arrest, custody, and release of members, shall be paid by the members so arrested, held in custody, and released, unless excused by a vote of the House. And when a member shall be excused by the House, the Sergeant-at-Arms shall not be allowed any fees for the arrest. 25. Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms to be Doorkeeper. The Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms shall be the Doorkeeper, and shall be sworn to keep the secrets of the House. 26. Standing committees. The Standing Committees of the House shall be as follows: 1. A Committee on Agriculture, to consist of seven members. 2. A Committee on Attachés and Employés, to consist of seven members. 3. A Committee on Banks and Banking, to consist of five members. 4. A Committee on Building and Loan Associations, to consist of seven members. 5. A Committee on Claims, to consist of seven members. 6. A Committee on Commerce and Navigation, to consist of nine members. 7. A Committee on Commission's and Public Expenditures, to consist of seven members. 8. A Committee on Contingent Expenses and Accounts, to consist of five members. 9. A Committee on Constitutional Amendments, to consist of seven members. 10. A Committee on Contested Elections, to consist of seven members. 11. A Committee on Corporations, to consist of nine members. 12. A Committee on Counties and County Boundaries, to consist of nine members. 13. A Committee on County and Township Governments, to consist of thirteen members. 14. A Committee on Dairies and Dairy Products, to consist of nine members. 15. A Committee on Election Laws, to consist of seven members. 16. A Committee on Education, to consist of nine members. 17. A Committee on Engrossment and Enrollment, to consist of seven members. 18. A Committee on Fruit and Vine Interests, to consist of seven members. 19. A Committee on Fish and Game, to consist of eleven members. 20. A Committee on Federal Relations, to consist of seven members. 21. A Committee on Governor's Messages, to consist of five members. 22. A Committee on Immigration, to consist of nine members. 23. A Committee on Insurance and Insurance Laws, to consist of nine members. 24. A Committee on Irrigation, to consist of nine members. 25. A Committee on Judiciary, to consist of twenty-one members. 26. A Committee on Labor and Capital, to consist of nine members. 27. A Committee on Levees and River Improvements, to consist of seven members. 28. A Committee on Manufactures and Internal Improvements, to consist of seven members. 29. A Committee on Mileage, to consist of five members. 30. A Committee on Military Affairs, to consist of seven members. 31. A Committee on Mines and Mining Interests, to consist of nine members. 32. A Committee on Municipal Corporations, to consist of seven members. 33. A Committee on Oil Industries and Oil Mining Interests, to consist of nine members. 34. A Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds, to consist of eleven members. 35. A Committee on Public Health and Quarantine, to consist of seven members. 36. A Committee on Public Lands and Forestry, to consist of seven members. 37. A Committee on Public Morals, to consist of nine members. 38. A Committee on Public Printing, to consist of seven members. 39. A Committee on Public Works, State Capitol, and Parks, to consist of seven members. 40. A Committee on Public Charities and Corrections, to consist of seven members. 41. A Committee on Reform of the Civil Service, to consist of five members. 42. A Committee on Retrenchment and Reform, to consist of seven members. 46. A Committee on Rules and Regulations, to consist of five members, one of whom shall be the Speaker. 47. A Committee on State Hospitals and Asylums, to consist of eleven members. 48. A Committee on State Library, to consist of five members. 49. A Committee on State Prisons and Reformatory Institutions, to consist of nine members. 50. A Committee on Swamp and Overflowed Lands and Drainage, to consist of nine members. 51. A Committee on Universities, to consist of seven members. 52. A Committee on Ventilation and Acoustics, to consist of five members. 53. A Committee on Ways and Means, to consist of fifteen members. The San Francisco Delegation, to whom may be referred matters of interest in particular to the City and County of San Francisco; but not to the exclusion of the jurisdiction of other committees. 27. Committees to be appointed by Speaker. All committees shall be appointed by the Speaker, unless otherwise ordered by the House. 28. Committee on Contested Elections. It shall be the duty of the Committee on Contested Elections to examine and report upon the certificates of election or other credentials of the members returned to serve in this House, and to take into their consideration all such petitions and other matters touching elections and returns as shall or may be presented or come into question, and be referred to them by the House. 29. Committee on Ways and Means. It shall be the duty of the Committee on Ways and Means to take into consideration all reports of the State Officers and State Boards or State Commissions and all propositions relative to the revenue of the State as may be referred to them by the Assembly; · to inquire into the state of the revenue and expenditures of the State, and report from time to time their opinion thereon. All bills for the appropriation of money, which were not at first referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, shall be reported to the House by the committees having them under consideration, and shall thereupon, without motion, be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means; and said committee shall consider them and report thereon the amount of appropriation required, but such bill shall retain its place on the file pending its consideration by said Committee on Ways and Means. The Committee on Ways and Means shall, from time to time, at least once in two weeks, report to the House the exact condition of legislation involving appropriations, and the aggregate amount of all the proposed appropriations pending. 30. Committee on Commissions and Public Expenditures. It shall be the duty of the Committee on Commissions and Public Expenditures to ascertain what State commissions, institutions, or boards, if any, can be abolished or consolidated with advantage to the public, in view of a more economical administration of State affairs; to ascertain what expenditures and salaries of the various public offices and institutions can be advantageously reduced or discontinued; to prepare and report to the Assembly such bills or resolutions as may be required to carry out the recommendations of the committee. 31. Committee on Engrossment. It shall be the duty of the Engrossing Committee to compare all bills ordered or considered engrossed by this House with the engrossed copies thereof; and before they pass out of the possession of the House, see that the engrossed bill is a true copy of the original, with such araendments as may have been made thereto; and said committee shall see that all engrossed bills are reported back in the order in which they were ordered engrossed. 32. Committee on Revision and Reform of Laws. It shall be the duty of the Committee on Revision and Reform of Laws to take into consideration all petitions, bills, and resolutions touching the revision and reform of the existing laws of the State of California that shall or may be presented or come into question and be referred to it by the Assembly. 33. Committee expenditures. No committee shall be permitted to incur any expense by visiting any part of the State on official or other business, without first obtaining leave of the House by a two-thirds vote of the members thereof. 34. Committee of the Whole House. In forming a Committee of the Whole House, a chairman, to be named by the Speaker, shall preside. Bills committed to a Committee of the Whole House shall, in Committee of the Whole, be read by sections. All amendments shall be noted and reported to the Assembly by the Chairman. After report to the Assembly, the bill shall again be subject to amendment before a vote on the report is taken. 35. Rules in Committee of the Whole. The rules of the Assembly shall be observed in Committee of the Whole, as far as may be applicable, except limiting the time of speaking, and except that the ayes and noes shall not be taken. 36. Motion to rise decided without debate. A motion that the committee rise shall always be in order, and shall be decided without debate. 37. Reference of bills. When a motion is made to refer any subject, and different committees shall be proposed, the question shall be taken in the following order: The Committee of the Whole House. A Standing Committee. A Select Committee. 38. Calling members to order when transgressing rules. If any member, in speaking or otherwise, transgress the rules of the House, the Speaker shall, or any member may, call to order; in which case the member so called to order shall immediately sit down, unless permited to explain; and if called to order by a member, such member shall immediately state the point of order. If the point of order be sustained by the Chair, the member shall not be allowed to proceed; but if it be not sustained, then he shall be permitted to go on. Every such decision from the Chair shall be subject to an appeal to the House, but no discussion of a question of order shall be allowed, unless an appeal be taken from the decision of the Chair. 39. Speaker to decide who is entitled to the floor. When two or more members shall rise at once, the Speaker shall name the member who is first to speak. 40. Order in speaking to questions. Every member, when he speaks, shall, standing in his place, address "Mr. Speaker," and when he has finished he shall sit down. No member shall speak more than twice during the consideration of any one question, of whatever nature, on the same day and at the same stage of proceedings, without leave being granted, except the author of a bill or resolution, or mover of a question. No member shall be allowed to speak more than thirty (30) minutes upon any question, except by leave of the House. 41. Called to order for offensive words in debate. If any member be called to order for offensive words spoken in debate, the person calling him to order shall report the words excepted to, and they shall be taken down in writing at the Clerk's table; and no member shall be held to answer, or be subject to censure of the House, for language used in debate, if any member has spoken or other business has intervened after the words spoken and before exception to them shall have been taken. 42. Personal explanation. Any member may rise to explain a matter personal to himself, with leave of the Chair, but shall not discuss a question in such explanation. 43. Motions to be stated by Speaker shall be reduced to writing, or may be withdrawn. No motion shall be debated until the same be seconded and distinctly announced by the Speaker; and it shall be reduced to writing, if desired by the Speaker, or any member, and be read by the Clerk, before the same shall be debated. A motion may be withdrawn by leave of the House, at any time before amendment or decision. 44. Motion to adjourn. A motion to adjourn shall always be in order, except during roll call. The Clerk shall enter on the Journal the name of any member moving an adjournment, also the hour at which the motion was made. When a motion is made and seconded to adjourn, it shall be in order for the Speaker, before putting the question, to permit any member to state any fact to the House relating to the condition of the business of the House, which would seem to render it improper to adjourn at that time. Such statement, however, shall not be debatable, and such statement or statements shall not, in any case, occupy more than two minutes. Concurrent resolutions for adjournment sine die shall in all cases, whether originating in the House or coming from the Senate, be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means. That committee shall report upon any such concurrent resolution not later than the next legislative day, and with regard to the status of the general appropriation bill and the tax levy. 45. Precedence of motions during debate. When a question is under debate, or before the House, no motion shall be received but: To adjourn; to lay on the table; for the previous question; to postpone to a day certain; to commit or amend; to postpone indefinitely; which several motions shall have precedence in the order in which they are named, but the first three shall be decided without debate; and no motion to postpone to a day certain, to commit, or to postpone indefinitely, being decided, shall again be allowed on the same day and at the same stage of the proceedings. A motion to strike out the enacting clause of a bill shall have preference over a motion to amend, and, if carried, shall be considered equivalent to its rejection. A dilatory motion shall not be considered intervening business within the meaning of parliamentary usage. 46. Previous question. The previous question shall be in this form: "Shall the main question be now put?" And its effect, when sustained by a majority of the members present, shall be to put an end to all debate and bring the House to a vote on the question or questions before it. 47. Questions of order after previous question is ordered. All incidental questions of order arising after a motion is made for the previous question, and pending such motion or previous question, shall be decided (whether on appeal or otherwise) without debate; provided, that after the previous question shall have been ordered, ten minutes shall be allowed for explanation of the matters covered by the previous question, of which five minutes shall be given to the member moving the previous question, and five minutes to those opposed thereto. 48. Previous question demanded. The previous question shall only be put when demanded by three members. 49. Question indefinitely postponed. When a question is postponed indefinitely, the same shall not again be introduced during the session. 50. Division of questions. Any member may call for a division of the question, which shall be divided if it comprehend propositions in substance so distinct that, one being taken away, a substantive proposition shall remain for the decision of the House. A motion to strike out being lost, shall preclude neither a motion to add to nor a motion to strike out and insert. 51. Substitute. A substitute shall be deemed and held to be an amendment, and be treated in all respects as such. 52. Subjects different from the one under consideration. No motion or proposition on a subject different from that under consideration shall be admitted as an amendment. 53. Printing of bills. Five hundred copies of all bills shall be printed. The Sergeant-at-Arms shall be required to certify to the reception by the House of all such printed matter, and the quantity thereof. 54. Printing extra number of bills, etc. A proposition to print an extra number of any document or other matter shall lie on the table one day for consideration, unless otherwise ordered by consent of the House. 55. Printing of maps. Maps accompanying documents shall not be printed under the general order to print, without the special direction of the House. 56. Filling blanks. In filling up blanks the least sum and shortest time shall be first put. 57. Priority of business. All questions relating to the priority of business shall be decided without debate. 58. Reading of papers. When the reading of a paper is called for, except petitions, and the same is objected to by any member, it shall be determined by a vote of the House, without debate. 59. Notice of reconsideration. On the day succeeding that on which a final vote on any bill or resolution has been taken, said vote may be reconsidered on the motion of any member; provided, notice of intention to move such reconsideration shall have been given on the day on which such final vote was taken, by a member voting with the majority; and it shall not be in order for any member to move a reconsideration on the day on which such final vote was taken. Said motion of reconsideration shall have precedence over every other motion, except a motion to adjourn. No notice of reconsideration shall be in order on the day preceding the last day of the session. No motion to reconsider shall be adopted, except upon a roll call, and it shall require forty-one votes to adopt the motion. 60. Elections by House. In all cases of election by the House the vote shall be taken viva voce.' 61. Calling ayes and noes. The ayes and noes shall be taken on the final passage of all bills, and when called for by three members on other questions, and every member within the bar of the House, when his name is called, shall (unless for special reasons he be excused) declare openly, and without debate, his vote. In taking the ayes and noes, and upon call of the House, the names of the members shall be taken alphabetically, and the Clerk shall enter on the Journal the names of those demanding the ayes and noes. 62. Members at Clerk's desk. No member or other person shall remain by the Clerk's table while the ayes and noes are being called, or while the votes are being counted. 63. Voting on question when interested. No person shall vote on any question in the result of which he is personally interested or involved. 64. Division and count of House. Upon a division and count of the House on any question, no person without the bar shall be counted. 65. Explaining or changing vote. No member shall be allowed to explain his vote or discuss the question while the ayes and noes are being called, and no member shall be allowed to change his vote after the vote is announced from the chair. 66. Call of the House. Upon a call of the House the names of the members shall be called over by the Clerk, and the absentees noted, after which the names of the absentees shall again be called over. The door shall then be shut, and those for whom no excuse or insufficient excuses are made, may, by order of those present, be taken into custody, as they appear, or may be sent for and taken into custody by the Sergeant-at-Arms wherever to be found, or by special messenger, to be appointed for that purpose. In the absence of a quorum, a majority of the members present may order a call of the House and compel the attendance of absentees in the manner above provided. No recess can be taken during a call of the House. 67. Suspending and changing rules. No standing rule or order of the House shall be rescinded or changed without a vote of two thirds, and one day's notice being given of the motion therefor; provided, that the Committee on Rules and Regulations may at any time, except during a roll call, report a temporary rule providing for the consideration of any bill on the files of the House belonging to either of the following classes: 1. Bills affecting the State government, its revenue, its various departments or commissions, or appropriations therefor. 2. Bills affecting county and township governments, or roads and highways. 3. Bills affecting town, city, city and county governments, or the municipal affairs of the same. 4. Bills amending election or primary election laws. 5. Constitutional Amendments. 6. Bills amending or repealing the Codes or sections thereof. Such temporary rule shall provide when a bill so selected shall be taken up for consideration, and the time when final vote shall be taken thereon and pending amendments thereto, if there be any. It shall always be in order to call up for consideration such report. The same shall be subject to amendment by the House. On the adoption of such temporary rule by the House by a two-thirds vote thereof, if the bill be on third reading, and by a majority vote of the members elected to the House, if otherwise, such bill shall thereupon be made the special order for the time fixed therein. A rule of order may be suspended temporarily by a vote of two thirds of the members present, except that portion of Rule 6 relating to third reading of bills. A motion or resolution proposing to increase or diminish a standing committee shall not be adopted until the same has been referred to the Committee on Rules and Regulations. The Committee on Rules and Regulations may also, at any time, report a temporary rule or regulation for the consideration of the business on the file, having regard to the condition of the business of the House. When such temporary rule or regulation shall have been adopted by the House, it shall have the effect, for the time being, of a standing rule, and shall be enforced by the Speaker. 68. Members absenting themselves. No member shall absent himself from the service of the House without the leave of the House, except in case of sickness; and if any member or officer of the House absent himself without leave, his per diem shall not be allowed him; but no member shall obtain leave of absence, or be excused, without a vote of two thirds of the House. 69. Persons admitted to floor. No persons except Senators, State officers, Governors and ex-Governors of States, Members of Congress, Judges of the Supreme or Superior Courts, members of the press when accredited by their respective journals, ladies when specially invited by a member of the House, shall be admitted within the Assembly Chamber, except in the galleries, during the session of the House; but a majority may have the floor of the House within the bar cleared of any or all such persons. The Speaker is charged with the enforcement of this rule. 70. Smoking in hall. No smoking shall be allowed within the Assembly Chamber during the session of the House. 71. Parliamentary rules. The rules of parliamentary practice contained in Roberts' Rules of Order shall govern the House in all cases to which they are applicable, and in which they are not inconsistent with the Standing Rules and Orders of the House and the Joint Rules of the Senate and House of Assembly. |