PART 2 - SPEAKER
Rule 201. Duties and Powers of the Speaker
1. Duties. The Speaker shall:
- A. Take the chair at the hour to which
the House has adjourned, call the members to order and, after
the appearance of a quorum, cause the journal of the preceding
day to be read;
- B. Announce the business before the
House in the order in which it is to be acted upon;
- C. Receive, submit to vote and announce
the result of all motions that are in proper order and that arise
in the course of proceedings;
- D. Enforce the observance of order
and decorum;
- E. Decide all questions of order within
7 legislative days, subject to an appeal to the House;
- F. Receive all messages and other communications
and announce them to the House;
- G. Authenticate by the Speaker's signature
bills that have passed to be enacted and resolves that have finally
passed;
- H. Name a member to perform the duties
of Speaker during the Speaker's absence;
- I. Appoint and may rescind the appointments
of the following individuals at any time:
- (a) The members who are to serve on committees; and
- (b) A sergeant-at-arms, an assistant sergeant-at-arms, a document
clerk, doorkeepers, a courier and 5 pages;
- J. At the commencement of the session,
appoint the following standing committees:
- (a) On Leave of Absence;
- (b) On Bills in the Second Reading;
- (c) On Engrossed Bills;
- (d) On Ethics;
- (e) On Elections; and
- (f) On Rules and Business of the House.
Each committee consists of 8 members, except the Committee on
Rules and Business of the House, which consists of 3 members and
the Speaker ex officio. Each committee shall consider and report
on all subjects referred to the committee;
- K. Name the person to speak when 2
or more members rise at the same time; in other instances, recognize
the member who rises first and addresses the chair;
- L. Appoint one monitor for each division
of the House; and
- M. Decide whether debate is relevant
to some definite question under consideration.
2. Powers. The Speaker may:
- A. Appoint honorary pages;
- B. Appoint legal counsel while the
Legislature is in session;
- C. Address the House on points of order,
in preference to other members; and
- D. Vote in all cases.
On to Part 3 - Clerk
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