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TO AMEND RULE 5.1 OF THE RULES OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, RELATING TO THE INTRODUCTION OF BILLS AND RESOLUTIONS, SO AS TO LIMIT THE NUMBER OF BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS THAT MAY BE FILED EACH TWO-YEAR LEGISLATIVE SESSION AND TO PROVIDE THAT THERE IS NO LIMITATION ON CERTAIN HOUSE AND CONCURRENT RESOLUTIONS.
Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:
That Rule 5.1 of the Rules of the House of Representatives is amended to read:
"5.1 No notice shall be required of a member of his intention to introduce a bill or resolution. Any member may introduce bills or resolutions which shall be received by the House staff whether or not the House is in session. Members are limited to a combined total of five bills and joint resolutions which may be introduced in each two-year legislative session, including prefiling. However, there is no limit on the number of congratulatory, sympathy, and other such House or concurrent resolutions which may be introduced except as provided by any sine die resolution. Bills and resolutions so received shall be periodically referred by the Speaker of the House to the appropriate committee or committees which may then consider them at such times as the committee meets. Any matter acted upon favorably by any committee may be reported out by the committee when the House reconvenes and need not thereafter be sent to any committee but shall then be ready, upon compliance with other Rules of the House, for second reading consideration; provided, however, that bills appropriating revenue shall be referred to the Ways and Means Committee. Provided, further, that bills and resolutions creating study committees shall first be referred to the appropriate standing committee having jurisdiction of the subject matter of the bill or resolution. The Clerk of the House shall establish procedures to notify the House membership on a monthly basis of bills and resolutions introduced during periods when the Journal is not printed.
All bills received prior to the first day of the convening or reconvening of the General Assembly shall receive first reading on the first day of the session.
In those years in which all seats of the House are up for election, no bill shall be received for prefiling between the dates of adjournment sine die and the date of completion of the Organizational Session of the House.
When the House of Representatives is not in session and bills are being prefiled and assigned to committees, any member who wishes to have their name added as a sponsor of a bill may do so by notifying the Clerk of the House in writing. The Clerk shall then notify the Chairman of the committee to which the bill has been assigned and their name shall be added. If a member wishes to sponsor a bill individually then they shall so indicate on the face of the bill and no additional sponsors shall be allowed."
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