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TO AMEND RULE 32(A) OF THE RULES OF THE SENATE, RELATING TO THE ORDER OF BUSINESS AND SPECIAL ORDERS, TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF BILLS ALLOWED TO BE IN SPECIAL ORDER STATUS ON SECOND AND THIRD READING FROM THREE TO SIX; AND TO AMEND RULE 33(B) TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF BILLS ALLOWED ON SPECIAL ORDER UPON MOTION OF THE RULES COMMITTEE FROM ONE TO TWO.
Be it resolved by the Senate:
SECTION 1. That Rule 32(A) of the Rules is amended to read:
1. Called to Order by the President
2. Prayer by the Chaplain
3. Pledge of Allegiance
4. Receipt of Communications
5. Introduction and reference of new Bills and Resolutions
6. Call of the Uncontested local Third Reading Calendar
7. Call of the Uncontested local Second Reading Calendar
8. Call of the Uncontested statewide Third Reading Calendar
9. Call of the Uncontested statewide Second Reading Calendar
10. Motion Period
11. Acts returned by the Governor
12. Reports of Committees of Conference and Free Conference
13. Bills and Resolutions returned from the House of Representatives
14. Interrupted Debate
15. Adjourned Debate
16. Special Order
17. Call of the contested statewide Third Reading Calendar
18. Call of the contested statewide Second Reading Calendar
19. Call of the contested local Calendar
The order of business above provided for may be varied by vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the Senators present and voting and any order or business already completed may be reverted to in any legislative day by the vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the Senators present and voting. A motion to vary the order of the day shall be in order, prior to, or at the completion of, any orders enumerated above or during the motion period and any such motion shall be decided without debate.
For the order of business designated as Interrupted Debate there shall not be more than one (1) Bill in this status at any one time provided however, that this limitation shall not apply to the General Appropriation Bill. For the order of business designated as Adjourned Debate there shall not be more than two (2) Bills in this status at any one time. For the order of business designated as Special Order there shall not be more than three (3) six (6) Bills on second reading and three (3) six (6) Bills on third reading in this status at any one time. Provided that of the Special Order slots, one (1) shall be reserved exclusively for Bills which are the subject of motions authorized by the Rules Committee and made by the Chairman of the Rules Committee or his or her designee, and provided only one bill may be in this status on any reading at any one time. The Bills occupying the slot reserved for Bills made Special Order on motion of the Rules Committee shall have a unique notation to call such status to the Senate's attention.
When a Bill or Resolution is returned from the House of Representatives or an Act or Joint Resolution is returned by the Governor with his or her objections, the message shall be read and the matter placed on the Calendar for consideration the next legislative day. However, in the final two (2) weeks before the date set for sine die adjournment, this requirement may be waived upon a motion adopted at the time the message is read in which case the matter will be considered when the Senate reaches that order of business. Such motion shall be decided without debate."
SECTION 2. That Rule 33(B) of the Rules is amended to read:
During the motion period, all motions to set a Bill or Resolution for Special Order on a subsequent legislative day shall be in order irrespective of whether the Bill or Resolution was given a reading on the legislative day the motion is made. Said motions shall be considered in the priority established by the recognition of the Senators making said motions. Each such motion shall relate to a separate Bill or Resolution. Except for explanatory remarks authorized in subsection A, such motions shall be determined without debate and by two-thirds (2/3) of the Senators present and voting. Provided, that, when authorized in writing by a majority of the members of the Rules Committee and delivered to the desk, a motion to set a bill for Special Order, shall require a vote of a majority of the members present and voting. At no time may the Special Order calendar have more than one Bill two Bills which is are set for Special Order by a motion motions authorized by the Rules Committee. During the motion period, no Bill or Resolution can be made a Special Order ahead of Bills or Resolutions which have already been placed in the status of Adjourned Debate.
If a Bill is set for Special Order on a date and/or time certain, such Bill is not subject to consideration at the specified date and/or time unless the Senate reaches that order of business or unless by unanimous consent the Senate has agreed that consideration of the Bill will be to the exclusion of all other matters pending before the Senate at such time.
If a Bill or Resolution is set for Special Order for second reading and subsequently receives such reading, the Bill or Resolution shall remain on Special Order unless otherwise agreed to by three-fifths (3/5) of the Senators present and voting."
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