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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
3HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
4the Rules of the House of Representatives of the 101st General
5Assembly are amended by changing Rules 26 and 30 and by adding
6Rule 51.5 as follows:
 
 
7    (House Rule 26)
8    26. Rights of the Public.
9    (a) If a legislative measure or subject matter has been
10properly set for hearing and witnesses are present and wish to
11testify, the committee shall hear the witnesses at the
12scheduled time and place, subject to Rule 10(c).
13    (b) Any person wishing to offer testimony to a committee
14hearing of a legislative measure or subject matter shall be
15given a reasonable opportunity to do so, orally or in writing.
16The Chairperson may set time limits for presentation of oral
17testimony. No testimony in writing is required of any witness,
18but any witness may submit a statement in writing for the
19committee record. All persons offering testimony shall
20complete a "Record of Committee Witness" form and submit it to
21the committee clerk before testifying. In the case of standing
22or special committees with Co-Chairpersons from different
23political parties, the "Chairperson" means the Co-Chairperson

 

 

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1from the majority caucus.
2    (c) A motion to foreclose further oral testimony by
3witnesses on a matter before a committee may be adopted only by
4a three-fifths majority of those voting on the motion. No such
5motion is in order until both proponents and opponents
6requesting to be heard have been given a fair and substantial
7opportunity to express their positions. No one shall be
8prohibited from filing for the record "Record of Committee
9Witness" forms or written statements while the matter is before
10the committee.
11    (d) Meetings of committees and subcommittees shall be open
12to the public. Committee meetings of the House may be closed to
13the public if two-thirds of the members elected to the House
14determine, by a record vote, that the public interest so
15requires.
16    (d-5) For meetings of committees during a disaster
17proclaimed by the Governor due to the COVID-19 virus, access to
18the room in which the committee is held shall be limited to
19members and officers of the General Assembly, majority and
20minority staff, and no more than 5 members of the public who
21are representatives of the press, except as otherwise
22authorized by the Speaker. The Speaker shall designate one or
23more locations outside of the committee room for the public to
24safely watch and listen to the proceedings of the House and its
25committees via a live audio/video broadcast. Access to such
26locations may be limited as necessary to maintain safety,

 

 

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1including, but not limited to, requiring that persons at such
2locations follow the decorum requirements of Rule 51.5(a).
3Notwithstanding any other provision of these Rules, testimony
4at a committee hearing during a disaster proclaimed by the
5Governor due to COVID-19 virus may be limited to written
6testimony at the discretion of the Chairperson. This subsection
7may not be suspended.
8    (e) This Rule cannot be suspended retroactively.
9(Source: H.R. 59, 101st G.A.)
 
10    (House Rule 30)
11    30. Access to the House Floor and Chamber.
12    (a) Except as otherwise provided in these Rules, only the
13following persons shall be admitted to the House while it is in
14session: members and officers of the General Assembly; elected
15officers of the executive branch; justices of the Supreme
16Court; the designated aide to an executive or judicial branch
17constitutional officer, except as limited by the Speaker; the
18parliamentarian; majority staff members and minority staff
19members, except as limited by the Speaker or Presiding Officer;
20former members, except as limited by the Speaker or prohibited
21under subsection (d); and employees of the Legislative
22Reference Bureau, except as limited by the Speaker.
23Representatives of the press, while the House is in session,
24may have access to the galleries and places allotted to them by
25the Speaker or his or her designee. No person is entitled to

 

 

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1the floor unless appropriately attired. Only members of the
2General Assembly may use telephones at the members' desks.
3Smoking is prohibited on the floor of the House and in the
4House galleries.
5    (a-5) On any day in which the House is in session during a
6disaster proclaimed by the Governor due to the COVID-19 virus,
7access to the House Chamber and adjoining hallways and passages
8shall be limited to members and officers of the General
9Assembly, majority and minority staff as authorized by the
10Speaker or Presiding Officer, and no more than 5 members of the
11public who are representatives of the press, except as
12otherwise authorized by the Speaker. Representatives of the
13press shall be limited to the gallery space allotted to them by
14the Speaker or the Speaker's designee. The Speaker shall
15designate one or more locations outside of the House Chamber
16for the public to safely watch and listen to the proceedings of
17the House and its committees via a live audio/video broadcast.
18Access to such locations may be limited as necessary to
19maintain safety, including, but not limited to, requiring that
20persons at such locations follow the decorum requirements of
21Rule 51.5(a). This subsection may not be suspended.
22    (b) On days during which the House is in session, the
23Doorkeeper shall clear the floor of all persons not entitled to
24access to the floor 15 minutes before the convening time, and
25the Doorkeeper shall enforce all other provisions of this Rule.
26    (c) The Speaker may authorize the admission to the floor of

 

 

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1any other person, except as prohibited under subsection (d).
2    (d) No person who is directly or indirectly interested in
3defeating or promoting any pending legislative measure, if
4required to be registered as a lobbyist or compensated by an
5entity required to register as a lobbyist, shall be allowed
6access to the floor of the House at any time during the
7session. The Speaker, or his or her designee, shall have the
8authority to determine whether a person may be granted or
9denied access in accordance with this subsection.
10    (e) When he or she deems it necessary for the preservation
11of order, the Presiding Officer may by order remove any person
12from the floor of the House. A Representative may be removed
13from the floor only under Rule 51.5 or Article XI or XII of
14these Rules.
15(Source: H.R. 59, 101st G.A.)
 
16    (House Rule 51.5 new)
17    51.5 Decorum during the COVID-19 Disaster.
18    (a) On any day in which the House is in session during a
19disaster proclaimed by the Governor due to the COVID-19 virus,
20all members and officers of the General Assembly, majority and
21minority staff, and other persons when entitled to the House
22floor, galleries, and adjoining hallways and passages shall:
23        (1) to the extent medically able and except as
24    reasonably necessary for eating or drinking, wear a
25    face-covering that covers the nose and mouth;

 

 

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1        (2) to the extent possible, maintain social distancing
2    of at least six feet from any other person except as
3    permitted by the other person;
4        (3) have submitted to and passed a temperature check
5    prior to entry; and
6        (4) have passed through a metal detector prior to
7    entry.
8    (b) In a committee hearing during a disaster proclaimed by
9the Governor due to the COVID-19 virus, members and officers of
10the General Assembly, staff, witnesses, and members of the
11public in the room in which the committee is held shall follow
12the requirements of subsection (a) of this Rule.
13    (c) A violation of this Rule shall be considered a breach
14of decorum and disorderly behavior. The Presiding Officer may
15by order remove any person, other than a Representative, from
16the House floor, galleries, and adjoining hallways and passages
17for violation of this Rule. Notwithstanding any other provision
18of these Rules, including Rule 30(e) and Articles XI and XII, a
19Representative in violation of this Rule may be disciplined and
20subject to reprimand, censure, removal from the House chamber,
21or other disciplinary measure, except expulsion and
22imprisonment, upon a motion approved by a majority of those
23elected. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to limit
24discipline pursuant to Article XI or XII of these Rules.
25    (d) This Rule may not be suspended.