Bill Text: PA HR511 | 2009-2010 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Amending House Rule 45, to further provide for powers and duties of standing committees and subcommittees.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 9-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2009-10-16 - Referred to RULES [HR511 Detail]

Download: Pennsylvania-2009-HR511-Introduced.html

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PRINTER'S NO. 2823
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No. 511 Session of2009
INTRODUCED BY TALLMAN, BROOKS, CUTLER, GABLER, MOUL, ROCK, STERN, SWANGER AND VULAKOVICH, OCTOBER 16, 2009
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON RULES, OCTOBER 16, 2009
A RESOLUTION
Amending House Rule 45, to further provide for powers and duties
of standing committees and subcommittees.
RESOLVED, That House Rule 45 be amended to read:
RULE 45
Powers and Duties of Standing Committees
and Subcommittees
The chair of each standing committee and subcommittee shall
fix regular weekly, biweekly or monthly meeting days for the
transaction of business before the committee or subcommittee.
The chair of the committee or subcommittee shall notify all
members, at least 24 hours in advance of the date, time and
place of regular meetings, and, insofar as possible, the
subjects on the agenda. In addition to regular meetings, special
meetings may be called from time to time, as deemed necessary,
by the chair of the committee with the agreement of the minority
chair of the committee, or by the subcommittee [as they deem
necessary] chair with the agreement of the minority subcommittee
chair. No recess or combination of recesses shall exceed 48
hours for any committee meeting or subcommittee meeting. No
committee shall meet during any session of the House without
first obtaining permission of the Speaker. During any such
meeting, no vote shall be taken on the Floor of the House on any
amendment, recommittal motion, final passage of any bill, or any
other matter requiring a roll call vote. Any committee meeting
called off the Floor of the House shall meet in a committee
room. In addition to the specific provisions of this rule, all
provisions of 65 Pa.C.S. Ch. 7 (relating to open meetings)
relative to notice of meetings shall be complied with.
At regularly scheduled meetings, or upon the call of the
chair with the agreement of the minority chair, or upon the call
of the subcommittee chair with the agreement of the minority
subcommittee chair, for special meetings, the membership of such
committees shall meet to consider any bill, resolution, or other
matter on the agenda. The secretary of each standing committee,
or in case of subcommittees a secretary designated by the
subcommittee chair, shall record:
(1) the minutes of the meeting,
(2) all votes taken,
(3) a roll or attendance of members at standing committee or
subcommittee meetings showing the names of those present, absent
or excused from attendance, and the majority and minority chairs
or their designees shall verify by their signatures all votes
taken and the roll or attendance of those members present,
absent or excused before said records are submitted to the Chief
Clerk, and
(4) dispatch of bills and resolutions before the committee.
Such records shall be open to public inspection. On the first
legislative day of each week the House is in session, the chair
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of each standing committee shall submit to the Chief Clerk for
inclusion in the House Journal only, the roll or record of
attendance of members at standing committee or subcommittee
meetings held prior thereto and not yet reported, along with the
record of all votes taken at such meetings. All reports from
standing committees shall be prepared in writing by the
secretary of the committee. Members of a standing committee may
prepare in writing and file a minority report, setting forth the
reasons for their dissent. Such committee reports shall be filed
with the Chief Clerk within five days of the meeting. All
meetings at which formal action is taken by a standing committee
or subcommittee shall be open to the public, making such reports
as are required under Rule 44. When any member, except for an
excused absence, fails to attend five consecutive regular
meetings of his or her committee, the chair of that committee or
subcommittee shall notify the member of that fact and, if the
member in question fails to reasonably justify absences to the
satisfaction of a majority of the membership of the standing
committee of which he or she is a member, membership on the
committee or subcommittee shall be deemed vacant and the chair
of the standing committee shall notify the Speaker of the House
to that effect. Such vacancy shall then be filled in the manner
prescribed by these rules.
Whenever the chair of any standing committee shall refuse to
call a regular meeting, then a majority of the members of the
standing committee may vote to call a meeting by giving two days
written notice to the Speaker of the House, setting the time and
place for such meeting. Such notice shall be read in the House
and the same posted by the Chief Clerk in the House Chamber.
Thereafter, the meeting shall be held at the time and place
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specified in the notice. In addition, all provisions of 65
Pa.C.S. Ch. 7 (relating to open meetings) relative to notice of
meetings shall be complied with.
Records, bills and other papers in the possession of
committees and subcommittees, upon final adjournment of the
House shall be filed with the Chief Clerk.
No committee report, except a report of the Appropriations
Committee, shall be recognized by the House, unless the same has
been acted upon by a majority vote of the members of a standing
committee present at a committee session actually assembled and
meeting as a committee, provided such majority vote numbers at
least 12 members, and provided further a quorum is present. No
committee report of the Appropriations Committee shall be
recognized by the House, unless the same has been acted upon by
a majority vote of the members of such committee present at a
committee session actually assembled and meeting as a committee,
provided such majority vote numbers at least 16 members, and
provided further a quorum is present.
No proxy voting shall be permitted in committee, except as
provided for herein. If a member reports to a scheduled
committee meeting and advises the chair and other members of a
conflicting committee meeting or other legislative meeting which
he or she must attend on the same day, the member is authorized
to give the chair or minority chair his or her proxy in writing
which shall be valid only for that day and which shall include
written instructions for the exercise of such proxy by the chair
or minority chair during the meeting. The member should also
advise the chair where he or she can be reached. In the event
the conflicting committee meeting or other legislative meeting
is scheduled to convene at the same time or prior to the meeting
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at which a member desires to vote by proxy, such proxy shall be
delivered by the member in person to the offices of both the
chair and minority chair prior to, but on the same day as, the
conflicting meetings.
When the majority of the members of a standing committee
believe that a certain bill or resolution in the possession of
the standing committee should be considered and acted upon by
such committee, they may request the chair to include the same
as part of the business of a committee meeting. Upon failure of
the chair to comply with such request, the membership may
require that such bill be considered by written motion made and
approved by a majority vote of the entire membership to which
such committee is entitled.
Whenever the phrase "majority of members of a standing
committee or subcommittee" is used in these rules, it shall mean
majority of the entire membership to which a standing committee
or subcommittee is entitled, unless the context thereof
indicates a different intent.
To assist the House in appraising the administration of the
laws and in developing such amendments or related legislation as
it may deem necessary, each standing committee or subcommittee
of the House shall exercise continuous watchfulness of the
execution by the administrative agencies concerned of any laws,
the subject matter of which is within the jurisdiction of such
committee or subcommittee; and, for that purpose, shall study
all pertinent reports and data submitted to the House by the
agencies in the executive branch of the Government.
The Committee on Appropriations shall have the power to issue
subpoenas under the hand and seal of its chair commanding any
person to appear before it and answer questions touching matters
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properly being inquired into by the committee, which matters
shall include data from any fund administered by the
Commonwealth, and to produce such books, papers, records,
documents and data and information produced and stored by any
electronic data processing system as the committee deems
necessary. Such subpoenas may be served upon any person and
shall have the force and effect of subpoenas issued out of the
courts of this Commonwealth. Any person who willfully neglects
or refuses to testify before the committee or to produce any
books, papers, records, documents or data and information
produced and stored by any electronic data processing system
shall be subject to the penalties provided by the laws of the
Commonwealth in such case. Each member of the committee shall
have power to administer oaths and affirmations to witnesses
appearing before the committee. The committee may also cause the
deposition of witnesses either residing within or without the
State to be taken in the manner prescribed by law for taking
depositions in civil actions.
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