Regular Session 2023-2024 House Resolution 0021 P.N. 0001

PRINTER'S NO. 1

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE RESOLUTION

No.

Session of

2023

INTRODUCED BY CUTLER, FEBRUARY 27, 2023

INTRODUCED, FEBRUARY 27, 2023

A RESOLUTION

Adopting permanent rules for the House of Representatives,

further providing for questions of order, for supervision of

Hall of the House and committee rooms, for members' and

employees' expenses, for order of business, for general

appropriation bill and non-preferred bills, for consideration

of bills, for third consideration and final passage bills,

for hospital and home appropriations or acquiring lands of

the Commonwealth, for House and concurrent resolutions, for

standing committees and subcommittees, for powers and duties

of standing committees and subcommittees, for Committee on

Rules, for discharge of committees, for lay on the table, for

previous question, for members required to be present and

vote and for financial interests in gaming entities,

providing for vote by designation and further providing for

Committee on Ethics.

RESOLVED, That the Permanent Rules of the House of

Representatives (2021-2022) be adopted as the Permanent Rules of

the House of Representatives for the 2023-2024 session of the

House of Representatives with the following amendments to the

heading and Rules 4, 8, 14, 17, 19 (b), 21, 24, 32, 35, 43, 45,

46, 53, 59, 61, 64, 65 (b) and 3 E and the addition of Rule 66

(a):

[2021-2022] 2023-2024

GENERAL OPERATING RULES

OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

* * *

RULE 4

Questions of Order

The Speaker shall decide all questions of order subject to an

appeal [by two members]. The decision of the Speaker shall stand

as the decision of the House unless so appealed and overturned

by a majority of the members elected to the House. The Speaker

may, in the first instance, submit the question to the House.

Questions involving the constitutionality of any matters shall

be decided by the House. On questions of order there shall be no

debate except on an appeal from the decision of the Speaker or

on reference of a question to the House. In either case, no

member shall speak more than once except by leave of the House.

Unless germane to the appeal, a second point of order is not

in order while an appeal is pending; but, when the appeal is

disposed of, a second point of order is in order and is subject

to appeal.

* * *

RULE 8

Supervision of Hall of the House

and Committee Rooms

Subject to the direction of the Speaker, the Chief Clerk

shall have supervision and control over the Hall of the House,

the caucus rooms, and the committee rooms [and all other rooms

assigned to the House].

Pursuant to the act of January 10, 1968 (1967 P.L.925,

No.417), referred to as the Legislative Officers and Employes

Law, the Bipartisan Management Committee shall develop rules or

regulations for the assignment, allocation and use of all other

rooms assigned to the House in the East Wing and Main Capitol.

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During the sessions of the Legislature the Hall of the House

shall not be used for public or private business other than

legislative matters except by consent of the House. During

periods of recess of the House such use may be authorized by the

Speaker without the consent of the House.

* * *

RULE 14

Members' and Employees' Expenses

A member who attends a duly called meeting of a standing or

special committee of which he or she is a member when the House

is not in session or who is summoned to the State Capitol or

elsewhere by the Speaker, or the Majority or Minority Leader of

the House, to perform legislative services when the House is not

in session shall be reimbursed per day for each day of service,

plus mileage to and from the member's residence, at such rates

as are established from time to time by the Committee on Rules

but not in excess of the applicable maximum mileage rate

authorized by the Federal Government. For travel to any location

for committee meetings or for travel to the State Capitol for

any reason, members cannot receive reimbursement in excess of

the applicable maximum per diem rate authorized by the Federal

Government. These expenses shall be paid by the Chief Clerk from

appropriation accounts under the Chief Clerk's exclusive control

and jurisdiction, upon a written request approved by the Speaker

of the House, or the Majority or the Minority Leader of the

House.

An employee of the House summoned by the Speaker or the

Majority or Minority Leader of the House to perform legislative

services outside of Harrisburg shall be reimbursed for actual

expenses and mileage to and from the employee's residence. Such

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expenses may be paid by the Speaker, Majority or Minority

Leader, if they agree to do so, or shall be paid by the Chief

Clerk from appropriation accounts under the Chief Clerk's

exclusive control and jurisdiction, upon a written request

approved by the Speaker, or the Majority or the Minority Leader.

District office employees are only permitted to be reimbursed

from an account under the control of the Chief Clerk when

traveling to Harrisburg for a training program sponsored by

either caucus or for travel to a legislative conference approved

by the Speaker, the Majority Leader or the Minority Leader. All

other travel by district office employees may be reimbursed from

the member's accountable expenses or an account under the

control of the Speaker, the Majority Leader or the Minority

Leader.

Members and employees traveling outside the Commonwealth of

Pennsylvania who receive any reimbursement for expenses or

travel which reimbursement is from public funds shall file with

the Chief Clerk a statement containing his or her name and the

name, place, date and the purpose of the function.

Money appropriated specifically to and allocated under a

specific symbol number for allowable expenses of members of the

House of Representatives shall be reimbursed to each member upon

submission of vouchers and any required documentation by each

member on forms prepared by the Chief Clerk of the House. No

reimbursement shall be made from this account where a member is

directly reimbursed for the same purpose from any other

appropriation account.

Such allowable expenses of members may be used for any

legislative purpose or function, including but not limited to

the following:

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(1) Travel expense on legislative business.

(a) Mileage on session or nonsession days at a rate as

may be approved from time to time by the Committee on Rules,

but not in excess of the maximum mileage rate authorized by

the Federal Government for travel; voucher only.

(b) Miscellaneous transportation on legislative business

(taxi, airport limousine parking, tolls), and expenses of a

similar nature; voucher only for any single expense not in

excess of $10.

other than taxi and airport limousine; voucher and receipt

from common carrier.

(d) Car rental; voucher and receipt from rental agency

but reimbursement not to exceed in any month an amount as may

be approved from time to time by the Committee on Rules. Any

amount in excess of the said amount shall be paid by the

person renting the car. In no event shall other than American

manufactured cars be rented.

(e) Lodging, restaurant charges and other miscellaneous

and incidental expenses while away from home. Vouchers only

for per diem allowance approved from time to time by the

Committee on Rules, but not in excess of the applicable

maximum per diem rate authorized by the Federal Government or

for actual expenses not in excess of such per diem rate.

(2) Administrative, clerical and professional services for

legislative business, except for employment of spouses or any

relatives, by blood or marriage.

(a) Administrative and clerical services; voucher and

receipt from person employed.

(b) Professional services; voucher and receipt and copy

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of agreement or contract of employment.

(3) Rent for legislative office space; purchase of office

supplies; postage; telephone and answering services; printing

services and rental only of office equipment; voucher and

vendor's receipt, except for postage expense.

(4) Official entertainment─restaurant and beverage charges;

voucher only for expenses. Receipts for entertainment expenses,

together with a statement of the reason for the expense, shall

be submitted with the request for reimbursement.

(5) Purchase of flags, plaques, publications, photographic

services, books, and other similar items in connection with

legislative activities; voucher and vendor's receipt.

(6) Communications and donations in extending

congratulations or sympathy of illness or death; voucher only on

expenses not in excess of $35.

No money appropriated for members' and employees' expenses

shall be used for contributions to political parties or their

affiliated organizations.

No money appropriated for members' and employees' expenses

shall be used for contributions to charitable organizations or

for charitable advertisements. This paragraph shall not prevent

a de minimis use of legislative resources, in connection with

legislative activities, to benefit a bona fide charitable

organization that serves a member's district.

Members and employees shall not request reimbursement for the

private lease of vehicles leased on a long-term basis. No

payments will be made with respect to private, long-term lease

vehicle expenses incurred by members or employees except with

respect to private, long-term lease arrangements entered into by

a member prior to March 13, 2007, payments for which will be

20230HR0021PN0001 - 6 -

made in accord with the rules in place on March 12, 2007. After

November 30, 2022, the Chief Clerk is no longer authorized to

enter into a master lease agreement with the Department of

General Services for the long-term lease of additional

automobiles for the use of members. Members may not use

Commonwealth funds to purchase an automobile for official

purposes. After November 30, 2022, the Chief Clerk may not

assign automobiles leased or owned by the Commonwealth to

members, but may maintain automobiles leased to members prior to

November 30, 2022. A member with an automobile leased prior to

November 30, 2022, shall not be required to surrender the

automobile unless the Chief Clerk determines that it is no

longer practical or cost effective for the automobile to remain

in service to a member due to age or high mileage of the

automobile or needed repairs or damage to the automobile. A

member who is required to surrender an automobile by the Chief

Clerk may not receive a replacement automobile after November

30, 2022.

All disbursements made, debts incurred or advancements paid

from any appropriation account made to the House or to a member

or nonmember officer under a General Appropriation Act or any

other appropriation act shall be recorded in a monthly report

and filed with the Chief Clerk by the person authorized to make

such disbursement, incur any debt or receive any advancement on

a form prescribed by the Chief Clerk.

The Chief Clerk shall prescribe the form of all such reports

and make such forms available to those persons required to file

such reports. Such report form shall include:

(1) As to personnel:

(a) The name, home address, job title, brief description

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of duties and where they are performed, department or member

or members to whom assigned, the name of immediate supervisor

and minimum hours of employment per week of each employee.

(b) The appropriation account from which such employee

is compensated, the amount of compensation and whether such

person is on salary, per diem or contract.

(2) As to all other expenditures:

(a) To whom it was paid, the amount thereof, and the

nature of the goods, services or other purpose for which the

expenditure was made.

(b) The appropriation account from which the expenditure

was made and the name or names of the person or persons

requesting and/or authorizing the same.

The reporting requirements as to personnel may be fulfilled

by the maintenance in the Office of the Chief Clerk of the House

of an alphabetized file containing the current information for

each employee as set forth above.

All monthly reports filed on disbursements made or debts

incurred by any officer or member or employee from

appropriations made to the House or to a member or nonmember

officer under any General Appropriation Act, and the

documentation for each disbursement, shall be public information

and shall be available in accordance with the act of February

14, 2008 (P.L.6, No.3), known as the Right-to-Know Law. The

monthly reports shall only be subject to redaction for

information exempt from access under the Right-to-Know Law.

All vouchers and requisitions relating to all expenditures,

expenses, disbursements and other obligations out of all

appropriated funds of the House, and the documentation

evidencing payment of the vouchers and requisitions, shall be

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available in accordance with the Right-to-Know Law.

All requests for reimbursement out of any appropriation shall

be accompanied by a voucher, or other documents where required,

evidencing payment or approval. All requests for reimbursement

out of any appropriation payable to a member, nonmember officer

or employee shall be void if not submitted within 90 days of the

date that the otherwise allowable expense is incurred for any

and all otherwise allowable expenses, including without

limitation, per diem, mileage and actual expenses incurred. Any

such void request for reimbursement may not be paid except

pursuant to a motion to suspend this rule for good cause

specific to the voided request for reimbursement. In no event

shall any payment or reimbursement be made for any otherwise

allowable expense incurred on or before March 12, 2007. The

voucher form shall be approved and supplied by the Chief Clerk.

Receipts or documentation of every expenditure or disbursement

which is in excess of the maximum amount as set forth herein

shall be attached to the voucher. Where a request for payment is

made in advance of an expense actually incurred, the Chief

Clerk, before making such advance payment shall require a

description satisfactory to the Chief Clerk of the item or

service to be purchased or the expense to be incurred, and a

receipt or other documentation shall be given to the Chief Clerk

after the item or service has been purchased or expense incurred

as evidence that such advancement was in fact expended for such

purpose.

All reports, vouchers and receipts from which reports are

prepared and filed shall be retained by the Chief Clerk, officer

or member, as the case may be, for such period of time as may be

necessary to enable the Legislative Audit Advisory Commission

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created pursuant to the act of June 30, 1970 (P.L.442, No.151),

entitled "An act implementing the provisions of Article VIII,

section 10 of the Constitution of Pennsylvania, by designating

the Commonwealth officers who shall be charged with the function

of auditing the financial transactions after the occurrence

thereof of the Legislative and Judicial branches of the

government of the Commonwealth, establishing a Legislative Audit

Advisory Commission, and imposing certain powers and duties on

such commission," to conduct, through certified public

accountants appointed by it, annual audits to assure that such

disbursements made or debts incurred were in accordance with

Legislative Audit Advisory Commission guidelines and standards

as approved by the Committee on Rules, or for a minimum of three

years, whichever is longer. All annual audit reports shall be

available for public inspection. Photocopies of such reports

shall be available for a fee established by the Chief Clerk not

to exceed the cost of duplication.

Except as specifically prohibited by law or limited by this

rule, all expenditures of funds appropriated to the House or to

a member or nonmember officer shall be subject to the

expenditure guidelines established by the Rules Committee. The

Rules Committee shall establish standards regarding

documentation evidencing payment out of any appropriations

account made to the House or to a member or nonmember officer.

The Bipartisan Management Committee shall receive and review

suggestions from the Comptroller on ways to reduce costs and

improve the fiscal operations of the House. The Comptroller,

following authorization by the Bipartisan Management Committee,

shall implement cost-reducing and other new measures to improve

the fiscal operations of the House.

20230HR0021PN0001 - 10 -

The Chief Clerk and the Comptroller shall develop a system to

provide a quarterly list of expenses of each member to the

Legislative Data Processing Committee for publication on a

publicly accessible Internet website. The list of expenses shall

be in a format that is searchable by name, office, account, date

and any other format authorized by the Bipartisan Management

Committee and shall include all of the following:

(1) Per diems for each member of the House of

Representatives.

(2) Travel expenses on legislative business, including:

(a) Mileage on any legislative day.

(b) Miscellaneous transportation on legislative business

and expenses of a similar nature.

(d) Car rental.

(e) Lodging, restaurant charges and other miscellaneous

and incidental expenses while away from home.

(3) Administrative, clerical and professional services for

legislative business, including:

(a) Administrative and clerical services.

(b) Professional services.

(4) Rent for legislative office space, purchase of office

supplies, postage, telephone and answering services, printing

services and rental only of office equipment.

(5) Official entertainment, including restaurant and

beverage charges.

(6) Purchase of flags, plaques, publications, photographic

services, books and other similar items in connection with

legislative activities.

(7) Communications and donations in extending

20230HR0021PN0001 - 11 -

congratulations or sympathy of illness or death.

The following information shall be included on the list of

expenses submitted to the Legislative Data Processing Committee

for publication on a publicly accessible Internet website:

(1) The date the expense was paid.

(2) To whom the expense was paid, the amount of the expense

and the nature of the goods, services or other purpose for which

the expense was made.

(3) The appropriation account from which the expense was

made and the name of the individual requesting the expense and

the name of the individual authorizing the expense.

* * *

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 and members voting by designation.

(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.

(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,

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resolutions, petitions, memorials, remonstrances and other

papers.

(13) Unfinished business on the Speaker's table.

(14) Announcements.

(15) 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.] Notwithstanding any rule to the

contrary, when a special order of business is adopted by a

majority vote of the members elected, the underlying question

shall immediately be placed before the House. In no case shall a

special order of business be used to vote a bill on second

consideration until, at the earliest, the second legislative day

following first consideration.

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 either prior to, or at the conclusion of, House

business on a specific day.

* * *

RULE 19 (b)

General Appropriation Bill and Non-Preferred Bills

This rule shall apply to all amendments offered to the

General Appropriation Bill for each proposed fiscal year

including any amendments offered to or for supplemental

appropriations to prior fiscal years contained within the

General Appropriation Bill, and shall also apply to all

amendments offered to any non-preferred appropriation bill for

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the same fiscal year.

Any amendment offered on the floor of the House to the

General Appropriation Bill that proposes to increase spending of

Federal or State dollars for the Commonwealth's proposed fiscal

year or prior fiscal years above the levels contained in the

General Appropriation Bill as reported from the Appropriations

Committee plus any aggregate if certified each year by the

Appropriations Committee shall not be in order and may not be

considered unless the same amendment contains sufficient

reductions in line items of that General Appropriation Bill so

that the amendment offered does not result in a net increase in

the total proposed spending contained within the General

Appropriation Bill plus any aggregate if certified by the

Appropriations Committee.

Any amendment offered on the floor of the House to any non-

preferred appropriation bill that proposes to increase spending

of Federal or State dollars for the proposed fiscal year above

the levels contained in that non-preferred appropriation bill as

reported from the Appropriations Committee shall not be in order

and may not be considered unless the same amendment contains

sufficient reductions in that non-preferred appropriation bill

so that the amendment offered does not result in a net increase

in the total proposed spending contained within that non-

preferred appropriation bill.

The Appropriations Committee shall have full power and

control over any General Appropriation Bill, supplemental

appropriation bill, or non-preferred appropriation bill,

including the amendment of House amendments.

Members shall be notified of the scheduled vote on the

General Appropriation Bill no later than 4:30 P.M. of the day

20230HR0021PN0001 - 14 -

that is five days prior to the scheduled vote of the General

Appropriation Bill. In order to be considered, amendments to the

General Appropriation Bill must be submitted to the Office of

the Chief Clerk by 1:00 P.M. of the day that is two days prior

to the scheduled vote of the General Appropriation Bill. The

Appropriations Committee for special and proper reason and by

majority vote, may waive this deadline. Rule 21 of the Rules of

the House, insofar as it applies to the filing deadline for

amendments and notice requirements for the voting schedule for

the General Appropriation Bill, shall not apply to this rule.

Rule 21 shall, however, apply to the non-preferred appropriation

bills.

If the amendment cannot be submitted in accordance with the

provision of the previous paragraph because it is still being

prepared by the Legislative Reference Bureau, the member must,

by 1:00 P.M. on the day that is two days prior to the scheduled

vote, provide the Office of the Chief Clerk with a statement,

prepared by the member containing the factual content and exact

amounts of increases and decreases in line items which would be

proposed in the amendment, along with certification from the

Legislative Reference Bureau that the amendment was submitted to

the Legislative Reference Bureau prior to the above-noted 1:00

P.M. deadline. This filing deadline does not apply to amendments

to any non-preferred appropriation bill.

Debate on any debatable question related to the General

Appropriation Bill or a nonpreferred appropriation bill shall be

limited to five minutes each time a member is recognized. On the

bill a sponsor of an amendment shall be entitled to be

recognized twice, a maker of a debatable motion shall be

entitled to be recognized twice, any other members shall be

20230HR0021PN0001 - 15 -

entitled to be recognized once. Unless the chair or minority

chair of the Appropriations Committee objects to the

determination that a bill implements the General Appropriation

Bill, bills implementing the General Appropriation Bill shall be

subject to the limits of this paragraph.

* * *

RULE 21

Consideration of Bills

(a) Every bill and every joint resolution shall be

considered on three different days. All amendments made thereto

shall be printed for the use of the members before the final

vote is taken thereon, and before the final vote is taken, upon

written request addressed to the presiding officer by at least

25% of the members elected to the House, any bill shall be read

at length. No bill shall become law and no joint resolution

adopted unless, on its final passage, the vote is taken by yeas

and nays, the names of the persons voting for and against it are

entered on the Journal, and a majority of the members elected to

the House is recorded thereon as voting in its favor.

(Constitution, Article III, Section 4).

(b) Members shall be notified of bills and resolutions

scheduled to be voted no later than prior to the close of

business at 4:30 P.M. of the second legislative day prior to the

date of second consideration for legislation that has no legal

deadline. (The General Appropriation Act and non-preferred bills

are included within the definition of legislation that has no

legal deadline.) Except as provided in subsection (d), all

amendments shall be submitted to the Office of the Chief Clerk

by 1:00 P.M. of the last legislative day preceding the scheduled

date of second consideration. Members shall be notified of bills

20230HR0021PN0001 - 16 -

scheduled to be voted on third consideration. A change in the

printer's number as a result of third consideration shall not

require an additional notice of final passage. No vote on final

passage can occur before the date of the scheduled vote.

the above subsection because it is still being prepared by the

Legislative Reference Bureau, the member must provide the Office

of the Chief Clerk with a statement, by the above-noted 1:00

P.M. deadline, prepared by the member containing the factual

content of said amendment along with certification from the

Legislative Reference Bureau that the amendment was submitted to

the Legislative Reference Bureau for drafting prior to the

above-noted 1:00 P.M. deadline. The Legislative Reference Bureau

may not issue a certificate for an amendment to a bill as

amended by another amendment unless the requesting member can

identify by number the underlying amendment.

(d) In cases where an amendment alters a bill so as to

effectively rule out of order an amendment which was timely

filed pursuant to the provisions of this rule, a replacement

amendment may be submitted to the Office of the Chief Clerk

provided that the subject matter of the replacement amendment is

not substantially different from the intent of the original

amendment. The replacement amendment shall be deemed to have met

the timely filed conditions provided for in this rule. The

member shall notify the Speaker of the member's intent to file a

replacement amendment and shall file a certificate with the

Office of the Chief Clerk. The bill in question may continue to

receive consideration but shall not be moved to third

consideration until the replacement amendment is available for a

vote. If consideration of the bill is delayed to a new

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legislative day due solely to delay in receipt of replacement

amendments, then only amendments timely filed for the date of

the originally scheduled vote and replacement amendments shall

be considered. This limitation on amendments shall not apply to

the bill in question if consideration of the bill is rescheduled

beyond the new legislative day.

(e) A bill may not receive action on concurrence until at

least [six] three hours have elapsed from the time the bill and

its amendatory language was available to the public, unless the

amendment was a technical amendment as described under the first

paragraph of Rule 24 or an affirmative vote of 2/3 of the

members elected to the House indicates they have had sufficient

time to review the language and thereby approve proceeding with

the bill.

A brief description of every bill on concurrence shall be

given prior to a vote. Additionally, members shall be notified

and conference committee reports shall be available to members

at least [12] three hours prior to the adoption of all

conference committee reports. When these reports are considered

on the first legislative day of the week, said notice shall be

provided no later than the close of business on the last

business day preceding the vote. Notwithstanding notice

provided, members may, by an affirmative vote of 2/3 of the

members elected to the House, indicate that they have had

sufficient time to review a conference committee report and that

they approve proceeding with a vote.

* * *

RULE 24

Third Consideration and Final Passage Bills

Bills on third consideration shall be considered in their

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calendar order and shall be subject to amendment only when an

amendment is necessary to make the document internally

consistent, to clear up an ambiguity, to correct grammar or to

correct a drafting error or is necessary for purposes of

statutory construction. An amendment under this paragraph shall

not be subject to the filing deadlines under Rule 21. A bill

having received consideration by the House on three different

days and having been agreed to may be called by the Speaker to

receive action on final passage; however, a bill may not receive

action on final passage until at least [12] three hours have

elapsed from the time the bill and its amendatory language was

available to the public, unless the amendment was a technical

amendment permitted under the first paragraph of this rule or an

affirmative vote of 2/3 of the members elected to the House

indicates that they have had sufficient time to review the

language of the bill and thereby approve proceeding with the

bill. Upon being called to receive action on final passage, the

title and a brief description of a bill shall be read. A bill on

final passage shall not be subject to amendment, but shall be

subject to debate. At the conclusion of debate, the Speaker

shall then state the question as follows:

"This bill has been considered on three different days and

agreed to and is now on final passage. The question is, shall

the bill pass finally? Agreeable to the provision of the

Constitution, the yeas and nays will now be taken."

When more than one bill shall be called for action on final

passage at the same time, prior to voting, the title or a brief

analysis of each bill shall be read.

The Speaker shall then state the question as follows:

"These bills have been considered on three different days and

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agreed to and are now on final passage. The question is, shall

the bills on the uncontested calendar pass finally? Agreeable to

the provision of the Constitution, the yeas and nays will now be

taken."

* * *

RULE 32

Hospital and Home Appropriations [or],

Acquiring Lands of the Commonwealth

and Congressional Redistricting

No bills appropriating moneys to State-aided hospitals or

State-aided homes shall be introduced in the House, except such

as appropriate in single bills the total sum to be appropriated

to all of the institutions within the same class or group.

Requests for appropriations for particular State-aided hospitals

or State-aided homes shall be filed with the Chair of the

Committee on Appropriations on forms to be furnished by the said

Committee on Appropriations, and shall be signed by the member

requesting the appropriation.

No bill granting or conveying Commonwealth lands or taking

title thereto shall be reported by any committee to the House,

nor shall an amendment making substantive changes to such a bill

be offered on the floor of the House, unless there has been

filed with the Chief Clerk, the Legislative Data Processing

Center and the chair of the reporting committee a memorandum

from the Department of General Services indicating the use to

which the property is presently employed, the full consideration

for the transfer, if any, a departmental appraisal of the

property, including its valuation and a list of recorded liens

and encumbrances, if any, the use to which the property will be

employed upon its transfer, the date by which the land is needed

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for its new use, and the legislative district or districts in

which the land is located. The memorandum shall contain a

statement by a responsible person in the Department of General

Services indicating whether or not the administration favors the

transfer which is the subject of the bill under consideration.

The memorandum shall be posted by the Legislative Data

Processing Center on the publicly accessible Internet website of

the General Assembly.

No bill proposing the redistricting of congressional

districts shall be reported by any committee to the House, nor

shall an amendment making substantive changes be offered on the

floor of the House, unless such bill or amendment is accompanied

by a map showing the proposed congressional districts. Any such

bill or amendment, along with the accompanying map, shall be

posted by the Legislative Data Processing Center on a publicly

accessible Internet website of the General Assembly.

* * *

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

20230HR0021PN0001 - 21 -

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

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 shall be limited to

condolence resolutions for current or former public officials,

or for members of the armed services or emergency first

responders killed in the line of duty, 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 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.

20230HR0021PN0001 - 22 -

A House resolution other than a [concurrent or] joint

resolution shall not:

(a) recognize or designate a day or other period of time

which is not a Federal or Pennsylvania state holiday for any

purpose;

(b) encourage action on a public issue unless either the

resolution has legal force or effect concerning such action or

such action would be taken by a public body;

(d) be offered for any non-legislative purpose or function.

The Speaker shall report to the House the committees to which

resolutions have been referred, either on the day introduced or

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.

* * *

RULE 43

Standing Committees and Subcommittees

The Committee on Committees shall consist of the Speaker and

15 members of the House, ten of whom shall be members of the

majority party and five of whom shall be members of the minority

party, whose duty shall be to recommend to the House the names

20230HR0021PN0001 - 23 -

of members who are to serve on the standing committees of the

House. Except for the Speaker, the Majority and Minority

Leaders, Whips, Caucus Chairs, Caucus Secretaries, Caucus

Administrators, Policy Chairs and the chairs and minority chairs

of standing committees, each member shall be entitled to serve

on not less than two standing committees.

The [Speaker] Majority Leader shall appoint the chair and

vice-chair of each standing committee when such standing

committee has no standing subcommittees as prescribed herein,

except the Committee on Appropriations which shall also have a

vice-chair appointed by the [Speaker] Majority Leader; when the

standing committee has standing subcommittees, the [Speaker]

Majority Leader shall appoint a subcommittee chair for each

standing subcommittee. The [Speaker] Majority Leader shall

appoint a secretary for each standing committee. The Minority

Leader shall appoint the minority chair, minority vice-chair and

minority secretary of each standing committee and the minority

subcommittee chair for each standing subcommittee.

Except for members who decline chair status or minority chair

status in writing or who are barred from serving as a chair or

minority chair under this rule, the chair and minority chair of

each standing committee except the Appropriations Committee

shall be limited only to the members of the applicable caucus

with the most seniority as members of their respective caucus.

Whenever there are more caucus members with equal seniority than

available chairs or minority chairs for that caucus, the

selection of a chair or minority chair from among such caucus

members shall be in the discretion of the appointing authority.

The appointing authority may designate the standing committee to

which the appointing authority shall appoint a member as chair

20230HR0021PN0001 - 24 -

or minority chair without regard to seniority. The Speaker and

the Floor Leader, Whip, Caucus Chair, Caucus Secretary, Caucus

Administrator and Policy Chair of the majority party and

minority party shall not be eligible to serve as chair or

minority chair of any standing committee and no member may serve

as chair or minority chair of more than one standing committee.

Any chair or minority chair held by a member who fails to

meet the requirements of this rule shall become vacant by

automatic operation of this rule. If the appointing authority

fails to make an appointment of a chair or minority chair prior

to the organizational meeting of a standing committee or fails

to fill a vacancy within seven calendar days after it occurs,

such position shall be deemed to remain vacant in violation of

this rule. Whenever a chair or minority chair becomes vacant or

remains vacant in violation of this rule, the member of the

applicable caucus who meets the requirements of this rule shall

automatically fill the vacancy and, if there are two or more

such eligible caucus members for any such vacancy or vacancies,

they shall be filled from among such eligible members through a

lottery to be conducted under the supervision of the Chief Clerk

after giving notice of the time and place thereof to all

eligible members, to the Speaker, to the Majority Leader and to

the Minority Leader.

Nothing in this rule shall prohibit the appointing authority

from transferring a member from the chair or minority chair of a

standing committee to the chair or minority chair of another

standing committee.

Whenever the appointment of a chair or minority chair will

cause the applicable caucus to exceed its permissible allocation

of members on a standing committee, the appointing authority

20230HR0021PN0001 - 25 -

shall make a temporary transfer of an eligible committee member

to the standing committee vacated by the member appointed as

chair or minority chair until a regular committee appointment

can be made in accordance with the rules of the House. If the

[Speaker] Majority Leader or Minority Leader fails to make a

temporary transfer within seven calendar days after such

appointment, the committee member with the least seniority, who

is eligible for transfer, shall be automatically transferred to

the committee vacated by the newly appointed chair or minority

chair and, if more than one committee member is eligible for

such transfer, the transfer shall be implemented through a

lottery conducted under the supervision of the Chief Clerk.

The Speaker of the House, Floor Leader of the majority party

and the Floor Leader of the minority party shall be ex-officio

members of all standing committees, without the right to vote

and they shall be excluded from any limitation as to the number

of members on the committees or in counting a quorum.

Twenty-four standing committees of the House, each to consist

of 25 members except the Committee on Appropriations, which

shall consist of 37 members, are hereby created. In addition,

there are hereby created 56 standing subcommittees.

All standing committees shall consist of [15] 13 members of

the majority party and [10] 12 members of the minority party,

except the Committee on Appropriations which shall consist of

[22] 20 members of the majority party and [15] 17 members of the

minority party. The quorum for each of the standing committees

and subcommittees shall be no less than the majority of said

committees. The following are the standing committees and

subcommittees thereof:

(1) Aging and [Older Adult Services] Long-term Care

20230HR0021PN0001 - 26 -

(a) Subcommittee on Care and Services

(b) Subcommittee on Programs and Benefits

(2) Agriculture and Rural Affairs

(3) Appropriations

(a) Subcommittee on Health and Human Services

(b) Subcommittee on Education

(d) Subcommittee on Fiscal Policy

(e) Subcommittee on Criminal Justice

(f) Subcommittee on Government and Financial Oversight

(4) Children [and Youth], Youth and Family Services

(5) Commerce

(a) Subcommittee on Financial Services and Banking

[(b) Subcommittee on Housing

(d) Subcommittee on Small Business

(e) Subcommittee on Automation and Technology]

(b) Subcommittee on Economic Development

(6) Consumer Affairs and Protection

(a) Subcommittee on Public Utilities

(b) Subcommittee on Consumer Protection

(7) Education

(a) Subcommittee on Basic Education

(b) Subcommittee on Higher Education

(d) Subcommittee on Career and Technical Education

(8) Environmental Resources and Energy

(a) Subcommittee on Energy

20230HR0021PN0001 - 27 -

(b) Subcommittee on Mining

(9) Finance

[(a) Subcommittee on Tax Modernization and Reform]

(10) Game and Fisheries

(11) Gaming Oversight

(12) Health

(a) Subcommittee on Health Facilities

(b) Subcommittee on Health Care

(12.1) Housing and Community Infrastructure

(a) Subcommittee on Cities, Counties - First Class

(b) Subcommittee on Cities, Counties - Second Class

(13) Human Services

(a) Subcommittee on Mental Health

(b) Subcommittee on Drugs and Alcohol

(14) Insurance

(15) Judiciary

(a) Subcommittee on Crime and Corrections

(b) Subcommittee on Courts

(16) Labor and Industry

[(a) Subcommittee on Employment and Unemployment

Compensation

(b) Subcommittee on Workers Compensation and Worker

Protection]

(17) Liquor Control

(a) Subcommittee on Licensing

(b) Subcommittee on Marketing

(18) Local Government

20230HR0021PN0001 - 28 -

(a) Subcommittee on Boroughs

(b) Subcommittee on Counties

(19) Professional Licensure

(20) State Government

(a) Subcommittee on Government Operations

(b) Subcommittee on Government Information Technology

and Communication

Transparency

(d) Subcommittee on Public Pensions, Benefits and Risk

Management

(e) Subcommittee on Campaign Finance and Elections

(21) Tourism and Recreational Development

(a) Subcommittee on Arts and Entertainment

(b) Subcommittee on Recreation

Heritage

(22) Transportation

(a) Subcommittee on Highways

(b) Subcommittee on Public Transportation

(d) Subcommittee on Aviation

(e) Subcommittee on Railroads

(f) Subcommittee on Ports

(23) [Urban Affairs

(a) Subcommittee on Cities, Counties - First Class

(b) Subcommittee on Cities, Counties - Second Class

(24) Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness

20230HR0021PN0001 - 29 -

(a) Subcommittee on Military and Veterans Facilities

(b) Subcommittee on Security and Emergency Response

Readiness

* * *

RULE 45

Powers and Duties of Standing Committees

and Subcommittees

The chair of each standing committee and subcommittee shall

fix regular weekly, biweekly or monthly meeting days for the

transaction of business before the committee or subcommittee.

The chair of the committee or subcommittee shall notify all

members, at least 24 hours in advance of the date, time and

place of regular meetings, and, insofar as possible, the

subjects on the agenda. In addition to regular meetings, special

meetings may be called from time to time by the chair of the

committee or subcommittee as they deem necessary. No recess or

combination of recesses shall exceed 48 hours for any committee

meeting or subcommittee meeting. No committee shall meet during

any session of the House without first obtaining permission of

the Speaker. During any such meeting, no vote shall be taken on

the Floor of the House on any amendment, recommittal motion,

final passage of any bill, or any other matter requiring a roll

call vote. Any committee meeting called off the Floor of the

House shall meet in a committee room. In addition to the

specific provisions of this rule, all provisions of 65 Pa.C.S.

Ch. 7 (relating to open meetings) relative to notice of meetings

shall be complied with.

At regularly scheduled meetings, or upon the call of the

chair, or subcommittee chair, for special meetings, the

membership of such committees shall meet to consider any bill,

20230HR0021PN0001 - 30 -

resolution, or other matter on the agenda. The secretary of each

standing committee, or in case of subcommittees a secretary

designated by the subcommittee chair, shall record:

(1) the minutes of the meeting,

(2) all votes taken,

(3) a roll or attendance of members at standing committee or

subcommittee meetings showing the names of those present, absent

or excused from attendance, and the majority and minority chairs

or their designees shall verify by their signatures all votes

taken and the roll or attendance of those members present,

absent or excused before said records are submitted to the Chief

Clerk, and

(4) dispatch of bills and resolutions before the committee.

Such records shall be open to public inspection. On the first

legislative day of each week the House is in session, the chair

of each standing committee shall submit to the Chief Clerk for

inclusion in the House Journal only, the roll or record of

attendance of members at standing committee or subcommittee

meetings held prior thereto and not yet reported, along with the

record of all votes taken at such meetings. All reports from

standing committees shall be prepared in writing by the

secretary of the committee. Members of a standing committee may

prepare in writing and file a minority report, setting forth the

reasons for their dissent. Such committee reports shall be filed

with the Chief Clerk within five days of the meeting. All

meetings at which formal action is taken by a standing committee

or subcommittee shall be open to the public, making such reports

as are required under Rule 44. When any member, except for an

excused absence, fails to attend five consecutive regular

meetings of his or her committee, the chair of that committee or

20230HR0021PN0001 - 31 -

subcommittee shall notify the member of that fact and, if the

member in question fails to reasonably justify absences to the

satisfaction of a majority of the membership of the standing

committee of which he or she is a member, membership on the

committee or subcommittee shall be deemed vacant and the chair

of the standing committee shall notify the Speaker of the House

to that effect. Such vacancy shall then be filled in the manner

prescribed by these rules.

Whenever the chair of any standing committee shall refuse to

call a regular meeting, then a majority of the members of the

standing committee may vote to call a meeting by giving two days

written notice to the Speaker of the House, setting the time and

place for such meeting. Such notice shall be read in the House

and the same posted by the Chief Clerk in the House Chamber.

Thereafter, the meeting shall be held at the time and place

specified in the notice. In addition, all provisions of 65

Pa.C.S. Ch. 7 (relating to open meetings) relative to notice of

meetings shall be complied with.

Records, bills and other papers in the possession of

committees and subcommittees, upon final adjournment of the

House shall be filed with the Chief Clerk.

The chair of each standing committee shall have the power to

administer oaths and affirmations to witnesses appearing before

the committee.

No committee report, except a report of the Appropriations

Committee, shall be recognized by the House, unless the same has

been acted upon by a majority vote of the members of a standing

committee present at a committee session actually assembled and

meeting as a committee, provided such majority vote numbers at

least [11] 13 members, and provided further a quorum is present.

20230HR0021PN0001 - 32 -

No committee report of the Appropriations Committee shall be

recognized by the House, unless the same has been acted upon by

a majority vote of the members of such committee present at a

committee session actually assembled and meeting as a committee,

provided such majority vote numbers at least [17] 18 members,

and provided further a quorum is present.

No proxy voting shall be permitted in committee, except as

provided for herein. If a member reports to a scheduled

committee meeting and advises the chair and other members of a

conflicting committee meeting or other legislative meeting which

he or she must attend on the same day, the member is authorized

to give the chair or minority chair his or her proxy in writing

which shall be valid only for that day and which shall include

written instructions for the exercise of such proxy by the chair

or minority chair during the meeting. The member should also

advise the chair where he or she can be reached. In the event

the conflicting committee meeting or other legislative meeting

is scheduled to convene at the same time or prior to the meeting

at which a member desires to vote by proxy, such proxy shall be

delivered to both the chair and minority chair prior to, but on

the same day as, the conflicting meetings.

When the majority of the members of a standing committee

believe that a certain bill or resolution in the possession of

the standing committee should be considered and acted upon by

such committee, they may request the chair to include the same

as part of the business of a committee meeting. Upon failure of

the chair to comply with such request, the membership may

require that such bill be considered by written motion made and

approved by a majority vote of the entire membership to which

such committee is entitled.

20230HR0021PN0001 - 33 -

Whenever the phrase "majority of members of a standing

committee or subcommittee" is used in these rules, it shall mean

majority of the entire membership to which a standing committee

or subcommittee is entitled, unless the context thereof

indicates a different intent.

To assist the House in appraising the administration of the

laws and in developing such amendments or related legislation as

it may deem necessary, each standing committee or subcommittee

of the House shall exercise continuous watchfulness of the

execution by the administrative agencies concerned of any laws,

the subject matter of which is within the jurisdiction of such

committee or subcommittee; and, for that purpose, shall study

all pertinent reports and data submitted to the House by the

agencies in the executive branch of the Government.

The Committee on Appropriations shall have the power to issue

subpoenas under the hand and seal of its chair commanding any

person to appear before it and answer questions touching matters

properly being inquired into by the committee, which matters

shall include data from any fund administered by the

Commonwealth, and to produce such books, papers, records,

accounts, reports, documents and data and information produced

and stored by any electronic data processing system as the

committee deems necessary. Such subpoenas may be served upon any

person and shall have the force and effect of subpoenas issued

out of the courts of this Commonwealth. Any person who willfully

neglects or refuses to testify before the committee or to

produce any books, papers, records, accounts, reports, documents

or data and information produced and stored by any electronic

data processing system shall be subject to the penalties

provided by the laws of the Commonwealth in such case. Each

20230HR0021PN0001 - 34 -

member of the committee shall have power to administer oaths and

affirmations to witnesses appearing before the committee. The

committee may also cause the deposition of witnesses either

residing within or without the State to be taken in the manner

prescribed by law for taking depositions in civil actions.

RULE 46

Committee on Rules

The Committee on Rules shall consist of the Speaker, the

Majority Leader, the Majority Whip, the Minority Leader, the

Minority Whip, the Majority Appropriations Chair, the Minority

Appropriations Chair, 14 members of the majority party appointed

by the [Speaker] Majority Leader, and 12 members of the minority

party appointed by the Minority Leader. The Majority Leader

shall be chair.

The committee shall make recommendations designed to improve

and expedite the business and procedure of the House and its

committees, and to propose to the House any amendments to the

Rules deemed necessary. The committee shall also do all things

necessary to fulfill any assignment or duty given to the

committee by any resolution, or other rule of the House of

Representatives.

The committee shall be privileged to report at any time.

The committee shall, until or unless superseded by law, adopt

guidelines for the expenditure of all funds appropriated to the

House or to any member or nonmember officer by any appropriation

act.

Such guidelines shall include a detailed statement of the

general and specific purposes for which the funds from that

appropriation account may be used, as well as uniform standards

of required documentation, accounting systems and record keeping

20230HR0021PN0001 - 35 -

procedures.

Except as expressly provided in Rule 30 or this rule, the

committee shall not have the power to amend any bill or joint

resolution.

* * *

RULE 53

Discharge of Committees

A member may present to the Chief Clerk a resolution in

writing to discharge a committee from the consideration of a

bill or resolution which has been referred to it 15 legislative

days prior thereto (but only one motion may be presented for

each bill or resolution). The discharge resolution shall be

placed in the custody of the Chief Clerk, who shall arrange some

convenient place for the signature of the members. A signature

may be withdrawn by a member in writing at any time before the

discharge resolution is entered in the Journal. When 25 members

of the House shall have signed the resolution, it shall be

entered in the Journal and the title of the bill or resolution

and the name of the committee to be discharged shall be printed

on the calendar. Once the discharge resolution has been placed

on the calendar, the committee in possession of the underlying

bill may take no action on the bill or resolution except to

report the bill or resolution to the House under its current

printer's number and without a recommendation to re-refer to

another committee, until such time as the discharge resolution

is acted upon by the House.

Any member who has signed a discharge resolution which has

been on the calendar at least one legislative day prior thereto

and seeks recognition, shall be recognized for the purpose of

calling up the discharge resolution and the House shall proceed

20230HR0021PN0001 - 36 -

to its consideration without intervening motion except one

motion to adjourn; however, no discharge resolution shall be

considered during the last six legislative days of any session

of the House. A majority vote of all the members elected to the

House shall be required to agree to a resolution to discharge a

committee. When any perfected discharge resolution has been

acted upon by the House and defeated it shall not be in order to

entertain during the same session of the House any other

discharge resolution from that committee of said measure, or

from any other committee of any other bill or resolution

substantially the same, relating in substance to or dealing with

the same subject matter.

* * *

RULE 59

Lay on the Table

A motion to lay on the table is debatable by the Majority

Leader, the Minority Leader, the maker of the motion, the maker

of the amendment under consideration and the prime sponsor of

the bill under consideration. It is not subject to amendment and

carries with it the main question and all other pending

questions which adhere to it, except when an appeal is laid on

the table. The passage of a motion to lay an amendment on the

table shall [not] cause the subject bill or resolution and all

other amendments to be laid on the table.

* * *

RULE 61

Previous Question

A motion for the previous question, seconded by 20 members

and sustained by a majority of the members present, shall put an

end to all debate and bring the House to an immediate vote on

20230HR0021PN0001 - 37 -

the question then pending, or the questions on which it has been

ordered.

A motion for the previous question may be made to embrace any

or all pending amendments or motions and to include the passage

or rejection of a bill or resolution. The motion for the

previous question is only debatable by the Majority Leader and

the Minority Leader. Debate shall be limited to no more than two

minutes for each leader.

* * *

RULE 64

Members Required to be Present and Vote

Every member shall be present within the Hall of the House

during its sittings, unless excused by the House or unavoidably

prevented, and shall vote for or against each question put,

unless he or she has a direct personal or pecuniary interest in

the determination of the question or unless excused.

A member may exit the Hall of the House for brief periods

without being placed on leave to attend to the member's

immediate personal needs. In such instances, the member shall

not leave the vicinity of the Hall of the House in the Capitol

Complex and shall return to the Hall of the House promptly if

requested.

[No] Except as provided in the rules of the House, no member

shall be permitted to vote and have his or her vote recorded on

the roll unless present in the Hall of the House during the roll

call vote, except that a member may provide direction for his or

her vote if the member is in the vicinity of the Hall of the

House in the Capitol Complex attending to the member's immediate

personal need.

The Legislative Journal shall show the result of each roll

20230HR0021PN0001 - 38 -

call by yeas and nays and those absent and those not voting.

* * *

RULE 65 (b)

Financial Interests in Gaming Entities

Annually, on or before [April 30] May 1, every member shall

file an attestation, in electronic or paper form, with the Chief

Clerk, on a form provided by the Chief Clerk, affirming that

neither the member nor an immediate family member of the member

holds a financial interest in violation of 4 Pa.C.S. § 1512

(relating to financial and employment interests).

For purposes of this rule, "immediate family member" shall

mean a spouse, minor child or unemancipated child.

* * *

RULE 66 (a)

Vote by Designation

A member who is not present in the Hall of the House due to a

family emergency, death of a family member, personal health

condition, military service or disaster emergency may designate

either the Majority or Minority Whip to cast the member's vote

on any question. If a designated Whip is on leave, that

designated Whip may appoint another member to cast all votes

designated to that Whip.

A designation, including commencement date, shall be

accomplished by filing an attestation with the Chief Clerk which

identifies either the Majority or Minority Whip as the member's

designee when the member will not be present in the Hall of the

House, and which provides the reason for the member's absence. A

designation shall be effective for five days unless sooner

revoked by the member. A member may revoke the member's

designation by notifying the Chief Clerk in writing of the

20230HR0021PN0001 - 39 -

revocation.

If a member is voting by designation on the House Floor,

prior to locking the voting machine and instructing the clerk to

record a vote, the Speaker shall state: "Without objection, the

clerk will record the vote."

At any voting meeting of a committee of the House of

Representatives, a member of the committee who is not present

due to a family emergency, death of a family member, personal

health condition, military service or disaster emergency may

designate the chair or minority chair to cast the member's vote

on any question.

A designation for a voting meeting of a committee of the

House of Representatives shall be accomplished by filing an

attestation with the chair or minority chair which affirms that

the member will not be present at the voting meeting, and which

provides the reason for the member's absence.

A member voting by designation on the House Floor or at any

voting meeting of a committee of the House of Representatives

shall be counted in determining whether a quorum is present.

The Chief Clerk shall implement video conferencing or similar

remote participation technology to allow members voting by

designation on the House Floor or at any voting meeting of a

standing committee of the House of Representatives to engage in

simultaneous, interactive participation.

A voting meeting of a standing committee of the House of

Representatives shall be held in a committee room utilizing

video conferencing or similar remote participation technology

unless such a room is not available. The video conferencing or

similar remote participation technology must safeguard the

integrity of the legislative process.

20230HR0021PN0001 - 40 -

For purposes of this rule, the following words and phrases

shall have the meanings given to them in this rule unless the

context clearly indicates otherwise:

"Disaster emergency" shall mean any disaster emergency

declared by the Governor, or extended by the General Assembly,

which prevents a member from attending legislative session.

"Family emergency" shall mean any adverse physical or mental

condition of a family member, arising from injury, sickness,

disease or trauma, which requires a member to devote significant

time in order to provide support or care to the family member,

and shall include maternity and paternity leave.

"Family member" shall mean any child, stepchild, grandchild,

parent, stepparent, grandparent, spouse or partner, sibling,

mother-in-law, father-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law,

brother-in-law or sister-in-law and shall include guardian,

custodian, adoptive and foster relationships.

"Personal health condition" shall mean an illness, injury,

impairment or physical or mental condition during a period of

treatment or supervision and involves either inpatient care in a

hospital, hospice or residential health care facility or

continuing treatment or continuing supervision by a health care

provider.

* * *

RULE 3 E

COMMITTEE ON ETHICS

The Committee shall consist of eight Members, four of whom

shall be members of the majority party appointed by the Speaker,

and four of whom shall be members of the minority party

appointed by the Minority Leader. From the Members appointed to

the Committee, the Speaker shall appoint a chair, vice-chair and

20230HR0021PN0001 - 41 -

secretary for the Committee. The chair shall be a member of the

majority party, and the vice chair shall be a member of the

minority party.

The members of the Committee shall first meet upon the call

of the chair and perfect its organization. A majority of the

Committee shall constitute a quorum for it to proceed to

business. Unless otherwise provided in this rule, a majority of

the Committee shall be required to take any action authorized by

this rule. The Committee shall have the power to promulgate

rules not inconsistent with this rule or Rules of the House that

may be necessary for the orderly conduct of its business.

The chair of the Committee shall notify all members of the

Committee at least 24 hours in advance of the date, time and

place of meetings and, insofar as possible, the subjects on the

agenda. Meetings may be called from time to time by the chair of

the Committee as the chair deems necessary. A member of the

Committee may request that the chair call a meeting for a

specific purpose. If the chair refuses to call a meeting upon

such request, a majority of the Committee may vote to call a

meeting by giving two days' written notice to the Speaker of the

House setting forth the time and place for such meeting. Such

notice shall be read in the House and posted in the House

Chamber by the Chief Clerk or a designee. Thereafter, the

meeting shall be held at the time and place specified in such

notice.

The Committee shall not continue to exist after sine die

adjournment of the General Assembly. Proceedings on matters

before the Committee that have not been concluded or disposed of

by sine die adjournment of the General Assembly shall cease on

such date and all documents, reports, communications,

20230HR0021PN0001 - 42 -

transcripts and other materials compiled by the Committee for

such matters, as well as any communications or other materials

received by the Committee after sine die adjournment of the

General Assembly, shall be collected, organized and submitted to

the Chief Clerk under seal for transition to the reconstituted

Committee consisting of Members appointed from the incoming

General Assembly. These materials shall be held in a secure

manner and nothing in this rule shall authorize the Chief Clerk

or any other person to view such materials. Within 30 days

following the reconstitution of the Committee in the next

succeeding legislative term, the Committee shall review such

materials and determine whether or not to proceed with one or

more of the matters under review by the former Committee or

received after sine die adjournment. Any time period required

for any actions of the Committee or others under this rule shall

be tolled until the reconstituted Committee has made a

determination whether or not to proceed. If the Committee

determines to proceed with a matter, the Committee shall, if

applicable, continue from the stage in the consideration of the

matter where the former Committee ended.

The Committee shall compile, update and distribute a Members'

Handbook on Ethics for Members and House Employees on matters

regarding the ethical conduct of their legislative duties. Each

Member shall complete two hours of ethics education and training

and one hour of sexual harassment and discrimination in the

workplace education and training each legislative term. A Member

shall be excused from one hour of ethics training for any full

year the Member was absent due to illness, injury, military

service or any other permissible excuse under General Operating

Rule 64(a). The Committee shall be responsible for planning and

20230HR0021PN0001 - 43 -

offering the education and training programs.

The Committee shall issue to a Member upon the Member's

request an advisory opinion regarding the Member's duties under

Rule 2E relating to legislative nonprofit organizations. The

opinion shall be issued within 14 days following the request. No

Member who acts in good faith on an opinion issued under this

paragraph shall be subject to any sanctions for so acting if the

material facts are as stated in the request. Opinions issued

under this paragraph shall be public records and may from time

to time be published. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Member

requesting the opinion may request that an opinion undergo

deletions and changes necessary to protect the identity of the

persons involved, and the Committee shall make such deletions

and changes.

The Committee may issue other advisory opinions with regard

to questions pertaining to other legislative ethics or decorum

at the request of a Member or House employee. An opinion issued

under this paragraph shall be confidential and shall apply

exclusively to the requestor. No requestor who acts in good

faith on an opinion issued under this paragraph shall be subject

to any sanctions for acting in accordance with the opinion if

the material facts are as stated in the request.

The Committee may receive complaints against Members and

House employees alleging unethical conduct under the Legislative

Code of Ethics or the Rules of the House and complaints against

Members and officers of the House for violations of Rule 2.1 E.

A complaint must be in writing and be signed by the person

filing the complaint under penalty of law under 18 Pa.C.S. §

4904 (relating to unsworn falsification to authorities). The

complaint must set forth in detail the actions constituting the

20230HR0021PN0001 - 44 -

alleged unethical conduct or violation. No person shall disclose

or acknowledge to any other person any information relating to

the filing of a complaint or the proposed filing of a complaint,

except as otherwise authorized under this rule or Rule 2.1 E,

for the purpose of seeking legal advice, as otherwise required

by law or to carry out a function of the Committee.

The Committee shall not have jurisdiction over, shall not

accept for review or action and shall return to the complainant

with a notice explaining the Committee's lack of jurisdiction

any of the following:

(1) a complaint filed later than five years following

the occurrence of the alleged unethical conduct or violation;

(2) a complaint filed against a former Member or former

House employee unless required by Section 7(c) of the

Legislative Code of Ethics; or

(3) a complaint filed against a Member during a

restricted period.

A five-year limitations period that expires during a

restricted period shall be tolled until the day following the

election occurring at the expiration of the restricted period.

Within 30 days following receipt of a complaint over which

the Committee has jurisdiction under this rule, the Committee

shall do one of the following:

(1) dismiss the complaint, with notice explaining the

basis for the Committee's dismissal, if it:

(a) alleges facts that do not constitute unethical

conduct or a violation of Rule 2.1 E;

(b) is objectively baseless;

(d) is a frivolous complaint; or

20230HR0021PN0001 - 45 -

(2) initiate a preliminary investigation of the alleged

unethical conduct or violation.

If the Committee initiates a preliminary investigation, it

shall, promptly upon voting to proceed, send the subject a

letter setting forth each allegation in the complaint. Within 15

days after receipt of the letter, the subject may file a written

response with the Committee. Failure of the subject to file a

response shall not be deemed to be an admission, or create an

inference or presumption, that the allegations in the complaint

are true, and such failure shall not prohibit the Committee from

either proceeding with the preliminary or a formal investigation

or dismissing the complaint. The Committee may engage an

independent counsel to assist in a preliminary investigation.

The subject may be represented by counsel of the subject's

choosing at any point during an investigation under this rule.

If the Committee initiates a preliminary investigation of a

complaint of a violation under Rule 2.1 E, it shall also send to

the appropriate employer a copy of the letter sent to the

subject setting forth each allegation in the complaint. Upon the

request of the complainant, the employer shall make adjustments

to the complainant's work hours, assignment or duties or

location that may be appropriate under the circumstances of the

allegations in the complaint. The adjustments may include:

(1) removing the complainant or the subject from the

physical work location of the complainant;

(2) allowing the complainant to be placed on

administrative leave with continued pay and benefits, if

applicable; or

(3) any other reasonable accommodation agreed to by the

employer and the complainant.

20230HR0021PN0001 - 46 -

The employer shall keep the letter and the fact of the

initiation of a preliminary investigation confidential but may

disclose necessary information to Members, officers of the House

or House employees as needed in order to implement the foregoing

adjustments. No House employee shall retaliate or take adverse

actions against the complainant in response to the filing of a

complaint of a violation of Rule 2.1 E with the Committee.

A member of the Committee who is the complainant, the subject

or a witness to the unethical conduct or violation alleged in a

complaint shall not participate in any Committee consideration

of the complaint. The Member shall be temporarily replaced on

the Committee in a like manner as his or her original

appointment.

Within 30 days following the initiation of a preliminary

investigation, the Committee shall vote to dismiss the complaint

for lack of probable cause to support the alleged unethical

conduct or violation or to proceed with a formal investigation

because it finds that probable cause exists. If a majority of

the Committee is unable to agree on either course of action, the

Committee shall dismiss the complaint. The Committee shall

promptly notify the subject in writing of the result.

If the Committee votes to proceed with a formal

investigation, the Committee shall engage an independent counsel

unless the Committee determines that the alleged unethical

conduct or violation raised in the complaint does not warrant

the expense of engaging an independent counsel. If the Committee

does not engage an independent counsel, the Committee shall be

represented in the investigation and any hearing conducted under

this rule by Committee staff attorneys, including at least one

from each party.

20230HR0021PN0001 - 47 -

The Committee, including Committee staff attorneys, and any

independent counsel engaged by the Committee shall have the

power to conduct investigations and hearings under the

guidelines set out in this rule. Where a provision of this rule

conflicts with another Rule of the House, the provision of this

rule shall govern. This rule shall be construed to empower the

Committee and its independent counsel to do all of the

following:

(1) act as a neutral fact-finder;

(2) protect due process and other constitutional rights

of a subject;

(3) fully investigate and deter unethical conduct or

violation of Rule 2.1 E; and

(4) protect the public trust.

The Chief Clerk shall pay the fees and expenses of an

Independent Counsel engaged by the Committee under this rule.

The Committee may issue subpoenas for documents or testimony

as part of a preliminary investigation, a formal investigation

or in connection with a hearing before the Committee.

Notwithstanding the provision of any other Rule of the House,

subpoenas issued under this rule shall be in the name of the

Committee, shall be signed by the chair of the Committee and

shall be attested by another member of the Committee who voted

in favor of authorizing the subpoena.

A subpoena issued by the Committee may be served upon any

person and shall have the force and effect of a subpoena issued

out of the courts of this Commonwealth. Subpoenas shall be

served by the Sergeant-at-Arms of the House or another person

designated by the Committee when directed to do so by the

Committee. Each subpoena shall be addressed to the witness and

20230HR0021PN0001 - 48 -

shall state that such proceeding is before a Committee of the

House for which the witness is required to attend and testify at

a specified time and place; or to produce books, papers,

records, accounts, reports, documents and data and information

produced and stored by any electronic data processing system; or

both, as the Committee may also require. Mileage and witness

fees shall be paid by the House to such witness in an amount

prescribed by law. Unless addressed to and served on the

subject, a copy of a subpoena issued by the Committee shall be

provided to the subject and the subject's counsel, if

applicable. A person who willfully neglects or refuses to comply

with a subpoena issued by the Committee shall be subject to the

penalties provided by the laws of this Commonwealth with respect

to such willful neglect or refusal. Notwithstanding the

foregoing, a recipient of a subpoena issued by the Committee may

object to the subpoena by serving notice of such objection on

the signatory to the subpoena and the Committee. The Committee

may quash or modify the subpoena if it finds the subpoena to be

overly broad or without proper purpose. Each member of the

Committee shall have the power to administer oaths and

affirmations to witnesses appearing before the Committee.

All subpoenaed books, papers, records, accounts, reports,

documents, data and information shall be returned to the person

from whom such material was subpoenaed when the Committee has

completed its examination of such material, but in no event

later than the date of final disposition of the matter.

Following the completion of a formal investigation, the

Committee shall conduct a hearing if:

(1) the independent counsel engaged by the Committee

recommends that a hearing be conducted and the Committee

20230HR0021PN0001 - 49 -

votes to adopt the recommendation; or

(2) an independent counsel was not engaged by the

Committee but the Committee finds that the testimony and

documents reviewed by the Committee during the formal

investigation indicates more likely than not that the

unethical conduct or violation alleged in the complaint

occurred.

If a hearing is to be conducted, the Committee shall provide

the subject and the subject's counsel, if applicable, with

written notice consistent with constitutional principles of due

process. The Pennsylvania Rules of Evidence shall apply during

the hearing, unless the Committee determines otherwise.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Committee may not infringe on

the right of the subject to present evidence, cross-examine

witnesses, face his or her accuser and be represented by counsel

at a hearing conducted under this rule.

Witnesses called to appear at a hearing under this rule,

including a subject, may be accompanied by his or her own

counsel for the purpose of advising him or her concerning his or

her constitutional rights. Counsel may interpose legal objection

to any and all questions which in the opinion of counsel may

violate the constitutional rights of his or her clients.

The proceedings of a hearing conducted under this rule shall

be either stenographically or electronically recorded. The

Committee shall determine which parts of such recorded

proceedings, if any, shall be transcribed.

The burden shall be on the independent counsel, if one has

been engaged by the Committee, or the Committee staff attorneys,

if an independent counsel has not been engaged, to prove, by

clear and convincing evidence, that the unethical conduct or

20230HR0021PN0001 - 50 -

violation alleged in the complaint occurred. Within 30 days

following the conclusion of the formal investigation and

hearing, the Committee shall make a determination as to whether

the burden was met and shall submit its finding to the House. If

the Committee finds that the burden was met, the Committee may

make one or more of the following recommendations to the House:

(1) a reprimand of the subject;

(2) a censure of the subject;

(3) expulsion of the subject from the House; or

(4) the denial or limitation of any right, power or

privilege of the Member granted by Rules of the House and not

contrary to the Pennsylvania Constitution.

The Committee shall provide a written report of its findings

and recommendations, if any, to the subject and shall

simultaneously submit a copy of the same to the House. Only

findings and recommendations agreed to by a majority of the

Committee shall be included in the report. The report may

include a minority report. The House shall not take any action

on the findings and recommendations submitted by the Committee

and shall not make such findings and recommendations public

until a period of at least seven days has passed following the

Committee's provision of the report to the subject.

The Committee may extend any of the time periods, other than

those relating to the jurisdiction of the Committee, required

for any actions of the Committee or others under this rule.

[Investigations,] The Committee shall maintain the

confidentiality of all complaints and complaint-related

proceedings and actions, except as provided in this rule. The

Committee may disclose complaint data, including the number of

complaints received and dispositions on complaints in the

20230HR0021PN0001 - 51 -

aggregate without identifying information regarding the

complainant or the accused. The Committee shall maintain the

confidentiality of all investigations, hearings and meetings of

the Committee relating to an investigation and the existence of

such investigations, hearings, and meetings [shall be

confidential]. A majority of the members of the Committee may

vote to suspend the confidentiality provisions in this rule in

whole or in part if information regarding a complaint or an

investigation has been entered into the public domain by someone

other than a member of the Committee and the Committee

determines that it is in the best interest of the Committee to

address public inquiry or information on the complaint or

investigation. In this case, the Committee may disclose whether

a complaint has been filed, the disposition or status of action

on the complaint and other information as the Committee may

determine is appropriate under the circumstances. All other

meetings of the Committee shall be open to the public. Any

member of the Committee breaching the confidentiality provisions

specified in this rule shall be removed immediately from the

Committee and replaced by another Member in a like manner as his

or her original appointment.

Meetings and hearings held related to the investigation of a

complaint shall be in the nature of executive session and shall

not be open to the public. All other meetings of the Committee

shall be open to the public.

Notwithstanding the above, except for a hearing on complaints

of a violation of Rule 2.1 E, the Committee shall conduct a

hearing in public upon the written request of the subject unless

the Committee determines that evidence or testimony to be

received at the hearing may substantially defame, degrade, or

20230HR0021PN0001 - 52 -

incriminate a person other than the subject. In that event, the

Committee shall receive such evidence or testimony in executive

session. No evidence or testimony taken in executive session may

be released to any person or authority or used in public

sessions without the consent of the Committee.

The Committee may enter into a consent agreement with the

subject at any point in the proceedings. The Committee may make

an appropriate referral of a complaint to a law enforcement

agency at any point in the proceedings.

The complaint, response and records of the Committee shall be

confidential. Notwithstanding the foregoing:

(1) consent agreements and final findings by the

Committee of unethical conduct and the Committee's

recommendations with respect to such findings shall not be

confidential;

(1.1) consent agreements and final findings by the

Committee of a violation of Rule 2.1 E shall not be

confidential, except that at the request of a complainant,

the name of the complainant and, unless the House considers a

resolution to discipline the subject, any facts that may lead

to the identification of the complainant, including the name

of the subject, shall be redacted before an agreement or

final findings of the Committee are made public;

(2) the subject may, in his or her discretion, make

public a finding by the Committee that no unethical conduct

or violation of Rule 2.1 E had occurred or that there was

insufficient evidence presented to the Committee that

unethical conduct or a violation of Rule 2.1 E had occurred,

except that the subject shall not make public the name of a

complainant who filed a complaint alleging a violation of

20230HR0021PN0001 - 53 -

Rule 2.1 E; and

(3) if the Committee makes a referral of a complaint to

a law enforcement agency, the Committee may provide the

agency with copies of documents and information in its

possession.

Any member of the Committee breaching the confidentiality

provisions set forth in this rule shall be removed immediately

from the Committee and replaced by another Member in a like

manner as his or her original appointment.

A nondisclosure agreement shall not be imposed on an

individual as a condition of the initiation of the procedures

available under this rule for the filing and hearing of a

complaint of a violation of Rule 2.1 E. Nothing in this

paragraph shall be construed to prohibit the complainant and the

subject from voluntarily entering into a settlement agreement

with a nondisclosure provision agreed to by each party as part

of the settlement of a complaint or proceeding. Notwithstanding

the foregoing, a Member who is the subject of a complaint of a

violation of Rule 2.1 E filed with the Committee shall not

benefit from a nondisclosure agreement or provision if a

completed formal investigation of the Committee finds that the

complaint is credible or a final decision by the Committee finds

a violation.

The Committee may meet with a committee of the Senate to hold

investigations or hearings involving complaints against

employees of the two chambers jointly or officers or employees

of the Legislative Reference Bureau, the Joint State Government

Commission, the Local Government Commission, the Legislative

Budget and Finance Committee, the Legislative Data Processing

Committee or other legislative service agencies. No action may

20230HR0021PN0001 - 54 -

be taken at a joint meeting unless it is approved by the

Committee. A member of the Committee who is the complainant, the

subject or a witness to the unethical conduct or violation of

Rule 2.1 E alleged in a complaint under this paragraph shall not

participate in any joint proceedings under this paragraph. The

Member shall be temporarily replaced on the Committee in a like

manner as his or her original appointment.

20230HR0021PN0001 - 55 -