Assembly Resolution No. 53

BY: M. of A. Kolb

AMENDING section 7 of Rule III of the Assembly
rules, in relation to the reading of bills

RESOLVED, That section 7 of Rule III of the Assembly rules is
amended to read as follows:

§ 7. Reading of bills. a. Every bill shall receive three separate
readings, and on three different days, previous to its passage, except
when ordered to a third reading pursuant to paragraph two of subdivision
f of section two of this Rule, by unanimous consent or when made a
special order, or when accompanied by a message of necessity pursuant to
section [14] fourteen of Article III of the Constitution. No message of
necessity shall be accepted from the Governor unless at least two-thirds
of the members of the House have approved the message.

b. Bills placed on the order of second reading, as provided for in
subdivision g of section six of Rule IV, shall be subject to debate
before the motion to order them to a third reading is entertained.
One-half hour shall be allowed for such debate, but no person shall
speak more than fifteen minutes, except by consent of the House. The
main question, however, if ordered, shall be on the advancement of the
bill; but when amendments are pending the question shall first be taken
upon such amendments in their inverse order.

c. All bills on the order of second reading shall be ordered to third
reading unless otherwise ordered pursuant to subdivision b of this
section or pursuant to paragraph one of subdivision b of section ten of
Rule IV.

d. No bill shall be considered for third reading until it shall have
been on the printed Calendar of the House on two legislative days on
that order, except where made a special order by report of the Committee
on Rules, in which case it may be considered on second and third reading
on the same day.

e. In all cases where unanimous consent is asked for advancing a bill
or entertaining a motion or resolution out of its order, it shall be the
duty of the Speaker to proclaim such request and determine if such
consent will be granted.

f. A bill appearing on the Calendar may be "starred" by or at the
request of the introducer, whereupon all further action on such bill
shall be suspended, although it retains its place on the Calendar. Other
than for the purpose of amendment or recommittal, a star may not be
removed from a bill until one day after the request therefor. A bill on
any order of third reading which has been laid aside by or at the
request of the introducer on three separate days shall be automatically
starred.

g. Substitution of Bills. Where there is a Senate bill in a standing
committee and the identical Assembly bill is on the order of second or
any order of third reading, the Senate bill may be substituted for the
Assembly bill upon a motion by, or on behalf of, the introducer and a

vote of a majority of the members present and voting. The motion to
substitute may also be made on an identical Assembly bill which has been
passed, recalled, vote reconsidered and restored to third reading.