Legislation, Statutes & Constitution

Joint Senate and House Rules

[No Title]

JOINT RULE 1

These Joint Rules, upon adoption by both the Senate and House of Representatives, shall be the permanent Joint Rules of the Legislature.

These Joint Rules shall take precedence over special rules of either the Senate or House which may be in conflict therewith and may be amended only by the concurrence of two-thirds of the members voting of both houses.

JOINT RULE 2

Definitions. -- As used in these Joint Rules, unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the following terms shall have the meanings hereinafter respectively ascribed to them.

Resolution. -- This term denotes the adoption of a motion, the subject matter of which would not properly constitute a statute. EXAMPLES: An alteration of the rules, a vote of thanks, a vote of censure, etc.

Concurrent Resolution. -- This term denotes a resolution that originates in one house of the legislature where it is passed and is then sent to the other house for passage. It is signed by the presiding officers of both houses.

Joint Resolution. -- A joint resolution is a resolution passed by both houses of the legislature proposing an amendment to the constitution of the state of Idaho.

Proclamation. -- A proclamation is an instrument, the subject matter of which does not constitute a statute, which after being introduced in the proper committee shall be sent immediately to the floor for action without being referred back to committee. A proclamation may be passed by voice vote. If a proclamation is passed by the house of origin it shall be sent to the other house for passage where it shall be placed on the floor for action without being referred to a committee. An example of a proclamation shall include but not be limited to a vote of thanks, praise or honor for a special achievement, accomplishment, anniversary or birthday. For purposes of the calendars of the Senate and House of Representatives a proclamation shall be considered a petition.

Bill. -- This term denotes the draft of a law or amendment thereto submitted to the legislature for its approval or rejection. Bills may be originated in either house and may be amended or rejected in the other, except that bills for raising revenue must originate in the House of Representatives and a bill originating in one house and amended in the other may not again be amended in the house of origin except pursuant to report of a conference committee.

The enacting clause of every bill must read "Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Idaho." All bills must be signed by the presiding officers of the respective houses. Every act or joint resolution shall be plainly worded avoiding as far as practicable the use of technical terms.

Joint Memorial. -- A petition or representation made by the House of Representatives and concurred in by the Senate, or vice versa, addressed to whoever can effectuate the request of the memorial.

Engrossed Bill. -- An amended bill with the amendments correctly drafted and before the house of origin for further action.

Enrolled Bill. -- A bill that has passed both houses and awaits only the signatures of the presiding officers thereof.

JOINT RULE 3

Report of Action Taken and Transmittal of Bills, Joint and Concurrent Resolutions and Memorials. -- When final action shall have been taken on any bill, joint or concurrent resolution or memorial in the house in which it originates, it shall be transmitted to the other house on or before the first order of business of the receiving house on the next succeeding legislative day with an endorsement thereon by the Secretary or Chief Clerk, as the case may be, showing a complete record of all action taken thereon. When final action shall have been taken on any bill, joint or concurrent resolution which has been passed in one house, it shall be returned to the house in which it originated on or before the First Order of Business of the receiving house on the next succeeding legislative day with an endorsement thereon by the Secretary or Chief Clerk, as the case may be, showing a complete record of all action taken thereon.

JOINT RULE 4

Enrolling and Engrossing. -- After a bill has passed both houses, it shall be enrolled not later than 48 hours after the time of passage. All bills, memorials, and resolutions shall be engrossed only in the house in which they originated.

JOINT RULE 5

Procedure After Enrollment. -- After being enrolled each bill shall be examined by the committee on enrolling of the house in which it originated, and after being reported, shall be signed first by the presiding officer of the house in which it originated, then by the presiding officer of the other house, and lastly be submitted to the governor for his consideration. All bills shall be so signed and delivered to the governor for his consideration within 72 hours after enrollment. The date and hour of submission of a bill to the governor shall be entered on the journal of the house in which it originated. There shall be endorsed on each bill, memorial, or resolution the certificate of the secretary or chief clerk, as the case may be, as to the house of its origin. The date and hour of passage in the respective houses shall also be shown.

JOINT RULE 6

Proclamations, Resolutions and Memorials. -- Joint resolutions shall be treated in every respect as are bills except that they shall be passed only by 2/3 majority of the membership of each house.

Concurrent resolutions and memorials shall be printed as are bills and concurrent resolutions, proclamations and memorials shall also be printed in full in the journal of the house of origin and by number and author only in the journal of the other house. When passed in one house and transmitted to the other, they shall be accepted or rejected only and shall not be subject to amendment. Joint resolutions, concurrent resolutions and memorials shall, after being passed, be filed with the Secretary of State, rather than being submitted to the Governor for consideration.

A proclamation shall not be printed in the same manner as bills, resolutions or memorials but enough copies shall be reproduced so that each member of both houses shall be entitled to a copy and, if the proclamation is passed by both houses, copies shall be sent to the person, persons or entity being addressed by the proclamation. When a proclamation is passed in one house and transmitted to the other, it shall be accepted or rejected only and shall not be subject to amendment.

JOINT RULE 7

Messages from One House to Other. -- When a message shall be sent by either house to the other, the same shall be reduced to writing and transmitted to the desk of the Secretary or Chief Clerk, as the case may be, by the person to whom such message or communication shall be taken up at the proper order of business as may be provided by the rules of the house to which said message is sent. Such messages shall be transmitted by the officers or employees provided by each house for such purpose or by such other person as the presiding officer may select.

JOINT RULE 8

Messages Signed by Secretary or Chief Clerk. -- Notice to either house of action by the other house shall be in writing and be signed by the Secretary or Chief Clerk, as the case may be, of the house from which such notice or message is conveyed.

JOINT RULE 9

Bill Passed by One House and Rejected by the Other May Not be Introduced in House of Origin. -- When a bill or joint resolution (except in matters pertaining to revenue or finance) shall have been passed by one house, and rejected by the other, it cannot be again introduced in the house in which it originated during the term of the regular annual or special session in which originally introduced, but may be again introduced in a special session or in the next regular annual session.

JOINT RULE 10

Conference Committees. -- When a bill or joint resolution passed by one house shall have been amended in the other, upon its return to the house of origin, that house may request that a conference committee be appointed to confer with a similar committee from the other house, which shall be appointed upon request directed to the presiding officer thereof. If both houses adhere to their disagreement after vote of the joint committees of conference, the bill or joint resolution shall be considered lost and report thereof made to the presiding officer of each house. If, by vote of the joint committees of conference, agreement can be reached on the amendments in controversy, the same shall be returned to the house wherein the bill or joint resolution was amended with the recommendation that it be further amended in accordance with the agreement of the committees of conference. Upon such further amendment, the bill shall be returned to the house of its origin for final action.

JOINT RULE 11

Chairman of Joint Committee. -- The chairman of the Senate committee shall be chairman of all committees or meetings where committees of both houses sit jointly.

In absence of the chairman of the Senate committee, the chairman of the House committee shall act as chairman of the meeting.

JOINT RULE 12

Joint Sessions. -- When the two houses meet in joint session, the Speaker of the House shall preside. Such sessions shall be held in the Chamber of the House of Representatives. The Secretary of the Senate and the Chief Clerk of the House shall be the clerks of such session and the record of the proceedings shall be entered on the journals of the respective houses. The Chief Clerk shall be the reading clerk of such session.

JOINT RULE 13

Duties of Sergeant at Arms. -- It shall be the duty of the sergeant at arms to announce to the presiding officer of his house all committees sent to it by the other house. The sergeant at arms of the House shall be the sergeant at arms of all joint sessions.

JOINT RULE 14

Press Accreditation. -- The Capitol Correspondents Association shall be recognized as the accrediting agency for newsmen and news photographers covering either house of this legislature.

JOINT RULE 15

Mistaken Transmittals. -- In event any bill, resolution or memorial or other document shall, by mistake, have been transmitted from one house to the other, it shall, upon request of the presiding officer of the house from whence it came, be immediately returned thereto unless substantive action of amendment or vote shall have already been taken thereon. The request shall clearly outline the mistake requiring the request.

JOINT RULE 16

Hours Chambers Open. -- The Chambers of the Senate and House of Representatives shall be open, during any regular or special session, during the hours of 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., Monday through Friday; 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays; and all other times that the Senate or House shall be in session.

JOINT RULE 17

Numbering. -- (a) All Bills, Joint Resolutions, Joint Memorials and Concurrent Resolutions in the Senate and House of Representatives shall be numbered consecutively, commencing with numbers as follows:

Bills introduced in the Senate shall commence with the number 1001.
Bills introduced in the House shall commence with the number 1.
Senate joint resolutions, joint memorials and concurrent resolutions respectively, shall commence with the number 101.
House joint resolutions, joint memorials and concurrent resolutions, respectively, shall commence with the number 1.

(b)  With the exception of extraordinary sessions, bills, resolutions and memorials shall be numbered consecutively from the first through the second regular sessions of the legislature. Bills, resolutions and memorials introduced during any extraordinary session shall be numbered without regard to the numbering system used in any regular session.

JOINT RULE 18

Statement of Purpose and Fiscal Notes. -- No bill shall be introduced in either house unless it shall have attached thereto a concise statement of purpose and fiscal note. The contact person for the statement of purpose and fiscal note shall be identified on the document. No bill making an appropriation, increasing or decreasing existing appropriations, or requiring a future appropriation, or increasing or decreasing revenues of the state or any unit of local government, or requiring a significant expenditure of funds by the state or a unit of local government, shall be introduced unless it shall have attached thereto a fiscal note. This note shall contain an estimate of the amount of such appropriation, expenditure, or change under the bill. The fiscal note shall identify a full fiscal year's impact of the legislation. Statements of purpose and fiscal notes may be combined in the same statement. All statements of purpose and fiscal notes shall be reviewed for compliance with this rule by the committee to which the bill is assigned. A member may challenge the sufficiency of a statement of purpose or fiscal note at any time prior to passage, except upon introduction.

JOINT RULE 19

Minutes of Standing Committee Meetings. -- Minutes of standing committee meetings shall be prepared in summary fashion, in the discretion of the individual committee chair. Any tape recordings of committee meetings shall be made only for the purpose of assisting the committee secretary, and thereafter any such tapes shall be recycled at the discretion of the committee chair. Minutes of standing committee meetings shall include at least the following information:
(1) All members of the governing body present;
(2) All motions, resolutions, orders, or ordinances proposed and their disposition; and
(3) The results of all votes, and upon the request of a member, the vote of each member by name.

JOINT RULE 20

Constitutional Amendments. -- A Joint Resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the State of Idaho must be introduced on or before the thirty-sixth day of the Regular Legislative Session and must be transmitted from the house of origin to the other house prior to the fifty-fifth day of the Regular Legislative Session. The provisions of this rule may be waived by the presiding officer of either house upon presentment of a signed petition by the majority or minority leadership of the house. Requests for a proposed amendment to the Constitution of the State of Idaho shall be in the Office of Legislative Services for drafting at least seven calendar days prior to its intended introduction date.