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RULES AND ORDERS

OF THE

ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK,
ADOPTED JANUARY 6, 1860.

CHAPTER I.

OF THE POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE SPEAKER.

take the

1. The Speaker shall take the chair each day at the Speaker to hour to which the House shall have adjourned. He chair. shall call to order, and, except in the absence of a quorum, shall proceed to business in the manner prescribed by these rules.

2. He shall possess the powers and perform the Duties of the duties herein prescribed, viz.:

1. He shall preserve order and decorum.

Speaker.

2. He shall decide all questions of order, subject Appeals.
to appeal to the House. On every appeal he
shall have the right, in his place, to assign

his reasons for his decision.

3. He shall appoint all committees, except where Committees.
the House shall otherwise order.

4. He may substitute any member to perform the Speaker
duties of the Chair for a period not exceed-pro tem.
ing two consecutive legislative days, but for
no longer period, except by special consent

of the House.

of the Whole

5. When the House shall be ready to go into Committee
Committee of the Whole, he shall name a
chairman to preside therein.

Passage of bills.

Reporters.

Reading of journal.

Order of business.

6. He shall certify the passage of all bills by the
House, with the date thereof, together with
the fact whether passed as majority, three-
fifths, or two-thirds bills, as required either
by the Constitution or laws of this State.
7. He shall designate what persons are entitled to
admission to the floor as reporters for the
Fublic press, not exceeding twenty in num-
ber; but the Clerk shall withhold his cer-
tificate for stationery from all such as do not
actually occupy, and intend to occupy, for
the entire session, a desk as such reporter.

CHAPTER II.

OF THE ORDER OF BUSINESS.

3. The first business of each day's session shall be the reading of the journal of the preceding day, and the correction of any errors that may be found to exist therein. After which, except on days and at times set apart for the consideration of General or Special Orders, the order of business shall be as follows, viz.:

1. The Presentation of Petitions.

2. Reports of Standing Committees.
3. Reports of Select Committees.

4. Messages from the Governor.

5. Communications from the State Officers.

6. Messages from the Senate.

7. Notices.

8. Third Reading of Bills.

9. Introduction of Bills.

10. Motions and Resolutions.

11. Unfinished Business of the General Orders.

12. Special Orders of the Day.

13. General Orders of the Day; but Messages from the Governor, Communications from State Offices, Messages from the Senate, and Reports from the Committee on Engrossed Bills may be received under any order of business.

CHAPTER III.

OF THE RIGHTS AND DUTIES OF MEMBERS.

4. Petitions, memorials and any other papers ad- Presentadressed to the House shall be presented by the Speaker, tion of petior by any member in his place.

tions.

5. Every member presenting a paper shall endorse Papers to be the same if a petition, memorial or report to the endorsed. Legislature, with a brief statement of its subject or contents, adding his name; if a notice or resolution, with his name; if a report of a committee, a statement of such report, with the name of the committee and member making the same; if a bill, a statement of its title, with his name, and the fact whether presented on notice or by unanimous consent.

vote.

6. Every member who shall be within the bar of the When memHouse when a question is stated from the chair shall ber must vote thereon, unless he be excused by the House, or unless he be directly interested in the question. No member shall be permitted to vote on any question unless within the bar when his name is called. The bar of the House shall be deemed to include only the Assembly Chamber within the rails.

7. Any member requesting to be excused from voting Excuse from may make, either immediately before or after the roll voting. shall have been called, and before the result shall be announced, a brief and verbal statement of the reasons for making such request, and the question shall then be taken without debate.

The Speaker to be ad

dressed.

Order.

Order of speaking.

Calls to order

Priority of business.

Standing committees.

CHAPTER IV.

OF ORDER AND DECORUM.

8. No member rising to debate, to give a notice, make a motion or report, or to present a petition or other paper, shall proceed until he shall have addressed the Speaker and have been recognized by him.

9. While a member is speaking, no member shall entertain any private discourse, or pass between him and the chair.

10. While the Speaker is putting a question, or a count is being had, no member shall speak or leave his place.

11. When the House adjourns, the members and officers shall keep their seats and places till the Speaker leaves the chair.

CHAPTER V.

OF ORDER IN DEBATE.

12. No member shall speak twice to the same general question, without leave of the House; nor more than once, in any case, until every member desiring to speak on the question pending shall have spoken.

13. If any member, in speaking, transgress the rules of the House, the Speaker shall, or any member may, call to order; in which case the member so called to order shall immediately sit down, and shall not rise unless to explain or proceed in order.

14. All questions relating to priority of business, that is, the priority of one question or subject matter over another, under the same order of business, shall be decided without debate.

CHAPTER VI.

OF COMMITTEES AND THEIR DUTIES.

15. Standing committees, consisting, except where otherwise specified, of five members each, shall be appointed on the following subjects:

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29. Expenditures in the Executive Department.

30. Expenditures of the House.

31. A Committee of the Judiciary, to consist of seven members.

16. It shall be the duty of each of the several com- Duties of

mittees to inquire into the matter indicated by its committees. name, and to report thereon to the House any informa

tion and any bill or resolution which it may deem con

ducive to the public good.

17. It shall be the duty of the Committee on Ways Committee and Means to examine into all the departments of the on Ways government, whether Executive, Legislative, Judicial and Means. or otherwise, where salaries or emoluments are given; to examine, ascertain, and report to the House what officers can be dispensed with and what salaries or emoluments can be reduced, and how far consistent with the public good; and to take such action in regard to section eight of article seven of the Constitution of this State as may be requisite.

18. It shall be the duty of the Committee on Two- Committee Thirds and Three-Fifths Bills to carefully examine all on Twobills coming within the ninth section of the first article, thirds bills.

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