HR0028 98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0028 LRB098 07861 JWD 37945 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that the Rules of the House of Representatives of the 98th General Assembly are amended by changing Rules 4, 9, 15, 16, 18, 19, 21, 22, 28, 31, 37, 37.5, 40, 43, 44, 45, 51, 52, 75, and 102 and by adding Rules 42.1 and 76.5 as follows:

(House Rule 4)

4. The Speaker.

(a) The Speaker has those powers conferred upon him or her by the Constitution, the laws of Illinois, and any motions or resolutions adopted by the House or jointly by the House and Senate.

(b) Except as otherwise provided by law, the Speaker is the chief administrative officer of the House and has those powers necessary to carry out those functions. The Speaker may delegate administrative duties as he or she deems appropriate.

(c) The duties of the Speaker include the following:

(1) To preside at all sessions of the House, although the Speaker may call on any member to preside temporarily as Presiding Officer.

(2) To open the session at the time at which the House is to meet by taking the chair and calling the members to order. The Speaker may call on any member to open the session as Presiding Officer.

(3) To announce the business before the House in the order upon which it is to be acted, except as limited by these House Rules. The Presiding Officer shall perform this duty during the period that he or she is presiding.

(4) To recognize those members entitled to the floor.

(5) To state and put to a vote all questions that are regularly moved or that necessarily arise in the course of the proceedings, and to announce the result of the vote.

(6) To preserve order and decorum.

(7) To decide all points of order, subject to appeal, and to speak on these points in preference to other members.

(8) To inform the House when necessary, or when any question is raised, on any point of order or practice pertinent to the pending business.

(9) To sign or authenticate all acts, proceedings, or orders of the House. All writs, warrants, and subpoenae issued by order of the House, or any of its committees, shall be signed by the Speaker and attested by the Clerk.

(10) To sign all bills passed by both chambers of the General Assembly to certify that the procedural requirements for passage have been met.

(11) To have general supervision of the House Chamber, House galleries, House committee rooms and chapel, and adjoining and connecting hallways and passages, including the duty to protect their security and safety and the power to clear them when necessary. The House Chamber shall not be used without permission of the Speaker.

(12) To have general supervision of the Clerk and his or her assistants, the Doorkeeper and his or her assistants, the majority caucus staff, the parliamentarians, and all employees of the House except the minority caucus staff.

(13) To determine the number of majority caucus members and minority caucus members to be appointed to all committees, except the Rules Committee created by Rule 15 and those committees that may be created under Article XII of these Rules.

(14) To appoint all Chairpersons, Co-Chairpersons, and Vice-Chairpersons of committees (from either the majority or minority caucus), and to appoint all majority caucus members of committees.

(15) To enforce all constitutional provisions, statutes, rules, and regulations applicable to the House.

(16) To guide and direct the proceedings of the House subject to the control and will of the members.

(17) To direct the Clerk to correct non-substantive errors in the Journal.

(18) To assign meeting places and meeting times to committees and subcommittees.

(19) To perform any other duties assigned to the Speaker by these House Rules or jointly by the House and Senate.

(20) To decide, subject to these House Rules and the control and will of the members, all questions relating to the priority of business.

(21) To issue, in cooperation with the Comptroller and after clearance with the United States Internal Revenue Service, written regulations covering administration of contingent expense allowances of members of the House.

(22) To appoint one or more parliamentarians to serve at the pleasure of the Speaker.

(d) This Rule may be suspended only by the affirmative vote of 71 members elected.

(House Rule 9)

9. Schedule.

(a) The Speaker shall periodically establish a schedule of days on which the House shall convene in regular, perfunctory, and veto session, with that schedule subject to revision at the discretion of the Speaker.

(b) The Speaker may schedule or reschedule deadlines at his or her discretion for any action on any category of legislative measure as the Speaker deems appropriate, including deadlines for the following legislative actions:

(1) Final day to request bills from the Legislative Reference Bureau.

(2) Final day for introduction of bills.

(3) Final day for standing committees of the House to report House bills, except House appropriation bills.

(4) Final day for standing committees of the House to report House appropriation bills.

(5) Final day for Third Reading and passage of House bills, except House appropriation bills.

(6) Final day for Third Reading and passage of House appropriation bills.

(7) Final day for standing committees of the House to report Senate appropriation bills.

(8) Final day for standing committees of the House to report Senate bills, except appropriation bills.

(9) Final day for special committees to report to the House.

(10) Final day for Third Reading and passage of Senate appropriation bills.

(11) Final day for Third Reading and passage of Senate bills, except appropriation bills.

(12) Final day for consideration of joint action motions and conference committee reports.

Deadlines do not apply to legislative measures on the Petition Calendar.

(c) The Speaker may schedule or reschedule any necessary deadlines for legislative action during any special session of the House. The Speaker may establish a Weekly Order of Business or a Daily Order of Business setting forth the date and approximate time at which specific legislative measures may be considered by the House. The Weekly Order of Business or Daily Order of Business is effective upon being filed by the Speaker with the Clerk and takes the place of the standing order of business for the amount of time necessary for its completion. Nothing in this Rule, however, limits the Speaker's or Presiding Officer's powers under Rule 4(c)(3) or Rule 43(a); however, this Rule is subject to the limitations of Rule 31.

(d) The foregoing deadlines, or any revisions to those deadlines, are effective upon being filed by the Speaker with the Clerk. The Clerk shall journalize those deadlines.

(e) This Rule may be suspended only by the affirmative vote of 71 members elected.

(House Rule 15)

15. Rules Committee.

(a) The Rules Committee is created as a permanent committee. The Rules Committee shall consist of 5 members, 3 appointed by the Speaker and 2 appointed by the Minority Leader. The Speaker and the Minority Leader are each eligible to be appointed to the Rules Committee. The Rules Committee may conduct business when a majority of the total number of its members has been appointed.

(b) The majority caucus members of the Rules Committee shall serve at the pleasure of the Speaker, and the minority caucus members shall serve at the pleasure of the Minority Leader. Appointments shall be by notice filed with the Clerk, and shall be effective for the balance of the term or until a replacement appointment is made, whichever first occurs. Appointments take effect upon filing with the Clerk, regardless of whether the House is in session. Notwithstanding any other provision of these Rules, any Representative who is replaced on the Rules Committee may be re-appointed to the Rules Committee without concurrence of the House.

(c) The Rules Committee shall not consider or conduct a hearing with respect to a subject matter or a legislative measure absent notice first being given as follows:

(1) One hour advance notice for the consideration of any floor amendment, joint action motion for final action, conference committee report, or motion to table a committee amendment.

(2) Seventy-two hours advance notice to consider the referral of bills to committees of the House or joint committees of the House and Senate.

(3) Twenty-four hours advance notice for hearings held for purposes not specified in items (1) and (2) of this subsection (c).

(c-1) The Chairperson of the Rules Committee shall post the notice required under subsection (c) on the House bulletin board identifying each subject matter and each legislative measure that may be considered during the hearing. The notice shall contain the day, hour, and place of the hearing. This subsection may not be suspended.

(c-2) The posting requirements of items (2) and (3) of subsection (c) of this Rule may be reduced to a one-hour advance notice upon the adoption of a motion by 71 members elected. The posting requirement of item (1) of subsection (c) of this Rule may not be suspended. Notice requirements for hearings may be suspended only as authorized by this subsection, and no hearing shall be conducted with less than a one-hour advance notice. This subsection may not be suspended. Notwithstanding any other provision of these Rules, the Rules Committee may meet upon reasonable public notice that includes a statement of the subjects to be considered. All legislative measures pending before the Rules Committee are eligible for consideration at any of its meetings, and all of those legislative measures are deemed posted for hearing by the Rules Committee for all of its meetings.

(d) Upon concurrence of a majority of those appointed, the Rules Committee may advance any legislative measure pending before it to the House, without referral to another committee; except that (i) the Rules Committee, however, shall not so report any bill that has never been favorably reported by or discharged from a standing committee or a special committee of the House or recommended for action by a joint committee of the House and Senate and (ii) a two-thirds vote of those appointed to the Rules Committee shall be required to refer to the House any floor amendment, joint action motion for final action, conference committee report, or motion to table a committee amendment. A bill advanced to the House shall be placed on the Daily Calendar on the order on which it appeared before it was re-referred to the Rules Committee. Notwithstanding any other provision of these Rules, a floor amendment, joint action motion for final action, or conference committee report advanced to the House by the Rules Committee may be considered for adoption no sooner than one hour after the Clerk announces the report of the Rules Committee referring such a legislative measure to the House.

(e) Except for those provisions that cannot be suspended, this This Rule may be suspended only by the affirmative vote of 71 members elected.

(House Rule 16)

16. Referrals of Resolutions and Reorganization Orders.

(a) All resolutions, except adjournment resolutions and resolutions considered under subsection (b) or (c) of this Rule, after being initially read by the Clerk, shall be ordered reproduced and automatically referred to the Rules Committee, which may thereafter refer any resolution before it to the House or to a standing committee or special committee. No resolution, except adjournment resolutions and resolutions considered under subsection (b) or (c) of this Rule or Rule 42.1, may be considered by the House unless (i) referred to the House by the Rules Committee under Rule 18, (ii) favorably reported by a standing committee or special committee, (iii) authorized under Article XII, or (iv) discharged from committee pursuant to Rule 18(g) or Rule 58. An adjournment resolution is subject to Rule 66.

(b) Any member may file a congratulatory or death resolution for consideration by the House. The Principal Sponsor of each congratulatory or death resolution shall pay a reasonable fee, determined by the Clerk with the approval of the Speaker, to offset the actual cost of producing the congratulatory or death resolution. The fee may be paid from the office allowance provided by Section 4 of the General Assembly Compensation Act, or from any other funds available to the member. Upon agreement of the Speaker and the Minority Leader, congratulatory or death resolutions may be immediately considered and adopted by the House without referral to the Rules Committee, unless a member removes a resolution from consideration under this subsection (b) by filing an objection with the Clerk before the vote of the House. Any resolution that is removed under this subsection (b) shall be automatically referred to the Rules Committee and shall be eligible for consideration under subsection (a). The remaining Those resolutions, not removed from consideration under this subsection (b), may be adopted as a group by a single motion. Congratulatory and death resolutions shall be entered on the Journal only by number, sponsorship, and subject. The provisions of this subsection requiring the Principal Sponsor to pay a reasonable fee may not be suspended.

(c) Death resolutions in memory of former members of the General Assembly and former constitutional officers, upon introduction, may be immediately considered by the House without referral to the Rules Committee. Those resolutions shall be entered on the Journal in full.

(d) Executive reorganization orders of the Governor issued under Article V, Sec. 11 of the Constitution, upon being read into the record by the Clerk, are automatically referred to the Rules Committee for its referral to a standing committee or a special committee, which may issue a recommendation to the House with respect to the Executive Order. The House may disapprove of an Executive Order only by resolution adopted by a majority of those elected; no such resolution is in order until a standing committee or a special committee has reported to the House on the executive reorganization, or until the Executive Order has been discharged under Rule 58.

(House Rule 18)

18. Referrals to Committees.

(a) All House Bills and Senate Bills, after being initially read by the Clerk, are automatically referred to the Rules Committee.

(b) During odd-numbered years, the Rules Committee shall thereafter refer any such bill before it to a standing committee or a special committee within 3 legislative days, provided that referral shall not be required for a House bill that is introduced after the introduction deadline for House bills or a Senate bill that is referred to the Rules Committee after the deadline for House committee consideration of Senate bills. During even-numbered years, the Rules Committee shall refer to a standing committee or a special committee only appropriation bills implementing the budget and bills deemed by the Rules Committee, by the affirmative vote of a majority appointed, to be of an emergency nature or to be of substantial importance to the operation of government. This subsection (b) applies equally to House Bills and Senate Bills introduced into or received by the House.

(b-5) Notwithstanding subsection (b), the Rules Committee may refer bills to a joint committee of the House and Senate created by joint resolution. That joint committee shall report back to the Rules Committee any recommendation for action made by that joint committee. The Rules committee may, at any time, however, refer the bill to a standing or special committee of the House.

(c) A standing committee or a special committee may refer a subject matter or a legislative measure pending in that committee to a subcommittee of that committee.

(d) All legislative measures favorably reported by a standing committee or a special committee, or discharged from a standing committee or a special committee under Rule 58, shall be referred to the House and placed on the appropriate order of business, which shall appear on the daily calendar. All legislative measures, except bills or resolutions on the Consent Calendar, bills or resolutions assigned short debate status by a standing committee or special committee, and floor amendments, so referred are automatically assigned standard debate status, subject to Rule 52.

(e) All committee amendments, floor amendments, joint action motions for final action, conference committee reports, and motions to table committee amendments, upon filing with the Clerk, are automatically referred to the Rules Committee. The Rules Committee may refer any committee amendment to the standing committee or the special committee to which the bill or resolution it amends has been referred for its review and consideration, provided the committee amendment is filed no later than 3:00 p.m. the business day before a meeting at which that bill or resolution may be considered. "Business day" does not include Saturday, Sunday, or State or federal holidays unless the House is in session or the Clerk's office is otherwise open to the public on that day. The Rules Committee may refer any floor amendment, joint action motion for final action, conference committee report, or motion to table a committee amendment to the House or to a standing committee or a special committee for its review and consideration (in those instances, and notwithstanding any other provision of these Rules, the standing committee or special committee may hold a hearing on and consider those legislative measures pursuant to a two-hour advance notice given no later than the calendar day before the date of the hearing, and referrals to the House shall be subject to the notice requirements of Rule 15(d)). Any committee amendment, floor amendment, joint action motion for final action, conference committee report, or motion to table a committee amendment that is not referred to the House by, or discharged from, the Rules Committee is out of order, except that any floor amendment, joint action motion for final action, conference committee report, or motion to table a committee amendment favorably reported by, or discharged from, a standing committee or a special committee is deemed referred to the House by the Rules Committee for purposes of this Rule. All joint action motions for final action, conference committee reports and motions to table committee amendments so referred are automatically assigned standard debate status, subject to Rule 52. Floor amendments referred to the House under this Rule are automatically assigned amendment debate status.

(f) The Rules Committee may at any time refer or re-refer any a legislative measure, except a committee amendment, from a committee to a Committee of the Whole or to any other committee. When a bill or resolution is re-referred to a committee pursuant to this Rule, any committee amendment for the bill or resolution pending in committee with the bill or resolution shall be automatically re-referred with the bill or resolution.

(g) Legislative measures may be discharged from the Rules Committee upon the affirmative vote of 71 members elected. Any bill or resolution discharged from the Rules Committee shall be placed on the appropriate order of business of the Petition Calendar as provided in Rule 42.1. Notwithstanding any other provision of these Rules, any bill pending before the Rules Committee shall be immediately discharged and referred to a standing committee, special committee, or order of the Daily Calendar, as provided in this Rule, if the Principal Sponsor of the bill files a motion that is signed by no less than three-fifths of the members of both the majority and minority caucuses, provided each member signing the motion is a sponsor of the underlying bill subject to the motion and the motion specifies the appropriate standing committee, special committee, or order on the Daily Calendar to which the bill shall be referred. Such a motion shall be filed, in writing, with the Clerk. All other legislative measures may be discharged from the Rules Committee only by unanimous consent of the House. A bill or resolution discharged from the Rules Committee shall be referred as follows: (i) a bill or resolution that was not previously referred shall be referred to the standing committee or special committee designated on the motion, subject to the notice requirement of Rule 21; (ii) a bill or resolution re-referred to the Rules Committee from a standing committee or special committee shall be re-referred to that committee, subject to the notice requirement of Rule 21; and (iii) a bill or resolution re-referred to the Rules Committee from Second Reading or Third Reading shall be re-referred to the proper order of business on the Daily Calendar, provided the bill or resolution shall be carried on the Daily Calendar for at least one legislative day prior to consideration by the House. Legislative measures, other than bills or resolutions, that are discharged from the Rules Committee shall be referred as follows: (i) an amendment, joint action motion for final action, or conference committee report shall be referred to the committee that considered the underlying bill or resolution and (ii) any other legislative measure shall be referred to the proper order of business on the Daily Calendar, provided the legislative measure shall be carried on the Daily Calendar for at least one legislative day prior to consideration by the House. Rulings of the Presiding Officer related to this subsection (g) may not be appealed. This subsection may not be suspended.

(h) Except for those provisions that may not be suspended, this Rule may be suspended only by the affirmative vote of 71 members elected.

(House Rule 19)

19. Re-Referrals to the Rules Committee.

(a) All legislative measures that fail to meet the applicable deadline established under Rule 9 for reporting to the House by a standing committee or a special committee, for Third Reading and passage, or for consideration of joint action motions and conference committee reports are automatically re-referred to the Rules Committee unless: (i) the deadline has been suspended or revised by the Speaker, with re-referral to the Rules Committee to occur if the bill has not been reported to the House in accordance with a revised deadline; or (ii) the Rules Committee has issued a written exception to the Clerk with respect to a particular bill before the reporting deadline, with re-referral to occur, if at all, in accordance with the written exception; or (iii) the bill or resolution is pending before the House on the Petition Calendar. When a bill is re-referred to the Rules Committee after failure to meet the Third Reading deadline, any floor amendment to the bill remaining in a standing or special committee shall also be re-referred to the Rules Committee.

(b) All legislative measures pending before the House or any of its committees are automatically re-referred to the Rules Committee on the 31st consecutive day that the House has not convened for session unless: (i) any deadline applicable to the bill or resolution that has been designated by the Speaker under Rule 9 exceeds 31 days, with re-referral to occur, if at all, in accordance with that deadline; (ii) this Rule is suspended under Rule 67; or (iii) the Rules Committee, by the affirmative vote of a majority appointed, issues a written exception to the Clerk before that 31st day; or (iv) the bill or resolution is pending before the House on the Petition Calendar.

(House Rule 21)

21. Notice.

(a) Except as provided in Rule 18(e) or unless this Rule is suspended under Rule 67 or unless the Rules Committee by majority vote waives the notice requirement for a subject matter hearing of any committee, standing committees, special committees, committees created under Article X of these Rules, and subcommittees of those committees shall not consider or conduct a hearing with respect to a subject matter or a legislative measure absent notice first being given as follows:

(1) The Chairperson of the committee, or the Co-Chairperson from the majority caucus of a standing or special committee, shall, no later than 6 days before any proposed hearing, post a notice on the House bulletin board identifying each subject matter and each legislative measure, other than a committee amendment upon initial consideration under Rule 40, that may be considered during that hearing. Committee amendments filed no later than the deadline established in Rule 40 may be considered pursuant to two hours advance notice. The notice shall contain the day, hour, and place of the hearing. Legislative measures and subject matters posted for hearing as provided in this item (1) may also be considered at any committee hearing re-convened following a recess of the committee for which notice was posted, but only if the House has met or was scheduled to meet in regular, veto, or special session on each calendar day from the time of the original committee hearing to the re-convened committee hearing.

(2) Meetings of the Rules Committee may be called under Rule 15; meetings of the standing committees and special committees to consider floor amendments, joint action motions for final action consideration, conference committee reports, and motions to table committee amendments may be called under Rule 18.

(3) The Chairperson, or Co-Chairperson from the majority caucus of a standing or special committee, shall, in advance of a committee hearing, notify all Principal Sponsors of legislative measures posted for that hearing of the date, time, and place of hearing. When practical, the Clerk shall include a notice of all scheduled hearings, together with all posted bills and resolutions, in the Daily Calendar of the House. Regardless of whether a particular legislative measure or subject matter has been posted for hearing, it is in order for a committee during any of its meetings to refer a subject matter or legislative measure pending before it to a subcommittee of that committee.

(b) Other than the Rules Committee, no committee may meet during any session of the House, and no commission created by Illinois law that has legislative membership may meet during any session of the House.

(c) Each standing appropriations committee shall meet at least once during each month of the calendar year. When the House is not in session, each standing appropriations committee shall hold each month at least one hearing in Illinois at a location other than the City of Springfield or the City of Chicago.

(d) (c) Regardless of whether notice has been previously given, it is always in order for a committee to table any legislative measure pending before it when the Principal Sponsor so requests, subject to Rule 60.

(e) (d) This Rule may be suspended only by the affirmative vote of 71 members elected, subject to Rule 25.

(House Rule 22)

22. Committee Procedure.

(a) A committee may consider any legislative measure referred to it, except as provided in subsection (b), and may make with respect to that legislative measure one of the following reports to the House or to the parent committee, as appropriate:

(1) that the bill "do pass";

(2) that the bill "do not pass";

(3) that the bill "do pass as amended";

(4) that the bill "do not pass as amended";

(5) that the resolution "be adopted";

(6) that the resolution "be not adopted";

(7) that the resolution "be adopted as amended";

(8) that the resolution "be not adopted as amended";

(9) that the floor amendment, joint action motion, conference committee report, or motion to table a committee amendment referred by the Rules Committee "be adopted";

(10) that the floor amendment, joint action motion, conference committee report, or motion to table a committee amendment referred by the Rules Committee "be not adopted";

(11) "without recommendation"; or

(12) "tabled".

Any of the foregoing reports may be made only upon the concurrence of a majority of those appointed. All legislative measures reported "do pass", "do pass as amended", "be adopted", or "be adopted as amended" are favorably reported to the House. Except as otherwise provided by these Rules, any legislative measure referred or re-referred to a committee and not reported under this Rule shall remain in that committee.

(b) No bill or committee amendment that provides for an appropriation of money from the State Treasury may be considered by an Appropriations Committee unless the bill or committee amendment is limited to appropriations to a single department, office, or institution; this provision does not apply to floor amendments, joint action motions, or conference committee reports.

No bill that provides for an appropriation of money from the State Treasury may be considered for passage by the House unless it has first been favorably reported by an Appropriations Committee or:

(1) the bill was discharged from an Appropriations Committee under Rule 58;

(2) the bill was exempted from this requirement by a majority of those appointed to the Rules Committee; or

(3) this Rule was suspended under Rule 67.

Standing appropriations committees shall conduct hearings for the purpose of reviewing (i) performance data compiled by departments of State government pursuant to Section 50-15 of the State Budget Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois and (ii) other performance data that is requested by the committees from departments of State government and other recipients of State appropriations.

(c) The Chairperson of each committee, or Co-Chairperson from the majority caucus of a standing or special committee, shall keep, or cause to be kept by the Clerk's Office, a record in which there shall be entered:

(1) The time and place of each meeting of the committee.

(2) The attendance of committee members at each meeting.

(3) The votes cast by the committee members on all legislative measures acted on by the committee.

(4) The "Record of Committee Witness" forms executed by each person appearing or registering in each committee meeting, which shall include identification of the witness, the person, group, or firm represented by appearance and the capacity in which the representation is made (if the person is representing someone other than himself or herself), his or her position on the legislation under consideration, and the nature of his or her desired testimony.

(5) An audio recording of the proceedings.

(6) Such additional information as may be requested by the Clerk.

(d) The committee Chairperson, or the Co-Chairperson from the majority caucus of a standing or special committee, shall file with the Clerk, along with every legislative measure reported upon, a written report containing such information as required by the Clerk. The Clerk may adopt forms, policies, and procedures with respect to the preparation, filing, and maintenance of the reports.

(e) When a committee fails to report a legislative measure pending before it to the House, or when a committee fails to hold a public hearing on a legislative measure pending before it, the exclusive means to bring that legislative measure directly before the House for its consideration is as provided in Rule 18 or Rule 58.

(f) No legislative measure may be called for a vote in a standing committee or special committee in the absence of the Principal Sponsor. The committee Chairperson, the committee Minority Spokesperson, or a chief co-sponsor may present a bill or resolution in committee with the approval of the Principal Sponsor when the committee consents. In the case of standing or special committees with Co-Chairpersons from different political parties, the "Chairperson" means the Co-Chairperson from the majority caucus, and the "Minority Spokesperson" means the Co-Chairperson from the minority caucus. This subsection may not be suspended.

(g) Motions for committee approval of bills and resolutions are renewable, provided that no bill or resolution may be voted on more than twice in any committee on motions to report the bill or resolution favorably, or to reconsider the vote by which the committee adopted a motion to report the bill or resolution unfavorably. A bill or resolution having failed to receive a favorable recommendation after 2 such record votes shall be automatically reported with the appropriate unfavorable recommendation.

(h) A bill or resolution shall be given short debate status by report of the committee if the bill or resolution was favorably reported by a three-fifths vote of the members present and voting, including those voting "present". Bills and resolutions receiving favorable reports may be placed upon the Consent Calendar as provided in Rule 42.

(i) This Rule may be suspended only by the affirmative vote of 71 members elected.

(House Rule 28)

28. Sessions of the House.

(a) The House is in session whenever it convenes in perfunctory session, regular session, veto session, special session, or joint session with the Senate. Members are entitled to per diem expense reimbursements authorized by law only on those regular, veto, special session, and joint session days that they are in attendance at the House and either (i) are recorded as present on the quorum roll call or (ii) personally appear before the Clerk or the Clerk's designee after the quorum roll call but prior to the close of the Clerk's Office for the day. Attendance by members is not required or recorded on perfunctory session days.

(b) Regular and veto session days shall be scheduled with notice by the Speaker under Rule 9. Special session days shall be scheduled in accordance with the Constitution and laws of Illinois. The Speaker may convene the House when deemed necessary, regardless of whether a different date or time has been established.

(c) The Speaker may schedule perfunctory session days during which the Clerk may read into the House record any legislative measure, except that no bill shall be read for a second time during perfunctory session. Committees may meet and may consider and act upon legislative measures during a perfunctory session day, and the Clerk may receive and read committee reports into the House record during a perfunctory day. Except for automatic referral under these Rules, no further action may be taken by the House with respect to a legislative measure during a perfunctory session day.

(House Rule 31)

31. Standing Order of Business. The Unless otherwise determined by the Presiding Officer, the standing daily order of business of the House is as follows:

(1) Call to Order, Invocation, Pledge of Allegiance, and Roll Call.

(2) Petition Calendar.

(3) (2) Approval of the Journal.

(4) (3) Reading of House Bills a first time.

(5) (4) Reports from committees, with reports from the Rules Committee ordinarily made at any time.

(6) (5) Presentation of Resolutions, Petitions, and Messages.

(7) (6) Introduction of House Bills.

(8) (7) Messages from the Senate, not including reading Senate Bills a first time.

(9) (8) Reading of House Bills a second time.

(10) (9) Reading of House Bills a third time.

(11) (10) Reading of Senate Bills a third time.

(12) (11) Reading of Senate Bills a second time.

(13) (12) Reading of Senate Bills a first time.

(14) (13) House Bills on the Order of Concurrence.

(15) (14) Senate Bills on the Order of Non-Concurrence.

(16) (15) Conference Committee Reports.

(17) (16) Motions in Writing.

(18) (17) Constitutional Amendment Resolutions.

(19) (18) Motions with respect to Vetoes.

(20) (19) Consideration of Resolutions.

(21) (20) Motions to Discharge Committee.

(22) (21) Motions to Take from the Table.

(23) (22) Motions to Suspend the Rules.

(24) (23) Consideration of Bills on the Order of Postponed Consideration.

The Presiding Officer may vary the daily order of business of the House, but only with respect to items (3) through (24); items (1) and (2) must always be the first and second orders of business. The House may also return to the order of business under item (2) at the direction of the Presiding Officer or upon the adoption of a motion to change the order of business.

This rule may not be suspended.

(House Rule 37)

37. Bills.

(a) A bill may be introduced in the House by sponsorship of one or more members of the House, whose names shall be on the reproduced copies of the bills, in the House Journal, and in the Legislative Digest. The Principal Sponsor shall be the first name to appear on the bill and may be joined by no more than 4 chief co-sponsors with the approval of the Principal Sponsor; other co-sponsors shall be separated from the Principal Sponsor and any chief co-sponsors by a comma. The Principal Sponsor may change the sponsorship of a bill to that of one or more other Representatives, or to that of the standing committee or special committee to which the bill was referred or from which the bill was reported. Such change may be made at any time the bill is pending before the House or any of its committees by filing a notice with the Clerk, provided that the addition of any member as a Principal Sponsor, chief co-sponsor, or co-sponsor must be with that member's consent. This subsection may not be suspended.

(b) The Principal Sponsor of a bill controls that bill. A committee-sponsored bill is controlled by the Chairperson, or if Co-Chairpersons have been appointed, by the Co-Chairperson from the majority caucus, who for purposes of these Rules is deemed the Principal Sponsor. Committee-sponsored bills may not have individual co-sponsors.

(c) The Senate sponsor of a bill originating in the Senate may request substitute House sponsorship of that bill by filing a notice with the Clerk. Such notice is automatically referred to the Rules Committee. The notice shall include the bill number, signature of the Senate sponsor, signature of the substitute House sponsor, and a statement that the original House sponsor was provided with notice of intent to request a substitute House sponsor. A notice that satisfies the requirements of this subsection shall be approved by the Rules Committee. If the Rules Committee does not act on a notice that satisfies the requirements of this subsection within 3 legislative days after its referral, then the notice is deemed approved and the Clerk shall substitute sponsorship. This subsection shall be in effect if, and only for so long as, the Rules of the Senate include a reciprocal privilege for House sponsors and the Senate complies with the rule. This subsection may not be suspended.

(d) All bills introduced in the House shall be read by title a first time, ordered reproduced, and automatically referred to the Rules Committee in accordance with Rule 18. After a Senate Bill is received and a House member has submitted notification to the Clerk of sponsorship of that bill, it shall be read by title, ordered reproduced, and automatically referred to the Rules Committee in accordance with Rule 18.

(e) All bills introduced into the House shall be accompanied by 6 copies. Any bill that amends a statute shall indicate the particular changes in the following manner:

(1) All new matter shall be underscored.

(2) All matter that is to be omitted or superseded shall be shown crossed with a line.

(e-5) Appropriation bills for the operation of State government shall make appropriations pursuant to the standardized line items identified as items (1) through (18) of Section 13 of the State Finance Act with specific appropriation amounts for each item. Appropriations for other purposes may be included in an appropriation bill only if required by law or if it has been a custom and practice as documented by appropriations enacted for state fiscal year 2009.

This subsection (e-5) may be suspended only by the affirmative vote of 71 members elected.

(f) No bill shall be passed by the House except on a record vote of a majority of those elected, subject to Rule 69. A bill that has lost on third reading and has not been reconsidered may not thereafter be revived. If a motion for the adoption of a first conference committee report fails and the motion is not reconsidered, then a second conference committee may be appointed as provided in Rule 76(c). If a motion for the adoption of a second conference committee report fails and is not reconsidered, then the bill may not thereafter be revived.

(g) An appropriation bill that is amended in the House may not be considered on Third Reading until the third calendar day following the adoption or tabling of any House Committee or House floor amendments to the bill.

This subsection (g) may be suspended only by the affirmative vote of 71 members elected

(House Rule 37.5)

37.5. Amendments to Taxpayer Accountability and Budget Stabilization Act.

(a) From the commencement of the 97th General Assembly until June 30, 2015, no bill that amends or refers to Section 201.5 of the Illinois Income Tax Act, or that seeks to appropriate or transfer money pursuant to a declaration of a fiscal emergency under Section 201.5 of that Act, may be moved from the order of Second Reading to the order of Third Reading unless a motion to approve such measure for consideration has been adopted by a record vote of 71 members, provided that a bill that amends or refers to Section 201.5 of the Illinois Income Tax Act and decreases a rate of taxation shall not be subject to this subsection (a). If such a bill is on the order of concurrence or in the form of a conference committee report, no motion to concur or to adopt that conference committee report is in order unless a motion to approve such measure for consideration has been adopted by a record vote of 71 members. Nothing in this House Rule shall be deemed to alter the vote requirement for final passage of a legislative measure required by the Illinois Constitution.

(b) Any motion made pursuant to subsection (a) to approve a legislative measure for consideration must be in writing. Upon receipt of the written motion, the Clerk shall immediately notify the Speaker and the Minority Leader. The motion shall not be referred to a committee. The motion must be carried on the calendar before it may be taken up by the House and may then be immediately considered and adopted by the House. The motion is renewable and may be reconsidered, provided that once that motion is adopted, it shall not be reconsidered.

(c) This Rule may not be suspended except by unanimous consent.

(House Rule 40)

40. Amendments.

(a) An amendment to a bill may be adopted by a standing committee or special committee when the bill is before that committee. An amendment to a bill may be adopted by the House when a bill is on the order of Second Reading if: (i) the Rules Committee has referred the floor amendment to the House for consideration under Rule 18; (ii) a standing committee or special committee has referred the floor amendment to the House; or (iii) the floor amendment has been discharged from committee pursuant to Rule 18(g) or Rule 58. All amendments must be in writing. All committee amendments for which advance notice was given pursuant to Rule 21 that have been referred to a standing committee or special committee by the Rules Committee shall be considered by the committee or a subcommittee of that committee prior to consideration by the committee of the bill to which the amendment relates. All committee amendments not adopted to a bill prior to the favorable reporting of the bill by a standing committee or special committee or its re-referral to the Rules Committee are automatically tabled. All floor amendments not adopted to a bill and that are still pending in a committee or before the House upon the passage or defeat of a bill on Third Reading are automatically tabled, provided that any floor amendment tabled pursuant to this Rule shall automatically be taken from the table upon the adoption of a motion to reconsider the vote for the passage or defeat of the bill on Third Reading.

(b) Except as otherwise provided in these Rules, committee amendments (i) may be offered only by the Principal Sponsor or a member of the committee while the affected bill is before that committee, (ii) shall be automatically referred to such committee, and (iii) shall be adopted by a majority of those appointed. Floor amendments may be offered for adoption only by a Representative while the bill is on the order of Second Reading, subject to Rule 18, and shall be adopted by a majority vote of the House. The sponsor of a committee or floor amendment may change the sponsorship of the amendment to that of another member, with that other member's consent. Such change may be made at any time the amendment is pending before the House or any of its committees by filing notice with the Clerk. A committee amendment may be the subject of a motion to "do adopt" or "do not adopt". A committee amendment may be adopted only by a successful motion to "do adopt". The Chairperson of a committee may refer any committee amendment to a subcommittee of that committee.

(c) Committee amendments shall be filed with the Clerk no later than 3:00 p.m. the business day before a meeting at which the bill or resolution it amends may be considered. "Business day" does not include Saturday, Sunday, or State or federal holidays unless the House is in session or the Clerk's office is otherwise open to the public on that day. Floor amendments shall be filed with the Clerk only while the bill is on the order of Second Reading or Third Reading. Amendments are in order only when 6 copies have been filed. The Clerk shall number amendments sequentially in the order submitted, and all amendments that are in order shall be considered in ascending numerical order.

(d) When an amendment is filed with the Clerk it shall be ordered reproduced. No committee amendment may be adopted by a committee, and no The Clerk shall have reproduced all adopted committee amendments that come before the House. The Clerk shall also have reproduced all floor amendments referred to the House by a committee. No floor amendment may be considered by a committee or adopted by the House unless it has been reproduced and placed on the members' desks in the same manner as for bills under Rule 39.

(e) No floor amendment is in order unless it has been first referred to the House for consideration by the Rules Committee under Rule 18, or favorably reported by, or discharged from, a standing committee or special committee. A floor amendment may be referred to the House for consideration, or to a standing or special committee, only while the bill is on the order of Second Reading or Third Reading.

(f) Amendments that propose to alter any existing law shall conform to the requirements of Rule 37(e).

(g) If a committee reports a bill "do pass as amended", the committee amendments are deemed adopted by the committee action and shall be reproduced and placed on the members' desks (which may be done in the same manner as provided for bills under Rule 39) before the bill may be read a second time.

(h) In the case of special committees with Co-Chairpersons from different political parties, the "Chairperson" for the purposes of this Rule is the Co-Chairperson from the majority caucus.

(i) Amendments to resolutions are subject to the same procedural requirements that apply to amendments to bills.

(House Rule 42.1 new)

42.1. Petition Calendar.

(a) The Principal Sponsor of a bill or resolution may file with the Clerk a motion signed by 71 members requesting placement of that bill or resolution on the Petition Calendar with regard to any bill or resolution pending in a House Committee or pending on an order of business on the Daily Calendar.

(b) The Clerk shall include a Petition Calendar on the Daily Calendar and designate it as a separate part of the Daily Calendar. A bill or joint resolution for a constitutional amendment that is pending in a committee when a petition motion is filed shall be placed on the Petition Calendar order of Second Reading. Any other type of resolution that is pending in a committee when a petition motion is filed shall be placed on the Petition Calendar order of Resolutions. A bill or resolution that is on an order of business on the Daily Calendar when a petition motion is filed shall be placed on the same order of business on the Petition Calendar.

(c) A legislative measure on the Petition Calendar shall be moved between Petition Calendar orders of business at the request of the Principal Sponsor, except as otherwise limited by these Rules.

(d) Whenever the House is on this order of business, the principal sponsor of each legislative measure on the Petition Calendar shall have the right to call that measure for consideration by the House.

(e) This rule may be suspended only by the affirmative vote of 71 members elected.

(House Rule 43)

43. Changing Order of Business.

(a) Any order of business may be changed at any time by the Speaker or Presiding Officer, except as limited by Rule 31.

(b) Any order of business may be changed at any time upon the motion of any member, supported by 5 additional members, if the motion is adopted by an affirmative vote of 71 members elected.

(c) This Rule may be suspended only by the affirmative vote of 71 members elected.

(House Rule 44)

44. Special Orders; Rules Committee.

(a) A special order of business may be set by the Rules Committee or by the Speaker. The Principal Sponsor of a bill or resolution must consent to the placement of the bill or resolution on a special order. A special order shall fix the day to which it applies and the matters to be included. The Speaker, or the Rules Committee by a vote of a majority of the members appointed, may establish time limits for a special order and may establish limitations on debate during a special order (notwithstanding Rule 52), in which event the allotted time shall be fairly divided between proponents and opponents of the legislation to be considered. A special order of business takes the place of the standing order for such time as may be necessary for its completion but may occur no earlier than after the completion of standing order (2) of Rule 31. Only matters that may otherwise properly be before the House may be included in a special order.

(b) A special order shall appear on the Daily Calendar for 3 legislative days. This subsection (b) may be suspended only by the affirmative vote of 71 members elected.

(c) A special order may be suspended, amended, or modified by motion adopted by an affirmative vote of 60 members. A special order shall be suspended by a written objection signed by 3 members of the Rules Committee and filed during the first legislative day on which the special order appears on the calendar.

(d) This Rule may be suspended only by the affirmative vote of 71 members elected.

(House Rule 45)

45. Resolutions.

(a) A resolution may be introduced in the House by sponsorship of one or more members of the House, and the names of all sponsors shall be included in the House Journal and in the Legislative Digest. Each resolution introduced shall be accompanied by 6 copies. Consideration of resolutions shall be governed by Rule 16 and Rule 66.

(b) The Principal Sponsor of a resolution controls that resolution. The Principal Sponsor of a resolution, or the sponsor of an amendment to a resolution, may change the sponsorship of the resolution or amendment, as applicable, to that of another member, with that other member's consent, by filing notice with the Clerk. A standing committee-sponsored resolution is controlled by the Chairperson of the committee, or if Co-Chairpersons have been appointed, by the Co-Chairperson from the majority caucus, who for purposes of these Rules is deemed the Principal Sponsor. A special committee-sponsored resolution is controlled by the Chairperson, or if Co-Chairpersons have been appointed, by the Co-Chairperson from the majority caucus, who for purposes of these Rules is deemed the Principal Sponsor. Committee-sponsored resolutions may not have individual co-sponsors.

(c) Any resolution calling for the expenditure of State funds may be adopted only by a record vote of a majority of those elected.

(House Rule 51)

51. Decorum.

(a) When any member is about to speak to the House, he or she shall rise and address the Presiding Officer as "Speaker". The Presiding Officer, upon recognizing the member, shall address him or her by name, and thereupon the engineer in charge of operating the microphones in the House shall give the use of the microphone to the member who has been so recognized. The member in speaking shall confine himself or herself to the subject matter under discussion and avoid personalities.

(b) Questions affecting the rights, reputation, and conduct of members of the House in their representative capacity are questions of personal privilege. A matter of personal explanation does not constitute a question of personal privilege.

(c) If 2 or more members rise at once, the Presiding Officer shall name the member who is to speak first.

(d) No person shall give any signs of approbation or disapprobation while the House is in session.

(e) Recognition of guests by any member is prohibited, except that the Speaker or Presiding Officer may recognize an honored guest.

(f) While the Presiding Officer is putting a question, no member shall leave or walk across the House Chamber. When a member is addressing the House, no member or other person entitled to the floor shall entertain private discourse or pass between the member speaking and the Presiding Officer. When the House is on any of the following orders of business, no messages from individuals located outside the House Chamber shall be delivered in the Chamber by a doorkeeper, page, or any other person: Reading of House Bills a third time, Reading of Senate Bills a third time, House Bills on the Order of Concurrence, Senate Bills on the Order of Non-Concurrence, and Conference Committee Reports.

(g) In case of any disturbance or disorderly conduct, the Speaker or Presiding Officer may order that the lobby, gallery, or hallways adjoining the House Chamber be cleared.

(h) No literature may be distributed on the House floor.

(i) No member may be absent from a session of the House unless he or she has leave or is sick or his or her absence is unavoidable. The switch to the electrical roll call recording equipment located on the desk of any member who has been excused or is absent shall be locked by the Clerk and shall not be unlocked until the member returns and files with the Clerk a request to be shown as present on the quorum roll call as provided in Rule 32(c).

(House Rule 52)

52. Debate.

(a) All legislative measures, except those legislative measures that are not debatable as provided in these Rules, are subject to a debate status as follows:

(1) Short Debate: Debate is limited to a 2-minute presentation by the Principal Sponsor or a member designated by the Principal Sponsor, a 2-minute presentation by a member in response, and one minute for the Principal Sponsor to close debate, or yield to other members; provided that at the request of 7 members before the close of debate, the debate status shall be opened to standard debate;

(2) Standard Debate: Debate is limited to a 5-minute presentation by the Principal Sponsor or a member designated by the Principal Sponsor, debate by each of 2 additional proponents of the legislative measure and by 3 members in response to the legislative measure, and 3 minutes for the Principal Sponsor to close debate, or yield to other members;

(3) Extended Debate: Debate is limited to a 5-minute presentation by the Principal Sponsor or a member designated by the Principal Sponsor, debate by each of 4 proponents of the legislative measure and 5 members in response, and 5 minutes for the Principal Sponsor to close debate, or yield to other members;

(4) Unlimited Debate: Debate shall consist of a 10-minute presentation by the Principal Sponsor or a member designated by the Principal Sponsor, debate by each proponent and member in response who seeks recognition, and 5 minutes for the Principal Sponsor to close debate, or yield to other members; or

(5) Amendment Debate: Debate on floor amendments referred to the House from a committee, or discharged from a committee, is limited to a 3-minute presentation by the Principal Sponsor, or a member designated by the Principal Sponsor, debate by one proponent, debate by each of 2 members in response, and 3 minutes for the Principal Sponsor to close debate, or yield to other members.

No debate is in order on bills or resolutions on the order of First Reading or Second Reading, except for debate on floor amendments as provided in this Rule.

(b) All legislative measures, except floor amendments, that are (i) referred to the House from a committee, (ii) or discharged from a committee, or (iii) on the Petition Calendar are automatically assigned standard debate status, subject to subsection (c) of this Rule, except those assigned to the Consent Calendar or short debate status by a standing committee or a special committee. All floor amendments referred to the House from a committee, or discharged from a committee, are automatically assigned amendment debate status, subject to subsection (c) of this Rule.

(c) Notwithstanding any other provision of these Rules to the contrary, the debate status of any legislative measure may be changed only (i) by the Speaker, as defined in item (27) of Rule 102, by filing a notice with the Clerk, or (ii) by the Rules Committee by motion approved by a majority of those appointed. While a legislative measure is being considered by the House, the debate status may also be changed by unanimous consent. No legislative measure, however, may be placed on the Consent Calendar under this Rule. No legislative measure, except a floor amendment, may be assigned amendment debate status under this Rule.

(d) The Speaker or Rules Committee, as the case may be, shall notify the Clerk of any action to change the debate status of any legislative measure. The Clerk shall cause that information to be reflected on the Daily Calendar on subsequent legislative days, provided the legislative measure is still before the House.

(e) No member shall speak longer than 5 minutes at one time or more than once on the same question except by leave of the House. The Principal Sponsor of a measure or a member designated by the Principal Sponsor, however, shall be allowed to open the debate and to close the debate in accordance with subsection (a) of this Rule. The provisions of this subsection (e) are subject to and limited by subsections (a), (b), and (c) of this Rule. A member may yield to another member the time allotted for the member's debate.

(f) The Presiding Officer shall allocate the debate on each legislative measure alternately, if possible, between proponents and opponents of the legislative measure under debate.

(g) This Rule may not be suspended.

(House Rule 75)

75. House Consideration of Joint Action.

(a) No joint action motion for final action or conference committee report may be considered by the House unless it has first been referred to the House by the Rules Committee or a standing committee or special committee in accordance with Rule 18, or unless the joint action motion or conference committee report has been discharged from the Rules Committee under Rule 18. Joint action motions for final consideration and conference committee reports referred to a standing committee or special committee by the Rules Committee may not be discharged from the standing committee or special committee. This subsection (a) may be suspended by unanimous consent.

(b) No conference committee report may be considered by the House unless it has been reproduced and placed on the members' desks, in the same manner as provided for bills under Rule 39, for one full day during the period beginning with the convening of the House on the 2nd Wednesday of January each year and ending on the 30th day prior to the scheduled adjournment of the regular session established each year by the Speaker pursuant to Rule 9(a), and for one full hour on any other day.

(c) Before any conference committee report on an appropriation bill is considered by the House, the conference committee report shall first be the subject of a public hearing by a standing Appropriations Committee or a special committee (the conference committee report need not be referred to an Appropriations Committee or special committee, but instead may remain before the Rules Committee or the House, as the case may be). The hearing shall be held pursuant to not less than one hour advance notice by announcement on the House floor, or one day advance notice by posting on the House bulletin board. An Appropriations Committee or special committee shall not issue any report with respect to the conference committee report following the hearing.

(d) Any House Bill amended in the Senate and returned to the House for concurrence in the Senate amendment shall lie upon the desk of the Clerk for not less than one hour before being further considered.

(e) No House Bill that is returned to the House with Senate amendments may be called except by the Principal Sponsor, or by a chief co-sponsor with the consent of the Principal Sponsor. This subsection may not be suspended.

(f) Except as otherwise provided in Rule 74, the report of a conference committee on a non-appropriation bill or resolution shall be confined to the subject of the bill or resolution referred to the conference committee. The report of a conference committee on an appropriation bill shall be confined to the subject of appropriations.

(House Rule 76.5 new)

76.5. Appropriation Bills. Joint action motions for final action on the order of Concurrence regarding an appropriation bill shall not be considered by the House until the third calendar day following the day that the bill was received back in the House with one or more amendments added by the Senate. Joint action motions for final action on the order of Non-concurrence regarding an appropriation bill shall not be considered by the House until the third calendar day following the day that the bill was received back in the House with a message requesting the House to recede from one or more of its amendments. Joint action motions for final action on the order of Conference Committee Reports regarding an appropriation bill shall not be considered by the House until the third calendar day following the day that the conference report to which the motion applies was filed with the Clerk.

Nothing in this rule limits consideration of a joint action motion for final action by a committee of the House or a joint committee of the House and Senate.

This rule may be suspended only by the affirmative vote of 71 members elected.

(House Rule 102)

102. Definitions. As used in these Rules, terms have the meanings ascribed to them as follows, unless the context clearly requires a different meaning:

(1) Chairperson. "Chairperson" means that Representative designated by the Speaker to serve as chair of a committee.

(2) Co-Chairperson. "Co-Chairperson" means a Representative designated by the Speaker to serve as co-chair of a standing or special committee.

(3) Clerk. "Clerk" means the elected Clerk of the House.

(4) Committee. "Committee" means a committee of the House and includes a standing committee, the Rules Committee, a special committee, committees created under Article X and Article XII of these Rules, and a subcommittee of a committee. "Committee" does not mean a conference committee, and the procedural and notice requirements applicable to committees do not apply to conference committees.

(4.5) Committee amendment. "Committee amendment" means an amendment referred by the Rules Committee to a standing committee or special committee while the bill or resolution it amends is before that committee.

(5) Constitution. "Constitution" means the Constitution of the State of Illinois.

(6) General Assembly. "General Assembly" means the current General Assembly of the State of Illinois.

(7) House. "House" means the House of Representatives of the General Assembly.

(8) Joint Action Motions. "Joint action motions" means the following motions before the House: to concur in a Senate amendment, to non-concur in a Senate amendment, to recede from a House amendment, to refuse to recede from a House amendment, to request that a conference committee be appointed, and to adopt a conference committee report.

(8.5) Joint Action Motions for Final Action. "Joint action motions for final action" means the following motions before the House: to concur in a Senate amendment, to recede from a House amendment, and to adopt a conference committee report.

(9) Legislative Digest. "Legislative Digest" means the Legislative Synopsis and Digest that is prepared by the Legislative Reference Bureau of the General Assembly.

(10) Legislative Measures. "Legislative measures" means all matters brought before the House for consideration, whether originated in the House or Senate, and includes bills, amendments, resolutions, conference committee reports, motions, messages, notices, and Executive Orders from the executive branch.

(11) Majority. "Majority" means a majority of those members present and voting on a question. Unless otherwise specified with respect to a particular House Rule, for purposes of determining the number of members present and voting on a question, a "present" vote shall not be counted.

(12) Majority Caucus. "Majority caucus" means that group of Representatives from the numerically strongest political party in the House.

(13) Majority of those Appointed. "Majority of those appointed" means a majority of the total number of Representatives authorized under these Rules to be appointed to a committee.

(14) Majority of those Elected. "Majority of those elected" means a majority of the total number of Representatives entitled to be elected to the House, regardless of the number of elected or appointed Representatives actually serving in office. So long as 118 Representatives are entitled to be elected to the House, "majority of those elected" means 60 affirmative votes; 71 affirmative votes means three-fifths of the members elected; and 79 affirmative votes means two-thirds of the members elected.

(15) Member. "Member" means a Representative. Where the context so requires, "member" may also mean a Senator of the Illinois Senate.

(16) Members Appointed. "Members appointed" means the total number of Representatives authorized under these Rules to be appointed to a committee.

(17) Members Elected. "Members elected" means the 118 Representatives entitled to be elected to the House, regardless of the number of elected or appointed Representatives actually serving in office.

(18) Minority Caucus. "Minority caucus" means that group of Representatives from the second numerically strongest political party in the House.

(19) Minority Leader. "Minority Leader" means the Minority Leader of the House elected under Rule 2.

(20) Minority Spokesperson. "Minority spokesperson" means that Representative designated by the Minority Leader to serve as the minority spokesperson of a committee.

(21) Perfunctory Session. "Perfunctory session" means the convening of the House, pursuant to the scheduling of the Speaker, for purposes consistent with Rule 28.

(22) Presiding Officer. "Presiding Officer" means that Representative serving as the presiding officer of the House, whether that Representative is the Speaker or another Representative designated by the Speaker under Rule 4.

(23) Principal Sponsor. "Principal sponsor" means the first listed House sponsor of any legislative measure; with respect to a committee-sponsored bill or resolution, it means the Chairperson of the committee or the Co-Chairperson from the majority caucus.

(24) Record Vote. "Record vote" means a vote by ayes and nays entered on the journal.

(25) Representative. "Representative" means any duly elected or duly appointed Illinois State Representative, and means the same as "member".

(26) Senate. "Senate" means the Senate of the General Assembly.

(27) Speaker. "Speaker" means the Speaker of the House elected as provided in Rule 1.

(28) Term. "Term" means the 2-year term of a General Assembly.

(29) Vice-Chairperson. "Vice-Chairperson" means that Representative designated by the Speaker to serve as Vice-Chairperson of a committee.