Mississippi HR 1: House Rules; adopt temporary rules.

Bill Text

HR 1 (As Introduced) - 2020 Regular Session 

MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

2020 Regular Session

To: Committee of the Whole

By: Representative White

House Resolution 1

A RESOLUTION ADOPTING TEMPORARY RULES FOR THE HOUSE OF 
REPRESENTATIVES. 

���� BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE 
OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, That the following Rules of the 
House of Representatives, are adopted as the temporary Rules of the House:

����������������������� � HOUSE 
RULES

������������� THE SPEAKER AND 
SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE

���� 1.� The Speaker, when 
elected, shall hold office for a term of four (4) years, or until the next 
regular session of the Legislature following an election for Governor and 
members of the Legislature, and shall take the chair on every legislative day 
precisely at the hour to which the House has adjourned at the last sitting, 
immediately call the members to order, cause the roll to be called finally, 
and, on the appearance of a quorum, cause the Journal of the proceedings of the 
last day's sitting to be read.

���� 2.� He shall preserve order 
and decorum, and, in case of disturbance or disorderly conduct in the galleries 
or in the lobby, may cause the same to be cleared, may speak to points of order 
in preference to other members, rising from his seat for that purpose.

���� 3.� He shall have general 
control, except as provided by rule or law, of the Hall of the House, and of 
the corridors and passages and the disposal of the unappropriated rooms in that 
part of the Capitol assigned to the use of the House, until further order.

���� 4.� He shall sign all acts, 
addresses, joint resolutions, writs, warrants and subpoenas of, or issued by 
order of, the House, and decide all questions of order, subject to an appeal by 
any member, on which appeal no member shall speak more than once unless by 
permission of the House.� The Speaker may require points of order in writing 
and may take reasonable time to examine and study same before ruling thereon, 
during which period consideration of that particular subject matter may be 
suspended without prejudice and the House proceed to the next order of 
business.

���� 5.� He shall rise to put a 
question and shall put questions in this form:� "All those in favor (of 
the question), say 'Aye'"; and after the affirmative voice is expressed, 
"All those opposed, say 'No'"; if he doubts, or if a count is 
required by at least one-tenth (1/10) of the members present, he shall call the 
roll in the manner prescribed in Rule 69 or take the vote using the electronic 
roll-call system in Rule 97. 

���� 6.� He shall not be required 
to vote in ordinary legislative proceedings, except where his vote would be 
decisive, or where the House is engaged in voting by ballot; and in cases of a 
tie vote for, question shall be decided in the negative.

���� 7.� He shall have the right 
to name any member to perform the duties of the chair when the Speaker Pro 
Tempore shall be unable to do so, but such substitution shall not extend beyond 
one (1) legislative day; provided, however, that in the case of illness or 
unavoidable absence of both the Speaker and the Speaker Pro Tempore, he may 
make such appointment for a period not exceeding five (5) days, with the 
approval of the House at the time the same is made.

���� 8.� Upon the death of a member 
of the House, the Speaker or any member of the House designated by him shall 
incur such expenses as may be necessary for the purchase on behalf of the House 
a State Flag for use in connection with the funeral and burial of said member, 
which flag shall be presented to the family of said member.

���� 9.� No member or visitor 
shall visit in the Speaker's stand during the session of the House, except at 
the instance of the Speaker.� The Speaker may call a member to preside when 
necessary or desirable to confer with a member or visitor.

���� 10.� All committees, except 
the Rules Committee and the Management Committee, shall be appointed by the 
Speaker unless otherwise specially directed by the House.

���� 10A.� (1)� There is created 
in the House of Representatives the Office of Speaker Pro Tempore of the 
Mississippi House of Representatives (hereinafter Speaker Pro Tempore).

��������� (2)� The Speaker Pro 
Tempore shall be elected on the same day and in the same manner and method as 
may be designated for the election of the Speaker of the House of 
Representatives.

��������� (3)� The Speaker Pro 
Tempore shall serve a term of four (4) years, which term as Speaker Pro Tempore 
shall expire concurrently with the term being served by the Speaker Pro Tempore 
as a member of the House of Representatives.� There is no limit on the number 
of times that a member may serve as Speaker Pro Tempore.

��������� (4)� Any vacancy in the 
Office of Speaker Pro Tempore occurring during a regular or special legislative 
session shall be filled by election of the House of Representatives within five 
(5) calendar da