For your information and use in the 2005 session, we enclose summaries of the House Rulings for the 2004 regular and special sessions. These summaries will be included in the House Precedents section of the 2005 edition of Rules and Precedents of the General Assembly. They will also be searchable on-line from the General Assembly’s “Legislative Documents” link.

As always, our goal is to make these summaries as complete, accurate, and useful as possible. If you or your staff have any comments or suggestions, I hope you will let us know.

AMENDMENT NOT GERMANE

The bill contained provisions allowing legal immigrants to receive certain social service benefits. House “B” concerned issuing driver’s licenses to legal immigrants. A member raised a point of order that the amendment was not germane to the bill.

The deputy speaker ruled the point well taken. Authority to issue a license to a group and authority of that group to receive social services benefits are not sufficiently related.

(Hyslop, May 5, 2004)

AMENDMENT NOT GERMANE

The underlying bill, as amended by House “A”, provided benefits and protection for volunteer canine search and rescue members. House “B” concerned drug sentencing. A member raised a point of order that House “B” was not germane to the underlying bill (as amended).

The speaker ruled the point well taken. The amendment was not germane, appropriate or in the natural logical sequence of order.

(Lyons, May 5, 2004)

AMENDMENT NOT GERMANE

The bill established a citizens’ election fund. House “B” allowed restaurants, bars, and bowling alleys to have separate smoking rooms by permit, with a portion of the permit fee going towards the citizens’ election fund. A member raised a point of order that the amendment was not germane.

The deputy speaker ruled the point well taken. Although the amendment made a connection to the election fund, the amendment did not satisfy the other thresholds for germaneness.

A member appealed the chairwoman’s ruling, arguing that the amendment was germane because it established a methodology to transfer smoking permit funds into the clean election fund.

The ruling of the chair was upheld.

(Fritz, May 4, 2004)

AMENDMENT GERMANE

The bill set up a voluntary program for public campaign financing of candidates for municipal office. House “A” established a similar system for statewide offices. A member raised a point of order that the amendment was not germane because it had nothing to do with municipalities and concerned a different section of the statutes.

The deputy speaker ruled the point not well taken, stating that the public financing of statewide offices is relevant, appropriate, and following logically from the public financing of municipal elections.

(Hyslop, April 27, 2004)

AMENDMENT NOT GERMANE

The bill addressed various ethics issues. House “D” dealt with records disclosure and retention under the Freedom of Information Act. A member raised a point of order that the amendment was not germane to the underlying bill.

The deputy speaker ruled the point well taken. The only reference to FOIA in the underlying bill was in regard to the FOIA Commission’s funding. The silver thread requirement was, therefore, not met.

(Hyslop, April 22, 2004)

SC: ts