A committee on Claims, A committee on the Militia, A committee on the Seat of Government, A committee on the Public Salines, A committee on Justices of the Peace, Business, A committee of Accounts, A committee on Engrossed Bills, To consist of five members each. SEC. 2. It shall be the duty of the committee on the Judiciary, to take into consideration and report all such matters, reports and propositions, touching the judges, the courts, or the judicial department of the government, as may be referred to them by the house; to examine into the laws regulating judicial proceedings and the times and places of holding courts, and the fees of officers of courts, and from time to time report such provisions and arrangements as may be necessary to improve the administration of justice, and the accountability of the officers of the several courts, and to regulate their fees. SEC. 3. It shall be the duty of the committee of Ways and Means to take into consideration all such reports and propositions relating to the treasury of the state, as may be referred to them by the house; to inquire into the state of the public debt, finances, the revenue and expenditure of the state, and report from time to time their opinion thereon, to examine into the state of the several public departments, and particularly into the laws making appropriations of money, and report whether the monies have been disbursed conformably to such laws, and report from time to time such provisions and arrangements as may be necessary, touching the public debt, the finances, revenue and expenditures, the appropriation of public monies, or which may add to the economy of the departments and the accountability of their officers. SEC. 4. It shall be the duty of the committee on Criminal Jurisprudence to take into consideration all matters, reports and propositions touching the laws for the arrest, trial and punishment of offenders and the discipline and government of the Penitentiary, and from time to time report such provisions and arrangements as may be necessary to improve the administration of criminal justice, and to secure the just accountability of the officers concerned therein. SEC. 5. It shall be the duty of the committee on Claims to take into consideration all such petitions and matters or things referred to them, touching claims and demands on the state, as shall be referred to them by the house, and report their opinion thereon, together with such bills and propositions for relief therein as to them shall seem expedient. SEC. 6. It shall be the duty of the committee on the Militia, to take into consideration all such petitions, matters and things touching the Militia, as may be referred to them; and to examine the laws relating to the Militia, and from time to time report their opinions thereon; report such bills and propositions as to them shall seem expedient for the well organizing, governing, arming, disciplining and regulating the militia. SEC. 7. It shall be the duty of the committee on Internal Improvements, to take into consideration all petitions, matters and things referred to them, touching roads, canals, navigable waters, or other internal improvements; to examine the laws in relation thereto, and report their opinion thereon, together with such bills and propositions for promoting and encouraging internal improvements, as they may deem expedient. SEC. 8. It shall be the duty of the committee on the Permanent Seat of Government, to take into consideration all petitions, reports, matters and things referred to them, touching the seat of government, and the regulation thereof, to examine all laws in relation thereto, and report their opinions thereon, together with such bills and propositions touching the same as they may deem expedient. SEC. 9. It shall be the duty of the committee of Elections, to examine and report upon the certificates of election or other credentials of the members returned to serve in this House; to examine all laws regulating elections, and report such alterations and amendments as they may deem necessary, and to take into consideration all such petitions and other matters touching elections and returns as shall be presented or come in question, and be referred to them by the House. SEC. 10. It shall be the duty of the committee on Education, to take into consideration all petitions and matters referred to them, relating to a university, schools, and the lands granted for their support; to inquire into the situation of the lands appropriated for the support of schools and a university, and of the funds arising therefrom, and report their opinions thereon, together with such bills and propositions as they may deem expedient; for preserving the said lands from waste and damage, for the renting, leasing or improvement, or other disposition thereof, and for applying the funds arising therefrom, to the establishment and support of schools, and a university, for the encouragement of the means of education and promotion of literature, pursuant to the terms of the grant made by the U. States, and the constitution of this State. SEC. 11. It shall be the duty of the committee on the Public Salines to take into consideration all petitions and matters referred to them relating to salt springs, and the lands adjoining the same, selected for the use of the State; to inquire into the situation of the salt springs, and the lands appropriated for the use of the Salines, and of the funds arising therefrom, and report their opinions thereon, together with such bills and propositions as they may deem expedient for preserving the said salines and lands from injury, waste and damage; for the renting, leasing, improving or other disposition thereof, and for the application of the funds arising therefrom, and generally to promote the proper management and preservation of the salines and lands, and the funds arising therefrom. SEC. 12. It shall be the duty of the committee on Justices of the Peace, to take into consideration all petitions and matters referred to them, relating to justices of the peace, and proceedings before them, and their powers and duties; to examine all laws relating to proceedings before justices of the peace, their powers and duties, and to report their opinions thereon, together with such bills and propositions for the better regulation thereof; and to promote the administration of justice, as they deem expedient. SEC. 13. It shall be the duty of the committee on revised and unfinished business, to examine and report what laws are near expiring, and require to be revised or continued, and what matters were depending and unfinished at the session preceding, or have been postponed or referred to the session then commenced. SEC. 14. It shall be the duty of the committee of accounts, to superintend and control the contingent expenditures of the House, and to audit and settle all accounts of contingent expenses; and to audit the accounts of the members for their travel to and from the seat of government, and their attendance in the House, and deliver their report to the clerk. SEC. 15. It shall be the duty of the committee on engrossed bills, or any one of them, to examine all bills ordered to be engrossed, to correct all clerical, orthographical, or grammatical errors, to arrange the punctuation, before they are delivered to the engrossing clerk for engrossment; to examine all engrossed bills before they are returned to the House to be read a third time; carefully compare them with the bill as delivered to the clerk; correct any errors, if practicable, without defacing the bill, and deliver the same to the Clerk of the House, with the words "truly engrossed," endorsed thereon, signed by a member of the committee. SEC. 16. All select committees shall consist of three members, unless otherwise ordered by the House. SEC. 17. All committees, unless otherwise specially ordered, shall be appointed by the Speaker. SEC. 18. No committee shall sit during the sitting of the House, without special leave. ARTICLE V.-ON BILLS, &c. SEC. 1. Every bill shall be introduced by motion for leave, or by order of the House, or the report of a committee; one days notice at least shall be given of a motion for leave to bring in a bill, and the member giving such notice shall state concisely the leading objects of the bill, for the information of the House, which motion may be committed. SEC. 2. Every bill shall receive three several readings, on three different days previous to its passage, unless two thirds of the House shall dispense with this rule. SEC. 3. Every order, resolution, or vote, to which the concurrence of the Senate shall be necessary, except for an adjournment, shall be read and laid on the table, one day at least, before its passage, unless the House shall previously dispense with this rule. SEC. 4. The first reading of a bill shall be for information, and if opposition be made to it, the question shall be, "shall this bill be rejected?" If no opposition be made, or if the question to reject be negatived, the bill shall go to its second reading without a question. SEC. 5. Upon the second reading of a bill, the Speaker shall state that it is ready for commitment or engrossment; and if committed, then the question shall be whether to a select or standing committee, or a committee of the whole house; if to a committee of the whole house, it shall be committed generally, and taken up in order; and every bill of more than one page of manuscript shall be printed as matter of course, unless otherwise ordered by the House-bills reported by the Revisors excepted, but if it be ordered to be engrossed, the House shall appoint on what day it shall be read a third time. SEC. 6. All bills ordered to be engrossed, shall be executed in a fair round hand. SEC. 7. Any bill, or other matter, may be recommitted at any time before its passage. SEC. 8. When a bill or joint resolution passes, it shall be certified by the Clerk; noting the day of its passage at the foot thereof. SEC. 9. Petitions, memorials, and other papers, addressed to the General Assembly, or the House, shall be presented by the Speaker, or by a member in his place; a brief statement of the contents thereof shall be verbally made by the introducer, and shall be read by the Clerk, unless the reading be dispensed with. SEC. 10. If a motion be made to refer a petition, memorial, or paper, to a standing committee, it shall be so ordered by the Speaker, without a question, unless such reference be objected to. ARTICLE VI.-OF THE ORDER OF THE BUSINESS OF THE DAY. SEC. 1 On the appearance of a quorum the journal of the preceding day shall be read.. SEC. 2. After the journal are read, business shall be disposed of in the following order: Petitions, memorials, and remonstrances. Reports from standing committees. Reports from select committees. Propositions and motions, Second reading of bills, &e. C Engrossed bills read a third time. Bills, reports, and other business lying on the table. Other business of the House. The orders of the day. SEC. 3. The Speaker shall on each day announce to the House the business in order, agreeably to the preceding rule; and no business shall be taken up or considered until the class to which it belongs shall be declared to be in order; but communications from the Governor may be read, and reports from the committee of enrollments received at any time, and the unfinished business in which the House was engaged at the last preceding adjournment, shall have preference of the orders of the day. ARTICLE VII.-OF PROCEEDING, DECORUM & DEBATE. SEC. 1. When any member is about to speak in debate, or deliver any matter to the House, he shall rise from his seat and respectfully address himself to "Mr. Speaker," shall confine himself to the question under debate, and avoid personality. SEC. 2. When two or more members rise at once, the Speaker shall name the member who is first to speak, the others rising, having the preference next to speak. SEC. 3. When a motion is made and seconded, it shall be handed to the chair, and read aloud by the Clerk before debated. SEC. 4. No motion shall be stated or debated until it is seconded; and when stated by the Speaker or read by the Clerk, shall be deemed in possession of the House, but may be withdrawn at any time before a decision or amendment. SEC. 5. Every motion shall be reduced to writing, if the Speaker or any member desire it. SEC. 6. No new motion or proposition shall be admitted under color of amendment, as a substitute for the motion or proposition under debate. SEC. 7. When a question is under debate, no motion shall be received, but to adjourn, to lie on the table, for the previous question, to postpone indefinitely, to postpone to a day within the session, to commit or amend. SEC. 8. A motion to adjourn shall always be in order, unless a memmber is speaking, and be decided without debate, and no member shall leave his seat until the result is declared. SEC. 9. The previous question shall be in this form: "Shall the main question be now put?" It shall only be admitted when demanded by two-thirds of the members present, and until it is decided, shall preclude all amendment and further debate, and shall be decided without debate. SEC. 10. Any member may call for a division of the question where the sense will admit of it. |