Bill Text: IL SR0002 | 2013-2014 | 98th General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Adopts the Senate Rules for the 98th General Assembly.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Passed) 2013-01-09 - Resolution Adopted; 056-000-000 [SR0002 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2013-SR0002-Introduced.html

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SENATE RESOLUTION
RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL
ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that the following (which
are the same as the Rules of the Senate of the Ninety-Seventh
General Assembly except as indicated by striking and
underscoring) are adopted as the Rules of the Senate of the
Ninety-Eighth General Assembly:
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS
As used in these Senate Rules, the following terms have the
meanings ascribed to them in this Article I, unless the context
clearly requires a different meaning:
(Senate Rule 1-1)
1-1. Chairperson. "Chairperson" means that Senator
designated by the President to serve as chair of a committee.
(Senate Rule 1-2)
1-2. Committee. "Committee" means a committee of the Senate
and includes a standing committee, a special committee, and a
special subcommittee of a committee. "Committee" does not mean
a conference committee, and the procedural and notice

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requirements applicable to committees do not apply to
conference committees.
(Senate Rule 1-3)
1-3. Constitution. "Constitution" means the Constitution
of the State of Illinois.
(Senate Rule 1-3.5)
1-3.5. Deputy Minority Leader. "Deputy Minority Leader"
means a Senator designated by the Senate Minority Leader to
assist the Minority Leader with the operation of the minority
caucus of the Senate.
(Senate Rule 1-4)
1-4. General Assembly. "General Assembly" means the
current General Assembly of the State of Illinois.
(Senate Rule 1-5)
1-5. House. "House" means the House of Representatives of
the General Assembly.
(Senate Rule 1-6)
1-6. Joint Action Motion. "Joint action motion" means any
of the following motions before the Senate: to concur in a
House amendment, to non-concur in a House amendment, to recede
from a Senate amendment, to refuse to recede from a Senate

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amendment, and to request that a conference committee be
appointed.
(Senate Rule 1-7)
1-7. Legislative Digest. "Legislative Digest" means the
Legislative Synopsis and Digest that is prepared by the
Legislative Reference Bureau of the General Assembly.
(Senate Rule 1-8)
1-8. Legislative Measure. "Legislative measure" means any
matter brought before the Senate for consideration, whether
originated in the Senate or House, and includes bills,
amendments, resolutions, conference committee reports,
motions, and messages from the executive branch.
(Senate Rule 1-9)
1-9. Majority. "Majority" means a simple majority of those
members present and voting on a question. Unless otherwise
specified with respect to a particular Senate Rule, for
purposes of determining the number of members present and
voting on a question, a "present" vote shall not be counted.
(Senate Rule 1-10)
1-10. Majority Caucus. "Majority caucus" means that group
of Senators from the numerically strongest political party in
the Senate. "Majority caucus" also includes any Senator who is

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not from the numerically strongest or numerically second
strongest political party in the Senate but who casts his or
her final vote for Senate President for the person who is
elected Senate President.
(Senate Rule 1-10.5)
1-10.5. Majority Leader. "Majority Leader" means a Senator
designated by the Senate President to serve as the Majority
Leader and assist the President with the operation of the
Senate and the majority caucus of the Senate.
(Senate Rule 1-11)
1-11. Majority of those Appointed. "Majority of those
appointed" means an absolute majority of the total number of
Senators appointed to a committee.
(Senate Rule 1-12)
1-12. Majority of those Elected. "Majority of those
elected" means an absolute majority of the total number of
Senators entitled to be elected to the Senate, irrespective of
the number of elected or appointed Senators actually serving in
office. So long as 59 Senators are entitled to be elected to
the Senate, "majority of those elected" shall mean 30
affirmative votes.
(Senate Rule 1-13)

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1-13. Member. "Member" means a Senator. Where the context
so requires, "member" may also mean a Representative of the
Illinois House of Representatives.
(Senate Rule 1-14)
1-14. Members Appointed. "Members appointed" means the
total number of Senators appointed to a committee.
(Senate Rule 1-15)
1-15. Members Elected. "Members elected" means the total
number of Senators entitled to be elected to the Senate,
irrespective of the number of elected or appointed Senators
actually serving in office. So long as 59 Senators are entitled
to be elected in the Senate, "members elected" shall mean 59
Senators.
(Senate Rule 1-16)
1-16. Minority Caucus. "Minority caucus" means that group
of Senators from other than the majority caucus.
(Senate Rule 1-17)
1-17. Minority Leader. "Minority Leader" means the
Minority Leader of the Senate.
(Senate Rule 1-18)
1-18. Minority Spokesperson. "Minority Spokesperson" means

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that Senator designated by the Minority Leader to serve as the
Minority Spokesperson of a committee.
(Senate Rule 1-19)
1-19. Perfunctory Session. "Perfunctory session" means the
convening of the Senate, pursuant to the scheduling of the
President, for purposes consistent with Rule 4-1(c) or (d).
(Senate Rule 1-20)
1-20. President. "President" means the President of the
Senate.
(Senate Rule 1-21)
1-21. Presiding Officer. "Presiding Officer" means that
Senator serving as the presiding officer of the Senate, whether
that Senator is the President or another Senator designated by
the President, in his or her capacity as presiding officer.
(Senate Rule 1-22)
1-22. Principal Sponsor. "Principal sponsor" means the
first listed Senate sponsor of any legislative measure; with
respect to a committee-sponsored bill or resolution, it means
the Chairperson of the committee.
(Senate Rule 1-23)
1-23. Secretary. "Secretary" means the elected Secretary

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of the Senate.
(Senate Rule 1-24)
1-24. Senate. "Senate" means the Senate of the General
Assembly.
(Senate Rule 1-25)
1-25. Senator. "Senator" means any of the duly elected or
duly appointed Illinois State Senators, and means the same as
"member".
(Senate Rule 1-26)
1-26. Term. "Term" means the two-year term of a General
Assembly.
(Senate Rule 1-27)
1-27. Vice-Chairperson. "Vice-Chairperson" means that
Senator designated by the President to serve as
Vice-Chairperson of a committee.
ARTICLE II
ORGANIZATION
(Senate Rule 2-1)
2-1. Adoption of Rules. At the commencement of a term, the

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Senate shall adopt new Rules of organization and procedure by
resolution setting forth those Rules in their entirety. The
resolution must be adopted by a majority of those elected.
These Rules of the Senate are subject to revision or amendment
only in accordance with Rule 7-17.
(Senate Rule 2-2)
2-2. Election of the President.
(a) Prior to the election of the President, the Governor
shall convene the Senate, designate a Temporary Secretary of
the Senate, and preside during the nomination and election of
the President. As the first item of business each day prior to
the election of the President, the Governor shall order the
Temporary Secretary to call the roll of the members to
establish the presence of a quorum as required by the
Constitution. If a majority of those elected are not present,
the Senate shall stand adjourned until the hour of 12:00 noon
on the next calendar day, excepting weekends and official State
Holidays. If a quorum of members is present, the Governor shall
then call for nominations of members for the Office of
President. All such nominations shall require a second. When
the nominations are completed, the Governor shall direct the
Temporary Secretary to call the roll of the members to elect
the President.
(b) The election of the President shall require the

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affirmative vote of a majority of those elected. Debate shall
not be in order following nominations and preceding or during
the vote, and Senators may not explain their vote on the
election of the President.
(c) No bills may be considered and no committees may be
appointed or meet prior to the election of the President.
(d) When a vacancy in the Office of President occurs, the
foregoing procedure shall be employed to elect a new President;
however, when the Governor is of a political party other than
that of the majority caucus, the Assistant Majority Leader
having the greatest seniority of service in the Senate shall
preside during the nomination and election of the successor
President. No legislative measures, other than such
nominations and election, may be considered by the Senate
during a vacancy in the Office of President.
(Senate Rule 2-3)
2-3. Election of the Minority Leader. The Senate shall
elect a Minority Leader in a manner consistent with the
Constitution and laws of Illinois.
(Senate Rule 2-4)
2-4. Majority Leader, Deputy Minority Leader, and
Assistant Leaders.

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(a) The President shall appoint from within the Majority
Caucus a Majority Leader and a President Pro Tempore. The
Minority Leader shall appoint from within the Minority Caucus a
Deputy Minority Leader. The President and the Minority Leader
shall appoint from within their respective caucuses the number
of Assistant Majority Leaders and Assistant Minority Leaders as
are allowed by law.
(b) These appointments shall take effect upon their being
filed with the Secretary and shall remain effective for the
duration of the term unless a vacancy occurs by reason of
resignation or because an assistant leader has ceased to be a
Senator. Successor assistant leaders shall be appointed in the
same manner as their predecessors. Assistant leaders shall have
those powers delegated to them by the President or Minority
Leader, as the case may be.
(Senate Rule 2-5)
2-5. Powers and Duties of the President.
(a) The President shall have those powers conferred upon
him or her by the Constitution, the laws of Illinois, and any
motions or resolutions adopted by the Senate or jointly by the
Senate and House.
(b) Except as provided by law with respect to the Senate
Operations Commission, the President is the chief

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administrative officer of the Senate and shall have those
powers necessary to carry out that function. The President may
delegate his or her administrative duties as he or she deems
appropriate.
(c) The powers and duties of the President shall include,
but are not limited to, the following:
(1) To preside at all sessions of the Senate, although
the President may call on any member to preside
temporarily.
(2) To open the session at the time at which the Senate
is to meet by taking the podium and calling the members to
order. The President may call on any member, or the
Secretary in case of perfunctory session, to open the
session.
(3) To announce the business before the Senate in the
order in which it is to be acted upon.
(4) To recognize those members entitled to the floor.
(5) To state and put to vote all questions that are
regularly moved or that necessarily arise in the course of
the proceedings, and to announce the result of the vote.

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(6) To preserve order and decorum.
(7) To decide all points of order, subject to appeal,
and to speak thereon in preference to other members.
(8) To inform the Senate when necessary, or when any
question is raised, on any point of order or practice
pertinent to the pending business.
(9) To sign or authenticate all acts, proceedings, or
orders of the Senate. All writs, warrants, and subpoenas
issued by order of the Senate or one of its committees
shall be signed by the President and attested by the
Secretary.
(10) To sign all bills passed by both chambers of the
General Assembly in order to certify that the procedural
requirements for passage have been met.
(11) To have general supervision, including the duty to
protect the security and safety, of the Senate chamber,
galleries, and adjoining and connecting hallways and
passages, including the power to clear them when necessary.
(12) To have general supervision of the Secretary and

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his or her assistants, the Sergeant-at-Arms and his or her
assistants, the majority caucus staff, and all employees of
the Senate except the minority caucus staff.
(13) To determine the number of majority caucus members
and minority caucus members to be appointed to all
committees, except the Committee on Assignments created by
Rule 3-5.
(14) To appoint or replace all majority caucus members
of committees and to designate all Chairpersons,
Co-Chairpersons, and Vice-Chairpersons of committees,
except as the Senate otherwise orders in accordance with
these Senate Rules.
(15) To enforce all constitutional provisions,
statutes, rules, and regulations applicable to the Senate.
(16) To guide and direct the proceedings of the Senate
subject to the control and will of the members as provided
in these Senate Rules.
(17) To direct the Secretary during regular session,
veto session, special session, or perfunctory session to
read into the Senate record legislative measures and other
papers.

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(18) To direct the Secretary to correct
non-substantive errors in the Journal.
(19) To assign meeting places and meeting times to
committees.
(20) To decide, subject to the control and will of the
members in accordance with these Senate Rules, all
questions relating to the priority of business.
(21) To appoint a parliamentarian to serve at the
pleasure of the President.
(22) To promulgate forms for nominees subject to the
advice and consent of the Senate.
(d) The President, at his or her discretion, may designate
from among those members serving in the statutorily created
positions of assistant majority leader, no more than one member
to serve as the Senate Majority Leader. The Senate Majority
Leader shall serve at the pleasure of the President and shall
receive no additional compensation other than that provided
statutorily for the position of assistant majority leader.
(e) This Rule may be suspended by a vote of three-fifths of

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the members elected.
(Senate Rule 2-6)
2-6. Powers and Duties of the Minority Leader.
(a) The Minority Leader shall have those powers conferred
upon him or her by the Constitution, the laws of Illinois, and
any motions or resolutions adopted by the Senate or jointly by
the Senate and House.
(b) The Minority Leader shall appoint to all committees the
members from the minority caucus, and may replace those
members, and shall designate a Minority Spokesperson for each
committee, except as the Senate otherwise orders in accordance
with these Senate Rules.
(c) The Minority Leader shall have general supervision of
the minority caucus staff.
(Senate Rule 2-7)
2-7. Secretary of the Senate.
(a) The Senate shall elect a Secretary, who may adopt
appropriate policies or procedures for the conduct of his or
her office. Except where the authority is by law given to the
Senate Operations Commission, the President shall be the final
arbiter of any dispute arising in connection with the operation
of the Office of the Secretary.

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(b) The duties of the Secretary shall include the
following:
(1) To have custody of all bills, papers, and records
of the Senate, which shall not be taken out of the
Secretary's custody except in the regular course of
business in the Senate.
(2) To endorse on every original bill and each copy its
number, names of sponsors, the date of introduction, and
the several orders taken on it. When printed, the names of
the sponsors shall appear on the front page of the bill in
the same order they appeared when introduced.
(3) To cause each bill to be placed on the desks of the
members as soon as it is printed, or alternatively to
provide for a method that any Senator may use to secure a
copy of any bill he or she desires.
(4) To keep the Journal of the proceedings of the
Senate and, under the direction of the President, correct
errors in the Journal.
(5) To keep the transcripts of the debates of the
Senate and make them available to the public under

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reasonable conditions.
(6) To keep the necessary records for the Senate and
its committees and to prepare the Senate Calendar for each
legislative day.
(7) To examine all Senate Bills and Constitutional
Amendment Resolutions following Second Reading and prior
to final passage, for the purpose of correcting any
non-substantive errors therein, and to report the same back
to the President promptly; to supervise the enrolling and
engrossing of bills and resolutions, subject to the
direction of the President; and to certify passage or
adoption of legislative measures, and to note thereon the
date of final Senate action. Any corrections suggested to
the President by the Secretary, and thereafter approved by
the Senate, shall be entered upon the Journal.
(8) To transmit bills, other documents, and other
messages to the House and secure a receipt therefor, and to
receive from the House bills, documents, and receipts
therefor.
(9) To file with the Secretary of State those debate
transcripts and Senate documents as are required by law.

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(10) To attend every session of the Senate; record the
roll; and read into the Senate record legislative measures
and other papers as directed by the Presiding Officer.
Bills shall be read by title only. Upon initial reading,
motions may be read by title and sponsor only.
(11) To supervise all Assistant Secretaries and other
employees of his or her office, as well as all committee
clerks in their capacity as committee clerks.
(12) To establish the format for all documents, forms,
and committee records prepared by committee clerks.
(13) To perform those duties as assigned by the
President.
(Senate Rule 2-8)
2-8. Assistant Secretary of the Senate. The Senate shall,
in a manner consistent with the laws of Illinois, elect an
Assistant Secretary, who shall perform those duties assigned to
him or her by the Secretary.
(Senate Rule 2-9)
2-9. Sergeant-at-Arms. The Senate shall elect a
Sergeant-at-Arms who shall perform those duties assigned to him
or her by law, or as are ordered by the President or Presiding

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Officer. Such duties shall include the following:
(1) To attend the Senate during its sessions and
execute the commands of the Senate, together with all
process issued by authority of the Senate, that are
directed to him or her by the President or Presiding
Officer.
(2) To maintain order among spectators admitted into
the Senate chambers, galleries, and adjoining or
connecting hallways and passages.
(3) To take proper measures to prevent interruption of
the Senate.
(4) To supervise any Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms.
(5) To perform those duties as assigned by the
President.
(Senate Rule 2-10)
2-10. Schedule.
(a) The President shall periodically establish a schedule
of days on which the Senate shall convene in regular and veto
session, with that schedule subject to revisions at the
discretion of the President. The President may also at his or

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her discretion schedule perfunctory sessions of the Senate. The
President may establish deadlines for the following
legislative actions:
(1) Final day to request bills from the Legislative
Reference Bureau.
(2) Final day for introduction of bills.
(3) Final day for standing committees of the Senate to
report Senate bills, except Senate appropriations bills.
(4) Final day for standing committees of the Senate to
report Senate appropriation bills.
(5) Final day for Third Reading and passage of Senate
bills, except Senate appropriation bills.
(6) Final day for Third Reading and passage of Senate
appropriation bills.
(7) Final day for standing committees of the Senate to
report House appropriation bills.
(8) Final day for standing committees of the Senate to
report House bills, except appropriation bills.

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(9) Final day for Third Reading and passage of House
appropriation bills.
(10) Final day for Third Reading and passage of House
non-appropriation bills.
(b) The President may establish additional deadlines for
final action on conference committee reports and any categories
of joint action motions.
(c) The foregoing deadlines shall become effective upon
being filed by the President with the Secretary. The Secretary
shall Journalize the deadlines.
(d) At any time, the President may schedule alternative
deadlines for any legislative action pursuant to written notice
filed with the Secretary.
(e) The President may schedule deadlines for any other
legislative measure as he or she deems appropriate pursuant to
written notice filed with the Secretary.
ARTICLE III
COMMITTEES

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(Senate Rule 3-1)
3-1. Committees.
(a) The committees of the Senate are: (i) the standing
committees listed in Rule 3-4; (ii) special committees created
by resolution or notice under Rule 3-3; and (iii) special
subcommittees created by standing committees or by special
committees under Rule 3-3. Subcommittees may not create
subcommittees.
(b) All committees shall have a Chairperson and Minority
Spokesperson, who shall not be of the same caucus, except as
provided in Rule 3-2. Committees of the whole shall consist of
all Senators. The number of majority caucus members and
minority caucus members of all standing committees, and all
other committees unless otherwise ordered by the Senate in
accordance with these Senate Rules, shall be determined by the
President. The numbers of majority caucus and minority caucus
members shall become final upon the President filing with the
Secretary an appropriate notice, which shall be Journalized.
(c) The Chairperson of a committee shall have the authority
to call the committee to order, designate which legislative
measures that are assigned to the committee shall be taken up,
order the roll call vote to be taken on each legislative
measure called for a vote, preserve order and decorum during

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committee meetings, assign legislative measures to special
subcommittees of the parent committee, jointly sign and issue
subpoenas with the President, and implement and supervise the
business of the committee. The Vice-Chairperson of a committee
may preside over its meetings in the absence or at the
direction of the Chairperson.
(d) A vacancy on a committee, or in the Chairperson or
Minority Spokesperson position on a committee, occurs when a
member resigns from that position or ceases to be a Senator.
Resignations shall be made in writing to the Secretary, who
shall promptly notify the President and Minority Leader. Absent
concurrence by a majority of those elected, or as otherwise
provided in Rule 3-5, no member who resigns from a committee
shall be reappointed to that committee for the remainder of the
term. Replacement members shall be of the same caucus as that
of the member who resigns, and shall be appointed by the
President or Minority Leader, depending upon the caucus of the
resigning member. In the case of vacancies on special
subcommittees that were created by committees, the parent
committee shall fill the vacancy by motion.
(e) The Chairperson of a committee shall have the authority
to call meetings of that committee, subject to the approval of
the President in accordance with Rule 2-5(c)(19). Except as
otherwise provided by these Senate Rules, committee meetings

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shall be convened in accordance with Rule 3-11.
(Senate Rule 3-2)
3-2. Membership and Officers of Standing Committees.
(a) At the commencement of the term, the members of each
standing committee shall be appointed for the term by the
President and the Minority Leader, except as provided in
subsection (c) of this Rule or in Rule 3-5. The President shall
appoint the Chairperson and the remaining committee members of
the majority caucus (one of whom the President shall designate
as Vice-Chairperson), and the Minority Leader shall appoint the
Minority Spokesperson and the remaining committee members of
the minority caucus, except as provided in paragraph (b) of
this Rule. The appointments shall become immediately effective
upon the delivery of appropriate correspondence from each of
the respective leaders to the Secretary, regardless of whether
the Senate is in session. The Chairperson and Minority
Spokesperson shall serve at the pleasure of the President or
Minority Leader, as the case may be. The Secretary shall
Journalize all appointments. A standing committee is empowered
to conduct business when a majority of the total number of
committee members has been appointed.
(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of these Senate
Rules, the President may appoint any two members to serve as
Co-Chairpersons of a standing committee. Co-Chairpersons shall

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not be of the same caucus and shall serve at the pleasure of
the President. A standing committee with Co-Chairpersons shall
not have a Minority Spokesperson. For purposes of Section 1 of
the General Assembly Compensation Act (25 ILCS 115/1), one
Co-Chairperson shall be considered "chairman" and the other
shall be considered "minority spokesperson". Co-Chairperson
appointments shall become immediately effective upon the
delivery of appropriate correspondence from the President to
the Secretary, regardless of whether the Senate is in session.
The Secretary shall Journalize all appointments.
(c) To maintain the efficient operation of the Senate, any
committee member may be temporarily replaced due to illness or
an unforeseen absence from the Capitol at the time of the
committee hearing. The temporary appointment is effective upon
delivery of appropriate correspondence from the President or
Minority Leader, depending upon the caucus of the member
affected, and shall remain effective for the duration of the
illness or temporary absence from the Capitol. If the member
returns to the Capitol while the committee is meeting, then the
temporary appointment shall remain effective until the
committee recesses or adjourns.
(Senate Rule 3-3)
3-3. Special Committee and Subcommittees.
(a) The Senate may create special committees by resolution

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adopted by a majority of those elected. The President also may
create special committees by filing a notice of the creation of
the special committee with the Secretary. The appointed members
of a special committee shall be designated by the President and
the Minority Leader in the same manner outlined in Rule 3-2
with respect to standing committees.
(b) A committee may create a special subcommittee by motion
adopted by a majority of those appointed. The members of a
special subcommittee shall come from the membership of the
creating committee, and shall be appointed in the manner
determined by the creating committee.
(c) The resolution, motion, or notice creating a special
committee or special subcommittee shall specify the subject
matter of the special committee or subcommittee and the number
of members to be appointed thereto, and may specify a reporting
date during the term (in which event the special committee or
subcommittee is abolished as of that date). Unless an earlier
date is specified by resolution, motion, or notice, special
committees and subcommittees shall expire at the end of the
term.
(d) When the Senate is not in session, Special Temporary
Committees may be created and appointed by the President. The
actions of the President and of a Special Temporary Committee

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shall stand as the action of the Senate unless the action is
amended or modified on a roll call vote by a majority of those
elected during the next day the Senate convenes.
(e) In accordance with Section 1 of the General Assembly
Compensation Act (25 ILCS 115/1), no Chairperson or Minority
Spokesperson of a committee created under this Rule shall
receive additional compensation for such service.
(Senate Rule 3-4)
3-4. Standing Committees. The Standing Committees of the
Senate are as follows:
AGRICULTURE AND CONSERVATION
APPROPRIATIONS I
APPROPRIATIONS II
COMMERCE
CRIMINAL LAW
EDUCATION
ENERGY

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ENVIRONMENT
EXECUTIVE
EXECUTIVE APPOINTMENTS
FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS
GAMING
HUMAN SERVICES
HIGHER EDUCATION
INSURANCE
JUDICIARY
LABOR AND COMMERCE
LICENSED ACTIVITIES AND PENSIONS
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
PENSIONS AND INVESTMENTS

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PUBLIC HEALTH
REDISTRICTING
REVENUE
STATE GOVERNMENT AND VETERANS AFFAIRS
TRANSPORTATION
(Senate Rule 3-5)
3-5. Service Committee.
(a) In addition to the standing committees, there is a
permanent service committee known as the "Committee on
Assignments". The Committee on Assignments shall have those
powers and duties that are outlined in these Senate Rules, as
well as those that may be periodically ordered in accordance
with these Senate Rules.
(b) The Committee on Assignments shall consist of five
members, three of whom shall be appointed by the President and
two of whom shall be appointed by the Minority Leader. Both the
President and the Minority Leader shall be eligible to be
appointed to the Committee on Assignments. The Committee on
Assignments shall be empowered to conduct business when a

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majority of the total number of its members has been appointed.
(c) The majority caucus members of the Committee on
Assignments shall serve at the pleasure of the President, and
the minority caucus members shall serve at the pleasure of the
Minority Leader. Appointments thereto shall be by notice filed
with the Secretary, and shall be effective for the balance of
the term or until a replacement appointment is made, whichever
first occurs. Appointments shall take effect upon filing with
the Secretary regardless of whether the Senate is in session.
Notwithstanding any other provision of these Senate Rules, any
Senator who is replaced on the Committee on Assignments may be
reappointed to the Committee on Assignments without
concurrence of the Senate.
(d) Notwithstanding any other provision of these Senate
Rules, the Committee on Assignments may meet upon reasonable
public notice. All legislative measures pending before the
Committee on Assignments shall be eligible for consideration at
any meeting thereof, and all such legislative measures shall be
deemed posted for hearing by the Committee on Assignments for
all of its meetings.
(e) This Rule may be suspended by a vote of three-fifths of
the members elected.

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(Senate Rule 3-6)
3-6. Referrals of Resolutions, Messages, and
Reorganization Orders.
(a) All resolutions, after being initially read by the
Secretary, shall be automatically referred to the Committee on
Assignments unless the Presiding Officer determines that the
resolution is a death resolution and orders that the resolution
be placed on the Resolutions Consent Calendar. Resolutions
determined by the Committee on Assignments to be of a
non-substantive, commemorative, or congratulatory nature shall
be returned to the principal sponsor for action pursuant to
Rule 6-4. No resolution may be placed on the Resolutions
Consent Calendar if any member objects.
(b) All messages from the Governor or any other executive
branch Constitutional Officer or other appointing authority
regarding appointments that require confirmation by the Senate
shall, after having been initially read by the Secretary,
automatically be referred to the Committee on Assignments.
(c) All executive reorganization orders of the Governor
issued pursuant to Article V, Section 11 of the Constitution,
after being read into the record by the Secretary, shall
automatically be referred to the Committee on Assignments for
its referral to a committee, the latter of which may issue a
recommendation to the Senate with respect to the executive

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order. The Senate may disapprove of any executive order only by
resolution adopted by a majority of those elected; no such
resolution is in order until a committee has reported to the
Senate on the executive reorganization, or until the executive
order has been discharged pursuant to Rule 7-9.
(Senate Rule 3-7)
3-7. Committee on Assignments.
(a) The Committee on Assignments may consider any
legislative measure referred to it pursuant to Rules 3-6, 3-8
and 3-9, by motion or resolution, or by order of the Presiding
Officer upon initial reading. The Committee on Assignments may,
with the concurrence of a majority of those appointed, sponsor
motions or resolutions; notwithstanding any other provision of
these Senate Rules, any motion or resolution sponsored by the
Committee on Assignments may be immediately considered by the
Senate without reference to a committee.
(b) During even-numbered years, the Committee on
Assignments shall refer to a committee of the Senate only
appropriation bills implementing the budget and other
legislative measures deemed by the Committee on Assignments to
be of an emergency nature or to be of substantial importance to
the operation of government. This subsection (b) applies
equally to Senate Bills and House Bills introduced into or
received by the Senate.

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(Senate Rule 3-8)
3-8. Referrals to Committees.
(a) All Senate Bills and House Bills shall, after having
been initially read by the Secretary, be automatically referred
to the Committee on Assignments, which may thereafter refer any
bill before it to a committee. The Committee on Assignments may
refer any resolution before it to a committee. No bill or
resolution may be referred to a committee except pursuant to
this Rule or Rule 7-17. A standing or special committee may
refer a matter pending in that committee to a special
subcommittee of that committee.
(b) All floor amendments, joint action motions for final
action, and conference committee reports shall, upon filing
with the Secretary, be automatically referred to the Committee
on Assignments. No such amendment, joint action motion, or
conference committee report may be considered by the Senate
unless approved for consideration by the Committee on
Assignments. The Committee on Assignments may approve for
consideration to the Senate any floor amendment, joint action
motion for final action, or conference committee report that:
(i) consists of language that has previously been favorably
reported to the Senate by a committee; (ii) consists of
technical or clarifying language; or (iii) consists of language
deemed by the Committee on Assignments to be of an emergency

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nature, of substantial importance to the operation of
government, or in the best interests of Illinois. The Committee
on Assignments may refer any floor amendment, joint action
motion for final action, or conference committee report to a
committee for its review and consideration (in those instances,
and notwithstanding any other provision of these Senate Rules,
the committee may hold a hearing on and consider those
legislative measures pursuant to one-hour advance notice). Any
floor amendment, joint action motion for final action, or
conference committee report that is not approved for
consideration or referred by the Committee on Assignments, and
is attempted to be acted upon by a committee shall be out of
order, except as provided for under Rule 8-4.
(b-1) A floor amendment filed by the chief sponsor of a
bill shall be automatically referred to the standing committee
from which the bill was reported (or to another standing
committee as the Committee on Assignments may determine) upon
adjournment of the Senate on the third regular session day
following the day on which the floor amendment was filed,
unless (i) the Committee on Assignments referred the floor
amendment to a standing committee or acted on the floor
amendment in the first instance and referred it to the Senate
for consideration; (ii) the bill is no longer pending before
the Senate; (iii) the floor amendment deals with the subject of
appropriations or State revenue; or (iv) the Committee on

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Assignments has determined by a majority vote that the floor
amendment substantively alters the nature and scope of the
underlying bill. If the Committee on Assignments makes a
determination under item (iv) of this subsection, then the
Committee on Assignments may, in its discretion, (A) refer the
floor amendment to any standing committee or (B) not refer the
floor amendment to any other committee.
(c) All committee amendments shall, upon filing with the
Secretary, be automatically referred to the Committee on
Assignments. No committee amendment may be considered by a
committee unless the committee amendment is referred to the
committee by the Committee on Assignments and the committee
amendment has first been made available electronically or
otherwise for not less than one hour. Any committee amendment
referred by the Committee on Assignments shall be referred to
the committee before which the underlying bill or resolution is
pending. Any committee amendment that is not referred by the
Committee on Assignments to a committee, and is attempted to be
acted upon by a committee shall be out of order.
(c-1) A committee amendment filed by the chief sponsor of a
bill shall be automatically referred to the standing committee
to which the bill was assigned upon adjournment of the Senate
on the third regular session day following the day on which the
committee amendment was filed, unless (i) the Committee on

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Assignments referred the committee amendment to the standing
committee to which the bill was assigned; (ii) the bill is no
longer pending before the committee; (iii) the committee
amendment deals with the subject of appropriations or State
revenue; or (iv) the Committee on Assignments has determined by
a majority vote that the committee amendment substantively
alters the nature and scope of the underlying bill. If the
Committee on Assignments makes a determination under item (iv)
of this subsection, then the Committee on Assignments may, in
its discretion, (A) refer both the bill and the committee
amendment to any standing committee or (B) not refer the
committee amendment to any other committee.
(d) The Committee on Assignments may at any time re-refer a
legislative measure from a committee to a Committee of the
Whole or to any other committee.
(d-5) Notwithstanding any other provision of these Senate
Rules, any bill pending before the Committee on Assignments
shall be immediately referred to the indicated standing
committee if the chief sponsor of the bill files a discharge
motion for that bill that is signed by no less than
three-fifths of the members of both the majority and minority
caucus, and each of the members signing the discharge motion is
a sponsor of the bill. This subsection does not apply to bills
dealing with the subject of appropriations or State revenue.

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(e) This Rule may be suspended by a vote of three-fifths of
the members elected.
(Senate Rule 3-9)
3-9. Re-Referrals to the Committee on Assignments.
(a) All legislative measures, with the exception of
resolutions to amend the State Constitution, that have failed
to meet the applicable deadline established in accordance with
Rule 2-10 for reporting to the Senate by a standing committee
shall automatically be re-referred to the Committee on
Assignments unless: (i) the deadline has been suspended
pursuant to Rule 7-17, with re-referral to the Committee on
Assignments to occur if the bill has not been reported to the
Senate in accordance with the revised deadline; or (ii) the
Committee on Assignments has issued a written exception to the
Secretary with respect to a particular bill prior to the
reporting deadline, with re-referral to occur, if at all, in
accordance with the written exception. Should the President in
accordance with Rule 2-10 establish deadlines for action on
joint action motions or conference committee reports, the
foregoing re-referral provisions and exceptions shall apply
with respect to those legislative measures that fail to meet
those deadlines.
(b) All legislative measures, with the exception of

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resolutions to amend the State Constitution and Appointment
Messages, pending before the Senate or any of its committees
shall automatically be re-referred to the Committee on
Assignments on the 31st consecutive day that the Senate has not
convened for session unless: (i) this Rule has been suspended
in accordance with Rule 7-17; or (ii) the Committee on
Assignments has issued a written exception to the Secretary
prior to that 31st day.
(Senate Rule 3-10)
3-10. Reporting by Committees. Committees shall report to
the Senate, and subcommittees shall report to their parent
committees.
(Senate Rule 3-11)
3-11. Committee Procedure.
(a) A committee may consider any legislative measure
referred to it and may make with respect to that legislative
measure one of the following reports to the Senate or to the
parent committee, as appropriate:
(1) that the bill "do pass";
(2) that the bill "do not pass";
(3) that the bill "do pass as amended";

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(4) that the bill "do not pass as amended";
(5) that the resolution "be adopted";
(6) that the resolution "be not adopted";
(7) that the resolution "be adopted as amended";
(8) that the resolution "be not adopted as amended";
(9) that the floor amendment, joint action motion, or
conference committee report "recommend do adopt";
(10) that the floor amendment, joint action motion, or
conference committee report "recommend do not adopt";
(11) "without recommendation";
(12) that the legislative measure "be re-referred to
the Committee on Assignments";
(13) that the Appointment Message be reported "do
recommend advise and consent"; or
(14) that the Appointment Message be reported "do not

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recommend advise and consent".
Any of the foregoing reports may only be made upon the
concurrence of a majority of those appointed. All legislative
measures reported "do pass", "do pass as amended", "be
adopted", "be adopted as amended", or "be approved for
consideration" shall be deemed favorably reported to the
Senate. All Appointment Messages reported "do recommend advise
and consent", "do not recommend advise and consent", or
"without recommendation" shall be deemed reported to the
Senate. Except as otherwise provided by these Senate Rules, any
legislative measure referred to a committee and not reported
pursuant to this Rule shall remain in that committee. Pursuant
to Rules 3-11(g) and 7-10, a committee may report a legislative
measure as tabled.
(b) No bill that provides for an appropriation or
expenditure of money from the State Treasury may be considered
for passage by the Senate unless it has first been reported to
the Senate by an Appropriations Committee, unless:
(1) the bill was discharged from an Appropriations
Committee in accordance with Rule 7-9;
(2) the bill was exempted from this requirement by a
majority of those appointed to the Committee on

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Assignments; or
(3) this Rule was suspended in accordance with Rule
7-17.
(c) The Chairperson of each committee shall keep, or cause
to be kept, a record in which there shall be entered:
(1) The time and place of each meeting of the
committee.
(2) The attendance of committee members at each
meeting.
(3) The votes cast by the committee members on all
legislative measures acted upon by the committee.
(4) All witness slips that may have been presented to
the committee.
(5) Such additional information as may be requested by
the Secretary.
(d) The committee Chairperson shall file with the
Secretary, along with every bill or resolution reported upon, a
sheet containing such information as is required by the

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Secretary. The Secretary may adopt forms, policies, and
procedures with respect to the preparation, filing, and
maintenance of these reports.
(e) Except as provided in Rule 3-5 or 3-8 or unless this
Rule is suspended pursuant to Rule 7-17, no committee may
consider or conduct a hearing with respect to a legislative
measure absent notice first being given as follows:
(1) The Chairperson of the committee shall, no later
than six days before any proposed hearing, post a notice on
the Senate bulletin board, or electronically make the
notice available, identifying each legislative measure
that may be considered during that hearing. The notice
shall contain the day, hour, and place of the hearing.
(2) Meetings of the Committee on Assignments may be
called pursuant to Rule 3-5; meetings of committees to
consider floor amendments, joint action motions, and
conference committee reports may be called pursuant to Rule
3-8.
(3) The Chairperson shall, in advance of a committee
hearing, notify all principal sponsors of legislative
measures posted for hearing of the date, time, and place of
hearing. When practicable, the Secretary shall include a

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notice of all scheduled hearings, together with all posted
bills and resolutions, in the Daily Calendar of the Senate.
Irrespective of whether a legislative measure has been posted
for hearing, it shall be in order for a committee during any of
its meetings to refer that legislative measure pending before
it to a subcommittee of that committee.
(f) Other than the Committee on Assignments, no committee
may meet during any session of the Senate, and no commission
created by Illinois law that has legislative membership may
meet during any session of the Senate.
(g) Regardless of whether notice has been previously given,
it is always in order for a committee to order any legislative
measure pending before it to lie on the table when the
principal sponsor so requests. When reported to the Senate,
such committee action shall stand as the action of the Senate.
(h) When a committee fails to report a legislative measure
pending before it to the Senate, or when a committee fails to
hold a public hearing on a legislative measure pending before
it, the exclusive means of bringing that legislative measure
directly before the Senate for its consideration is pursuant to
Rule 7-9.

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(i) No legislative measure may be called for a vote in
committee in the absence of the principal sponsor, except that,
with the approval of the principal sponsor and the consent of
the committee, a legislative measure may be called for a vote
in committee by a chief cosponsor of the legislative measure or
by a member of the same caucus as the principal sponsor who is
either the Committee Chairperson, Committee Co-Chairperson,
Committee Vice-Chairperson, or Minority Spokesperson.
(j) A committee may conduct a legislative investigation
with regard to legislative measures pending before the
committee.
(Senate Rule 3-12)
3-12. Committee Reports.
(a) All bills favorably reported to the Senate from a
committee, or with respect to which a committee has been
discharged, shall stand on the order of Second Reading unless
otherwise ordered by the Senate, and may be amended only on
Second Reading. Bills reported to the Senate from committee "do
not pass", "do not pass as amended", or "without
recommendation" shall lie on the table.
(b) All floor amendments, joint action motions, and
conference committee reports favorably reported to the Senate
from a committee shall be before the Senate and eligible for

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consideration by the Senate when it is on an appropriate order
of business (floor amendments may be considered by the Senate
only when the bill to be amended is on Second Reading). All
floor amendments, joint action motions, and conference
committee reports that are reported to the Senate from
committee "recommend do not adopt" or "without recommendation"
shall lie on the table.
(c) All resolutions favorably reported to the Senate from a
committee, or with respect to which a committee has been
discharged, shall stand on the order of Resolutions. All
resolutions that are reported to the Senate from committee "be
not adopted", "be not adopted as amended", or "without
recommendation" shall lie on the table. Floor amendments to
resolutions shall be subject to the same procedure applicable
to floor amendments to bills.
(d) All Appointment Messages reported to the Senate from a
committee, or with respect to which a committee has been
discharged, shall stand on the order of Executive Appointments.
(Senate Rule 3-13)
3-13. Witnesses, Oaths, Affirmations, and Subpoenas.
(a) Standing committees may administer oaths (or
affirmations) and may compel, by subpoena, any person or entity
to (i) appear and give testimony as a witness before the

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standing committee, (ii) produce papers, documents, and other
materials relating to a legislative measure pending before the
standing committee or a subject matter within the jurisdiction
of the standing committee, or (iii) do both (i) and (ii).
(b) Special committees may administer oaths (or
affirmations) and may compel, by subpoena, any person or entity
to (i) appear and give testimony before the special committee,
(ii) produce papers, documents, and other materials relating to
the subject matter for which the special committee was created
or relating to a legislative measure pending before the special
committee, or (iii) do both (i) and (ii).
(c) A committee of the whole may administer oaths (or
affirmations) and may compel, by subpoena, any person or entity
to (i) appear and give testimony before the committee of the
whole, (ii) produce papers, documents, and other materials
relating to the subject matter for which the committee of the
whole was created or relating to a legislative measure pending
before the committee of the whole, or (iii) do both (i) and
(ii).
(d) Oaths may be administered under this Rule by the
Presiding Officer or by the Chairperson of a committee or any
person sitting in his or her stead.

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(e) Subpoenas issued under this Rule must be issued and
signed by the Chairperson of the committee and must comply with
Rule 2-5(c)(9).
(f) A subpoena may specify terms and times of production
other than at a meeting or hearing of the committee issuing the
subpoena.
(g) A subpoenaed witness has all the rights and privileges
afforded him or her under the rules, laws, and constitution of
the State of Illinois.
(h) A witness who gives testimony under subpoena has a
right to counsel of his or her own choosing.
(i) A witness who gives testimony under subpoena may be
compensated for travel expenses to the same extent as
legislators and legislative employees under the Rules of the
Legislative Travel Control Board.
(j) The President and the Chairperson of the committee
issuing a subpoena each have standing to enforce the subpoena
in any court of competent jurisdiction within the State of
Illinois, and seek enforcement remedies recognized under the
rules, laws, and constitution of the State of Illinois.

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(k) In the case of special committees with Co-Chairpersons
from different political parties, the term "Chairperson" for
purposes of this Rule means the Co-Chairperson from the
majority caucus.
ARTICLE IV
CONDUCT OF BUSINESS
(Senate Rule 4-1)
4-1. Sessions of the Senate.
(a) The Senate shall be deemed in session whenever it
convenes in perfunctory session, regular session, veto
session, or special session. Members shall be entitled to per
diem expense reimbursements only on those regular, veto, and
special session days that they are in attendance at the Senate.
Attendance by members is not required or recorded during
perfunctory sessions.
(b) Regular and veto session days shall be scheduled with
notice by the President in accordance with Rule 2-10. Special
session days shall be scheduled in accordance with the
Constitution and laws of Illinois.
(c) The President, at his or her discretion, may schedule
perfunctory sessions during which the Secretary may read into

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the Senate record any legislative measure. Properly convened
committees may meet and may consider and act upon legislative
measures during a perfunctory session, and the Secretary may
receive and read committee reports into the Senate record
during a perfunctory session. Excepting any automatic referral
provisions of these Senate Rules, no action may be taken by the
Senate with respect to a legislative measure during a
perfunctory session.
(d) The President may also schedule perfunctory sessions
for the purpose of affording those members designated by the
President and Minority Leader an opportunity to negotiate with
respect to any unfinished business of the Senate without
necessitating the presence of all members and the related costs
to Illinois taxpayers.
(Senate Rule 4-2)
4-2. Hour of Meeting. Unless otherwise ordered by the
Presiding Officer or by a majority of those elected, the Senate
shall regularly convene at noon.
(Senate Rule 4-3)
4-3. Entitled to Floor.
(a) Except as otherwise provided in these Senate Rules,
only the following persons shall be admitted to the Senate
while it is in session: members and officers of the General

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Assembly; elected officers of the executive branch; justices of
the Supreme Court; the designated aides to the Governor; the
parliamentarian; majority staff members and minority staff
members, except as limited by the Presiding Officer; former
Presidents of the Senate, except as limited by the President or
prohibited under subsection (d); former members who served in
the Senate at any time during the past four years, except as
limited by the President or prohibited under subsection (d);
and employees of the Legislative Reference Bureau and the
Legislative Information System, except as limited by the
President. Representatives of the press, while the Senate is in
session, may have access to the galleries and places allotted
to them by the President. No person is entitled to the floor
unless appropriately attired.
(b) On days during which the Senate is in session, the
Sergeant-at-Arms shall clear the floor of all persons not
entitled to access the floor a quarter hour before the
convening time, and he or she shall enforce all other
provisions of this Rule.
(c) The Senate may authorize, by motion adopted by majority
vote, the admission to the floor of any other person, except as
prohibited under subsection (d).
(d) No person who is directly or indirectly interested in

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defeating or promoting any pending legislative measure, if
required to be registered as a lobbyist, is allowed access to
the floor of the Senate at any time during the session.
(e) When he or she deems it necessary for the preservation
of order, the Presiding Officer may by order remove any person
from the floor of the Senate. A Senator may be removed from the
floor only pursuant to Rule 11-1.
(Senate Rule 4-4)
4-4. Daily Order. Unless otherwise determined by the
Presiding Officer, the daily order of business of the Senate
shall be as follows:
(1) Call to Order, Invocation, and Pledge of
Allegiance.
(2) Reading and Approval of the Journal.
(3) Reading of Senate Bills a first time.
(4) Reports from committees, with reports from the
Committee on Assignments ordinarily made at any time.
(5) Presentation of Resolutions, Petitions, and
Messages.

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(6) Introduction of Senate Bills.
(7) Messages from the House, not including reading
House Bills a first time.
(8) Reading of Senate Bills a second time.
(9) Reading of Senate Bills a third time.
(10) Reading of House Bills a third time.
(11) Reading of House Bills a second time.
(12) Reading of House Bills a first time.
(13) Senate Bills on the Order of Concurrence.
(14) House Bills on the Order of Non-Concurrence.
(15) Conference Committee Reports.
(16) Motions in Writing.
(17) Constitutional Amendment Resolutions.

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(18) Motions with respect to Vetoes.
(19) Consideration of Resolutions.
(20) Motions to Discharge Committee.
(21) Motions to Take from the Table.
(22) Motions to Suspend the Rules.
(23) Consideration of Bills on the Order of Postponed
Consideration.
(Senate Rule 4-5)
4-5. Quorum.
(a) A majority of those elected shall constitute a quorum
of the Senate, and a majority of those appointed shall
constitute a quorum of a committee, but a smaller number may
adjourn from day to day or recess for less than one day. The
attendance of absent members may be compelled by order of the
President.
(b) The question of the presence of a quorum in any
committee may not be raised on consideration of a legislative
measure by the Senate unless the same question was previously
raised before the committee with respect to that legislative

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measure.
(Senate Rule 4-6)
4-6. Approval of the Journal. The President or his or her
designee shall periodically examine and report to the Senate
any corrections he or she deems should be made in the Journal
before it is approved. If these corrections are approved by the
Senate, they shall be made by the Secretary.
(Senate Rule 4-7)
4-7. Executive Sessions. The sessions of the Senate shall
be open to the public. Sessions and committee meetings of the
Senate may be closed to the public if, pursuant to Article IV,
Section 5(c) of the Constitution, two-thirds of the members
elected determine that the public interest so requires.
(Senate Rule 4-8)
4-8. Length of Adjournment. Pursuant to Article IV, Section
15(a) of the Constitution, the Senate shall not adjourn,
without the consent of the House, for more than three days, nor
to another place than that in which the two chambers of the
General Assembly are sitting. The Senate shall be in session on
any day in which it shall convene in perfunctory session,
regular session, veto session, or special session.
(Senate Rule 4-9)

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4-9. Transcript of the Senate. In accordance with Article
IV, Section 7(b) of the Constitution, nothing contained in the
official transcript of the Senate shall be changed or expunged
except by written request of a Senator to the Secretary and
Presiding Officer, which request may be approved only on a roll
call vote of three-fifths of the members elected.
ARTICLE V
BILLS AND AMENDMENTS
(Senate Rule 5-1)
5-1. Bills.
(a) A bill may be introduced in the Senate by sponsorship
of one or more members of the Senate, whose names shall be on
the printed copies of the bills, in the Senate Journal, and in
the Legislative Digest. The principal sponsor shall be the
first name to appear on the bill and may be joined by no more
than four chief cosponsors with the approval of the principal
sponsor; other cosponsors shall be separated from the principal
sponsor and any chief cosponsors by a comma. By motion, the
sponsorship of a bill may be changed to that of another Senator
(or Senators, as the case may be), or to that of the standing
committee to which the bill was referred or from which the bill
was reported. Such a motion may be made at any time the bill is
pending before the Senate or any of its committees.

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(b) The principal sponsor of a bill shall control the bill
and may allow a chief cosponsor (i) to present the bill on
Third Reading with written approval or (ii) to move the bill
from Second Reading to Third Reading. A committee-sponsored
bill shall be controlled by the Chairperson of the committee,
who for purposes of these Senate Rules shall be deemed the
principal sponsor. Committee-sponsored bills may not have
individual cosponsors.
(c) (1) The House sponsor of a bill originating in the
House may request substitute Senate sponsorship of that bill by
filing a notice with the Secretary; that notice shall
automatically be referred to the Committee on Assignments and
deemed adopted if approved by the Committee on Assignments.
(2) The notice shall include the bill number, the name of
the Senate chief sponsor to be substituted, the signature of
the House sponsor, the signature of the substitute Senate chief
sponsor, and a statement that the original Senate sponsor was
provided with notice of intent to request a substitute Senate
sponsor.
(3) The Committee on Assignments shall act on any notice
within three session days (excluding perfunctory session
days). If the Committee on Assignments fails to act on that

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notice within three session days, then the notice shall be
deemed approved and the Senate sponsorship of the House Bill
will be substituted pursuant to the notice. The Senate
President may suspend in writing the operation of the three
session day automatic approval process set forth under this
subsection (c) if the President determines that the Rules
Committee of the House of Representatives has failed to act on
any Senator's request to substitute House sponsorship of a
Senate Bill.
(d) All bills introduced in the Senate shall be read by
title a first time, ordered printed, and automatically referred
to the Committee on Assignments in accordance with Rule 3-8.
When a House Bill is received, it shall be taken up, ordered
printed, and placed on the order of House Bills on First
Reading; after having been read a first time, it shall
automatically be referred to the Committee on Assignments in
accordance with Rule 3-8.
(e) All bills introduced into the Senate shall be
accompanied by eight copies. Any bill that amends a statute
shall indicate the particular changes in the following manner:
(1) All new matter shall be underscored.
(2) All matter that is to be omitted or superseded

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shall be shown crossed with a line.
(f) No bill shall be passed by the Senate except on a roll
call vote of a majority of those elected. A bill that has lost
and has not been reconsidered may not thereafter be revived.
(Senate Rule 5-2)
5-2. Reading and Printing of Bills. Every bill shall be
read by title on three different days prior to passage by the
Senate, and the bill and all adopted amendments thereto shall
be printed before the vote is taken on its final passage.
(Senate Rule 5-3)
5-3. Printing and Distribution. The Secretary shall, as
soon as any bill is printed, deliver to the Sergeant-at-Arms
sufficient copies to furnish each Senator with a copy, and the
Sergeant-at-Arms shall at once cause the bills to be
distributed upon the desks of the Senators. Alternatively, and
pursuant to Rule 2-7(b)(3), the Secretary may establish a
method any Senator may use to secure a copy of any bill he or
she desires.
(Senate Rule 5-4)
5-4. Amendments.
(a) An amendment to a bill may be adopted either by a
standing committee when the bill is before that committee, or

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by the Senate when a bill is on the order of Second Reading.
The former shall be known as a "committee amendment" and the
latter as a "floor amendment". All amendments must be in
writing. All amendments still pending in a committee upon the
passage or defeat of a bill on Third Reading shall
automatically be tabled.
(b) Committee amendments may only be offered by the
principal sponsor or a member of the committee while the
affected bill is before the committee, and shall be adopted by
a majority of those appointed. Floor amendments may only be
offered by a Senator while the bill is on the order of Second
Reading, and shall be adopted by a majority vote of the Senate.
An amendment may be the subject of a motion to "do adopt" or
"do not adopt", and may only be adopted pursuant to a
successful motion to "do adopt".
(c) Committee amendments and floor amendments shall be
filed with the Secretary, and shall be in order only when eight
copies have been filed. The Secretary shall provide copies of
committee amendments to the Chairperson and Minority
Spokesperson of the appropriate committee as soon as
practicable.
(d) The Secretary shall have printed all adopted committee
amendments that come before the Senate pursuant to Rule 3-12.

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The Secretary shall also have printed all adopted floor
amendments. No floor amendment may be adopted by the Senate
unless it has been first reproduced and placed on the members'
desks.
(e) No floor or committee amendment shall be in order
unless approved or referred by the Committee on Assignments in
accordance with Rule 3-8 or brought before the Senate pursuant
to Rule 7-9.
(f) Amendments that propose to alter any existing law shall
set forth completely the statutory Sections amended, and shall
conform to the requirements of Rule 5-1(e).
(g) If a committee reports a bill "do pass as amended", the
committee amendments shall be deemed adopted by the committee
action and shall be reproduced and placed on the members' desks
before the bill may be read a second time.
(Senate Rule 5-5)
5-5. Fiscal and Other Notes. The Senate shall comply with
all effective Illinois laws requiring notes on any bill,
including without limitation the Fiscal Note Act, the Pension
Impact Note Act, the Judicial Note Act, the State Debt Impact
Note Act, the Correctional Budget and Impact Note Act, the Home
Rule Note Act, the Balanced Budget Note Act, the Housing

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Affordability Impact Note Act, and the State Mandates Act, all
as amended. All such notes shall be filed with the Secretary
with a time stamp endorsing the date and time received, and
shall then be attached to the original of the bill and be
available for inspection by the members. As soon as
practicable, the Secretary shall provide a copy of the note to
the Legislative Reference Bureau, which shall provide an
informative summary of the note in subsequent issues of the
Legislative Digest.
(Senate Rule 5-6)
5-6. Amendments to Taxpayer Accountability and Budget
Stabilization Act.
(a) From the commencement of the 97th General Assembly
until June 30, 2015, no bill that amends or refers to Section
201.5 of the Illinois Income Tax Act, or that seeks to
appropriate or transfer money pursuant to a declaration of a
fiscal emergency under Section 201.5 of that Act, may be moved
from the order of Second Reading to the order of Third Reading
unless a motion to approve such measure for consideration has
been adopted by a record vote of 36 members. If such a bill is
on the order of concurrence or in the form of a conference
committee report, no motion to concur or to adopt that
conference committee report is in order unless a motion to
approve such measure for consideration has been adopted by a
record vote of 36 members. Nothing in this Senate Rule shall be

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deemed to alter the vote requirement for final passage of a
legislative measure required by the Illinois Constitution.
(b) Any motion to approve a legislative measure for
consideration, authorized by subsection (a), must be in
writing. Upon receipt of the written motion, the Secretary
shall immediately notify the President and the Minority Leader.
The motion shall not be referred to a committee. The motion
must be carried on the calendar before it may be taken up by
the Senate and may then be immediately considered and adopted
by the Senate. The motion is renewable and may be reconsidered,
provided that once that motion is adopted, it shall not be
reconsidered.
(c) This Rule may not be suspended except by unanimous
consent by record vote.
(Senate Rule 5-7)
5-7. Amendments to State Pension Funds Continuing
Appropriation Act.
(a) From the commencement of the 97th General Assembly
until June 30, 2015, no bill that amends or refers to the State
Pension Funds Continuing Appropriation Act may be moved from
the order of Second Reading to the order of Third Reading
unless a motion to approve such measure for consideration has
been adopted by a record vote of 36 members. If such a bill is
on the order of concurrence or in the form of a conference
committee report, no motion to concur or to adopt that

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conference committee report is in order unless a motion to
approve such measure for consideration has been adopted by a
record vote of 36 members. Nothing in this Senate Rule shall be
deemed to alter the vote requirement for final passage of a
legislative measure required by the Illinois Constitution.
(b) Any motion to approve a legislative measure for
consideration, authorized by subsection (a), must be in
writing. Upon receipt of the written motion, the Secretary
shall immediately notify the President and the Minority Leader.
The motion shall not be referred to a committee. The motion
must be carried on the calendar before it may be taken up by
the Senate and may then be immediately considered and adopted
by the Senate. The motion is renewable and may be reconsidered,
provided that once that motion is adopted, it shall not be
reconsidered.
(c) This Rule may not be suspended except by unanimous
consent by record vote.
ARTICLE VI
RESOLUTIONS AND CERTIFICATES OF RECOGNITION
(Senate Rule 6-1)
6-1. Resolutions.
(a) A resolution shall be introduced in the Senate by
sponsorship of one or more members of the Senate, and the names

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of all sponsors shall be printed in the Senate Journal and in
the Legislative Digest. Each resolution introduced shall be
accompanied by eight copies.
(b) Any resolution calling for the expenditure of State
funds may be adopted only by a roll call vote of a majority of
those elected.
(c) The Secretary shall periodically print a Resolutions
Consent Calendar, which the Secretary shall periodically
distribute prior to its consideration by the Senate (generally
the last daily session of the week). No debate is in order
regarding any resolution appearing on the Resolutions Consent
Calendar. All resolutions appearing on the Resolutions Consent
Calendar may be adopted in one motion; however, any Senator may
vote "no" or "present" on any resolution appearing on the
Resolutions Consent Calendar by providing written notice of
that intention to the Secretary prior to the vote on the
Resolutions Consent Calendar. Prior to the adoption of any
resolution on the Resolutions Consent Calendar, if any three
members file with the Secretary a written objection to the
presence of a resolution thereon, that resolution shall be
removed from the Resolutions Consent Calendar and is
automatically referred to the Committee on Assignments.
(Senate Rule 6-2)

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6-2. State Constitutional Amendments. All resolutions
introduced in the Senate proposing amendments to the
Constitution shall be printed in the same manner in which bills
are printed. Every such resolution that originated in the House
and is presented to the Senate shall be ordered printed in like
manner unless the resolution has been similarly printed by the
House in the same form in which it was presented to the Senate.
No such resolution may be adopted unless read in full in its
final form on three different days. Amendments to these
resolutions may be in order on the initial First and Second
Readings only.
(Senate Rule 6-3)
6-3. Federal Constitutional Amendments and Constitutional
Conventions. The affirmative vote of three-fifths of those
elected shall be required to adopt any resolution:
(1) requesting Congress to call a federal
constitutional convention;
(2) ratifying a proposed amendment to the Constitution
of the United States; or
(3) to call a State convention to ratify a proposed
amendment to the Constitution of the United States.

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(Senate Rule 6-4)
6-4. Certificates of Recognition. Any member may sponsor a
certificate of recognition with the name and signature of the
member, and attested by the Secretary with the State Seal
attached to recognize any person, organization, or event worthy
of public commendation. The form of the Certificate of
Recognition shall be determined by the Secretary with the
approval of the President and Minority Leader.
ARTICLE VII
PARLIAMENTARY PRACTICE
(Senate Rule 7-1)
7-1. Voting within Bar. No Senator shall be permitted to
vote on any question before the Senate unless on the floor
before the vote is announced. No member of a committee may vote
except in person at the time of the call of the committee vote.
Any vote of the Senate shall be by roll call whenever two
Senators so request or whenever the Presiding Officer so
orders.
(Senate Rule 7-2)
7-2. Announcing a Roll Call Vote. When a roll call vote is
requested, the Presiding Officer shall put the question and
then announce to the Senate: "The voting is open.". While the

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roll call is being taken, the Presiding Officer shall state:
"Have all voted who wish?". The voting is closed when the
Presiding Officer announces: "Take the Record.". The Presiding
Officer, unless an intervening motion to postpone
consideration by the principal sponsor is made, shall then
announce the results of the roll call. No Senator is permitted
to vote or to change his or her vote after the Presiding
Officer announces: "Take the Record.".
(Senate Rule 7-3)
7-3. Decorum and Debate.
(a) When any Senator is about to speak or deliver any
matter to the Senate, he or she shall rise and address the
Presiding Officer as "Mister President" or "Madam President",
as the case may be. Upon being recognized by the Chair, the
latter will address the Senator by name and thereupon, and not
until then, the engineer in charge of operating the microphones
in the Senate will give the use of the microphone to the
Senator who has been so recognized. The Senator in speaking
shall confine himself or herself to the subject matter under
discussion and avoid personalities.
(b) The Presiding Officer may at his or her discretion, and
with consideration for the efficient operation of the Senate,
determine whether any member shall be afforded the floor for
the purpose of introduction of guests in the gallery. Questions

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affecting the rights, reputation, and conduct of members of the
Senate in their representative capacity are questions of
personal privilege. A matter of personal explanation does not
constitute a question of personal privilege.
(c) If any Senator in speaking (or otherwise) transgresses
these Senate Rules, the Presiding Officer shall, or any Senator
may, call him or her to order, in which case the Senator so
called to order shall sit down, unless permitted to explain;
and the Senate, if appealed to, shall decide on the case
without debate. If the decision is in favor of the Senator
called to order, he or she is at liberty to proceed. If
otherwise, and the case requires it, he or she is liable to the
censure of the Senate.
(d) If any Senator is called to order for words spoken in
debate, the person calling him or her to order shall repeat the
words excepted to, and they shall be taken down by the
Secretary. No Senator shall be held to answer or be subject to
the censure of the Senate for words spoken in debate if any
Senator has spoken in debate or other business has intervened
after the words spoken and before exceptions to them shall have
been taken.
(e) If two or more Senators rise at once, the Presiding
Officer shall name the Senator who is to speak first.

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(f) No person shall give any signs of approbation or
disapprobation while the Senate is in session.
(g) No Senator shall speak more than five minutes on the
same question without the consent of the Senate, nor more than
twice on that question. No Senator shall speak more than once
until every Senator choosing to speak has spoken. No Senator
may explain his or her vote.
(h) While the Presiding Officer is putting a question, no
Senator shall leave or walk across the Senate Chamber. When a
Senator is addressing the Senate, no Senator or other person
entitled to the floor shall entertain private discourse or pass
between the speaker and the Presiding Officer.
(i) In case of any disturbances or disorderly conduct in
the lobby, gallery, or hallways adjoining the chamber, the
President shall have the power to order the same to be cleared.
(j) All material placed on the desks of Senators shall
contain the name of the Senator requesting its distribution.
(Senate Rule 7-4)
7-4. Motions, Generally. The following are general rules
for all motions:

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(1) Every motion, except to adjourn, recess, or
postpone consideration, shall be reduced to writing if the
Presiding Officer desires it. Unless otherwise provided in
these Senate Rules, no second shall be required to any
motion presented to the Senate. The Presiding Officer may
refer any motion to the Committee on Assignments.
(2) Before the Senate debates a motion, the Presiding
Officer shall state an oral motion and the Secretary shall
read aloud a written motion.
(3) After a motion is stated by the Presiding Officer
or read by the Secretary, it shall be deemed in the
possession of the Senate, but may be withdrawn at any time
before decision by consent of a majority of the Senate.
(4) If a motion is divisible, any member may call for a
division of the question.
(5) Any question taken under consideration may be
withdrawn, postponed, or tabled by unanimous consent or, if
unanimous consent is denied, by a motion adopted by a
majority vote.
(Senate Rule 7-5)

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7-5. Precedence of Motions.
(a) When a question is under debate, no motion may be
entertained except:
(1) to adjourn to a time certain;
(2) to adjourn;
(3) to question the presence of a quorum;
(4) to recess;
(5) to lay on the table;
(6) for the previous question;
(7) to postpone consideration;
(8) to commit or recommit; and
(9) to amend, except as otherwise provided in these
Senate Rules.
The foregoing motions shall have precedence in the order in
which they are listed.

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(b) During a roll call, no motion (except a motion to
postpone consideration) shall be in order until after the
announcement of the result of the vote.
(c) A motion to commit or re-commit, until it is decided,
precludes all amendments and debate on the main question. A
motion to postpone consideration, until it is decided,
precludes all amendments on the main question.
(Senate Rule 7-6)
7-6. Verification.
(a) After any roll call vote, except for a vote that
requires a specific number of affirmative votes and that has
not received the required votes, and before intervening
business, it shall be in order for any Senator to request
verification of the results of the roll call.
(b) In verifying a roll call vote, the Presiding Officer
shall instruct the Secretary to call the names of those
Senators whose votes are to be verified. The Senator requesting
the verification may thereafter identify those members he or
she wishes to verify. If a member does not answer, his or her
vote shall be stricken; however, the member's vote shall be
restored to the roll if his or her presence is recognized
before the verification is completed. The Presiding Officer
shall determine the presence or absence of each member whose

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name is called, and shall then announce the results of the
verification.
(c) While the results of any roll call are being verified,
it is in order for any Senator to announce his or her presence
on the floor and thereby have his or her vote verified.
(d) A request for a verification of the affirmative and
negative results of a roll call may be made only once on each
roll call.
(e) No Senator shall be permitted to vote or to change his
or her vote on verification.
(Senate Rule 7-7)
7-7. Appealing a Ruling.
(a) If any appeal is taken from a ruling of the Presiding
Officer, the Presiding Officer shall be sustained unless
three-fifths of the members elected vote to overrule the
Presiding Officer. The motion to appeal requires a second, and
it shall not be in order if the Senate has conducted
intervening business since the ruling at issue was made.
(b) If any appeal is taken from a ruling of a committee
Chairperson, the Chairperson shall be sustained unless
three-fifths of those appointed vote to overrule the

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Chairperson. The motion to appeal requires a second, and it
shall not be in order if the committee has adjourned or
recessed, so long as intervening business has occurred.
(c) In an appeal of a ruling of the Presiding Officer or
Chairperson, the question is: "Shall the ruling of the Chair be
sustained?".
(d) This Rule may be suspended by a three-fifths vote of
the members elected.
(Senate Rule 7-8)
7-8. Previous Question.
(a) A motion for the previous question may be made at any
time. The motion for the previous question is not debatable and
requires approval of a majority of those elected.
(b) The previous question shall be stated in the following
form: "Shall the main question now be put?". Until the previous
question is decided, all amendments and debate are precluded.
When it is decided that the main question shall not be put, the
main question shall be considered as remaining under debate.
(c) The effect of the main question being ordered is to put
an end to all debate and bring the Senate to a direct vote on
the immediately pending motion. After a motion for the previous

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question has been approved, unless the vote on the motion
suggests the absence of a quorum, it is not in order to move
for adjournment or to make any other motion prior to a decision
on the main question.
(Senate Rule 7-9)
7-9. Discharge of Committee.
(a) A committee may be discharged from further
consideration of a legislative measure by a vote of
three-fifths of the members elected. Upon concurrence of a
majority of those appointed, the Committee on Assignments may
advance any legislative measure pending before it to the Senate
without referral to another committee; however, the Committee
on Assignments shall not so report any bill that has never been
before a standing committee of the Senate.
(b) This Rule may be suspended by a vote of three-fifths of
the members elected.
(Senate Rule 7-10)
7-10. Tabling.
(a) A motion to lay on the table applies only to the
particular proposition and is neither debatable nor amendable.
(b) A motion to table a bill or resolution shall identify
the bill or resolution by number. The principal sponsor of a

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bill or resolution may, with leave of the Senate, table his or
her bill or resolution at any time. A motion to table a
committee bill that is before the Senate may be adopted only by
a majority of those elected.
(c) The principal sponsor of a bill or resolution before a
committee may, with leave of the committee, table the bill or
resolution. Upon such tabling, the Chairperson of the committee
shall return the bill or resolution to the Secretary, noting
thereon that it has been tabled.
(d) A motion to table an amendment adopted by the Senate on
a voice vote or by a committee is in order on Second Reading. A
motion to table a committee amendment has priority over a floor
amendment. Motions to table amendments are debatable and may be
adopted by a majority.
(Senate Rule 7-11)
7-11. Motion to Take from Table.
(a) A motion to take from the table shall require a
majority of those elected if the Committee on Assignments has
previously recommended that action by written notice filed with
the Secretary; otherwise, a motion to take from the table shall
require a three-fifths vote of the members elected.
(b) A bill taken from the table shall be placed on the

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Daily Calendar on the order on which it appeared before it was
tabled.
(c) This Rule may be suspended by a three-fifths vote of
the members elected.
(Senate Rule 7-12)
7-12. Motion to Postpone Consideration. A motion to
postpone consideration on a legislative measure may not be made
more than once on the same bill or proposition. Unless
otherwise provided by these Senate Rules, a motion to postpone
consideration shall be granted as a matter of privilege;
however, no motion to postpone consideration is in order if the
involved legislative measure initially received a vote of fewer
than two-fifths of the members elected.
(Senate Rule 7-13)
7-13. Motion on Different Subject. No motion or other
legislative measure on a subject different from that under
consideration shall be admitted under color of amendment.
(Senate Rule 7-14)
7-14. Division of Question. If the question in debate
contains several points, any Senator may have the same divided.
On a motion to strike out and insert, it is not in order to move
for a division of the question. The rejection of a motion to

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strike out and insert one proposition does not prevent a motion
to strike out and insert a different proposition.
(Senate Rule 7-15)
7-15. Reconsideration.
(a) A member who voted on the prevailing side of a record
vote on a legislative measure still within the control of the
Senate may on the same or following day move to reconsider the
vote. The motion to reconsider may be laid on the table without
affecting the vote to which it referred. When the motion to
reconsider is made during the last three scheduled days of
regular session, or any time thereafter during the regular
session, or at any time during a veto or special session, any
member may move that the vote on reconsideration be taken
immediately. A question that requires the votes of a majority
of those elected or more to carry requires a majority of those
elected to reconsider.
(b) A motion to reconsider a record vote on the adoption of
an amendment to a bill may be made only on Second Reading. An
amendment adopted by the Senate on a record vote may not be
tabled by motion until its adoption has been reconsidered.
(c) If a motion to reconsider is made pursuant to this Rule
and the motion is later tabled, the question shall not be
further reconsidered. This subsection (c) may be suspended by a

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three-fifths vote of the members elected.
(d) When a motion to reconsider is made within the time
prescribed by these Senate Rules, the Secretary shall not allow
the bill or other subject matter of the motion to pass out of
the possession of the Senate until after the motion has been
decided or withdrawn. Such a motion shall be deemed rejected if
laid on the table.
(e) A Senator who voted "present" or failed to vote on a
question shall not have the right to move for reconsideration.
(f) Upon a motion to reconsider the vote on the final
passage of any bill, the affirmative vote of a majority of
those elected shall be required to reconsider the same.
(Senate Rule 7-16)
7-16. Motion to Adjourn.
(a) A motion to adjourn is in order at any time, except
when a prior motion to adjourn has been defeated and no
intervening business has transpired.
(b) A motion to adjourn is neither debatable nor amendable.
(c) The Secretary shall enter in the Journal the hour at
which every motion to adjourn is made.

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(d) Unless the Presiding Officer otherwise orders, the
standing hour to which the Senate adjourns is 12:00 noon.
(e) A motion to adjourn for more than three days is not in
order unless both chambers of the General Assembly have adopted
a joint resolution permitting that adjournment.
(Senate Rule 7-17)
7-17. Amendment to or Suspension of Rules.
(a) Rules may be proposed or amended only by resolution.
Any such resolution shall show the proposed changes in the
existing Rules by underscoring all new matter and by crossing
out with a line all matter that is to be omitted or superseded.
(b) Any resolution proposing to amend a Senate Rule or any
Joint Senate-House Rule shall, upon initial reading by the
Secretary, automatically be referred to the Committee on
Assignments. Resolutions for amendment of the Senate Rules or
any Joint Senate-House Rules may be initiated and sponsored by
the Committee on Assignments; these resolutions shall not be
referred to a committee and may be immediately considered and
adopted by the Senate.
(c) A resolution to amend the Senate Rules or any Joint
Senate-House Rules that has been reported "do adopt" or "do

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adopt as amended" by a majority of those appointed to the
Committee on Assignments shall require the affirmative vote of
a majority of those elected for adoption by the Senate. Any
other resolution proposing to amend the Senate Rules or any
Joint Senate-House Rules shall require the affirmative vote of
three-fifths of the members elected for adoption by the Senate.
(d) No Senate Rule or any Joint Senate-House Rule may be
suspended except by unanimous consent of the Senators present
or upon a motion supported by affirmative vote of a majority of
those elected unless a higher number is required in the Rule
sought to be suspended. A committee may not suspend any Rule.
(e) This Rule may be suspended by a three-fifths vote of
those elected.
(Senate Rule 7-18)
7-18. Motion to Commit or Recommit. No motion to commit or
recommit a legislative measure to committee, being decided in
the negative, shall again be allowed on the same day, or at the
same stage of the legislative measure.
(Senate Rule 7-19)
7-19. Effective Date.
(a) A bill passed after May 31 of a calendar year shall not
become effective prior to June 1 of the next calendar year

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unless an earlier effective date is specified in the bill and
it is approved by a three-fifths vote of the members elected.
(b) If a majority of those elected, but fewer than
three-fifths of the members elected, vote affirmatively for a
bill on Third Reading after May 31, where the bill specifies an
effective date earlier than the following June 1, the bill
shall not be declared passed, and the principal sponsor shall
have the right to have the bill automatically reconsidered and
returned to the order of Second Reading for an amendment to
remove the earlier effective date. The amendment, if offered
and approved by the Committee on Assignments, shall be
reproduced and placed on the desks of the members before the
bill is taken up again on the order of Third Reading.
(Senate Rule 7-20)
7-20. Home Rule. No bill denies or limits any power or
function of a home rule unit, pursuant to paragraph (g), (h),
(i), (j), or (k) of Section 6 of Article VII of the
Constitution, unless there is specific language limiting or
denying the power or function and the language specifically
sets forth in what manner and to what extent it is a denial or
limitation of the power or function of a home rule unit. If a
majority of those elected, but fewer than three-fifths of the
members elected, vote affirmatively for a bill on Third Reading
that requires a vote of three-fifths of the members elected to

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deny or limit a power of a home rule unit, the bill shall not be
declared passed, and the principal sponsor shall have the right
to have the bill automatically reconsidered and returned to the
order of Second Reading for an amendment to remove those
effects of the bill. The amendment, if offered and approved by
the Committee on Assignments, shall be reproduced and placed on
the desks of the members before the bill is taken up again on
the order of Third Reading. The Committee on Assignments may
also refer the amendment to a committee.
ARTICLE VIII
JOINT ACTION
(Senate Rule 8-1)
8-1. Concurring in or Receding from Amendments.
(a) If a bill or resolution is received back in the Senate
with amendments added by the House, it shall be in order for
the principal sponsor or chief cosponsor of the bill who has
been designated in writing by the principal sponsor to present
a motion "to concur" or "not to concur and ask the House to
recede" with respect to those amendments. Any two members may
demand a separate roll call on any such amendment.
(b) When the House has refused to concur in amendments
added to a bill or resolution by the Senate and has returned

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the bill or resolution to the Senate with a message requesting
the Senate to recede from its amendments, it shall be in order
for the principal sponsor or chief cosponsor of the bill who
has been designated in writing by the principal sponsor to
present a motion "to recede" from the Senate amendments or "not
to recede and to request a conference". Any two members may
demand a separate roll call on any such amendments.
(Senate Rule 8-2)
8-2. Conference Committees.
(a) A disagreement between the Senate and House exists with
respect to any bill or resolution in the following situations:
(1) when the House refuses to recede from the adoption
of any amendment, after the Senate has previously refused
to concur in the amendment; or
(2) when the Senate refuses to recede from the adoption
of any amendment, after the House has previously refused to
concur in the amendment.
In these cases of disagreement between the Senate and House,
the Senate may request a conference. When a request for
conference is made, both chambers of the General Assembly shall
appoint a committee to confer with the other on the subject of
the bill or resolution giving rise to the disagreement. The

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combined committees of the two chambers appointed for this
purpose is the conference committee.
(b) The conference committee shall consist of an equal
number of members of each Chamber of the General Assembly. The
number of majority caucus members from each chamber shall be
one more than the number of minority caucus members from each
chamber. A conference committee shall consist of five members
from each chamber.
(c) In addition to the House members thereof, each
conference committee shall be comprised of five Senators, three
of whom shall be appointed by the President and two of whom
shall be appointed by the Minority Leader. No conference
committee report may be filed with the Secretary until a
majority of the Senate conferees has been appointed.
(Senate Rule 8-3)
8-3. Conference Committee Reports.
(a) No subject shall be included in any conference
committee report on any bill unless that subject matter
directly relates to the matters of difference between the
Senate and House that have been referred to the conference
committee unless the Committee on Assignments, by a majority
vote of the members appointed, determines that the proposed
subject matter is of an emergency nature, of substantial

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importance to the operation of government, or in the best
interests of Illinois.
(b) No conference committee report shall be received by the
Secretary or acted upon by the Senate unless it has been signed
by at least six conferees. The report shall be signed in
duplicate. One of the reports shall be filed with the Clerk of
the House and one with the Secretary. The report shall contain
the agreements reached by the committee.
(c) If the conference committee determines that it is
unable to reach agreement, the committee shall so report to
each chamber of the General Assembly and request appointment of
a second conference committee. In the event of agreement, the
committee shall so report to each chamber.
(Senate Rule 8-4)
8-4. Prerequisites for Senate Consideration.
(a) No joint action motion for final action or conference
committee report may be considered by the Senate unless it has
first been referred or approved by the Committee on Assignments
in accordance with Rule 3-8, or unless the joint action motion
or conference committee report has first been discharged from
the Committee on Assignments pursuant to Rule 7-9.
(b) No conference committee report may be considered by the

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Senate unless it has first been made available electronically
or otherwise for not less than one hour.
(c) Prior to any conference committee report on an
appropriation bill being considered by the Senate, that
conference committee report shall first be the subject of a
public hearing by a standing Appropriations Committee (the
conference committee report need not be referred to an
Appropriations Committee, but instead may remain before the
Committee on Assignments or the Senate, as the case may be).
The hearing shall be held pursuant to not less than one hour
advance notice by announcement on the Senate floor, or one day
advance notice by posting on the Senate bulletin board or other
electronic means. The Appropriations Committee shall not issue
any report with respect to any conference committee report
following any such hearing.
(d) Any Senate Bill amended in the House and returned to
the Senate for concurrence in the House amendment shall be made
available electronically or otherwise for not less than one
hour before being further considered. No Senate Bill that is
returned to the Senate with House amendments shall be called
except by the principal sponsor or chief cosponsor of the bill
who has been designated in writing by the principal sponsor.
(e) The report of a conference committee on a

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non-appropriation bill or resolution shall be confined to the
subject of the bill or resolution referred to the conference
committee. The report of a conference committee on an
appropriations bill shall be confined to the subject of
appropriations.
(Senate Rule 8-5)
8-5. Action on Conference Committee Reports.
(a) Each chamber of the General Assembly shall inform the
other by message of any action taken with respect to a
conference committee report. Copies of all papers necessary to
a complete understanding of any such action shall accompany the
message. The original bill or resolution shall remain in the
chamber of origin.
(b) If either chamber refused to adopt the report of the
conference committee, or the first conference committee is
unable to reach agreement, either chamber may request a second
conference committee. When such a request is made, each chamber
shall again appoint a conference committee. If either chamber
refuses to adopt the report of a second conference committee,
the two chambers have adhered to their disagreement, and the
bill or resolution is lost.
ARTICLE IX

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VETOES
(Senate Rule 9-1)
9-1. Recording of Vetoes. Upon the receipt by the Senate of
any bill returned by the Governor under any of the provisions
of Article IV, Section 9 of the Constitution, the Secretary
shall enter the objections of the Governor on the Journal, and
shall distribute copies of all veto messages to each member's
desk, together with copies of the vetoed bill or item, as soon
as practicable.
(Senate Rule 9-2)
9-2. Amendatory Vetoes.
(a) The Governor's specific recommendations for change
with respect to a bill returned under subsection (e) of Section
9 of Article IV of the Illinois Constitution shall be limited
to addressing the Governor's objections to portions of a bill,
the general merit of which the Governor recognizes, and shall
not alter the fundamental purpose or legislative scheme set
forth in the bill as passed.
(b) Any motion to accept the Governor's specific
recommendations for change shall automatically be referred to
the Committee on Assignments. The Committee on Assignments
shall examine the Governor's specific recommendations for
change and determine by a majority of the members appointed

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whether those recommendations comply with the standard set
forth in subsection (a). Any motion to accept specific
recommendations for change that the Committee on Assignments
determines shall be in compliance with subsection (a) of this
Rule are subject to action by the Committee on Assignments in
the same manner as floor amendments, joint action motions, and
conference committee reports under Rule 3-8(b).
(c) This Rule may not be suspended.
(Senate Rule 9-3)
9-3. Motions to Consider Vetoes. For purposes of this
Article, the term "motions" shall mean those motions to accept
or override a veto of the Governor. Motions with respect to
bills returned by the Governor may be made by the principal
sponsor, the committee chairperson in the case of a committee
bill, or by any member who voted on the prevailing side on the
vote on final passage of the bill in question. Every motion
shall be filed in writing with the Secretary, prior to any
consideration thereof by the Senate. If more than one motion is
filed with respect to any bill, all such motions shall be heard
at the time the bill is called; however, after such a motion is
adopted, no other motion on that veto may be considered. The
motion of the principal sponsor or chairperson, in the case of
committee bills, shall be considered first and all other
motions considered in the order filed. If the principal sponsor

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does not call a bill within eight calendar days after the
Governor's objections to the bill are entered in the Journal,
thereafter any person filing such a motion may call the bill.
(Senate Rule 9-4)
9-4. Consideration of Motions.
(a) The vote to override a bill vetoed in its entirety
shall be by roll call vote and shall be entered on the Journal.
The form of motion with respect to such bills shall be: "I move
that ______ Bill _____ do pass, notwithstanding the veto of the
Governor."
(b) The vote to override an item veto shall be by roll call
vote as to each item separately and shall be entered on the
Journal. The form of motion with respect to such item shall be:
"I move that the item on page _____, line _____, of _____ Bill
______ do pass, notwithstanding the item veto of the Governor."
(c) The vote to restore an item which has been reduced
shall be by roll call vote as to each item separately and shall
be entered on the Journal. The form of motion with respect to
such items shall be: "I move the item on page _____, line
_____, of _____ Bill ______ be restored, notwithstanding the
item reduction of the Governor."
(d) A bill returned together with specific recommendations

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of the Governor may be acted upon in either of the following
manners:
(1) By a motion to accept the specific recommendations
of the Governor. The form of motion in this event shall be:
"I move to accept the specific recommendations of the
Governor as to _____ Bill _____ in manner and form as
follows: (inserting herein the language deemed necessary
to effectuate the specific recommendations)"; or
(2) By considering the bill as a vetoed bill and
overriding the recommendation and passing the bill in its
original form. The form of motion in this event shall be:
"I move that _____ Bill _____ do pass, notwithstanding the
specific recommendations of the Governor."
(Senate Rule 9-5)
9-5. Vetoed Bills Considered in Entirety. If a bill is
returned by the Governor containing more than one veto,
reduction, specific recommendation, or combination thereof,
the bill shall be acted upon in its entirety before the bill is
released from the custody of the Senate.
(Senate Rule 9-6)
9-6. Disposition of Vetoes. When a bill or item has
received the affirmative vote of at least three-fifths of the

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members elected (as to overrides of outright vetoes, item
vetoes, and specific recommendations for change) or the
affirmative vote of at least a majority of those elected (as to
overrides of reductions or acceptances of specific
recommendations for change), the Presiding Officer shall
declare that the bill or item has been passed or restored over
the veto of the Governor, or that the specific recommendations
for change have been approved, as the case may be. The bill
shall then be so certified by the Secretary who shall note
thereon the day the bill passed. The bill and the objections of
the Governor thereto shall then be immediately delivered to the
House. When specific recommendations have been accepted, then
such accepting language shall be attached to the original bill
and the bill shall be delivered to the House.
ARTICLE X
NOMINATIONS
(Senate Rule 10-1)
10-1. Nominations.
(a) Every nomination subject to confirmation by the Senate
shall be referred to the Committee on Assignments in accordance
with Rule 3-6; nominations may be considered by the Executive
Appointments Committee or other committees in accordance with
these Senate Rules. Each nominee shall be required to appear in

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person before that meeting of a committee convened for the
purpose of considering the qualifications of the person for the
office to which he or she has been nominated. The appearance of
the nominee may be waived by the committee by a vote of a
majority of those appointed.
(b) The Executive Appointments Committee shall, six days
prior to any of its meetings, post a notice on the Senate
bulletin board or make the notice electronically available
indicating the nominees to be considered at its next meeting
and the time, date, and place of the meeting. The Chairperson
of the committee shall provide a copy of the notice to the
Governor's Office of Legislative Affairs, which shall be
responsible for notifying each nominee scheduled to be
considered of the date, time, and place of hearing.
(c) On considering the report of the Executive Appointments
Committee on a nomination, the Presiding Officer shall put the
following question: "Does the Senate advise and consent to the
nomination just made?". The Chairman of the Executive
Appointments Committee may, by a motion in writing approved by
a majority of the members present and voting compile a list of
individual appointment messages to be acted on together by a
single vote. Whenever a list of Appointment Messages has been
so compiled, five or more members may request the question be
put and the vote separately taken upon each of the Appointment

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Messages on that list. The Senate may determine, by a majority
vote of those elected, after having voted upon the question of
one or more of the Appointment Messages individually, to act
upon the question of the remaining Appointment Messages on that
list as a unit.
(d) While any nomination remains with the Senate, it is in
order to reconsider any vote taken thereon, subject to the
provisions of Rule 7-15 not related to the time for making such
a motion.
(Senate Rule 10-2)
10-2. Appointment Messages.
(a) Every nomination subject to the advice and consent of
the Senate shall be submitted to the Senate by an Appointment
Message from the appointing officer or appointing authority in
accordance with this Rule, using the Appointment Message form
provided in this Rule, containing all of the required
information, and accompanied by a cover letter signed by the
appointing officer or on behalf of the appointing authority.
(b) All Appointment Messages shall be drafted by the
Legislative Reference Bureau, according to the form provided in
this Rule.
(c) Appointment Messages submitted shall be assigned a

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sequential number by the Secretary of the Senate, indicating
the order in which they were received and read into the Senate
record by the Secretary of the Senate at the direction of the
Senate President. An Appointment Message is received by the
Senate when it is read into the Senate record and assigned a
sequential number. A perfunctory session day shall not be
deemed to be a session day for the purpose of Article V,
Section 9, subsection (a) of the Illinois Constitution.
(d) An Appointment Message that does not conform to the
requirements of this Rule shall, at the direction of the Senate
President, (i) be ruled non-compliant and of no legal effect
and (ii) returned by the Secretary of the Senate to the
appointing officer or authority that filed it.
(e) The appointing officer or authority may file in
accordance with this Rule an Appointment Message that
supersedes a previously filed Appointment Message. A
superseding Appointment Message shall identify by sequential
number the Appointment Message that it supersedes. The filing
of a superseding Appointment Message shall automatically table
the Appointment Message that it supersedes, and that superseded
Appointment Message shall have no further legal effect.
(f) Nothing in this Rule shall be construed to prohibit an
appointing officer or authority from withdrawing in writing an

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Appointment Message that was previously submitted to or
received by the Senate. An Appointment Message that has been
withdrawn shall have no further legal effect.
(g) An Appointment Message (i) shall be a
committee-sponsored legislative measure that is unamendable
and (ii) shall be controlled by the Chairperson of the
Executive Appointments Committee, who for purposes of these
Senate Rules shall be deemed the principal sponsor. In the
absence of the Chairperson, the Vice-Chairperson of the
Executive Appointments Committee shall be deemed the principal
sponsor. Messages may not have individual cosponsors.
(h) Any Appointment Message pending when the Senate
adjourns sine die (i) shall carry over into the next General
Assembly and (ii) shall be considered to have been received by
the Senate when originally read into the Senate record as
provided for in subsection (c) of this Rule. An Appointment
Message carrying over into the next General Assembly shall
retain the sequential number assigned when originally read into
the Senate record as provided for in subsection (c) of this
Rule.
(i) Notwithstanding the requirements contained in this
Rule, any Appointment Message submitted to the 96th General
Assembly and not acted upon by the 96th General Assembly is

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deemed to be carried over to the 97th General Assembly. The
Senate may take action on any Appointment Message carried over
from the Senate of the 96th General Assembly. Nothing in this
Rule shall be construed to prohibit an appointing officer or
authority from withdrawing in writing an Appointment Message
that was previously submitted to or received by the Senate of
the 96th General Assembly and carried over into the Senate of
the 97th General Assembly. An Appointment Message carried over
from the Senate of the 96th General Assembly that has been
withdrawn in the Senate of the 97th General Assembly shall have
no further legal effect.
(j) Form.
APPOINTMENT MESSAGE
To the Honorable Members of the Senate, Ninety-Seventh General
Assembly:
(I, (Name and Title of Appointing Officer), am)/(The (Name of
the Appointing Authority) is) nominating and, by and with the
advice and consent of the Senate, appointing the following
named individual to the office enumerated below. The advice and
consent of this Honorable Body is respectfully requested.

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Title of Office: (Insert Title)
Agency or Other Body: (Name of Agency, Board, Commission, or
other Body to Which Nomination is Being Made)
Start Date: (Insert Start Date)
End Date: (Insert End Date or Specify "Not Applicable")
Name: (Name of Nominee)
Residence: (Residential Address of Nominee)
Annual Compensation: (Insert Dollar Amount or Specify
"Unsalaried")
Per diem: (Insert Dollar Amount or Specify "Not Applicable")
Nominee's Senator: Senator (Name of Senator in whose District
the Nominee Resides)
Most Recent Holder of Office: (Insert Name or Specify "New
Position")
Superseded Appointment Message: (Insert Sequence Number of
Superseded Message or Specify "Not Applicable")

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ARTICLE XI
DISCIPLINE AND PROTEST
(Senate Rule 11-1)
11-1. Disorderly Behavior.
(a) In accordance with Article IV, Section 6(d) of the
Constitution, the Senate may punish any of its members for
disorderly behavior and, with the concurrence of two-thirds of
the members elected, expel a Senator (but not for a second time
for the same cause). The reason for the expulsion shall be
entered upon the Journal with the names and votes of those
Senators voting on the question.
(b) In accordance with Article IV, Section 6(d) of the
Constitution, the Senate during its session may punish by
imprisonment any person other than a Senator guilty of
disrespect of the Senate by disorderly or contemptuous behavior
in its presence. The imprisonment shall not extend beyond 24
hours at one time unless the person persists in disorderly or
contemptuous behavior.
(Senate Rule 11-2)
11-2. Protest. Any two Senators shall have the right to
dissent and protest, in respectful language, against any act or

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resolution that they may think injurious to the public or to
any individual, and have the reason of their protest entered
upon the Journal. When by motion a majority of Senators
determine that the language of a protest is not respectful, the
protest shall be referred back to the protesting Senators.
ARTICLE XII
FORCE AND EFFECT
(Senate Rule 12-1)
12-1. Applicability. The meetings and actions of the
Senate, including all of its committees, shall be governed by
these Senate Rules.
(Senate Rule 12-2)
12-2. Robert's Rules. The rules of parliamentary practice
appearing in the 10th edition of Robert's Rules of Order shall
govern the Senate in all cases to which they are applicable,
providing that they are not inconsistent with these Senate
Rules.
(Senate Rule 12-3)
12-3. Certification by President. With respect to any bill
that has been passed by the Senate and has been certified by
the President in accordance with Article IV, Section 8(d) of

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the Constitution, there shall be an irrebuttable presumption
that all of these Senate Rules have been fully complied with in
obtaining such passage.
(Senate Rule 12-4)
12-4. Effective Date. These Rules shall be in full force
and effect upon their adoption, and shall remain in full force
and effect except as amended in accordance with these Senate
Rules, or until superseded by new Rules adopted as part of the
organization of a newly constituted General Assembly at the
commencement of a term.