H. R. NO. 1002 	Page 7 
(c) If the House is not meeting in regular or special session 
and the office of Speaker becomes vacant due to death or 
resignation, the Speaker Pro Tempore shall become Speaker of the 
House and shall be authorized to exercise all aut hority granted to 
the Speaker of the House under law or by House or Joint Rule 
including, but not limited to, the powers of appointment and 
inclusion in the line of succession to the office of Governor as 
provided by Article VI, Section 15 of the Oklahoma Constitution. 
 
(d) Upon accession to the office of Speaker of the House under 
paragraph (c) of this section, the member in so doing shall continue 
as Speaker until such time as the House convenes for the first 
legislative day of the next regular or specia l session, or until the 
conclusion of the present term of office, as established in 14 O.S., 
Section 145, whichever occurs first, unless earlier removed from 
office under the provisions of 51 O.S., Section 24.1. 
 
(e) The Speaker Pro Tempore, upon becoming Speaker of the House 
by operation of paragraph (c) of this section, shall take the oath 
of office as Speaker of the House and shall file said oath with the 
office of the Secretary of State. 
 
(f) If the Speaker shall become incapable of performing the 
duties pertaining to the office of Speaker of the House for reasons 
other than death or resignation, when the House is not meeting in 
regular or special session, the powers and duties of the Speaker of 
the House shall be discharged by the Speaker Pro Tempore as Acting 
Speaker until the incapacity shall cease.  When acting as Speaker 
pursuant to this provision, the Speaker Pro Tempore shall not 
exercise the Speaker's powers of appointment nor shall the Speaker 
Pro Tempore be included in the line of succession t o the office of 
Governor, as provided by Article VI, Section 15 of the Oklahoma 
Constitution, unless he or she transmits a written declaration 
establishing the nature of the Speaker's incapacity to perform the 
duties of the office of Speaker of the House t o the members of the 
House of Representatives and the Chief Clerk of the House.  Upon 
receipt of such a written declaration, the Chief Clerk of the House 
shall notify the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, the Governor, 
and the Chief Justice of the Oklah oma Supreme Court.  Thereafter, 
when the elected Speaker transmits to the Speaker Pro Tempore and 
the Chief Clerk of the House his or her written declaration t hat no 
such incapacity exists, he or she shall resume the powers and duties 
of the office of Spea ker of the House. 
  ENR. H. R. NO. 1002 	Page 8 
(g) Regardless of whether the House is in session, whenever the 
elected Speaker transmits to the Speaker Pro Tempore and the Chief 
Clerk of the House a written declaration that he or she is unable to 
discharge the powers and duties of t he office of Speaker of the 
House, and until he or she transmits to them a written declaration 
to the contrary, such powers and duties shall be discharged by t he 
Speaker Pro Tempore as Acting Speaker.  Upon receipt of such a 
written declaration, the Chief Clerk of the House shall notify the 
members of the House of Representatives, the President Pro Tempore 
of the Senate, the Governor, and the Chief Justice of the Oklahoma 
Supreme Court.  Thereafter, when the Speaker transmits to the 
Speaker Pro Tempore and the Chief Clerk of the House his or her 
written declaration that no inability exists, he or she shall resume 
the powers and duties of the office of Speaker of the House.  When 
acting as Speaker pursuant to this provision, the Speaker Pro 
Tempore shall not exercise the Speaker's powers of appointment nor 
shall the Speaker Pro Tempore be included in the line of succession 
to the office of Governor, as provided by Article VI, Section 15 of 
the Oklahoma Constitution.   
 
RULE THREE 
 
HOUSE OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES 
 
3.1 – Employment by House 
 
(a) The Speaker shall employ and manage qualified personnel to 
staff the House of Representatives.  All House employees work for 
and serve at the pleasure of the Speaker of the House.  
 
(b)  The Speaker shall determine their qualifications, hours of 
work, and compensation, including benefits.  
 
(c) The Speaker has the right at any time to transfer any 
employee to another department or discharge any employee of the 
House without cause. 
 
3.2 – Chief Clerk of the House 
 
(a) The Chief Clerk of the House, under direction of the 
Speaker, shall have general charge and supervision over the 
legislative procedure of the House. 
 
(b) The Chief Clerk of the House shall be responsible for: 
  ENR. H. R. NO. 1002 	Page 9 
1.  publication of all House calendars and agen das; 
 
2.  publication of bills, resolutions, and amendments; 
 
3.  publication of standing committee reports, special committee 
reports, and conference committee reports; 
 
4.  preparation, indexing, and publication of electronic and 
tangible versions of the House Journal; 
 
5.  supervision of the processes for engrossment of House 
measures, enrollment of House measures, House amendments to Senate 
measures, presentment of House measures to the Governor, as 
authorized or required by law, and the filing of measu res with the 
Secretary of State as authorized or required by law; 
 
6.  supervision of the House chamber during any period of time 
when the House is convened in Regular or Extraordinary Session, or 
during a period of recess or adjournment, including supervi sion of 
personnel responsible for maintaining security, order and decorum 
within the chamber or other areas under the control of the Oklahoma 
House of Representatives;  
 
7.  issuance of any subpoena or other process authorized 
pursuant to law, including , but not limited to, these Rules, which 
shall bear the seal of the Clerk of the Oklahoma House of 
Representatives, and the filing of any return of service for any 
such process issued by the Chief Clerk; and 
 
8.  adopting such other procedures as are required for the 
orderly conduct of the legislative process of the Oklahoma House of 
Representatives unless such actions are expressly to be performed by 
some other person as provided in these Rules. 
 
(c) The Chief Clerk of the House shall have custody of and be 
responsible for the safekeeping of all bills and resolutions with 
respect to each Regular Session or Extraordinary Session of the 
Legislature. 
 
(d) All official papers, records, reports, testimony presented, 
and other materials belonging to the House shal l be maintained by 
and entrusted to the care and custody of the Chief Clerk of the 
House.  
  ENR. H. R. NO. 1002 	Page 10 
(e) Official copies of all bills and resolutions and other 
materials as designated by the Speaker shall not be removed from the 
Office of the Chief Clerk for any p urpose except upon order of the 
Speaker. 
 
(f) Communications shall be prepared and signed by the Chief 
Clerk of the House under the direction of and in the name of the 
Speaker. 
 
(g) The Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives shall be 
the guardian of electronic signatures for the House of 
Representatives and shall be authorized to make determinations as to 
validity and authenticity of electronic signatures . 
 
(h) If transmitting bills, resolutions, or messages 
electronically to the Senate, Governor, o r Secretary of State, the 
Chief Clerk of the House shall establish safeguards to protect 
against unauthorized users.  
 
3.3 – Chief Sergeant At Arms 
 
(a) It shall be the duty of the Chief Sergeant at Arms to 
attend the House during each day's session, to maintain order under 
the direction of the presiding officer, and to execute the commands 
of the House.  
 
(b) The Chief Sergeant at Arms shall have charge of t he Chamber 
during the sessions, and see that the Chamber is kept in order and 
at all times ready for use by the House. 
 
(c) The Chief Sergeant at Arms shall, fifteen (15) minutes 
before the House is to convene, clear the House Floor, anterooms of 
the House Floor, and House Lounge of all unauthorized persons, as 
defined in Rule 5, and shall see that no unauthorized persons enter 
said areas while the House is in session. 
 
3.4 – Chief Parliamentarian 
 
(a) The Speaker of the House shall appoint a Chief 
Parliamentarian who shall assist the presiding officer in the making 
of parliamentary rulings.  
 
(b)  The Chief Parliamentarian shall, at the direction of the 
Speaker, assist the Speaker in publishing a volume of substantive  ENR. H. R. NO. 1002 	Page 11 
parliamentary rulings and carry out other duties as directed by the 
Speaker. 
 
3.5 – Chaplain 
 
A Chaplain shall attend the commenceme nt of each day's session 
of the House, open the session with prayer, and may be allotted five 
(5) minutes during the Thursday session for the purpose of 
delivering remarks to the House. 
 
3.6 – Pages 
 
The Speaker, or designee, shall promulgate rules and gui delines 
for the Page program. 
 
RULE FOUR 
 
MEMBERS 
 
4.1 – Member Defined 
 
“Member”, as used in these Rules, means a member of the House of 
Representatives. 
 
4.2 – Disclosure of Personal or Private Interest 
 
A member who has a personal or private interest in any bill or 
resolution, proposed, or pending before the House, shall disclose 
that fact to the House, and shall not vote on that bill or 
resolution, as requir ed by Article V, Section 24 of the Oklahoma 
Constitution. 
 
4.3 – Absence of Members 
 
No member shall be absent from the session of the House without 
leave. 
 
4.4 – Decorum 
 
(a) No member rising to debate, to give notice, to make a 
motion, or to present a paper of any kind shall proceed until the 
member has addressed the presiding officer and has been recognized 
by the presiding officer as being entitled to the Floor.  
  ENR. H. R. NO. 1002 	Page 12 
(b) While a member is speaking, no other member shall enter 
into any private conversati on or pass between the speaking member 
and the presiding officer.  
 
(c) While a member is speak ing, no other member shall enter 
into any private conversations or pass between the speaking member 
and the motion maker. 
 
(d) The presiding officer may enforce the provisions of House 
rules by naming the disruptive or disorderly member after requesting 
order in the Chamber. 
 
(e) Profane, obscene, or indecent language is prohibited in the 
House and in all committees, oversight committees, policy 
committees, and subcommittees of the House. 
 
(f) All members shall conduct themselves in a manner becoming a 
member of the House of Representatives.  When the House is in 
session all members shall, while in the Chamber or Gallery, be 
appropriately dressed.  Members shall wear appropriate professional 
business attire; male members shall wear suitcoats, slacks, and 
ties.  No member shall wear jeans, denim pants, t -shirts as 
outerwear, non–religious head coverings, ascots, hoodies, or hats in 
the House Chamber while the Ho use is in session. 
 
(g) Any member who, while under the influence of intoxicating 
liquor or drugs, appears in the Chamber or in any part of the 
Capitol Building assigned to the House, shall be in contempt of the 
House and subject to reprimand, suspension, or expulsion. 
 
(h) Possession of intoxicating liquor shall not be permitted at 
any time in the Chamber or in any part of the Capitol Building 
assigned to the House. 
 
(i) Use of tobacco products, including smoking, dipping, or 
sniffing snuff, shall not be permitted at any time in the Chamber, 
as governed by Rule 11.5. 
 
(j) No food, including cann ed or bottled beverages, shall be 
allowed at any time in the Chamber while the House is in session.  
Food may be consumed in the lounge and foyer at the west end of the 
Chamber. 
  ENR. H. R. NO. 1002 	Page 13 
(k) Video recordings or broadcasts, other than those captured 
by the House or at the discretion of the Speaker, by Members shall 
be prohibited on the House Floor while the House is in session. 
 
(l) Sitting on chamber desks shall be pr ohibited. 
 
4.5 – Service of Process 
 
Upon being presented with any service of legal process 
pertaining to the House of Representatives itself or to an 
individual member of the House of Representatives in his or her 
official capacity, the member or employee so approached shall inform 
the Speaker of the House and the House General Counsel prior to 
attempting to respond. 
 
RULE FIVE 
 
PRIVILEGES OF THE FLOOR AND THE ANTEROOMS 
 
5.1 – Floor Privileges 
 
(a) The following persons shall be entitled to privileges of 
the Floor when the House is in session: 
 
1.  members of the House; 
 
2.  members of the Senate; 
 
3.  former members of the House except as otherwise provided in 
Section 5.3 of this Rule; 
 
4.  the Governor, except during consideration of a motion to 
override the veto of the Governor; 
 
5.  employees of the House and Senate as designated by the 
Speaker; and  
 
6.  children or grandchildren of members for the purpose only of 
introduction from the member’s desk. 
 
(b) Except as permitted in paragraph (a) of this s ection, no 
other person, except upon formal invitation by the House of 
Representatives, shall ent er upon the Floor when the House is 
convened in session. 
  ENR. H. R. NO. 1002 	Page 14 
(c) The Speaker may revoke the floor privileges for any persons 
granted privileges by paragraphs (a) and (b) except for members of 
the House. 
 
5.2 – Anterooms of the House Chamber 
 
(a) While the House is in session, no persons other than those 
entitled to privileges of the Floor, members of the immediate 
families of House members, and House employees au thorized by the 
Speaker shall be admitted to the House Lounge and anteroom located 
at the west end of the House Floor or into the anteroom located at 
the east end of the House Floor, except at the express invitation of 
a member, provided the member is present. 
 
(b) The Speaker may prescribe additional policies restricting 
use of the House Lounge and any rooms adjoining the lounge or the 
House Chamber. 
 
(c)  Only a person born as a biological female shall be allowed 
into any restroom facility which is desig nated for female members of 
the Oklahoma House of Representatives , except as authorized for the 
operations of the House. 
 
5.3 – Former Members 
 
(a) Except as authorized by the Speaker, no former member of 
the House or Senate who is an officer or employee in the executive 
branch of state government or who is registered or required to be 
registered as a lobbyist under the Ethics Commission Act or who is 
professionally advocating on behalf of an organization shall be 
entitled to privileges of the Floor when t he House is convened in 
session. 
 
(b) No former member when present on the House Floor pursuant 
to paragraph (a) of this section shall attempt to influence the 
passage or failure of any pending motion or legislation. 
 
5.4 – House Parking 
 
When the House is convened in regular or special session, no 
registered lobbyist under the Ethics Commission Act shall be 
permitted to park in the parking areas of the Capitol grounds 
allocated to the House of Representatives. 
 
5.5 – House Gallery  ENR. H. R. NO. 1002 	Page 15 
 
When the House is in se ssion, no person, unless authorized by 
the Speaker, shall remain standing while in the Gallery. 
 
RULE SIX 
 
BILLS AND RESOLUTIONS 
 
6.1 – Definition of the Term “Bill” 
 
The term “bill”, as used in these Rules, shall mean proposed 
legislation which in order to become law must pass through the 
Legislature according to the procedures established by the Okl ahoma 
Constitution, including consideration by the Governor.  The term 
shall include proposed laws of a general nature and proposed special 
or local laws.  The procedures of these Rules applicable to the 
introduction and passage of bills shall also apply t o the 
introduction and passage of joint resolutions. 
 
6.2 – Filing Deadline 
 
(a) The filing deadlines for introduction of bills and joint 
resolutions shall be established in consultation between the House 
of Representatives and the Senate.  
 
(b) Legislative deadlines previously agreed to by the House of 
Representatives shall be inapplicable to: 
 
1.  measures which propose a special or local law as governed by 
Section 6.10 of this Rule; 
 
2.  measures authored by the chairpersons and vice –chairpersons 
of the House Appropriations and Budget Committee and the Senate 
Appropriations Committee which affect the receipt, expenditure, or 
budgeting of state funds or funds under the control of an entity 
created by state law; or 
 
3.  measures authored by the Speaker o f the House of 
Representatives and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate and 
which are deemed by them to be necessary for the preservation of the 
public peace, health, and safety; 
 
4.  measures authored by the chairpersons and vice –chairpersons 
of the House Redistricting Committee and the Senate Redistricting 
Committee which affect the legislative apportionment; or  ENR. H. R. NO. 1002 	Page 16 
 
5.  measures introduced or authorized by the Speaker. 
 
6.3 – Numbering 
 
(a) Bills and joint resolutions introduced in the Second 
Regular Session of a Legislature shall be numbered consecutively 
with the last bill and joint resolution, respectively, introduced in 
the First Regular Session of the sam e Legislature.  
 
(b) Simple and concurrent resolutions introduced in the Second 
Regular Session of a Legislature shall be numbered consecutively 
with the last simple and concurrent resolution, respectively, 
introduced in the First Regular Session of the same Legislature. 
 
6.4 – Introduction 
 
(a) All bills and resolutions shall be accompanied by the name 
or names of the member or members introducing the bill or 
resolution, shall have a title stating the subject matter contained 
therein and shall include th e request number assigned to the bill or 
resolution by the staff of the House. 
 
(b) Except as provided in paragraph (c) of this section, no 
member of the House of Representatives shall be the principal author 
of more than eight (8) House bills or joint resolutions during a 
session of the Legislature. 
 
(c) The provisions of paragraph (b) of this sect ion shall not 
apply to: 
 
1.  measures containing budgetary matters of which the principal 
author is the Chairperson of the Appropriations and Budget Committee 
of the House; 
 
2.  measures related to legislative apportionment of which the 
principal author is the Chairperson of the Redistricting Committee 
of the House; 
 
3.  bills introduced for the purpose specified in 75 O.S., 
Section 23.1; 
 
4.  measures introduced for the purpose of disapproving or 
approving agency rules pursuant to the Administrative Proced ures 
Act;  ENR. H. R. NO. 1002 	Page 17 
 
5.  bills introduced for the purpose of implementing the 
Oklahoma Sunset Law; 
 
6.  bills that only repeal or delete, without substantive 
replacement, provisions of the Oklahoma Statutes; 
 
7.  bills that carry over from the First Regular Sessio n to the 
Second Regular Session pursuant to Rule 6.9; 
 
8.  simple or concurrent resolutions; and 
 
9.  any other measure authorized by the Speaker. 
 
6.5 – Authorship 
 
(a) Principal Author – A House bill or resolution may have only 
one Principal Author and shall be the Member that is listed as the 
Principal Author on a bill or resolution. 
 
(b) Author – An Author is a Member who authors a House bill or 
resolution prior to the introduction of the House bill or 
resolution.  
 
(c) Coauthor – A Coauthor is a Member who authors a House bill 
or resolution after the introduction of the House bill or 
resolution. 
 
6.6 – Principal Senate Author of a House Bill or Resolution 
 
(a) While a House bill, joint resolution, or concurrent 
resolution is within the physical cont rol of the House, the 
principal House author of the bill or resolution shall have full and 
complete discretion in determining who the principal Senate author 
of the bill or resolution shall be.  
 
(b) No bill or resolution lacking a principal Senate autho r 
shall be scheduled for Floor consideration, unless authorized by the 
Speaker, except that the withdrawal of the principal Senate author, 
after the bill or resolution is scheduled for Floor consideration, 
shall not preclude the House from considering the bill or 
resolution. 
 
6.7 – Procedures Governing Simple and Concurrent Resolutions 
  ENR. H. R. NO. 1002 	Page 18 
(a) Except as exempted by paragraph (b) of this section, the 
following classes of simple and concurrent resolutions shall lie 
over one (1) legislative day after introductio n, after which they 
may be called up for consideration: 
 
1.  resolutions requesting information from any of the executive 
or judicial departments, from county and municipal officers, or from 
corporate entities or persons; or 
 
2.  resolutions giving rise t o debate. 
 
(b) The following classes of simple and concurrent resolutions 
may be taken up the same legislative day they are introduced: 
 
1.  resolutions relating to business immediately before the 
House;  
 
2.  resolutions relating to business of the day o n which they 
may be offered;  
 
3.  resolutions reported from the House Rules Committee 
proposing adoption of a special rule or rules; or 
 
4.  resolutions relating to adjournment or recess. 
 
(c) Upon taking up a motion to adopt a simple or concurrent 
resolution, said motion shall be subject to amendment and debate.  
 
(d) A motion to amend shall be in order immediately but 
amendments proposed to simple and conc urrent resolutions shall be 
electronically submitted to the Office of the Chief Clerk prior to 
consideration by the House. 
 
(e) The House shall not consider any proposed amendments not 
germane to the subject of a simple or concurrent resolution under 
consideration.  
 
(f) Debate on the question of adoption of a simple or 
concurrent resolution shall be limited to thirty (30) minutes, 
equally divided between the proponents and opponents of the 
resolution, provided that no member speak for more than ten (10) 
minutes.   
  ENR. H. R. NO. 1002 	Page 19 
(g) Five (5) minutes of the time allocated to the proponents of 
the resolution shall be reserved to the principal author, and the 
principal author shall have the right to close the debate. 
 
(h) Any simple or concurrent resolution may be referred by the 
Speaker to an appropriate committee. 
 
6.8 – Final Action 
 
(a) The following action shall constitute final action on any 
bill or resolution: 
 
1.  committee recommendation, including any oversight committee 
recommendation or any policy committ ee recommendation of "Do Not 
Pass"; 
 
2.  if a motion to reconsider the vote on Third Reading or 
Fourth Reading fails to prevail or expires; 
 
3.  if a motion to table the motion to reconsider prevails; or 
 
4.  if a vote is taken on Third Reading or Fourth Reading and no 
notice is served to reconsider the vote. 
 
(b) If final action is such as to defea t a bill or resolution, 
no other bill or resolution having the same effect and covering the 
same specific subject matter shall be considered by the House of 
Representatives during either session of the current Legislature. 
 
6.9 – Carry–over Bills and Joint Resolutions 
 
Any bill or joint resolution pending in the House at the sine 
die adjournment of the First Regular Session of a Legislature shall 
carry over to the Second Regular Session with the same status as if 
there had been no adjournment; provided, how ever, that this Rule 
shall not apply to bills and joint resolutions pending in a 
conference committee at the time of sine die adjournment. 
 
6.10 – Special or Local Laws 
 
(a) The House of Representatives shall not consider proposed 
local or special legisla tion on subjects prohibited by the Oklahoma 
Constitution.   
  ENR. H. R. NO. 1002 	Page 20 
(b) No special or local law shall be considered by the House of 
Representatives unless passage of a general law would be 
ineffective. 
 
(c) A bill or joint resolution under consideration by the House 
shall be presumed not to be special or local legislation unless the 
principal author so declares in writing prior to presentation of the 
measure on the House Floor. 
 
(d) Prior to consideration of special or local legislation in 
the House of Represen tatives: 
 
1.  notice of the intended introduction of a proposed local or 
special law shall be first published for four (4) consecutive weeks 
in a newspaper of weekly or general circulation in the city or 
county affected by the proposed law; 
 
2.  the notice shall state in substance the contents of the 
proposed law; 
 
3.  verified proof of such publication as required by this 
section shall be filed with the Office of the Oklahoma Secretary of 
State; and 
 
4.  verified proof of such publication as required by th is 
section shall be published in the House Journal no later than the 
legislative day prior to the day the measure is considered on the 
House Floor. 
 
(e) The presiding officer shall not entertain points of order, 
requests for information, or parliamentary inquires pertaining to 
whether a bill or joint resolution pending before the House is 
special or local legislation. 
 
6.11 – Revenue–Raising Measures 
 
(a) A bill or joint resolution under consideration by the House 
shall be presumed not to be a revenue –raising measure within the 
meaning of Article V, Section 33 of the Oklahoma Constitution unless 
the bill or joint resolution has been designated as a revenue –
raising measure by the Majority Floor Leader. 
 
(b) Prior to consideration of a bill or joint resolut ion 
designated as a revenue –raising measure pursuant to this section, 
the Majority Floor Leader shall rise and announce to the full House  ENR. H. R. NO. 1002 	Page 21 
the designation of th e bill or joint resolution as a revenue –raising 
measure and the announcement shall be published i n the House 
Journal. 
 
(c) The presiding officer shall not entertain points of order, 
requests for information, or parliamentary inquiries pertaining to 
whether a bill or joint resolution pending before the House is a 
revenue–raising measure. 
 
(d) Prior to ordering the vote on final passage of a revenue –
raising measure, the presiding officer shall announce the vote 
required for final passage.  As used in this s ection, final passage 
shall be defined as the vote on Third Reading or Fourth Reading of a 
bill or joint resolution. 
 
RULE SEVEN 
 
COMMITTEES 
 
IN GENERAL 
 
7.1 – Definitions 
 
(a) A standing committee is a committee, oversight committee, 
or policy committee appointed by the Speaker of the House pursuant 
to Rule 1.8 which continues as a distinct entity f or the duration of 
the biennium unless dissolved by the Speaker. Unless specifically 
otherwise provided by these Rules, the term "committee" includes 
both a policy committee and an oversight committee. 
 
(b) An oversight committee is a committee appointed by the 
Speaker of the House pursuant to Rule 1.8 in order to consider a 
measure favorably reported by a policy committee. 
 
(c) A policy committee is a committee appointed by the Speaker 
of the House pursuant to Rule 1.8 in order to evaluate a measure 
assigned to the policy committee by an oversight committee. 
 
(d) A standing subcommittee is a subcommittee appointed by the 
Speaker of the House pursuant to Rule 1.8 which exercises oversight 
or other specific authority assigned to it by the Speaker and 
reports directly to a standing committee, but does not include a 
policy committee. 
  ENR. H. R. NO. 1002 	Page 22 
(e) A special committee is a committee appointed by the Speaker 
of the House pursuant to Rule 1.8 which carries out a particular 
task defined at the time of the committee’s cr eation and 
appointment.  Upon completion of the task assigned to the special 
committee, the special committee is immediately dissolved.  
 
(f) A conference committee is a committee tasked with resolving 
differences between the House of Representatives and the Senate.  A 
conference committee consists of members from both chambers with the 
House members of a conference committee being appointed by the 
Speaker of the House pursuant to Rule 1.9. 
 
7.2 – Open Meetings 
 
All meetings of all committees shall be ope n to the public, 
subject to the authority of the chairperson to maintain order and 
decorum.  A chairperson, with the approval of the Speaker, may close 
a committee meeting or portion thereof, and the record of such 
meeting may not disclose the identity of the witness appearing 
before the committee, if necessary to preserve physical security, 
including the protection of a witness. 
 
7.3 – Timing, Location, and Deadlines of Meetings 
 
(a) The Speaker of the House, or designee, shall determine the 
dates for committee deadlines within the General Order periods of 
the biennium.   
 
(b) Committees shall meet at the call of the committee Chair 
within the dates, times, an d locations designated by the Speaker. 
 
(c) No committee shall sit during a floor session of the House 
without special leave from the Speaker. 
 
CHAPTER A – STANDING AND SPECIAL COMMITTEES 
 
7.4 – Authority of the Chair 
 
(a) All standing, oversight, policy, and special committees and 
subcommittees shall be governed by the House Rules applicable to 
committee proceedings. 
 
(b) Chairpersons shall ensure the efficient operation of the 
committees or subcommittees. Such authority shall include: 
  ENR. H. R. NO. 1002 	Page 23 
1.  presiding over the committees or subcommittees; 
 
2.  establishing the calendar for the committees or 
subcommittees;  
 
3.  recognition of members or presenters; 
 
4.  deciding all questions of procedure in the committees or 
subcommittees, subject to appeal; and 
 
5.  determining the order in which legislation is considered in 
a committee or subcommittee. Consent calendars shall not be utilized 
in committees or subcommittees. 
 
(c) The chairperson shall exercise all authority necessary to 
maintain order and decorum, in cluding the authority to require all 
persons present to silence all electronic devices and to req uest the 
Sergeant at Arms to clear the committee room of a person or persons 
causing disruption. 
 
(d) In case of a chairperson's absence, the vice –chairperson 
shall assume all duties of the chairperson until the chairperson's 
return or replacement. 
 
(e) The chairperson shall cause to be created an official 
report recording the ayes and the nays as required by Rule 7.7. For 
any measure reported favorably by a policy committee, or with 
respect to which a "Do Not Pass" motion was adopted, the chairperson 
of the policy committee shall cause to be created an official report 
recording the ayes and nays which report shall be prepared using a 
suitable method for the action of the policy committee to be 
communicated to the Chair of the applicable oversight committ ee. 
 
(f) No person shall address the committee or subcommittee 
unless first recognized by the chairperson for that purpose and no 
persons other than members o f the House shall be recognized to offer 
debate. 
 
(g) All motions offered in any committee or a subcommittee 
meeting shall require a second to receive further consideration. 
 
(h) A committee or subcommittee, including any oversight 
committee or any policy committee, may only take up bills or 
resolutions for consideration if a quorum of the committee or 
subcommittee is present.  A quorum is a majority of the members of  ENR. H. R. NO. 1002 	Page 24 
the committee or subcommittee, excluding the ex officio members of 
the committee or subc ommittee, but the ex officio members may count 
toward the presence of a quorum in a committee or its subcommittees. 
 
(i) When a bill or resolution is taken up for consideration, 
the principal House author or another member designated by the 
principal House author shall be recognized for explanation of the 
bill or resolution if he or she so desires.  In the event the 
chairperson of the committee is presenting the measure under 
consideration, the chairperson shall not also preside over the 
committee while his or her bill or resolution is under 
consideration. 
 
(j) The House author shall be given the opp ortunity to answer 
questions put by members of the committee or other persons 
recognized by the chairperson. 
 
(k) The chairperson shall provide opportunity for presentation 
of amendments to the bill or resolution by the House author, any 
member of the committee, or any other member of the House, as 
governed by Rule 7.6. 
 
(l) Amendments shall be considered in the order they appear in 
the bill or resolution, or in the order they are presented to the 
committee.  The chairperson shall resolve any conflict res ulting 
from claimed priority of presentation. 
 
(m) The author of an amendment shall explain the amendment and 
be afforded the opportunity to answer questions about the amendment 
put by members of the committee, the author of the bill or 
resolution, or other persons recognized by the chairperson. 
 
(n) The chairperson may recognize any person for comment on the 
proposed legislation or amendments.  The chairperso n may limit the 
amount of time for any such comment. 
 
(o) Any questions of procedure not provide d for within these 
Rules shall be governed by the ruling of the chairperson.  In making 
his or her ruling, the chairperson shall rely upon the latest 
edition of Mason’s Manual of Legislative Procedure.  Where a 
conflict exists between a provision within th ese Rules and a 
provision within Mason’s Manual of Legislative Procedure, the House 
Rule shall control. 
  ENR. H. R. NO. 1002 	Page 25 
(p) Any member may rise to a point of order against a ny other 
member when, in the member's opinion, such member is proceeding out 
of order. The member raising the point of order must cite the 
specific rule the member believes is in conflict. Such point of 
order shall be decided by the presiding officer without debate. 
 
(q) The decisions of the Chair on questions of procedure and 
points of order shall be subject to appeal as follows: 
 
1.  an appeal must be lodged immediately; 
 
2.  an appeal shall not be raised by anyone other than a member 
of the committee or subcommittee wherein such a question arises; 
 
3.  an appeal must be seconded by two other membe rs of the 
committee or subcommittee to receive further consideration; 
 
4.  all appeals shall be decided without debate, except that the 
member taking said appeal shall be afforded one (1) minute in which 
to state the reasons for the member's appeal and the Chair may state 
the reasons for the Chair's decision; and 
 
5.  no ruling of the Chair shall be overturned except: 
 
i)  upon a majority of the members of the c ommittee or 
subcommittee voting in the negative upon the question: "Shall the 
decision of the Chair be the decision of the committee [or 
subcommittee]"; or 
 
ii)  upon a ruling of the presiding officer, while the House is 
in Session, on a point of order raised on procedural violations that 
occurred in committee, provided the committee Chair shall be 
afforded one (1) minute to explain their decision on the Floor prior 
to the ruling of the presiding officer. This ruling is subject to 
appeal. 
 
(r) The chairperson of a full committee, other than an 
oversight committee, may refer to a subcommittee or reass ign from a 
subcommittee any legislation, proposal , or inquiry; provided, 
however, no subcommittee shall be permitted to report directly to 
the House, but rather shall report to the full committee. Except as 
otherwise authorized in these Rules, no measure other than one 
assigned directly to the House Calendar shall be considered by the 
full House unless such measure shall have been considered in a 
policy committee and received a favorable recommendation by both a  ENR. H. R. NO. 1002 	Page 26 
policy committee and an oversight committee.  The chairperson of an 
oversight committee shall cause an oversight committee report to be 
prepared indicating the action taken by the oversight committee with 
respect to the measure. 
 
(s) Except for legislation recommended by the Rules Committee 
or the Appropriations and Budget Committee, all legislation 
originating in the House which is recommended by a committee to the 
full House shall contain a complete Ti tle and an Enacting or 
Resolving Clause. 
 
(t) The committee or subcommittee chairperson shall si gn all 
reports required or permitted by these Rules.  The committee 
chairperson shall sign all subpoenas as permitted by Rule 7.13, but 
shall not sign any subpoena prior to signature by the Speaker of the 
House. 
 
7.5 – Notice of Meetings 
 
(a) Except as otherwise provided by this paragraph, all 
committees and subcommittees, including policy committees, shall 
provide at least forty –eight (48) hours notice of a me eting.  An 
oversight committee shall provide at least twenty -four (24) hours 
notice of a meeting.  Notice of the meeting shall be published 
through an appropriate public medium such as the House website or 
electronic mail, unless notice requirement is waived by the Speaker. 
 
(b) A notice shall state the date, time, and place of a meeting 
and shall include a listing and sufficient title for identification 
of any and all bills to be considered by the committee, oversight 
committee, policy committee, or subc ommittee holding the meeting.  
The measure’s principal author and the members of the committee, 
oversight committee, policy committee, or subcommittee shall be 
provided separate notice. 
 
(c) If a committee, oversight committee, policy committee, or 
subcommittee is scheduled for a regular meeting, but does not plan 
to meet, a notice stating that no me eting is to be held shall be 
posted. 
 
(d) Bills or resolutions published on a meeting notice but not 
considered shall not be taken up in a subsequent committe e meeting 
unless said bills or resolutions are listed on the meeting notice 
announcing the items of business to be considered in the later 
meeting.    ENR. H. R. NO. 1002 	Page 27 
 
7.6 – Amendments 
 
(a) Committees and subcommittees, including oversight 
committees and policy committees, may only consider amendments 
presented in final written form prior to adoption. 
 
(b) Any member of the House may offer an amendment to any bill 
or resolution being considered by any committee or subcommittee and 
shall be recognized to introduce the amen dment.  If not a member of 
the committee or subcommittee, a member who offers an amendment must 
comply with the amendment filing deadline of this Rule and be 
present at the meeting at which the amendment is considered.  If the 
member is not present, the amendment may only be considered if taken 
up and offered by a member of the committee or subcommitt ee. 
 
(c) Any member offering an amendment, including a member of the 
committee or subcommittee, must submit the proposed amendment in 
electronic form to the c hairperson by 4:30 p.m. the legislative day 
before the meeting of the committee or subcommittee. The 
chairperson may, at his or her discretion, waive or set a later 
deadline than contained in this Rule. 
 
(d) Amendments offered to any House bill or resolution under 
consideration by a committee or subcommittee shall be germane to the 
subject of the introduced bill or resolution.  Amendments offered to 
any Senate bill or resolution under consideration by a committee or 
subcommittee shall be germane to the su bject of the engrossed 
version of the Senate bill or resolution. 
 
(e) When considering a measure section by section, a motion to 
strike a section when such section is under individual consideration 
shall not be subject to the time constraints established by this 
Rule for consideration of committee amendments.  
 
(f) When considering a measure sectio n by section, the Title or 
Enacting or Resolving Clause of a bill or joint resolution may not 
be stricken except as provided in Rule 7.4(s). 
 
(g) Amendments approved by any committee shall be incorporated 
into the bill or resolution the same as if include d in the 
introduced bill or resolution. 
 
7.7 – Voting 
  ENR. H. R. NO. 1002 	Page 28 
(a) All votes in committees or subcommittees, including 
oversight committees and policy committees, shall be conducted in 
open public meetings of that committee, except that two -thirds (2/3) 
of the members of any standing, special, or oversight committee, 
including ex officio members, may report a bill or resolution out of 
committee by signing a written rep ort.  If a written report is 
prepared by a member other than the chairperson of the committee, a 
written notice that a report is being prepared shall be given to the 
chairperson prior to the circulation of the report for signatures. 
No measure may be reported out of a policy committee using the 
discharge procedure in this paragraph. 
 
(b) Only the vote on recommendation for final passage out of 
full standing committee or an oversight committee to the full House 
concerning a bill or resolution shall be by r ecorded vote.  
Recommendation for final passage out of committee, such motion need 
only receive a majority of those voting, a quorum being present. 
 
(c) As used in this section, "recommendation for final passage 
out of committee" means a "Do Pass" , "Do Pass as Amended" , or a "Do 
Not Pass" motion.  A "Do Pass" motion takes precedence over any 
other motions for final passage. 
 
(d) Only those committee members present may vote on any 
matter.  No person shall cast a vote on behalf of any committee 
member eligible to vote in any House committee. 
 
7.8 – Committee Recommendations 
 
(a) When any standing fu ll committee or an oversight committee 
returns a bill or resolution with the recommendation of “Do Pass” or 
“Do Pass as Amended” , the bill or resolution shall be published on 
the House Calendar in numerical order by bill or resolution number 
under the heading “Bills on General Order” or “Joint Resolutions on 
General Order”.  
 
(b) If a committee does not return a bill or resolution with 
the recommendation of eit her "Do Pass", "Do Pass as Amended" , or "Do 
Not Pass", the bill or resolution shall remain the pr operty of the 
committee, unless the bill or resolution is placed directly on the 
House Calendar by the Speaker or is discharged pursuant to Rule 7.7 
or 7.12. 
 
7.9 – Final Action 
  ENR. H. R. NO. 1002 	Page 29 
When any committee, including any oversight committee or any 
policy committee, returns a bill or resolution with the 
recommendation of "Do Not Pass" , this shall constitute final action 
only if the recommendation was adopted by a majorit y of the members 
of the committee. 
 
7.10 – Petition for Committee Hearing 
 
(a) After assignment to a standing or special committee, the 
principal author of a bill or resolution shall be entitled to have 
such bill or joint resolution considered by a vote of the committee 
at least four (4) legislative days prior to the final date for Third 
Reading in either regular session. Such a petition must be 
electronically signed by a majority of the members of the committee.  
Ex officio members of a committee may ele ctronically sign such 
petitions and shall count towards the necessary signatures as 
required by this section. 
 
(b) A majority of the members of the policy committee to which 
a measure has been assigned may file a petition in order for the 
measure to be withdrawn from the policy committee and re -assigned to 
the oversight committee with applicable juri sdiction over the 
measure.  The petition must be electronically signed by a majority 
of the members of the policy committee. Ex officio members of the 
policy committee may be counted towards the requirement for 
signatures on the petition.  If the petition receives enough 
signatures, then the measure shall be withdrawn from the policy 
committee and shall be considered to be under the control and 
jurisdiction of the oversight committee to which the measure was 
originally assigned.  
 
(c) The petitions provided for by this section shall be 
electronically submitted to the Chief Clerk of the House.  The Chief 
Clerk shall determine if the petition contains the necess ary 
signatures.  If the petition contains the necessary signatures, the 
Chief Clerk shall forward the petition to the appropriate committee 
chair. 
 
7.11 – Bill Summary 
 
(a) All bills and joint resolutions shall be accompanied by a 
bill summary.  The bill summary shall include a description of any 
repealers contained in a bill or joint resolution. 
  ENR. H. R. NO. 1002 	Page 30 
(b) All bills affecting any retirement system authorized by law 
shall be accompanied by a bill summary which shall include an 
estimate of the cost and actuarial analysis of the measure upon 
being reported favorably by any standing committee unless the 
actuarial analysis for the bill is governed by the Oklahoma Pension 
Legislation Actuarial Analysis Act.  The estimate and actuarial 
analysis shall be prepared by an actuary engaged by the House of 
Representatives. 
 
(c) The accuracy of the bill summary or actua rial analysis 
contained within the bill summary shall not be a basis for a point 
of order under these Rules. 
 
(d) The principal House author may publish what he or she 
believes to be the "legislative intent" of the measure in question.  
Such a document shall not be drafted by persons employed within the 
Legal, Fiscal, or Research Divisions of the House Staff; however, 
the principal House author may consult with such employees as 
needed. 
 
7.12 – Discharge from Committee 
 
(a) Any bill or resolution may be d ischarged from any standing 
committee of the House or from any oversight committee of the House 
upon a request electronically signed by two –thirds (2/3) of the 
members of the House. 
 
(b) The bill or resolution in question shall be identified on 
the face of the petition and an electronic copy of the measure shall 
be attached to the discharge petition. 
 
(c) The request for discharge of a bill or resolution and the 
attached measure shall be electronically submitted to the Chief 
Clerk of the House.  No other person except the principal House 
author of the measure in question shall submit a discharge petition 
to the Chief Clerk.  The Chief Clerk shall determine if t he 
discharge petition contains the necessary signatures as required by 
this section.  If the disc harge petition contains the necessary 
signatures, the Chief Clerk shall forward the petition to the 
Speaker of the House, or designee.  
 
(d) Upon receipt of the discharge petition from the Chief Clerk 
of the House, the Speaker of the House, or designee, shall place the 
bill or resolution on the daily House floor agenda.  The Chief Clerk  ENR. H. R. NO. 1002 	Page 31 
of the House shall cause the discharge petition, along with the 
attached measure, to be published upon the House website. 
 
(e) The Speaker of the House, or designee, shal l not place a 
bill or resolution on the daily House floor agenda if the discharge 
petition pertaining to the bill or resolution was filed after 12:00 
noon on the Tuesday immediately prior to the final date for Third 
Reading in either regular session. 
 
7.13 – Oversight Powers and Responsibilities of Committees and 
Subcommittees 
 
(a) Committees and subcommittees, including oversight 
committees and policy committe es, are authorized: 
 
1.  to maintain a continuous review of the work of the state 
agencies concerned with their subject areas and the performance of 
the functions of government within each subject area; 
 
2.  to invite public officials, public employees, and private 
individuals to appear before the committees or subcommittees to 
submit information; 
 
3.  to request reports from departments and agencies performing 
functions reasonably related to the committees’ jurisdictions; 
 
4.  to complete the interim proje cts assigned by the Speaker; 
and 
 
5.  to conduct such other business as directed by the Speaker. 
 
(b) Each committee or subcommittee, including any oversight 
committee or policy committee, has the reasonable right and 
authority to inspect and investigate the books, records, papers, 
documents, data, operation, and physical plant of any public agency 
in this state. 
 
(c) The chairperson, vice –chairperson, or a member designated 
by the chairperson or vice –chairperson may administer all oaths and 
affirmations to witnesses who appear before such committees to 
testify in any matter requiring evidence. 
 
(d)  In order to carry out the duties of the committee, and its 
subcommittees, the chairperson of each committee with approval of 
the Speaker, may issue subpoenas and other necessary process to  ENR. H. R. NO. 1002 	Page 32 
compel the attendance of witnesses either before the committee or 
subcommittee or at deposition and the production of any books, 
letters, or other documentary evidence required by such committee. 
 
(e) In the event a committe e must subpoena a witness or 
witnesses, or otherwise subpoena production of documents, materials, 
or other evidence, such subpoenas shall be limited to matters 
reasonably related to the areas of legislative responsibility 
delegated to the committee and shall be within the reasonable scope 
of the committee's investigation. 
 
(f) If the committee shall require the deposition of witnesses, 
either residing within or without the state, such depositions shall 
be taken in the manner prescribed by law for the takin g of 
depositions in civil actions in the district courts.  Witnesses 
shall be paid the same fees and mileage as are paid in civil cases 
in district courts. 
 
CHAPTER B – CONFERENCE COMMITTEES 
 
7.14 – Appointment of Conference Committees 
 
(a) The House chairpersons, vice –chairpersons, and members of a 
conference committee shall be appointed by the Spea ker pursuant to 
Rule 1.9. 
 
(b) Once a measure is in conference, the chairperson of the 
standing conference committee to which the measure is assigned may, 
if requested by the principal author, schedule presentation of the 
measure. 
 
(c) No measure shall be assigned to a standing conference 
committee which does not include among its membership the 
chairperson and vice –chairperson of the standing committee from 
which the same measure was reported during General Order. 
 
7.15 – Presentation and Signatures on C onference Committee 
Reports 
 
(a) A conference committee report, other than one which 
proposes only restoration of the Title and/or Enacting Clause or 
states that conferees are unable to agree, shall be presented to a 
standing conference committee subject to the following requirements: 
  ENR. H. R. NO. 1002 	Page 33 
1.  the presentation shall not be scheduled earlier than the 
next calendar day after electronic publication; 
 
2.  the presentation shall be made in person; 
 
3.  no person except the principal House author of the measure 
or another House member designated by the principal House author 
shall present the report; 
 
4.  no member of the standing conference committee shall add 
their electronic signature to the report until such report is 
presented in person; and 
 
5.  the chairperson of the standing conference committee shall 
determine the procedures of the presentation, except as otherwise 
specifically provided for in these Rules. 
 
(b) Upon being opened for signature by the chairperson of the 
standing conference committee, a confe rence committee report which 
proposes only to restore the Title and/or Enacting Clause of a 
measure or states that conferees are unable to agree may be 
electronically signed by members of the standing conference 
committee.   
 
(c) Members of a standing con ference committee may add or 
remove their electronic signatures at any time prior to the time a 
House conference committee report is closed for submission or 
withdrawn by the principal House author. 
 
(d) Members of a standing conference committee may add or 
remove their electronic signatures at any time prior to the time a 
Senate conference committee report ceases to be in possession of the 
House of Representat ives. 
 
7.16 – Presentation Before Standing Conference Committee 
 
(a) All presentations made befo re standing conference 
committees shall be open to the public, subject to the authority of 
the chairperson to maintain order and decorum. 
 
(b) Members of the public may be allowed to speak about the 
proposed conference committee report that is being prese nted to the 
standing conference committee, subject to the authority of the 
chairperson to maintain order and decorum. 
  ENR. H. R. NO. 1002 	Page 34 
(c) All standing conference committees shall provide reasonable 
public notice of a presentation.  
 
(d) The notice shall state the date , time, and place of a 
presentation. 
 
(e) The notice shall include a listing and sufficient title for 
identification of the bills to be presented to the standing 
conference committee.  
 
7.17 – Timing of Presentations 
 
(a) The chairperson of a conference committee shall schedule a 
presentation of conference committee reports within the dates, 
times, and locations designated by the Speaker. 
 
(b) The chairperson of a conference committee shall not 
schedule presentation of a proposed conference committee re port 
during a floor session of the House without special leave from the 
Speaker. 
 
7.18 – Submission of House Conference Committee Reports 
 
Upon receipt of the electronic signatures of a majority of House 
conferees and the signatures of a majority of Senate conferees, the 
principal House author may submit the recommended House conference 
committee report to the Chief Clerk of the House. 
 
RULE EIGHT 
 
LEGISLATIVE PROCESS 
 
CHAPTER A – FIRST AND SECOND READING 
 
8.1 – Reading Defined 
 
“Reading” means the stage of consideration of a bill or joint 
resolution after reading or publishing of a portion of the title 
sufficient for identification, as determined by the Speaker. 
 
8.2 – First Reading 
 
The publication of a bill or joint resolution by its title and 
bill number in the House Journal shall satisfy the requirements of 
First Reading.  ENR. H. R. NO. 1002 	Page 35 
 
8.3 – Second Reading 
 
(a) After the First Reading of a bill or joint resolution, the 
bill or joint resolution shall be placed on the House Calendar under 
"Bills on Second Reading” or "Joint Resolutions on Second Reading", 
as the case may be. 
 
(b) On the Second Reading of a bill, the bill shall be read by 
Title only, unless otherwise ordered by the House, and shall be 
referred by the Speaker to an appropriate committee or directly to 
the House Calendar under the heading "Bills on General Order" or 
"Joint Resolutions on General Order", as the case may be. 
 
(c) Measures lacking substantive l anguage shall be assigned to 
a committee designated to receive them and prior to being scheduled 
for a committee hearing, substantive language must be electronically 
filed, unless waived by the Speaker. 
 
(d) No bill or joint resolution on First or Second Reading 
shall be subject to amendment or debate.  
 
8.4 – Management of Legislation and Committee Deadlines 
 
(a) The Speaker of the House, or designee, shall publish a list 
of measures to be considered by the House of Representatives, and 
the Speaker of the House, or designee, shall determine the order of 
their consideration.  
 
(b) No measure shall be scheduled for consideration unless the 
measure has been reported from a standing or special committee, or 
has been reported from an oversight committee, or has been referred 
directly to the General Order category of the House Calendar 
pursuant to Rule 1.4.  No measure shall be considered reported from 
a standing or special committee until the electronically signed 
committee report is filed with the Chief Cle rk of the House.   
 
(c) Upon adoption by the House of a motion to commit any 
measure to the House Rules Committee, a measure so committed shall 
not be subsequently returned by the Rules Committee with a favorable 
recommendation unless accompanied by a Special Rule adopted pursuant 
to Rule 8.5 prescribing how the measure will be considered by the 
House.  A measure so returned shall not be taken up for 
consideration prior to the Special Rule required herein being 
adopted by the House.  ENR. H. R. NO. 1002 	Page 36 
 
CHAPTER B – BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS ON GENERAL ORDER 
 
8.5 – Special Rules 
 
(a) The House Rules Committee may adopt a "special rule" for a 
measure scheduled or to be scheduled for consideration on the House 
Floor. 
 
(b) A special rule may limit the offering of amendments, may 
prescribe the time and conditions of debate, may govern floor 
consideration on Third or Fourth Reading of the bill, or may contain 
any other provisions deemed appropriate. 
 
(c) A special rule shall not become operational unless first 
presented to the full House in the form of a House resolution.  A 
House resolution reported by the Rules Committee for this purpose 
shall not be subject to amendment on the House Floor. 
 
8.6 – Special Orders 
 
(a) After a measure is scheduled for consideration on the House 
Floor, a two–thirds (2/3) majority of the House may vote to 
designate a measure as a “special ord er” to be taken up on a 
specific date or at a specific time.  Such a vote shall be recorded 
in the House Journal. 
 
(b) The provisions of this section shall no t apply on the final 
date for Third Reading in either regular session or on the date of 
sine die adjournment.   
 
8.7 – Reading and Explanation 
 
(a) A bill or joint resolution on General Order shall first be 
read by title, or read and considered by sections, unless otherwise 
ordered. 
 
(b) The member presenting a bill or joint resolution shall be 
allowed a reasonable length of time in which to explain the bill or 
resolution, but said explanations shall not include a discussion of 
the merits of the propositi on. 
 
(c) No bill or joint resolution on General Order shall be 
considered unless accompanied by a bill summary and, if adoption of 
the measure will have a fiscal impact, including the affecting of  ENR. H. R. NO. 1002 	Page 37 
revenues, expenditures , or fiscal liability, the summary shall 
contain a fiscal analysis. The fiscal analysis contained within a 
bill summary shall state the estimated increase or decrease in 
revenues or expenditures and the present and future fiscal 
implications of the bill, if applicable. 
 
(d) The accuracy of the bill summary or a fiscal or actuarial 
analysis contained within the bill summary shall not b e a basis for 
a point of order under these Rules. 
 
(e) No bill or joint resolution on General Order shall be 
considered until all opportunities provided by this Rule for filing 
proposed amendments shall be afforded the House. 
 
(f) In such case where no main floor amendment shall be timely 
filed as defined in Rule 8.8(b) or where no main floor amendments 
shall be offered except those amendments permitted under Rule 8.8(f) 
and (g), such measure shall become eligible for floor consideration 
upon the expiration. 
 
8.8 – Amendments 
 
(a) All House and Senate bills and joint resolutions when 
initially published on the Floor Calendar shall be subject to 
amendment beginning at the time of such publishing. 
 
(b) A main floor amendment must be filed no later than tw enty–
four (24) hours after a bill or joint resolution is initially 
published on the Floor Calendar, to be eligible for consideration. 
 
1.  Main floor amendment s are eligible for consideration if 
filed by the Principal Author after the twenty -four (24) hour 
deadline, but forty-eight (48) hours prior to consideration. 
 
(c) An amendment to a main floor amendment must be filed no 
later than forty–eight (48) hours after a bill or joint resolution 
is initially published on the Floor Calendar, to be eligible for 
consideration. 
 
1.  Main floor amendments filed pursuant to House Rule 8.8 
(b)(1) are subject to amendment provided such amendment to the main 
floor amendment is filed twenty-four (24) hours prior to 
consideration. 
  ENR. H. R. NO. 1002 	Page 38 
(d) Calendar days not concurrently desi gnated as legislative 
days shall not be considered when calculating the beginning and 
ending dates and times for bills initially published on the Floor 
Calendar and passing through the amendment cycle. 
 
(e) No amendment purporting to strike the Title or t he Enacting 
or Resolving Clause of any bill or joint resolution shall be in 
order except if filed by the Principal Author or as provided in 
paragraphs (f) and (g) of this section. 
 
(f) The Chairperson of the Rules Committee or the Majority 
Floor Leader shall be permitted to offer amendments to strike the 
Title or the Enacting or Resolving Clause of measures not affecting 
revenue or appropriations.  Amendments offered under this paragraph 
shall not be subject to the time constraints established by 
paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section, nor shall they be subject to 
the constraints on amending previously amended language established 
by Rule 8.9(b).  
 
(g) The Chairperson of the Appropriations and Budget Committee, 
or the Vice–chairperson of the Appropriation s and Budget Committee, 
shall be permitted to offer amendments to strike the Title or the 
Enacting or Resolving Clause of measures affecting revenue or 
appropriations.  Amendments offered under this paragraph shall not 
be subject to the time constraints es tablished by paragraphs (b) and 
(c) of this section, nor shall they be subject to the constraints on 
amending previously amended language established by Rule 8 .9(b). 
 
(h) In the event a bill or joint resolution is published on the 
Floor Calendar and then subsequently removed while time remains for 
filing floor amendments as provided in this Rule, such bill or joint 
resolution, if published again on the Floor Calendar, shall not be 
considered by the House until the remaining time for filing floor 
amendments is concluded.    
 
(i) When considering a measure section by section pursuant to 
Rule 8.7(a), a motion to strike a section when such section is under 
individual consideration shall not be subject to the time 
constraints established by this Rule for consid eration of regularly 
filed floor amendments.  
 
(j) When considering a measure section by section, the Title or 
Enacting or Resolving Clause of a bill or joint resolution may not 
be stricken except as provided in paragraphs (f) and (g) of this 
section.  ENR. H. R. NO. 1002 	Page 39 
 
8.9 – Consideration and Presentation 
 
(a) The House shall not consider more than one amendment at a 
time and amendments shall be taken up only as sponsors gain 
recognition from the presiding officer to move their adoption. 
 
(b) The adoption of an amendmen t to a section shall not 
preclude further amendment of that section so long as subsequent 
amendments do not purport to amend the same language previously 
amended.  If a bill is being considered section by section or item 
by item, only amendments to the sec tion or item under consideration 
shall be in order. 
 
(c) For the purpose of this Rule, an amendment shall be deemed 
pending only after its author has been rec ognized by the presiding 
officer and has moved its adoption. 
 
(d) The body of a bill or joint re solution shall not be defaced 
or interlined, but all proposed amendments shall be separately 
submitted, noting the page and line, and shall be considered timely 
filed only if the principal author of the amendment has 
electronically submitted such amendment in completed form to the 
Office of the Chief Clerk within the time constraints provided in 
Rule 8.8(b) and (c). 
 
(e) Any measure of the type delineated in Ru le 7.11(a) and (b) 
that is scheduled for floor consideration shall have a bill summary 
prepared prior to its consideration. 
 
8.10 – Floor Substitutes 
 
(a) The House of Representatives shall not consider any 
amendment to a main floor amendment offered in the form of a floor 
substitute.  An amendment to a main floor amendment shall be deemed 
a floor substitute only if adoption of the proposed amendment to a 
main floor amendment would result in replacement of all sections of 
the measure in question other than the section containing the 
effective date or emergency clause. Floor substitutes are 
amendable. 
 
(b) Floor substitutes shall be accompanied by a summary which 
shall include a description of the differences between the floor 
version and the floor substitute. 
  ENR. H. R. NO. 1002 	Page 40 
8.11 – Amendment of General Appropriations Bill 
 
Whenever an amendment is offered to a Gene ral Appropriations 
Bill that would increase any line item of such bill, such amendment 
shall show the amount by line item of the increase and shall 
decrease a line item or items within the same bill in an amount or 
amounts equivalent to or greater than the increase required by the 
amendment. 
 
8.12 – Amendment Summary 
 
(a) All proposed amendments to bills or joint resolutions shall 
be accompanied by a written summary and, if adoption of the 
amendment will have a fiscal impact, including the affecting of 
revenues, expenditures or fiscal liability, the summary shall 
contain a fiscal analysis upon being filed with the Office of the 
Chief Clerk.  The fiscal analysis shall state the estimated increase 
or decrease in revenues or expenditures and the present and fu ture 
fiscal implications of passage of the amended bill, if applicable.  
The summary shall not express comment or opinion relative to the 
merits of the amendment proposed.  The requirements of this section 
shall not apply to amendments purporting to strike the Title or the 
Enacting or Resolving Clause of any bill or joint resolution. 
 
(b) Except as may be otherwise required by the Oklahoma Pension 
Legislation Actuarial Analysis Act, all amendments to bills or joint 
resolutions affecting any retirement syst em authorized by law shall 
be accompanied by a summary which shall include an estimate and 
actuarial analysis of the present and future fiscal implications of 
passage of the amended bill.  The estimate and actuarial analysis 
contained in the summary shall be prepared by an actuary engaged by 
the House of Representatives. 
 
(c) The accuracy of an amendment summary or a fiscal or 
actuarial analysis contained withi n the written summary shall not be 
a basis for a point of order under these Rules. 
 
8.13 – Germaneness of House Amendments 
 
The House shall not consider any proposed amendment not germane 
to the subject of the House bill or resolution.  An amendment to a 
main amendment must be germane to both the main amendment and the 
measure which it purports to ame nd. 
 
8.14 – Amendments Out of Order  ENR. H. R. NO. 1002 	Page 41 
 
An amendment is out of order if it is the principal substance of 
a bill or resolution that has received an unfavorable com mittee 
report, has been withdrawn from further consideration by the 
principal author, or has not been reported favorably by the 
committee of reference in either session of the current Legislature 
and may not be offered to a bill or resolution on the Floor Calendar 
and under consideration by the House.  Any amendment that is 
substantially the same, and identical as to specific intent and 
purpose, as the bill or resolution residing in the committee of 
reference is covered by this Rule, unless the bill or reso lution 
under amendment is substantially the same as the bill or resolution 
residing in the commit tee of reference. 
 
8.15 – Reconsideration 
 
A motion to reconsider any vote on the adoption or rejection of 
an amendment, or the adoption or rejection of a section of any bill 
or joint resolution, may be made by any member prior to the 
advancement of such m easure from General Order, which motion shall 
be subject to debate.  The motion to reconsider may be laid on the 
table without affecting the question in refere nce to which the 
motion is made, thereby resulting in a final disposition of the 
motion. 
 
8.16 – Motion to Commit 
 
A motion may be made during the reading or consideration of any 
bill or joint resolution on General Order to commit the bill to a 
standing or special committee, with or without instructions.  A 
motion to commit with instructions shall be electronically submitted 
to the Office of the Chief Clerk prior to consideration by the 
House. 
 
8.17 – Motion to Advance from General Order 
 
A motion to advance a bill or joint resolution from General 
Order shall not be in order until all opportunities pro vided by this 
Rule for filing proposed amendments shall be afforded the House.  
Once a motion to advance from General Order has been adopted, the 
bill or resolution shall be considered engrossed and on Third 
Reading. 
 
CHAPTER C – BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTION S ON THIRD READING OR FOURTH 
READING  ENR. H. R. NO. 1002 	Page 42 
 
8.18 – Consideration and Debate 
 
(a) After Third Reading or Fourth Reading of a bill or joint 
resolution, the presiding officer shall put the question in the 
following manner: “The Question Before the House is, shall the Bill 
or Joint Resolution Pass?” 
 
(b) After Third Reading or Fourth Reading but before the vote 
is ordered, unless prohibited by Rule 8.21, the question shall be 
subject to debate.  
 
(c) As governed by paragraph (b) of this section, debate shall 
be limited to one (1) hour, equally divided between the proponents 
and opponents of the question, provided that no member may speak for 
more than ten (10) minutes. 
 
(d) Any measure that lacks a title, enacting clause, or 
resolving clause shall not be subject t o debate. 
 
(e) Five (5) minutes of the time allocated to the proponents of 
the bill or joint resolution shall be reserved to the principal 
author, and the principal author shall have the right to close the 
debate.  
 
(f) The question of passage of a bill or joint resolution on 
Third or Fourth Reading shall be decided by recorded vote after 
declaration of the question by the presiding officer.  
 
(g) Any measure of the type delineated in Rule 7.11(a) and (b) 
that is scheduled for floor consideration shall have a bill summary 
prepared prior to its consideration. 
 
8.19 – Amendments 
 
No bill or joint resolution on Third or Fourth Reading shall be 
subject to amendment.  
 
8.20 – Consideration of Emergency Clause 
 
(a) When any bill or joint resolution containin g a title and 
enacting clause is being considered on Third Reading or Fourth 
Reading, and such a bill or joint resolution contains an emergency 
clause, the emergency clause shall constitute a separate question 
and shall be subject to debate.  ENR. H. R. NO. 1002 	Page 43 
 
(b) When any bill or joint resolution lacking a title or 
enacting clause is being considered on Third Reading and such a bill 
or joint resolution contains an emergency clause, the House shall 
not consider the emergency clause.  The vote on Third Reading shall 
be considered the vote on the emergency clause and shall be recorded 
as such in the House Journal. 
 
8.21 – Consideration of Conference Committee Reports and Senate 
Amendments 
 
(a) Motions to accept or reject Senate amendments or to adopt 
or reject conference comm ittee reports may be arranged on a calendar 
or upon such calendars as may be directed by the Speaker of the 
House, or designee. 
 
(b) The House shall not consider adoption of a conference 
committee report or a joint committee report until a majority of 
both the House and Senate members constituting the conference 
committee or joint committee have adopted or signed the report.  Ex 
officio members of a House confe rence committee may electronically 
sign a conference committee report and shall count towards a 
majority of signatures as required by this paragraph; however, such 
ex officio members shall not be included when calculating the number 
of signatures required to constitute a majority of the membership of 
a House conference committee. 
 
(c) The House shall not consider a motion to adopt a Senate 
amendment, a House conference committee report, or a House joint 
committee report unless it is limited to matters germ ane to the bill 
or resolution. 
 
(d) A motion to adopt or reject a Senate amendment, conference 
committee report, or a joint committee report shall be subject to 
debate.  Debate shall be limited to one (1) hour, equally divided 
between the proponents and the opponents of the motion, provided 
that no member may speak for more than ten (10) minutes. 
 
(e) If debate is requested and entertained on the question of 
adoption of a Senate amendment or a conference committee report, no 
further debate shall be permit ted on Fourth Reading and final 
passage of the same measure. 
  ENR. H. R. NO. 1002 	Page 44 
(f) If debate is requested and ent ertained on the question of 
adoption of a joint committee report, no further debate shall be 
permitted on Third Reading and final passage of the same measure. 
 
8.22 – Transparency in Conference 
 
(a) A summary of the changes contained in a conference 
committee report shall be made available prior to consideration of 
the report by the House.  
 
(b) All conference committee reports whose adoption will have a 
fiscal impact shall be accompanied by a fiscal analysis. 
 
(c) A conference committee report may be c onsidered for 
adoption only if said report has been published on the joint 
conference calendar one (1) legislative day before consideration of 
the report.  
 
(d) A motion to reject a joint committee report with 
instructions or a motion to reject a conferen ce committee report 
with instructions shall not be considered unless said instructions 
are electronically submitted to the Chief Clerk of the House prior 
to the time the principal House author of the measure is initially 
recognized to present the joint com mittee report or the conference 
committee report to the House of Representatives.  
 
RULE NINE 
 
CHAMBER PROTOCOL 
 
9.1 – Daily Order of Business 
 
(a) The following Order of Business shall be followed each day: 
 
1.  Roll Call; 
 
2.  Prayer, the timing of whi ch shall be left to the discretion 
of the Majority Floor Leader; 
 
3.  Inspirational Message by Chaplain on Thursday mornings, the 
timing of which shall be left to the discretion of the Majority 
Floor Leader; 
  ENR. H. R. NO. 1002 	Page 45 
4.  Introduction of the Veteran of the Week on Monday mornings, 
the timing of which shall be left to the discretion of the Majority 
Floor Leader; 
 
5.  Pledge of Allegiance, the timing of which shall be left to 
the discretion of the Majority Floor Leader; 
 
6.  Introduction of a Doctor and/or Nurse of th e Day, the timing 
of which shall be left to the discretion of the Majority Floor 
Leader; 
 
7.  Correction of the Previous Day's Journal; 
 
8.  House and Senate Bills and Joint Resolutions on Second 
Reading, the timing of which shall be left to the discretion of the 
Majority Floor Leader; 
 
9.  Assignment or Reassignment of Bills and Resolutions, the 
timing of which shall be left to the discretion of the Majority 
Floor Leader; 
 
10.  Bills, Resolutions, Conference Committee Reports, and Joint 
Committee Reports scheduled by the Speaker of the House, or 
designee; and 
 
11.  Motions placing new business before the House.  The 
Majority Floor Leader may schedule said motion s at his or her 
discretion. 
 
(b) If no measure is pending before the House, the Presiding 
Officer shall give the Majority Floor Leader preference for 
recognition. 
 
9.2 – Enforcement of House Rules, Order, and Decorum 
 
(a) The presiding officer shall enforce, apply, and interpret 
the Rules of the House in all deliberations.  While in the Chamber, 
the presiding officer shall preserve order and decorum, shall 
prevent personal reflections or the impugning of the motive of any 
member, and shall at all times co nfine members to the question under 
discussion. 
 
(b) When two (2) or more members seek recogniti on at the same 
time, the presiding officer shall name the one entitled to the 
floor.  The presiding officer shall not recognize any member who has  ENR. H. R. NO. 1002 	Page 46 
risen or remains standing while another member is speaking.  No 
member shall be entitled to be recognized to speak unless the member 
seeks recognition from the member's own desk. 
 
(c) On all questions relative to the transgression of these 
Rules, the presiding office r shall call the members to order.  In 
such case the member so called to order shall sit down and shall not 
rise except to explain said member's actions or to proceed in order.   
 
(d) Any member may rise to a point of order against any other 
member when, in the member's opinion, such member is proceeding out 
of order.  The member raising the point of order must cite the 
specific rule the member believes is in conflict.  Such point of 
order shall be decided by the presiding officer without debate. 
 
(e) Any decision by the Speaker on a point of order is subject 
to an appeal to the House made in a timel y manner by any member 
should the member or the House be aggrieved by such decision.  Such 
appeal must be seconded by a minimum of one –fifteenth (1/15) of the 
membership of the House.  Members desiring to second an appeal shall 
signify by rising. 
 
(f) The question of an appeal shall be put in the following 
form: "The question is, shall the decision of the presiding officer 
be the decision of the House?  All tho se in favor signify by voting 
'Aye'; those opposed 'Nay'. The vote is now in progress." 
 
(g) All appeals shall be decided by a recorded vote and without 
debate, except that the member taking said appeal shall have one (1) 
minute within which to state the reasons for the member's appeal 
during which they cannot yield to questions and the Chair may st ate 
the reasons for the Chair's decision.  The member’s appeal must 
relate to the decision in question and may not pertain to the merits 
of any matter or legis lation not related to the decision of the 
Chair. 
 
(h) When a point of order is called, no member shall approach 
the presiding officer or the Chief Parliamentarian until after the 
presiding officer has ruled.  If requested by the presiding officer, 
the Majority Floor Leader may confer with the presiding officer 
regarding matters not pertaining to the point of order. 
 
(i) The presiding officer shall not entertain points of order 
pertaining to the constitutionality of a measure itself nor shall  ENR. H. R. NO. 1002 	Page 47 
the presiding officer entertain points of order pertaining to the 
constitutionality of a measure's title. 
 
(j) While a question is pending, Members are prohibited from 
referencing visitors in the House Gallery. 
 
(k) The presiding officer may direct a Member's vote to be 
removed from the electronic voting machine if the Member is in 
breach of House Rules while th e vote is open. 
 
9.3 – Procedure 
 
(a) When the ayes and nays are ordered, the presiding officer 
shall put the question in the following form:  "All those in f avor 
signify by voting 'Aye'; those opposed 'Nay'.  The vote is now in 
progress."  
 
(b) As governed by Rules 6.7(e), 7.6(d), 8.13, and 8.21(c), the 
House shall not consider in either session of the current 
Legislature any measure originating in the House of Representatives 
if said measure has been amended by the insertion of matter not 
germane to the subject of the bill or resolution. Points of order 
related to germaneness must be raised at the time the amendment is 
considered. 
 
9.4 – Debate 
 
(a) Except as otherwise specifically provided in these Rules, 
when a debatable question is before the House, such debate shall be 
limited to fifteen (15) minutes, equally divided between the 
proponents and opponents of the question.  Under no circumstances 
shall a member debate twice on the same question, nor shall any 
member speak longer than ten (10) minutes o n the same question. 
 
(b) When a debatable question is before the House, any member 
may move that the time for debate on such question be extended.  For 
adoption, such motion need only receive a majority of those voting, 
a quorum being present. 
 
(c) No member debating any question shall be interrupted by 
questions until said member has finished the member's remarks, and 
all time taken in asking and answering questions shall be deducted 
from the time allotted to said member. 
  ENR. H. R. NO. 1002 	Page 48 
(d) Debate offered in the Ho use of Representatives shall in all 
cases be directed to the presiding officer in the form of Mister or 
Madam Speaker as the case may be. 
 
9.5 – Privileges 
 
(a) Questions and motions of privilege shall be:  First, those 
affecting the rights of the House c ollectively, its safety, dignity, 
and the integrity of its proceedings; Second, the right, reputation, 
and conduct of its members individually in their representative 
capacity only, and shall have precedence over all other questions, 
except motions to adjo urn.  
 
(b) No member who obtains the floor on a question of personal 
privilege, or on a question of privileges of the House, shall debate 
any question, matter , or measure then pending in the House, or in 
any standing or special committee of the House, nor shall the member 
be allowed to yield the floor for questions from other members. 
 
9.6 – Voting and Division 
 
(a) The electronic voting machine shall be used to record the 
vote whenever the ayes and nays are required or ordered.  The 
machine shall also be used to determine the presence of a quorum or 
to determine the numerical count where a division is requested and 
ordered.  In the event the machine is not ope rating properly, all 
votes and determinations of quorums may be taken by calling the 
roll.  If a member's voting device is out of order, the member shall 
rise and so announce to the presiding officer and cast said member's 
vote orally prior to the declaration of the result of the vote.  
Every member shall vote providing the member is in the Chamber at 
the time the vote is in progress. 
 
(b) The electronic voting machine shall be under the control of 
the presiding officer and shall be operated by such clerk as the 
presiding officer so designates.  At a reasonable time prior to any 
vote being taken, the presiding officer shall announce that a vote 
is about to be taken.  When any member other than the Speaker is 
presiding, the member shall use the roll call switch located at the 
presiding officer's position upon the dais.  When the Speaker is not 
presiding, the Speaker may direct the presiding officer to activate 
the Speaker's roll call switch in the manner requested by the 
Speaker.  Any member who is present in the Chamber or is within the 
view of the presiding officer while a vote is in progress may direc t 
another member to activate said member's roll call switch in the  ENR. H. R. NO. 1002 	Page 49 
manner requested by that member or may use the designated electronic 
voting station.  The presiding officer, while a vote is in progress, 
may at his or her discretion, direct the clerk to a ctivate another 
member’s roll call switch if the member is within the view of the 
presiding officer while a vote is in progress. 
 
(c) When sufficient time has elapsed for each member to vote, 
the presiding officer shall ask if any members present desire t o 
vote or change their vote.  Following such inquiry and before the 
electronic voting machine is locked, any member may be excused from 
voting, pursuant to the provisions of Article V, Section 24 of the 
Oklahoma Constitution. 
 
(d) The presiding officer sh all then lock the machine and 
instruct the clerk to record the vote.  The clerk shall immediately 
activate the recording equipment and, when the vote is comple tely 
recorded, shall advise the presiding officer of the result, and the 
presiding officer shall announce the result to the House. No vote 
may be changed after it has been recorded. 
 
(e) No member may vote for another member, nor may any person 
cast a vote for a member, except as otherwise provided in this rule. 
A member who votes for another member, except as herein provided, 
may be punished in a manner the House determines.  A person voting 
for a member, when not authorized by this rule, shall be barred from 
the Chamber and may be further punished as the House considers 
proper. 
 
(f) When a division is requested and ordered, those in the 
affirmative or the negative, as the case may be, shall cast their 
votes accordingly and the clerk shall activate the electronic voting 
machine so as to reflect the individual ayes and nays and the 
numerical count, but no permanent record thereof shall be made.  
When the vote is completed, the clerk shall advise the presiding 
officer of the result, and the presiding officer shall announce the 
result to the House.  In the event the machine is not operating 
properly, those in the affirmative shall arise from their seats and 
stand until they are counted aloud by the clerk, then those voting 
in the negative shall arise and stand until they are counted, and 
the presiding officer shall announce the result. 
 
(g) Except as provided in Rule 8.20(b), all votes on final 
passage of bills and resolutions, or the emergency clause thereof, 
shall be by recorded votes.  One –fifteenth (1/15) of the members 
present, a quorum being present, may demand a recorded vote on any  ENR. H. R. NO. 1002 	Page 50 
proposition, or the presiding officer may order a recorded vote upon 
the presiding officer's own initiative.  All such recorded votes 
shall be published in the House Journal. 
 
9.7 – Conduct During Voting 
 
(a) While a vote is in progress and until the completion of a 
vote, and the announcement of the result, no member shall be 
recognized and no other business shall be transacted. 
 
(b) No explanation of any vote shall be permi tted while a vote 
is in progress or after a vote has been cast, except pursuant to 
Article V, Section 24, of the Oklahoma Constitution. 
 
(c) No member, House employee, or other person shall visit or 
remain by the Reading Clerk or his or her assistant while a vote is 
in progress. 
 
9.8 – Previous Question 
 
When a debatable question is before the House , any member may 
move the Previous Question.  It shall be put in the following form: 
"The Previous Question has been moved.  The Question is, shall the 
House cease debate and vote immediately on the pending question?"  
If the motion for the Previous Questi on passes, the pending question 
shall be put immediately and no member shall be heard to debate it 
further or seek to amend it. 
 
9.9 – Motion to Advance Question 
 
When a debatable question is before the House, any member may 
move to Advance the Question.  If the motion to Advance the Question 
passes, no further amendments to the matter considered shall be 
allowed and debate shall be limited to fifteen (15) minut es, equally 
divided between the proponents and opponents of the question, 
provided that no member may speak for more than five (5) minutes.  
After debate is concluded, the question shall be put immediately. 
 
9.10 – Reconsideration 
 
(a) The final vote on Third Reading or Fourth Reading on any 
bill or joint resolution, or on the emergency clause thereo f, or the 
final vote on adoption of a simple or concurrent resolution, may be 
reconsidered only if a member serves notice immediately after such 
final vote is taken prior to the consideration of any other  ENR. H. R. NO. 1002 	Page 51 
business, of said member's intention to present a m otion to 
reconsider such action, and the presiding officer shall afford any 
member such opportunity prior to proceeding to consideration of any 
other business. 
 
(b) Unless presented and considered within three (3) 
legislative days, including the day upon which notice is served, a 
motion to reconsider shall be considered as having failed of 
adoption and the measure shall be treated as if the notice had never 
been lodged. 
 
(c) A motion to reconsider may be offered immediately or upon 
the same day the final vote is taken by the member who served 
notice, or by another member with said member's consent.  On the 
last day of the reconsideration period, any member may seek 
recognition for a motion to reconsider. 
 
(d) Motions to reconsider shall be disposed of bef ore the close 
of business on the last day of the time period specified for Third 
Reading and final passage for House and Senate measures. 
 
(e) On the last day of the time period specified for Third 
Reading and final passage for House and Senate measures, a motion to 
reconsider, lodged either upon that same day or upon the two (2) 
prior legislative days, may be offered by any member upon being 
recognized for such motion by the presiding officer.  
 
(f) On any day established as a deadline in Joint Rule 7, no 
motion to reconsider shall be recognized except immediately after a 
final vote is taken and prior to the consideration of any other 
business.  A member may move to reconsider which motion shall be 
taken up immediately. 
 
(g) For adoption, a motion to r econsider must receive a 
majority vote of those elected to and constituting the House.  Only 
one (1) reconsideration of the final vote on a bill, resolution, or 
emergency clause shall be allowed.  Except as otherwise specifically 
provided in Rule 8.15, no question shall be subject to 
reconsideration in the House. 
 
9.11 – Measures Vetoed By The Governor 
 
(a) When a bill or joint resolution is returned to the Hou se 
because of a veto by the Governor, a motion to vote to override the 
veto shall be in order.  ENR. H. R. NO. 1002 	Page 52 
 
(b) A motion to vote to override a veto by the Governor is 
debatable.  Such debate shall be limited to thirty (30) minutes, 
equally divided between the proponents and opponents of the 
question; provided, that no member may speak for more than ten (10) 
minutes. 
 
(c) Prior to consideration of a motion to override the 
Governor’s veto, if the returned bill or joint resolution was 
accompanied by a message of explana tion, such message shall be 
published to the House of Representatives as determined by the 
presiding officer.   
 
9.12 – Quorum 
 
(a) At any time during the daily sessions of the House, a 
member recognized by the presiding officer may raise a question as 
to the presence of a quorum. If the presiding officer cannot 
ascertain whether or not there is a q uorum, he or she shall, without 
debate, forthwith direct that the electronic voting machine be 
activated to determine the presence or absence of a quorum, and 
shall announce the result. 
 
(b) Whenever it shall be ascertained that a quorum is not 
present, the members present may, by motion adopted by a majority of 
those voting, direct the Chief Sergeant at Arms to request and, if 
necessary, to compel the presence of absent members, which motion 
shall be considered without debate.  Pending its execution and u ntil 
a quorum shall be present, no motion or debate, except to adjourn to 
a day and time certain, shall be in order.  
 
RULE TEN 
 
MOTIONS 
 
10.1 – Precedence of Motions 
 
Pending questions shall rank in precedence as set forth below in 
paragraphs (a) through (e) of this section.  Questions or motions 
not listed in this section shall be treated in the same manner as 
other motions of the same class. 
 
(a) Privileged Motions 
  ENR. H. R. NO. 1002 	Page 53 
Call of the House, quorum not present (not amendable – not 
debatable; see Rule 10.5(c) ; not subject to motion to table) 
 
To adjourn (not amendable – not debatable; see Rule 12.1 (b); 
not subject to motion to table) 
 
To adjourn to a time certain (amendable – not debatable; not 
subject to motion to table) 
 
To recess (amendable – not debatable; not subject to motion to 
table) 
 
(b) Questions of Privilege 
 
Questions and motions of privilege (as governed by Rule 9.5; 
subject to motion to table) 
 
Call of the House, quorum present (not amendable – debatable; 
see Rule 10.5; subject to motion to tabl e) 
 
To work under the Call of the House (not amendable – debatable; 
see Rule 10.5; subject to motion to table) 
 
Question of presence of quorum (not amendable – debatable; 
subject to motion to table) 
 
(c) Incidental Motions 
 
Appeals (not amendable – not debatable, except as governed by 
Rule 9.2; subject to motion to table) 
 
Points of Order (not amendable – not debatable; not subject to 
motion to table)   
 
Parliamentary inquiries or like requests for information (not 
amendable – not debatable; not subject t o motion to table) 
 
Requests for leave to withdraw a motion or question under 
consideration (not amendable – not debatable; see Rule 10.4; not 
subject to motion to table) 
 
Suspension of the Rules (not amendable – not debatable; not 
subject to motion to tab le)  
  ENR. H. R. NO. 1002 	Page 54 
Objection to consideration of a question (not amendable – not 
debatable; not subject to motion to table) 
 
Divide the Question (amendable – not debatable; subject to 
motion to table) 
 
Method of consideration (amendable – not debatable; not subject 
to motion to table) 
 
Question of priority (not amendable – not debatable; not subject 
to motion to table) 
 
Reading of papers (not amendable – not debatable; not s ubject to 
motion to table) 
 
(d) Subsidiary Motions 
 
To advance from General Order (not amendable – not debatable; 
not subject to motion to table) 
 
To table (not amendable – not debatable; not subject to itself) 
 
To put the previous question (not amendable – not debatable; the 
motion to put the previous question is applicable to all debatable 
questions regardless of rank; subject to motion to table) 
 
To Advance the Question (not amendable – not debatable; subject 
to motion to table) 
 
To extend time allocate d for debate (amendable – not debatable; 
subject to motion to table) 
 
To postpone to a time certa in (amendable – debatable; not 
subject to motion to table) 
 
To commit without instructions (not amendable – not debatable, 
except as to propriety of committing bill, resolution or main 
question; not subject to motion to table) 
 
To amend (amendable – debatable; subject to motion to table) 
 
To postpone indefinitely (not amendable – debatable; subject to 
motion to table) 
 
(e) Main Motions   ENR. H. R. NO. 1002 	Page 55 
 
A main motion shall be defined as a substantive proposal such as 
a bill, resolution, or any other question which require s passage, 
adoption, rejection, approval, or disapproval by the House of 
Representatives. 
 
Main questions include but are not limited to the following and 
shall rank in precedence as set forth below.  All main motions shall 
be subject to motion to table. 
 
To fix the date and time to adjourn sine die (amendable – 
debatable) 
 
To reconsider (not amendable – debatable) 
 
To rescind (not amendable – debatable) 
 
To adopt a Senate amendment (not amendable – debatable) 
 
To reject a Senate amendment (not amendable – debatable) 
 
To reject a Senate amendment with instructions (not amendable – 
instructions not amendable – debatable) 
 
To adopt a conference committee report/joint committee report 
(not amendable – debatable) 
 
To reject a conference committee report/joint co mmittee report 
(not amendable – debatable) 
 
To reject a conference committee report/joint committee report 
with instructions (not amendable – instructions not amendable – 
debatable) 
 
To commit with instructions (instructions amendable – debatable) 
 
To override the veto of the Governor (not amendable – debatable) 
 
To schedule a special order (amendable only as to time – 
debatable only as to question of setting the special order – measure 
itself not open to debate) 
 
Any other main question not specifically l isted shall be taken 
up in the order offered. 
  ENR. H. R. NO. 1002 	Page 56 
10.2 – Motions in Writing 
 
Every motion shall be rendered in writing as ordered by the 
presiding officer and may be read by the clerk before debate or vote 
if so ordered by the presiding officer.  All motions shall be put by 
the presiding officer prior to debate and prior to ordering the 
vote. 
 
10.3 – Vote Required for Adoption of Motions 
 
Except as otherwise specifically required by these Rules, or 
required by the Oklahoma Constitution, any motion, for adoptio n, 
need only receive a majority of those voting, a quorum being 
present. 
 
10.4 – Withdrawal of Motions 
 
(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this sectio n, prior 
to commencement of debate thereon, or prior to action being taken 
thereon if there be no debate, any motion may be withdrawn by the 
member offering the motion.  Otherwise, such motion may be withdrawn 
only upon adoption of a motion to withdraw. 
 
(b) When a bill or resolution is under consideration within the 
House, the principal author or th e member designated to present the 
bill or resolution on behalf of the principal author may withdraw 
said measure at any time prior to the vote being ordered o n final 
passage of the bill or resolution. 
 
10.5 – Call of the House 
 
(a) Call of the House may be moved at any time by any member, 
but must be seconded by fifteen (15) members.  If there are more 
than three–fourths (3/4) of the House present at the time the motion 
is made, the motion must be seconded by thirty (30) members.  If 
such motion prevails, the business pending shall be suspended, the 
roll shall be taken, and the names of the absentees ascertained.  
The Chief Sergeant at Arms shall then be direct ed by the presiding 
officer to compel the attendance of the absent members.  After one 
(1) hour has expired, the roll shall again be taken and absent 
members noted in the Journal, and the business suspended upon the 
roll call shall proceed.  If, however, before the expiration of the 
hour, all absent members, not otherwise excused, shall appear, the 
business pending shall then proceed. 
  ENR. H. R. NO. 1002 	Page 57 
(b) If a Call of the House be ordered, a motion to "work under 
the Call of the House" shall be in order and, if adopted, t he House 
shall proceed with any other business at hand except that 
interrupted by a Call of the H ouse. 
 
(c) The Speaker, seconded by five (5) members, may move a Call 
of the House and send for absent members, provided there not be a 
quorum present.  In all cases where an absent member shall be sent 
for and fails to attend in obedience to the summons, the report of 
the Chief Sergeant at Arms shall be entered in the Journal. 
 
RULE ELEVEN 
 
GENERAL PROVISIONS 
 
11.1 – Investigations 
 
(a) No special committee e stablished for the purpose of 
considering articles of impeachment or any other type of 
investigation shall be formed unless first authorized by a House 
resolution or by the Speaker.  
 
(b) If authorized by House resolution, the resolution shall 
define the duties and time period during which the committee shall 
exist.  Any member or members requesting the investigation shall not 
serve as chairperson of the special committee. 
 
(c) Special committees established under this section shall, 
upon convening, adopt such rules and procedures as shall be 
determined by the committee to be in the best interest o f the House 
of Representatives.  
 
11.2 – Distribution Within House of Representatives 
 
(a) No object or item of literature shall be distributed on the 
House Floor in anticipation of or while the House is meeting in 
session except upon the sponsorship of a member of the House of 
Representatives whose name shall appear on each individual object or 
item of literature to be distributed. 
 
(b) All objects or items of literature distributed within the 
areas of the Capitol Building assigned to the House of 
Representatives shall display the name of the person or entity 
distributing such materials. 
  ENR. H. R. NO. 1002 	Page 58 
(c) The selling of goods or services is prohibited in the areas 
of the Capitol Building assigned to the House of Representatives 
except as authorized by the Speaker o r designee. 
 
11.3 – Honorary Appointments 
 
No honorary appointments shall be recorded in the House Journal. 
 
11.4 – Lobbying 
 
(a) All lobbying activities dire cted at the House shall be 
governed by Title 74, Section 4249 through 4255 of the Oklahoma 
Statutes and such other applicable rules lawfully promulgated by the 
Oklahoma Ethics Commission. 
 
(b) No monetary contributions shall be accepted by any member 
or his or her staff on Capitol property at any time. 
 
11.5 – Designated Smoking Areas 
 
No person shall smoke or vape within those parts of the Capitol 
Building assigned to the House.  
 
11.6 – Members of the Press 
 
No persons shall be admitted to the designate d press area in the 
House Gallery except members, House staff authorized by the Speaker, 
members of the press bearing permits signed by the Speaker, or 
designee, and the chairpersons of the Capitol Press organizations 
and guests with the written permission of the Speaker and the 
chairpersons of the Capitol Press organizations. 
 
11.7 – Legislative Records 
 
(a) Records that are required to be created by these Rules or 
that are of vital, permanent, or archival value shall be maintained 
in the Office of the Ch ief Clerk. 
 
(b) Other records that are no longer needed for any purpose and 
that do not have suf ficient administrative, legal, or fiscal 
significance to warrant their retention shall be disposed of 
systematically. 
  ENR. H. R. NO. 1002 	Page 59 
(c) A digital recording shall be made of each day’s session by 
the Office of the Chief Clerk which shall be compiled and stored on 
a digital device suitable for archival purposes. 
 
(d) The committee staff assigned to each existing committee 
shall ensure compliance with this Rule for all record s created or 
received by the committee or for a former committee whose 
jurisdiction has been assi gned to the committee. 
 
(e) The Speaker and all House officers under the direction of 
the Speaker shall ensure compliance with this Rule for all records 
created or received by their respective offices and their 
predecessors in office. 
 
(f) All records required by Rule 7 shall be made available on 
the House website at least for the duration of the Session. 
 
(g) Members shall submit a written request to the Chi ef Clerk 
and Chief Parliamentarian to have the House Journal reflect a 
Member's voting intention within one (1) legislative day of the 
original vote. 
 
11.8 – Technical Corrections 
 
(a) The Office of Engrossing and Enrolling is authorized to 
correct misspelled words, citations, doublets, grammatical errors, 
or repeated words when engrossing House bill s or joint resolutions, 
or House amendments to engrossed Senate bills or joint resolutions. 
 
(b) When engrossing or enrolling House bills or joint 
resolutions, preparing House amendments to engrossed Senate bills or 
joint resolutions, and when preparing c ommittee reports, the House 
staff is authorized to:  
 
1.  remove sections from a bill or joint resolution labeled as 
amendatory but which consist entirely of existing law and contain no 
amendments to the existing law; 
 
2.  incorporate amendments to sectio ns of law in the bill or 
joint resolution which are contained in legislation enacted 
previously during the same Legislature and amending the same 
sections of law and repeal such previous versions of the section at 
issue if, in the opinion of the House lega l staff, the incorporation 
of such amendments and repeal of the previous version would clearly  ENR. H. R. NO. 1002 	Page 60 
not conflict with the amendments contained in the legislation at 
issue;  
 
3.  modify sections of such measures which provide for a measure 
to become effective on July 1 or on a date earlier than ninety (90) 
days after the date of anticipated sine die adjournment to read to 
reflect an effective date of ninety (90) days after the date of 
actual sine die adjournment, or to delete such sections, if the 
emergency clause has failed to receive the required number of votes 
for passage; 
 
4.  delete language in such sections of such measures which 
provide for a measure to become effective on a date prior to such 
engrossment or enrollment; 
 
5.  modify the effective date of ca rry over bills by striking 
the effective date; and 
 
6.  draft a referendum clause and ballot title if a measure is 
deemed a revenue-raising measure pursuant to Rule 6.11 and is 
adopted but fails to receive a three –fourths (3/4) vote in both 
Chambers. 
 
11.9 – Convening Restrictions 
 
No legislative day shall begin between the hours of 12:00 
midnight and 8:00 a.m. on any calendar day. 
 
11.10 – Security 
 
Upon convening in regular or special session, no member of the 
House of Representatives, without the express permission of the 
Chief Sergeant at Arms, shall enter upon the roof of the Capitol 
Building within the areas adjacent to the hall of the House.  
 
11.11 – Utilization of House Resources 
 
Caucuses, other than the Majority and Minority Caucuses, must 
register with the Chief Clerk if they use any House resources. Such 
registration shall include a listing of all members and invited 
guests of the Caucus and their organizational documents. The Chief 
Sergeant at Arms shall be notified, in advance, if invited gu ests 
will be attending any caucus functions. 
 
RULE TWELVE  ENR. H. R. NO. 1002 	Page 61 
 
ADJOURNMENT OR RECESS 
 
12.1 – Motion to Adjourn or Recess 
 
(a) When a motion to adjourn or recess i s adopted, no member or 
officer shall leave said member's or officer's place until the 
adjournment or recess shall be declared by the presiding officer. 
 
(b) When the House adjourns it shall be to 1:30 p.m. of the 
succeeding legislative day unless another day and/or hour be 
specifically named, which day and/or hour shall be entered in the 
Journal.  
 
(c) A motion to adjourn or recess shall always be in order when 
the floor can be obtained for that purpose.  When a vote is being 
taken, a motion to adjourn o r recess shall not be in order.  When it 
is apparent to the presiding officer that the motion to adjourn or 
recess is being made for the purpose of delay and such motion has 
been voted in the negative, within the next preceding ten (10) 
minutes, the presiding officer, in the discretion of the presiding 
officer, may rule the motion out of order as bein g dilatory.  
 
(d) In the event of fire, riot, or other extreme emergency, if 
the presiding officer believes taking the time for a vote on 
recessing or adjourn ing would be dangerous to those present, the 
presiding officer may declare the House recessed or adjourned to a 
call of the chair. 
 
(e) A legislative day shall be adjourned no later than 12:00 
midnight of the calendar day that it began. 
 
12.2 – Absence of a Quorum 
 
In the absence of a quorum, the Speaker with three (3) members 
shall be a sufficient n umber to adjourn to a time certain. 
 
12.3 – Sine Die Adjournment 
 
(a) The date and time of sine die adjournment of each Regular 
Session of the Legislature sha ll be established by motion or 
resolution except that Regular Session shall be finally adjourned 
sine die at 5:00 p.m. on the last Friday in May of each year by 
operation of the Oklahoma Constitution.  Upon arrival of 5:00 p.m. 
on the last Friday in May, no further business shall be conducted by  ENR. H. R. NO. 1002 	Page 62 
the House and the presiding officer shall declare the Ho use 
adjourned sine die. 
 
(b) A Special or Extraordinary Session shall be finally 
adjourned sine die no later than the fifteenth day succeeding the 
General Election unless the date and time of sine die adjournment 
shall be otherwise established by motion o r resolution at an earlier 
date and time. 
 
RULE THIRTEEN 
 
INTERIM STUDIES 
 
13.1 – Interim Studies 
 
(a) When the Legislature is not in session, the Speaker shall 
have the authority to direct committees to make interim studies for 
such purposes as the Speak er may designate.  
 
(b) The Speaker shall provide to the Chief Clerk of the House a 
copy of interim charges made to a standing or select committee. 
 
(c) The committees shall meet as often as necessary to transact 
effectively the business assigned to them and may continue to 
exercise the oversight and investigatory powers granted in Rule 
7.13. 
 
13.2 – Requests for Interim Studies 
 
No resolution requesting or authorizing an interim study of any 
matter or proposition by the House, or a committee thereof, sha ll be 
introduced in or considered by the House.  All such requests for 
interim study shall be submitted on request forms available to any 
member in the office of the Chief Clerk of the House. 
 
13.3 – Quorum 
 
During a legislative interim, no committee shall take any final 
action unless a quorum of the membership of the committee is 
present. 
 
13.4 – Meeting Notice 
 
During a legislative interim, published notice of any interim 
committee meeting shall be given at least ten (10) days prior to the  ENR. H. R. NO. 1002 	Page 63 
meeting.  The staff of the House shall publish the meeting notices 
required by this section.  The ten –day notice requirement of this 
section shall not apply to a committee or subcommittee meeting with 
a Senate committee or subcommittee on an interim study assigned for 
joint study. 
 
RULE FOURTEEN 
 
RULES 
 
14.1 – Suspension or Amendment of Rules 
 
(a) These Rules may be amended by a two -thirds (2/3) vote of 
those elected to and constituting the House; provided, any amendment 
to the Rules recommended by the Committee on Rules shall be 
effective if approved by a majority of the members elected to and 
constituting the House. 
 
(b) If the Committee on Rules shall recommend revisions o r 
amendments to the Rules, the House shall be given one (1) day's 
prior notice before considerati on of the recommended changes may 
commence. 
 
(c) Two-thirds (2/3) of the members elected to and constituting 
the House may suspend the Rules, or a portion thereof, but a motion 
for that purpose shall be decided without debate.  The motion shall 
include the specific rule to be suspended. 
 
14.2 – Parliamentary Authorities 
 
Any parliamentary questions not provided for by the Oklahoma 
Constitution or these Rules sh all be governed by the ruling of the 
Speaker.  The Speaker shall publish these substantive ruling s in a 
volume of precedents.  In making his or her ruling, the Speaker may 
rely upon, but is not bound by, these published rulings or other 
parliamentary authorities, including, but not limited to, the latest 
edition of Mason’s Manual of Legislative Proced ure. 
 
14.3 – Rules Effective 
 
(a) These Rules shall be in full force and effect for the 
duration of the 60th Oklahoma Legislature unless amended, as 
provided herein. 
  ENR. H. R. NO. 1002 	Page 64 
(b) Upon convening for a Special or Extraordinary Session, the 
time constraints in Rule 8.8 for filing main floor amendments and 
amendments to main floor amendments shall not be applicable. 
 
Adopted by the House of Representatives the 7th day of January, 
2025. 
 
 
 
  
Presiding Officer of the House of 
 	Representatives 
 
 
OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE 
Received by the Office of the Secretary of State this __________ 
day of __________________, 20 _______, at _______ o'clock _______ M. 
By: _________________________________