PRINTER'S NO. 2823
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No.
601
Session of
2019
INTRODUCED BY GROVE, OCTOBER 30, 2019
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON RULES, OCTOBER 30, 2019
A RESOLUTION
Amending House Rule 17, further providing for order of business;
adding House Rule 17(a), providing for special order of
business; and amending House Rule 35, further providing for
House and concurrent resolutions.
RESOLVED, That House Rule 17 be amended to read:
RULE 17
Order of Business
The daily order of business shall be:
(1) Prayer.
(2) Pledge of Allegiance.
(3) Correction and approval of the Journal.
(4) Leaves of absence.
(5) Master Roll Call.
(6) Reports of Committee.
(7) First consideration bills.
(8) Second consideration bills.
(9) Third consideration bills, final passage bills
(including both third consideration and final passage postponed
bills) and resolutions.
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(10) Final passage bills recalled from the Governor.
(11) Messages from the Senate and communications from the
Governor.
(12) Reference to appropriate committees of bills,
resolutions, petitions, memorials, remonstrances and other
papers.
(13) Unfinished business on the Speaker's table.
(14) Announcements.
(15) Floor speeches by members, including speeches by
members to congratulate individuals or organizations on
achievements or urge awareness on a public issue.
[(15)] (16) Adjournment.
Any question may, by a majority vote of the members elected,
be made a special order of business. When the time arrives for
its consideration, the Speaker shall lay the special order of
business before the House.
In lieu of offering House Resolutions on topics of importance
to members, any member, without unanimous consent, may address
the House on such issue and have his or her remarks entered into
the record during a special period of time established each week
by the Speaker at the conclusion of House business on a specific
day.
RULE 17(a)
Special Order of Business
The Speaker or a member designated by the Speaker may preside
over the House one hour prior to the regular order of business
under Rule 17 to recognize any member under unanimous consent
during a special order of business. A member recognized under
this rule during a special order of business may speak for no
more than two minutes for any of the following reasons:
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(1) Raising public awareness on an issue.
(2) Offering congratulations to an individual or
organization concerning a recent accomplishment.
(3) Offering condolences about the death of an individual.
(4) Voicing an opinion on a matter of public policy.
RULE 35
House and Concurrent Resolutions
Members introducing resolutions other than concurrent
resolutions shall file five copies thereof; seven copies of
concurrent resolutions shall be filed. All resolutions shall be
signed by their sponsors, dated and filed with the Chief Clerk.
After being numbered, one copy of all resolutions shall be given
to the news media and all other copies delivered to the Speaker.
A sponsor may not be added or withdrawn after a resolution has
been printed. Resolutions may not be withdrawn after reference
to a committee.
Unless privileged under Rule 36 for immediate consideration
or deemed noncontroversial by the Speaker in consultation with
the Majority Leader and the Minority Leader, the Speaker shall
refer House resolutions (except discharge resolutions) and
Senate resolutions presented to the House for concurrence to
appropriate committees. No House resolution shall be deemed
noncontroversial if an indictment is returned or a charge is
filed before a court of record against the prime sponsor of the
resolution, and the gravamen of the indictment or charge is
directly related to his or her conduct as a member or is one
which would render the member ineligible to the General Assembly
under section 7 of Article II of the Constitution of
Pennsylvania. If, during the same legislative term, the
indictment or charge is quashed, dismissed or withdrawn, or the
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court finds that the member is not guilty of the offense
alleged, the member may be the prime sponsor of subsequently
introduced House resolutions deemed noncontroversial as provided
in this rule.
House resolutions deemed noncontroversial[, including, but
not limited to,] shall be limited to only condolence and
congratulatory resolutions[,] and shall be considered under the
proper order of business on the same day as introduced or within
two legislative days thereafter without being referred to
committee. The Speaker, in consultation with the Majority Leader
and the Minority Leader, shall place noncontroversial
resolutions[, except condolence or congratulatory resolutions,]
on an uncontested resolution calendar. Resolutions on the
uncontested calendar may be voted by a single roll-call vote.
Each resolution listed on the uncontested resolution calendar
shall be printed separately in the journal with the vote
recorded on the approval of the uncontested calendar as the vote
on final passage of each resolution contained therein.
No House resolution other than a concurrent or joint
resolution shall be considered by the House if the resolution
does any of the following:
(1) Recognizes or designates a calendar day which is not a
Federal or State holiday.
(2) Urges action on a public issue without any binding
action associated with the passage of the resolution.
(3) Congratulates any organization or an individual on an
achievement.
(4) Lacks a clear and specific legislative purpose.
The Speaker shall report to the House the committees to which
resolutions have been referred, either on the day introduced or
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received or the next two legislative days the House is in
session.
A resolution introduced in the House and referred to
committee shall be printed and placed in the House files.
When a resolution (House or Senate) is reported from
committee, it shall be placed on the calendar and may be called
up by a member for consideration by the House under the order of
business of resolutions. A House resolution other than a
concurrent or joint resolution shall be adopted by a majority of
the members voting.
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