Resolved by this Assembly: 

That the following shall be the Joint Rules of the Senate and House of Representatives for the regular sessions of the General Assembly and for interim periods during the 2003-2004 legislative term.

MESSAGES BETWEEN HOUSES

1. Messages from one house to the other shall be delivered to the presiding officer.

JOINT CONVENTIONS

2. Joint conventions shall be held in the Hall of the House.  Either house may request a convention stating the purposes thereof in its message. The President of the Senate shall preside. The President and the Speaker shall make reports to their respective houses of the proceedings of the convention which shall be printed in the respective journals.

JOINT COMMITTEES

3. (a) Designation of Committees. There shall be eighteen joint standing committees, which shall consist of not more than nine senators and not more than thirty-five representatives, except that the joint standing committees on Appropriations and Finance, Revenue and Bonding shall consist of not more than eleven senators and not more than forty-five representatives; a joint committee on Legislative Management, a joint committee on Executive and Legislative Nominations and a joint committee on Program Review and Investigations, constituted in accordance with and subject to the provisions of subsection (c) of this rule; and three joint select committees constituted in accordance with and with the powers and duties provided in subsection (d) of this rule. Committees shall consider all matters referred to them and report as required by these rules.

(b) Standing Committees. The joint standing committees shall be divided into Group A and Group B as follows: 

GROUP A

(1) A committee on APPROPRIATIONS which shall have cognizance of all matters relating to appropriations and the operating budgets and all matters relating to state employees' salaries, benefits and retirement, teachers' retirement and veterans' pensions and collective bargaining agreements and arbitration awards for all state employees. In addition, any bills or resolutions carrying or requiring appropriations, or creating or enlarging a state mandate to local governments, defined in subsection (a)(2) of section 2-32b of the general statutes, and favorably reported by any other committee, except the payment of claims by the state, shall be referred to the committee, unless such reference is dispensed with by at least a two-thirds vote of each house, provided the committee's consideration shall be limited to their fiscal aspects and appropriation provisions of such bills or resolutions and shall not extend to their other substantive provisions or purpose, except to the extent that such other provisions or purpose relate to the fiscal aspects and appropriation provisions of such bills.

(2) A committee on EDUCATION which shall have cognizance of all matters relating to the Department of Education; local and regional boards of education and the substantive law of collective bargaining covering teachers and professional employees of such boards; vocational rehabilitation; the Commission on the Arts; and libraries, museums and historical and cultural associations.

(3) A committee on the ENVIRONMENT which shall have cognizance of all matters relating to the Department of Environmental Protection, including conservation, recreation, pollution control, fisheries and game, state parks and forests, water resources and flood and erosion control; and all matters relating to the Department of Agriculture, including farming, dairy products and domestic animals.

(4) A committee on FINANCE, REVENUE AND BONDING which shall have cognizance of all matters relating to finance, revenue, capital bonding and taxation, and all bills on such matters favorably reported by any other committee, including bills on employer contributions for unemployment compensation purposes, and all matters relating to the Department of Revenue Services and the revenue aspects of the Division of Special Revenue shall be referred to said committee. The committee's consideration shall be limited to the financial provisions of such bills, such as finance, revenue, bonding, taxation and fees, and shall not extend to their other substantive provisions or purposes, except to the extent that such other provisions or purpose relate to the financial provisions of such bills.

(5) A committee on GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION AND ELECTIONS which shall have cognizance of all matters relating to the Department of Administrative Services, including purchasing and central collections, but excluding personnel and labor relations; all matters relating to the Department of Public Works and the Department of Information Technology; all matters relating to state government organization and reorganization, structures and procedures; all matters relating to leasing, construction, maintenance, purchase and sale of state property and facilities and all bills authorizing the conveyance of real property, or any interest therein, by the state shall be referred to said committee; the Freedom of Information Commission and the Ethics Commission; state and federal relations; interstate compacts; compacts between the state and Indian tribes; constitutional amendments, including any proposed constitutional amendments favorably reported by any other committee, which proposed amendments shall be referred to said committee; and all matters relating to elections and election laws.

(6) A committee on JUDICIARY which shall have cognizance of all matters relating to courts, judicial procedures, criminal law, probate courts, probation, parole, wills, estates, adoption, divorce, bankruptcy, escheat, law libraries, deeds, mortgages, conveyancing, preservation of land records and other public documents, the law of business organizations, uniform laws, validations, authorizations to sue and to appeal, claims against the state, all judicial nominations, all nominations of workers' compensation commissioners, and all matters relating to the Judicial Department, the Department of Correction and to the commission on Human Rights and Opportunities; all bills carrying civil penalties which exceed the sum of, or which may exceed in the aggregate, five thousand dollars; and all bills carrying criminal penalties, other than infractions, favorably reported by any other committee shall be referred to said committee, provided the committee's consideration shall be limited to the criminal penalties established in such bills and shall not extend to their substantive provisions or purpose.

(7) A committee on PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT which shall have cognizance of all matters relating to local governments, housing, urban renewal, fire, sewer and metropolitan districts, home rule and planning and zoning; regional planning and development activities and the state plan of conservation and development, and economic development programs impacting local governments.

(8) A committee on TRANSPORTATION which shall have cognizance of all matters relating to transportation, including highways and bridges, navigation, aeronautics, mass transit and railroads; and to the Department of Transportation, the State Traffic Commission and the Department of Motor Vehicles.

GROUP B

(9) A committee on BANKS which shall have cognizance of all matters relating to banks, savings banks, bank and trust companies, savings and loan associations, credit unions, the supervision of the sale of securities, fraternal benefit societies and all legislation dealing with secured and unsecured lending.

(10) A committee on ENERGY AND TECHNOLOGY which shall have cognizance of all matters relating to the Department of Public Utility Control, energy, telecommunications and information systems.

(11) A committee on GENERAL LAW which shall have cognizance of all matters relating to the Department of Consumer Protection, fair trade and sales practices, consumer protection, mobile homes and occupational licensing, except licensing by the Department of Public Health; and all matters dealing with alcoholic beverages.

(12) A committee on INSURANCE AND REAL ESTATE which shall have cognizance of all matters relating to insurance law and real estate law.

(13) A committee on LABOR AND PUBLIC EMPLOYEES which shall have cognizance of all matters relating to workers' compensation, unemployment compensation, conditions of employment, hours of labor, minimum wages, industrial safety, occupational health and safety, labor unions and labor disputes; all matters relating to the Department of Labor; and all matters relating to conditions of employment of state and municipal employees and the substantive law of state and municipal employees' collective bargaining.

(14) A committee on HUMAN SERVICES which shall have cognizance of all matters relating to the Department of Social Services and the Department of Children and Families, including institutions under their jurisdiction; the office of Protection and Advocacy for Persons with Disabilities; the commission on the Deaf and the Hearing Impaired; and the Board of Education and Services for the Blind.

(15) A committee on PUBLIC HEALTH which shall have cognizance of all programs and matters relating to the Department of Public Health, the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services and the Department of Mental Retardation; the commission on Hospitals and Health Care; the office of Health Care Access; and all other matters relating to health, including emergency medical services, all licensing boards within the Department of Public Health, nursing homes, pure foods and drugs, and controlled substances, including the treatment of substance abuse.

(16) A committee on PUBLIC SAFETY which shall have cognizance of all matters relating to the Department of Public Safety, including state police, state organized task force on crime, municipal police training, fire marshals, the fire safety code and the state building code, civil preparedness, legalized gambling, and military and veterans' affairs, except veterans' pensions.

(17) A committee on COMMERCE which shall have cognizance of all matters relating to the Department of Economic and Community Development, the Connecticut Development Authority and Connecticut Innovations, Incorporated.

(18) A committee on HIGHER EDUCATION AND  EMPLOYMENT ADVANCEMENT which shall have cognizance of all matters relating to public and independent colleges and universities, the Department of Higher Education including private occupational schools, the Board of Governors of Higher Education, post-secondary education and job training institutions and programs, apprenticeship training programs, adult job training programs offered to the public by any state agency or funded in whole or in part by the state, and the Office of Workforce Competitiveness.

(c) Statutory Committees. In addition, there shall be: 

(1) A committee on LEGISLATIVE MANAGEMENT which shall conduct the business affairs of the General Assembly. Said committee shall consist of twenty members of the House who shall be the Speaker, the deputy speakers, the majority leader, three members appointed by the majority leader, four members appointed by the Speaker, the minority leader and two deputy minority leaders designated by the minority leader of the House and five members designated by the minority leader of the House, thirteen members of the Senate who shall be the President Pro Tempore, majority leader, a deputy majority leader designated by the majority leader, and five members of the Senate designated by the President Pro Tempore, the minority leader, an assistant minority leader designated by the minority leader and three members of the Senate designated by the minority leader. In matters of legislative operations, it shall include the legislative commissioners and the clerks of each house ex officio. The joint committee shall be chaired by the President Pro Tempore and the Speaker. A majority of the membership shall constitute a quorum and all actions shall require the affirmative vote of a majority.  At any meeting, if a committee member present of either house requests, a vote of the majority of the members present of each house shall be required for approval of a question. It shall be responsible for the operation of the General Assembly, coordination and supervision of committee work, improvement of legislative operations and deciding on matters of organization, procedures, facilities and working conditions of the General Assembly and compensation of employees of the legislative branch.  All bills and resolutions relating to such matters shall be referred to said committee. The committee shall also have cognizance of legislative task forces and studies and shall be responsible for the facilitation of positive relationships with the federal government and other state governments.

(2) A committee on EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATIVE NOMINATIONS, the members of which shall be the majority leader of the Senate or such leader's designee, the minority leader of the Senate or such leader's designee, and four members of the Senate three of whom shall be appointed by the President Pro Tempore and one of whom shall be appointed by the minority leader, and the majority leader of the House or such leader's designee, the minority leader of the House or such leader's designee, and fifteen members of the House, nine of whom shall be appointed by the Speaker and six of whom shall be appointed by the minority leader. All executive and legislative nominations requiring action of either or both houses, except judicial nominations and nominations of workers' compensation commissioners, shall be referred to this committee.

(3) A committee on LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM REVIEW AND INVESTIGATIONS, the members of which shall be appointed as provided in section 2-53e of the general statutes, except that any member may be appointed to the committee, which may originate and report any bill it deems necessary concerning a program, department or other matter under review or investigation by the committee, in the manner prescribed in these rules.

(d) Select Committees. In addition, there shall be  select committees as follows: 

(1) A select committee on HOUSING the members of which shall be appointed by the Speaker of the House and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate. In addition, the cochairpersons and ranking members of the committees on planning and development and finance, revenue and bonding shall be ex-officio members of the committee, but without the right to vote on this committee, and shall be given written notice of all meetings of the committee.  Said committee may conduct public hearings, may issue reports of its findings and may originate and report any bill it deems necessary concerning housing. Any bills favorably reported by said committee shall be referred to the joint standing committee on planning and development.

(2) A select committee on CHILDREN the members of which shall be appointed by the Speaker of the House and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate. In addition, the chairpersons and ranking members of the committees on education, human services, public health and judiciary shall be ex-officio members of the committee, but without the right to vote on this committee, and shall be given written notice of all meetings of the committee.  Said committee may conduct public hearings, may issue reports of its findings and may originate and report any bill it deems necessary concerning children. Any bill favorably reported by said committee shall be referred to the appropriate joint standing committee.

(3) A select committee on AGING the members of which shall be appointed by the Speaker of the House and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate. In addition, the chairpersons and ranking members of the committees on human services and public health shall be ex-officio members of the committee, but without the right to vote on this committee, and shall be given written notice of all meetings of the committee. Said committee may conduct public hearings, may issue reports of its findings and may originate and report any bill it deems necessary concerning senior citizens. Any bill favorably reported by said committee shall be referred to the appropriate joint standing committee.

(e) Committee Appointments. Appointments of committee members, except to fill a vacancy caused by death or incapacity or by resignation from the General Assembly or a committee of the General Assembly, shall be made on or before the fifth regular session day of the first year of the term and, except as otherwise provided in the rules of each house, shall be for the entire term for which the members were elected. Committee appointments of a member elected after the fifth regular session day of the first year of the term shall be made within five calendar days after the member takes the oath of office, and may be made, at the discretion of the appointing authority, to any committee. Senate and House Committees shall be appointed and organized in accordance with the rules of each house and members of the minority party shall be appointed on nomination of the minority leader of each house.

LEADERS ON COMMITTEES

4. The President Pro Tempore of the Senate, Speaker of the House, and majority and minority leaders of the Senate and the House shall be ex-officio members of all committees, with the right to be present at all meetings and to take part in deliberations but without the right to vote, except as to those committees to which they are appointed members.

COMMITTEE MEETINGS AND PROCEDURES

5. (a) Scheduling. Except as hereinafter provided in this Rule and in Rule 15, chairpersons of committees shall jointly schedule meetings during periods when the General Assembly is in session as follows: 

(1) Committees may meet on any day from January 8 through January 15, in 2003 and from February 4 through February 6 in 2004. The chairpersons of each committee shall jointly call a meeting during said period in 2003 for the purpose of organization and to consider such other business as is deemed necessary.

(2) Beginning on January 16, in 2003 and on February 9, in 2004, and ending on the committee's reporting out date in such year designated in the schedule shown in Rule 15, Group A committees shall meet on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays only and Group B committees and the joint select committees shall meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays only.

(3) Committees, except conference committees, may not meet during a session of either chamber without the consent of each chamber which is in session.

(b) Exceptions to Scheduling Requirements.

(1) The committees on Appropriations and Finance, Revenue and Bonding may meet on any day. The committee on Judiciary may meet on any day after April 2 in 2003 and after March 8 in 2004.

(2) Any committee may meet at the Capitol or in the legislative office building on any day, provided certification of a significant need for the meeting is made in writing by the Speaker of the House and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate or their designees.

(3) If, in any week, the designated meeting day of a committee falls on a holiday or on a day when the state capitol or legislative office building is officially closed, the committee may meet on another day, not so designated, within seven calendar days before or after such day, provided certification of the need for the meeting is made, in writing, by one of the following: The President Pro Tempore of the Senate, the Speaker of the House, the majority leader of the Senate or the majority leader of the House and all reasonable efforts have been made to notify each member of the committee of the meeting.

(c) Conduct of Meetings. A chairperson or a vice chairperson shall convene all meetings. If a meeting, other than a meeting on the day of the committee's deadline to report bills as provided in Rule 15, is not so convened within fifteen minutes following its scheduled starting time, the meeting shall be deemed cancelled. In all meetings of joint committees, and at all public hearings held by such committees, the Senate and House chairpersons shall mutually agree as to who shall preside and in the absence of agreement the Senate and House chairperson shall alternately preside. A chairperson shall recognize each member wishing to be heard prior to ordering the vote on the final question of a favorable or unfavorable report, a favorable change of reference or the boxing of a bill or resolution. All questions of order, hearings and other proceedings including the raising of bills or resolutions and questions relating to evidence shall be determined by a majority of votes, but if the majority of the committee members present of either house so request, the committee members of each house shall separately determine all questions. A vote of a committee may be reconsidered only at the next regular meeting of the committee, provided any vote on the day of the committee's deadline to report bills as provided in Rule 15 may be reconsidered at the same meeting not later than 5 p.m.

(d) Final Action. Except as otherwise provided, at each legislative committee meeting, the vote on the final question of a favorable or unfavorable report, a favorable change of reference or the boxing of a bill or resolution shall be recorded to show the names of the members voting yea and the members voting nay. No motion to dispense with the recording of the names of the members voting yea and the members voting nay shall be entertained and no bill or resolution shall be reported to either body of the legislature unless the names of the members voting yea and the members voting nay have been recorded and a record of the names of the members voting yea and the members voting nay has been attached to the bill or resolution submitted to the Legislative Commissioners’ Office as provided in Rule 13. A copy of the voting record shall be sent to the clerk of the appropriate house, by the Legislative Commissioners’ Office, with the favorably or unfavorably reported bill or resolution and retained by the clerks.

(e) Proxies. No member may vote by proxy and no joint committee shall record a vote cast by any member as a proxy for any other member.

(f) Notice Requirements. Notice of the time and place of committee meetings during periods when the General Assembly is in session shall be given to the clerk of each house at least one day in advance of the meeting and, when practicable, to the legislative bulletin clerks for inclusion in the next legislative bulletin. The committee clerks shall post notice of the meetings in a conspicuous place in or near their respective committee offices.

(g) Exception to Notice Requirements. A meeting may be held on less than one calendar day's notice, provided announcement of the meeting is made from the floor of the Senate or House during a session and both chairpersons have approved the time, place and agenda for the meeting. Such approval shall not be unreasonably withheld. If the announcement cannot be made in one or both houses because no regular session is being held on that day, an emergency meeting may still be held, provided certification of the need for the meeting is made, in writing, by one of the following: The President Pro Tempore of the Senate, the Speaker of the House, the majority leader of the Senate or the majority leader of the House, and all reasonable efforts have been made to notify each member of the committee of the meeting.

(h) Agendas. An agenda, approved by both chairpersons, shall be prepared for each meeting and made available at least one day before the meeting, except that for a meeting held under subsection (g) of this rule, the agenda shall be prepared and made available prior to the meeting. Items not on the agenda may be considered upon a majority vote of the committee members present.

PUBLIC HEARINGS

6. (a) Scheduling. A committee may hold subject matter public hearings on any subject and on specified proposed bills, proposed drafts and proposed resolutions, and on committee and raised bills, during sessions, except that subject matter public hearings on proposed bills, drafts and resolutions shall be held not later than twenty-one calendar days in 2003 and fourteen calendar days in 2004 before the committee's reporting out date designated in the schedule shown in Rule 15. Public hearings shall be scheduled for the convenience of the public and in accordance with the schedule for Group A and Group B committee meetings as provided in Rule 5.

Committees  may group bills and resolutions by subject matter and schedule hearings so that similar bills and resolutions are heard at the same time.

(b) Notice Requirements. During the periods when the General Assembly is in session, notice of the place, time and subject matter of each hearing, together with a list of the numbers and titles of each bill and resolution to be considered shall be published in the legislative bulletin at least five calendar days in advance of the hearing. In no event shall a bill or resolution be listed for a hearing unless copies of the bill or resolution have been made in accordance with section 2-23 of the general statutes, and the original bill or resolution has been returned from the printer and is in the possession of the committee.

For the purpose of meeting the hearing requirements under this rule, the day of publication in the legislative bulletin during the time the General Assembly is in session and the day of the hearing shall both be counted as full days.

(c) Conduct of Hearings.

(i) Convening and Procedures. A chairperson or a vice chairperson shall convene all hearings. If a hearing is not so convened within fifteen minutes following its scheduled starting time, any member of the committee may convene that hearing. The time of commencement of the public hearings shall be designated in the published notice. The order of testimony of the witnesses and the length of time that each witness may testify shall be determined by the presiding chairperson who shall give due regard for the convenience of the public. Members of the public who wish to testify at a public hearing may place their names on a list, which shall be made available at a time and place to be determined by the chairpersons.  Members of the public shall either (1) place their own name on the list, if they wish to testify, or (2) place the name of one other person on the list who will testify.  Members of the public placing the name of another person on the list shall also place their own name on the list next to the name of the person who will testify. The placement of another person’s name on the list by a person who receives a fee solely for that service shall be ineffective and the person so named shall not be permitted to testify.

(ii) Testimony by Public Officials. A committee may permit legislators who are not members of the committee, representatives of state agencies, and municipal chief elected officials testifying in their official capacity to testify during but not beyond the first hour of a public hearing. The public portion of the hearing shall be uninterrupted by testimony from a state agency or a legislator.  If any legislators or representatives of state agencies are unable to testify during the first hour, they may testify at the end of the hearing after all members of the public wishing to speak have been heard.

(iii) Written Testimony. Legislators, representatives of state agencies and members of the public may submit to the committee written testimony on a bill or resolution or subject matter at any time and the written testimony may be included by the committee in the transcript of the hearing. If the written testimony is not included in the transcript, it shall be attached to the transcript. Committee chairpersons should encourage a witness to submit a written statement and confine oral testimony to a summary of that statement, but the full written statement shall be included in or attached to the transcript of the hearing.

(iv) Notifying Other Committees. Each bill or resolution referred by one committee to another with a favorable report shall be accompanied by a notation of the date or dates on which public hearings were held by the first committee. The chairpersons of any committee other than Appropriations or Finance, Revenue and Bonding to which any bill calling for an appropriation or a bond issue is referred shall notify the chairpersons of the committee on Appropriations or Finance, Revenue and Bonding of the time and place of the hearing thereon.

(v) Recessing. The committee may recess any public hearing to a date, time and place specified at the time of the recess, which shall be on a day specified for that committee in Rule 5(a) or 5(b) or on any other day with the approval of the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, the Speaker of the House, the majority leader of the Senate or the majority leader of the House. The committee clerk shall give notice of any hearing recessed to another date to the clerk of each house and, when practicable, to the legislative bulletin clerk for inclusion in the next legislative bulletin, and shall post notice of the recessed hearing in a conspicuous place in or near that committee office.

FORM AND INTRODUCTION OF BILLS

7. (a) Proposed Bills and Resolutions -- Introduction by Members. Members of the General Assembly may introduce proposed bills, proposed drafts of bills, proposed resolutions or proposed resolutions proposing amendments to the constitution and other substantive  proposed resolutions for consideration by the joint standing and select committees for incorporation into a bill or resolution.

(b) Proposed Bills and Resolutions -- Form. A proposed bill or resolution shall be stated in informal language setting forth the substance of the proposal and shall be followed by a statement of purpose in not more than 150 words. At the request of any member of the General Assembly, the Legislative Commissioners’ Office shall draft a proposed bill or resolution in proper form. All proposed bills and resolutions shall be filed in triplicate with the clerk of the house of the proposer in the form required by these rules.

A proposed draft shall be stated in full statutory language, and must be submitted on proposed draft forms obtained from the Legislative Commissioners’ Office. Proposed drafts shall be processed by the Legislative Commissioners’ Office as submitted by the legislator without alteration and assigned an LCO number and entered by that office into the legislative database by introducer, title and statement of purpose only.

(c) Proposed Bills and Resolutions -- Sponsors. (1) A proposed bill, proposed draft or resolution may be sponsored by more than one member of the General Assembly and its designation as to house of origin shall be made by the Legislative Commissioners’ Office based on the house of the proposer. Any member of the General Assembly may co-sponsor a proposed bill, proposed draft or resolution, committee bill or raised bill by (A) requesting the Legislative Commissioners’ Office, in writing, to add such member's name to the proposed bill in its possession or (B) making a request in writing after it has been filed, to the clerk of the house in which the bill has been filed to add such member's name as a co-sponsor of the proposed bill, proposed draft or resolution, committee bill, raised bill or resolution, but not later than the date of the signing of the bill, or the deadline for the signing of the bill, by the Governor, whichever is earlier, or the adoption of the resolution.

(2) A member may remove his or her name as an introducer or a co-sponsor of a bill or resolution by submitting a written notice to the clerk of the house in which the bill or resolution was filed to remove the member's name but not later than the time specified in Rule 7(c)(1)(B). The clerk shall notify the Legislative Commissioners’ Office of such removal, and the member's name shall be removed from the legislative database for that bill or resolution.

(d) Form and introduction of Bills -- Numbering. Senate bills shall be numbered from 1 to 5000, and House bills from 5001 to 9999 and resolutions shall be numbered starting with 1 in each house. The original number on a proposed bill, proposed draft or resolution shall be retained and shall be used in any reference to it.

(e) Proposed Bills and Resolutions -- Initial Reference to Committee. The Legislative Commissioners’ Office shall make a notation, based on subject matter, of the suggested committee reference on proposed bills and resolutions drafted by that office, proposed drafts processed by that office, and fully drafted bills drafted by that office and accompanying the Governor's budget or other message. The clerks shall, on introduction of each such bill, draft or resolution, make a tentative reference for the Speaker or the President Pro Tempore.

(f) Proposed Bills and Resolutions -- Copies. Sufficient copies of proposed bills, proposed drafts and resolutions shall be reproduced for use of the General Assembly and the public and shall be available in the legislative bill room. The copies shall show the number of the proposed bill, proposed draft or resolution, session of introduction, name of the member or members introducing it and the committee to which it was referred.

(g) Form and Introduction of Bills -- Format. Each proposed bill, proposed draft, committee or raised bill or resolution proposing an amendment to the constitution or other substantive resolution shall be printed without interlineation or erasure. At the conclusion of each bill there shall be a statement of its purpose in not more than one hundred fifty words, to be printed under the caption "STATEMENT OF PURPOSE"; but the statement of purpose shall not be a part of the bill for consideration and enactment into law. Each committee or raised bill or resolution shall be endorsed with the signature of both chairpersons. The duplicate copies of each bill or resolution shall be made on yellow-colored and blue-colored paper, respectively, of the same size and format as the original.

(h) Form and Introduction of Bills -- Clerks' Certified Copies. The clerks shall certify and keep on file a duplicate copy of each resolution or proposed resolution proposing an amendment to the constitution or other proposed substantive resolution, each proposed bill, each proposed draft and each committee and raised bill. The certified duplicate copy shall remain at all times in the clerks' office. If the original cannot be located, a copy of the certified duplicate copy shall be made by the clerk and used in lieu of the original. The clerk shall make a notation on the original of the certified duplicate copy of all action taken on the original.

(i) Form and Introduction of Bills -- Alteration. After introduction no bill or resolution shall be altered except by the legislative commissioners, as provided by Rule 13.

TIME LIMIT ON NEW BUSINESS
REFERENCE AND TRANSMITTAL

8. (a) Proposed Bills and Resolutions -- Proposed Bill Deadline. The time for receiving new business from members shall be limited and shall terminate on January 17, 2003 for the 2003 session and on February 6, 2004 for the 2004 session, in each session at 5 p.m. or at an hour the presiding officer of each house designates. Filing of a request for a proposed bill or resolution or proposed resolution proposing an amendment to the constitution or other substantive resolution with the Legislative Commissioners’ Office, or submission of a proposed draft to the Legislative Commissioners’ Office shall be deemed compliance with this time requirement. Unless the President Pro Tempore and the Speaker consent, in writing, to a request by a legislative commissioner for an extension of time, the Legislative Commissioners’ Office shall prepare and return or file the proposed bill or resolution with the clerk of the appropriate house, not later than ten days after the receipt of the request.

(b) Proposed Bills and Resolutions -- Receipt by Clerk; Delivery to Committee. Each proposed bill, proposed draft or resolution shall be received by the clerk of the Senate or House, who shall cause copies to be prepared in accordance with section 2-23 of the general statutes. After the making of copies, the bill or resolution shall receive its first reading as set forth in Rule 16 and be referred to the appropriate joint committee by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate or the Speaker of the House and then sent to the other house for concurring reference. The original of the proposed bill, proposed draft or resolution shall be delivered forthwith to the clerk of such appropriate joint committee.

(c) Proposed Bills and Resolutions -- Change of Reference.  Subsequent to the initial reference as determined by the Speaker and the President Pro Tempore and prior to final action on the bill or resolution by either house, the chairpersons of a joint standing committee may request that a bill or resolution receive a change of reference to their committee, and if a controversy results, the matter shall be referred by the Speaker or the President Pro Tempore, as the case may be, to the ad hoc committee on reference for the purpose of final determination of the appropriate committee of cognizance. The ad hoc committee on reference shall consist of the President Pro Tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House, as cochairpersons, the Senate majority leader, the House majority leader, the Senate minority leader and the House minority leader.

(d) Proposed Bills and Resolutions -- Additional Information From Members. Members may submit additional information or documentation on any proposed bill, proposed draft or proposed resolution to the committee to which the bill, draft or resolution has been referred at anytime prior to 12 o'clock noon on January 27 in 2003 and February 11 in 2004.

COMMITTEE BILLS, RAISED BILLS, BILLS

9. (a) Introduction. Committee and raised bills may be introduced only by committees and shall be set forth in formal statutory language. Fully drafted bills accompanying the Governor's budget or other message may be introduced by the legislative leaders of the Governor's party in the House and the Senate provided one copy of each bill is supplied by the Governor to the legislative leaders of both parties.

(b) Definitions. Bills which incorporate the principles expressed in proposed bills, proposed drafts or proposed resolutions or proposed resolutions proposing an amendment to the constitution or other substantive resolutions shall be identified as committee bills or resolutions. Raised bills or resolutions shall be original bills or resolutions in formal statutory language raised by committees without reference to proposed bills, or proposed drafts or resolutions and shall be identified as raised bills or resolutions. Bills certified by the Speaker and the President Pro Tempore to be of an emergency nature and bills accompanying the Governor's budget or other message shall be identified simply as bills.

(c) Format. Each bill amending any statute or special act shall set forth in full the section or subsection of the statute or the special act to be amended. Matter to be omitted or repealed shall be surrounded by brackets or overstricken so that the omitted or repealed matter remains readable, and new matter shall be indicated by capitalization or underscoring of all words in the original bill and by capitalization, underscoring or italics in its printed form. In the case of a section or subsection not amending an existing section of the general statutes but intended to be part of the general statutes, the section or subsection may be in upper and lower case letters preceded by the word (NEW). Each proposed bill and proposed resolution, and each other bill, resolution, and amendment shall be prepared by the Legislative Commissioners’ Office. 

(d) Preparation of Committee and Raised Bills and Resolutions. A committee upon receiving the proposed bills, proposed drafts or resolutions or proposed resolutions proposing an amendment to the constitution or other proposed substantive resolutions referred to it, shall separate them into subject categories and may vote to have committee bills or resolutions on the subjects prepared by the Legislative Commissioners’ Office. The Legislative Commissioners’ Office at the request of any committee shall prepare all committee and raised bills, resolutions and amendments thereto.  Each committee bill or resolution shall have the same number and house of origin as the proposed bill, proposed draft or proposed resolution on which it is based. When a committee bill is based on two or more proposed bills, proposed drafts or a resolution based on two or more proposed resolutions the members of the committee shall designate the proposed bill, proposed draft or proposed resolution number to be used on the committee bill or resolution. The numbers of any other proposed bills, or proposed drafts or resolutions on which the bill or resolution is based shall be listed at the end of the bill or resolution together with the names of the introducers.

The number of any committee bill or resolution based on proposed bills or proposed drafts or resolutions on which subject matter public hearings are held shall be determined by the committee in the same manner as provided in this subsection.

 (e) Committee Bill Deadline. The time limit for committees to submit to the Legislative Commissioners’ Office requests for drafting committee bills and resolutions, except those based on proposed bills, proposed drafts and proposed resolutions on which subject matter hearings are held, shall be at 5 p.m. on the following dates in 2003.

In 2004, the time limit shall be 5 p.m. on February 18 for the committees in Group A and on February 17 for the committees in Group B, the Legislative Management committee and the select committees.

(f) Committee Bill Deadline -- Exception. Requests to the Legislative Commissioners’ Office for committee bills or resolutions, based on proposed bills, drafts or resolutions on which subject matter public hearings are held shall be submitted not later than 5 p.m. on the seventeenth calendar day in 2003 and the tenth calendar day in 2004 prior to the committee's reporting out date designated in the schedule shown in Rule 15.

(g) Raised Bill Deadline. In 2003, the time limit for committees to submit requests for raised bills to the Legislative Commissioners’ Office shall be 5 p.m. on February 26 for the committees in Group A and the Program Review and Investigations Committee, and 5 p.m. on February 25 for the committees in Group B, the Legislative Management Committee, and the select committees. In 2004, the time limit for committees to submit requests for raised bills to the Legislative Commissioners’ Office shall be 5 p.m. on February 20 for the committees in Group A and the Program Review and Investigations Committee; and 5 p.m. on February 19 for the committees in Group B, the Legislative Management Committee and the select committees.

(h) Raised Bill Deadline -- Exceptions. Notwithstanding the time limits established in this rule, the following may be raised at any time: (1) Bills to provide for the current expenses of government, (2) bills the Speaker of the House and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate certify in writing to be, in their opinion, of an emergency nature, (3) bills which the Governor requests in a special message addressed to the General Assembly, which message sets forth the emergency or necessity requiring the legislation, and (4) the legislative commissioners' revisor's bill.

(i) Form and Introduction of Bills -- Types of Bills in 2004 Session. In the 2004 session only bills and resolutions relating to budgetary, revenue and financial matters, committee bills and resolutions to correct technical defects in the statutes, bills and resolutions raised by committees of the General Assembly and bills and resolutions relating to matters certified in writing by the Speaker of the House and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate to be of an emergency nature may be introduced.

(j) Signing and Filing Bills with Clerks. When a committee bill or resolution or a raised bill or resolution has been prepared by the Legislative Commissioners’ Office, it shall be signed by the appropriate committee chairpersons, as provided in Rule 7. The clerk of the committee shall immediately give the bill or resolution to the clerk of the Senate or the House as designated.

SUBSTITUTE BILLS OR RESOLUTIONS

10. A bill or resolution redrafted with a favorable report by a committee shall be reported as a substitute bill or resolution.

Any substitute bill or resolution reported favorably shall be filed in triplicate with the clerk of the house where the bill originated. The yellow-colored copy shall be certified by the clerk and shall be kept at all times in the clerk's office. If the original bill cannot be located, a copy of the certified yellow-colored copy shall be made by the clerk and used in lieu of the original. The clerk shall make a notation on the yellow-colored copy of all action taken on the original.

PETITION FOR PREPARATION OF BILLS

11. Not later than 5 p.m. on the seventh calendar day after the deadline of a committee to request the drafting of a committee bill, set forth in Rule 9, any member of the General Assembly may present to the clerk of the member's house, who shall present the same to the Legislative Commissioners’ Office, a written petition requesting preparation of a bill or resolution based on a proposed bill, proposed draft or resolution, introduced or co-sponsored by such member and previously referred to such committee, unless the proposed bill, draft or resolution has been scheduled for a subject matter public hearing to be held after the committee's deadline to request a committee bill, in which case the petition may be presented not later than 5 p.m. on the seventh calendar day before the committee's reporting out date designated in the schedule shown in Rule 15. The petition shall be signed in the original by at least fifty-one House members if a House petition and by at least twelve senators if a Senate petition. The Legislative Commissioners’ Office shall prepare the requested bill or resolution and forward it to the clerk of the house of origin for processing and referral to the appropriate committee which shall hold a public hearing on the bill or resolution, except that if the committee has already held a subject matter public hearing on the bill or resolution no further public hearing shall be required.

AMENDMENTS

All amendments shall be prepared by the Legislative Commissioners’ Office and submitted in triplicate, the copies to be on yellow-colored and blue-colored paper of the same size and format as the original. The yellow-colored copy shall be certified by the clerk and shall be kept at all times in the clerk's office.

LEGISLATIVE COMMISSIONERS'
PROCESS AFTER COMMITTEE ACTION

13. (a) Receipt. When a committee reports a bill or resolution favorably it shall be submitted forthwith to the Legislative Commissioners’ Office which shall immediately enter the receipt of the bill or resolution in the legislative database and notify the Office of Fiscal Analysis and the Office of Legislative Research of the bill or resolution number and the committee's action.

(b) Examination and Correction. The legislative commissioners shall examine the bill or resolution and make any correction therein as may be necessary for the purpose of avoiding repetition and unconstitutional provisions, and of insuring accuracy in the text and references, clearness and conciseness in the phraseology and consistency with existing statutes. Whenever the legislative commissioners make any changes in a bill, other than corrections of spelling, grammar, punctuation or typographical errors the correction of which in no way alters the meaning, they shall prepare a statement which describes each change, where it was made, and explicitly why they made the change. This statement shall be entered into the legislative database and printed with the file copy of the bill and shall bear the same file number as the bill.

(c) Deadline. Unless the President Pro Tempore and the Speaker consent, in writing, to a request by a legislative commissioner for an extension of time, the Legislative Commissioners' Office shall complete its examination of the bill or resolution within ten calendar days, excluding holidays, after its receipt. If the bill or resolution is approved by a commissioner, the commissioner shall notify the Office of Fiscal Analysis and the Office of Legislative Research of the approval and, if a substitute, furnish each office with a copy of the bill or resolution for preparation of a fiscal note and bill analysis.  Unless the President Pro Tempore and the Speaker consent, in writing, to a request by the director of the Office of Fiscal Analysis or the director of the Office of Legislative Research for an extension of time, a legislative commissioner shall transmit the bill or resolution with his or her approval to the clerk of the house in which it originated within five calendar days, excluding holidays, after such notice.

(d) Bills Returned to Committee. If the commissioner finds upon completion of the examination of a bill that the bill is unconstitutional or is already law, the commissioner shall return the bill to the committee and shall notify the Office of Fiscal Analysis and the Office of Legislative Research of its return. Whenever a bill has been so returned to the committee, it may nevertheless be reported favorably by the committee and be returned to the Legislative Commissioners’ Office for completion of the procedures prescribed above, notwithstanding the provisions of Rule 15. If a bill or resolution is returned after the committee's reporting out date designated in the schedule shown in Rule 15, the committee shall take such action before the start of the session on the third regular session day of the chamber making the referral after the bill is returned by the Legislative Commissioners’ Office. The clerk shall enter it on the calendar under a heading "Favorable Report, Matter Not Approved by Legislative Commissioner" unless the committee reports a substitute bill or resolution which the legislative commissioners approve.

(e) Change of Reference. Favorable changes of reference shall be treated as provided in this rule except that no fiscal note or bill analysis shall be required. When a committee votes a straight change of reference, the bill or resolution shall be submitted to the Legislative Commissioners’ Office which shall prepare the change of reference jacket and deliver the bill or resolution to the clerk of the house of origin. Reading and referral of straight changes of reference shall be by printing in the House and Senate journals.

REPORTING OF BILLS

14. Except as provided in Rules 19 and 20, all bills and joint resolutions reported by any committee shall be first reported to the house of origin, but any bill or resolution favorably reported by only one house shall first be reported to that house regardless of the house of origin.

FINAL COMMITTEE ACTION

15. (a) Deadline for Favorable Reports. The time limit for committees to vote to report favorably and submit bills and resolutions proposing amendments to the constitution and other substantive resolutions to the Legislative Commissioners’ Office shall be not later than 5 p.m. on the dates designated in the following schedule:

(b) Hearing Requirement for Favorable Report. Except as provided in Rule 32 (2)(A), no bill and no resolution proposing an amendment to the constitution or other substantive resolution shall be reported favorably by a committee unless a public hearing has been held as provided in Rule 6, but no further public hearing shall be required for a favorable report on a substitute for such bill or resolution, provided the substitute is based on or is germane to the subject matter of the original bill or resolution, or for a bill or resolution petitioned under Rule 11 on which a subject matter public hearing has been held.

(c) Fiscal Notes and Bill Analyses. Any bill reported favorably by any committee which if passed, would affect state or municipal revenue, or would require the expenditure of state or municipal funds, shall have a fiscal note attached, as required by section 2-24 of the general statutes. The fiscal note and a bill analysis shall be printed with the bill and shall bear the same file number as the bill. Any fiscal note printed with or prepared for a bill and any analysis of a bill printed with or prepared for a bill, are solely for the purpose of information, summarization and explanation for members of the General Assembly and shall not be construed to represent the intent of the General Assembly or either house thereof for any purpose. Each such fiscal note and analysis shall bear the following disclaimer: "The following Fiscal Impact Statement and Bill Analysis are prepared for the benefit of the members of the General Assembly, solely for purposes of information, summarization and explanation and do not represent the intent of the General Assembly or either house thereof for any purpose." When an amendment is offered to a bill in the House or the Senate, which, if adopted, would require the expenditure of state or municipal funds or affect state or municipal revenue, a fiscal note shall be available at the time the amendment is offered. Any fiscal note prepared for such an amendment shall be construed in accordance with the provisions of this rule and shall bear the disclaimer required under this rule.

All bills unfavorably reported by a committee shall be submitted to the Legislative Commissioners’ Office not later than 5 p.m. on the final reporting out date for favorable reports for that committee, designated in the schedule shown in Rule 15.

The legislative commissioners shall prepare a list of the bills submitted to them which at the deadline time for each committee are not printed and in the files and the clerks shall print the same in the House and Senate journals.

(d) Bills Not Acted on by Committee; Bills Not Printed and in Files. All bills not acted on by the committees within the time limits established by this section shall be deemed to have failed in committee, except that (a) a bill shall be reported to the house in which it originated if the Speaker of the House and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate certify, in writing, the facts which in their opinion necessitate its being acted on by the General Assembly or (b) if a majority of the members of either house present to the clerk of such house a written petition as provided by Rule 19, requesting that a bill be reported, it shall be reported to the house in which the petition originated. Any bill not printed and in the files of the members of the General Assembly may be acted upon by the General Assembly if the Speaker of the House and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate certify, in writing, the facts which in their opinion necessitate an immediate vote on the bill, in which case a copy of the bill, accompanied by a fiscal note, shall nevertheless be upon the desks of the members, but not necessarily printed, before it is acted upon.

(e) Bills Authorizing Conveyance of Real Property by State.  Notwithstanding any provision of these rules to the contrary (1) no bill authorizing the conveyance of real property, or any interest therein, by the state of Connecticut to any person or entity shall be printed or placed on the calendar or in the files for action unless the bill has received a favorable or unfavorable report from the joint standing committee on government administration and elections, and (2) no bill which has been amended to authorize the conveyance of real property, or any interest therein, by the state of Connecticut to any person or entity shall be passed by either house unless such bill, as amended, has been referred to the joint standing committee on government administration and elections, and that committee has reported favorably or unfavorably on such amended bill to the house from which it was referred, within two regular session days of the date of referral.

(f) Referral of Bill by Chamber to Committee After Deadline.  Whenever a bill or resolution favorably or unfavorably reported by one committee is referred by the House or the Senate to another committee after its deadline, that committee, at any time thereafter but before the start of the session on the third regular session day of the chamber making the referral after the date that the motion to refer is adopted, but no later than (1) ten calendar days after such date of adoption if the referral is on or before the last deadline, designated in the schedule in Rule 15(a), for favorable reports or (2) seven calendar days after  such date of adoption if the referral is after said deadline, shall meet to consider the bill or resolution and may report it favorably or unfavorably, box it or take no action. If the committee reports on the bill or resolution favorably or unfavorably, and the bill or resolution has not been amended in either house, the committee may report a substitute bill or resolution, in which case, there shall be a reprinting of the file. If the committee reports favorably or unfavorably, and the bill or resolution has been amended in either house, the committee shall include in its report its recommendation on the adoption or rejection of each amendment, and may submit additional amendments to be offered on the floor.  In the latter case there shall be no reprinting of the file. The entry on the calendar in both houses in each case shall indicate the actions and recommendations of the committee.

BILLS AND RESOLUTIONS - READINGS

16. First reading of all bills and resolutions shall be (1) by the acceptance by each house of a printed list of bills and resolutions, prepared by the clerks of the House and Senate, setting forth numbers, sponsors, titles and committees to which referred or (2) by title, number and reference to a committee.

Second reading shall be the report of a committee.

Third reading shall be passage or rejection of a bill or resolution on the calendar. Each bill and each resolution for a constitutional amendment shall receive three readings in each house prior to passage, and no bill or resolution for a constitutional amendment shall be read twice on the same day.

FAVORABLE REPORTS

17. (a) Committee Clerk's Signature. When the House and Senate members of any committee jointly vote to report a committee or raised bill or resolution favorably, the committee clerk shall sign the committee report form.

(b) Resolutions on Appointments and Nominations. A favorable report by a joint standing committee of a resolution concerning a General Assembly appointment, a nomination requiring joint confirmation and favorable reports of any committee to which executive nominations are referred shall be tabled for the calendar and printed by number and title only. The report may be accepted and the resolution adopted after it has appeared on the calendar for two days.

(c) File Copies Distributed to Members. All bills and all resolutions proposing amendments to the constitution and other substantive resolutions reported favorably by the committees to which they have been referred, or by a majority of the members of the Senate or House committee making the report, before third reading, shall be laid upon the table, and five hundred and fifty copies of each bill or resolution together with the number of committee members voting yea and the number voting nay shall be printed under the supervision of the Legislative Commissioners’ Office for the use of the General Assembly.

(d) Timing of Action by Chambers. Each bill and each joint resolution proposing an amendment to the constitution and each other substantive resolution so printed shall be in the files and on the calendar with a file number for two session days and shall be starred for action on the session day next succeeding, except that: (1) A bill or resolution certified in accordance with section 2-26 of the general statutes, if filed in the House, may be transmitted to and acted upon first by the Senate with the consent of the Speaker; and if filed in the Senate, may be transmitted to and acted upon first by the House with the consent of the President Pro Tempore, (2) any bill or resolution certified in accordance with section 2-26 of the general statutes may be acted upon immediately and may be transmitted immediately to the second house and may be acted upon immediately when received by the second house, (3) if one house rejects an amendment adopted by the other house, the bill or resolution after final action may be transmitted immediately to and may be placed on the calendar immediately in the second house, (4) during the last five calendar days of the session, if one house rejects an amendment adopted by the other house or adopts an amendment to a bill or resolution received from the other house, or takes any action on such bill or resolution requiring further action by the other house, the bill or resolution after final action may be transmitted immediately to the second house and placed immediately on the calendar and may be acted upon immediately in the second house, or (5) during the last five calendar days of the session, any bill or resolution, after final action in one house, may be transmitted immediately to the second house and may be placed on the calendar immediately in the second house.

(e) Action on Calendar. All bills and resolutions starred for action shall be acted upon only when reached and any bill or resolution not acted upon shall retain its place on the calendar, unless it is put at the foot of the calendar or unless its consideration is made the order of the day for some specified time.

(f) Other Provisions. When the House or Senate members only of a committee vote to report a bill or resolution favorably, the House or Senate chairperson of the committee, as the case may be, shall sign the bill or resolution. When the House members and Senate members of a committee vote to report separate versions of a bill or resolution and each house adopts its own version, both bills or resolutions may be referred by a joint resolution to a committee of conference, appointed as provided in Rule 22, with instructions to report a bill or resolution, as the case may be.  If no bill or resolution is reported within three session days following the committee's appointment, the committee shall submit an interim report to both houses and shall continue to report every second session day thereafter until a final decision is reached. If a bill or resolution is agreed upon by the committee it shall be submitted to the Legislative Commissioners’ Office as a favorable report for processing as provided in Rule 13. A legislative commissioner shall transmit the bill or resolution with his or her approval to the clerk of the house which initiated the joint resolution for a committee of conference and the bill or resolution shall thereupon be tabled for the calendar and printing. The report of the committee may be accepted or rejected, but the bill or resolution may not be amended.

No bill or resolution shall appear on the calendar of either house unless it has received a joint favorable or a favorable report of the members of the committee of that house, except as provided in this rule or in Rule 19 or 20.

(g) Roll Call Requirement. Each bill and each resolution proposing an amendment to the constitution and each other substantive resolution appearing on the regular calendar shall be voted upon by a roll call vote.

REPRINTING AFTER AMENDMENT

18. Whenever a bill is substantively amended there shall be no action on passage of the bill until it has been re-examined by the legislative commissioners for the purposes set forth in Rule 13 and it has been reprinted as amended. The house in which the bill is pending shall not take final action thereon until the reprinted bill has been distributed to the members. This rule shall not apply to amendments offered solely for the purposes of correcting clerical defects or imperfections, such as but not limited to, grammatical or spelling errors or mistakes as to form or dates, or to make other changes which do not alter the substance of a bill. Reprinting of amended bills shall not be required for bills passed after May 31, 2003 for the 2003 session and May 1, 2004 for the 2004 session.

PETITION FOR COMMITTEE REPORT

19. Upon presentation to the clerk of either house of a petition signed in the original by not less than a majority of the members of either house requesting a joint standing committee to report a bill or resolution in its possession, the clerk shall immediately give notice to the committee of the filing of the petition. The petition may not be presented sooner than the day following the committee's deadline, designated in the schedule shown in Rule 15, to report the bill out of committee and not later than 5 p.m. on the seventh calendar day after that deadline. Within two regular session days thereafter the committee shall report the bill or resolution with or without its recommendations to the house from which the petition was received. If no recommendation is made, the bill or resolution shall be considered as having received an unfavorable report and the procedures in Rule 20 shall be followed. Each petition or page of the petition shall contain a statement of its purpose and may be circulated only by a member of the house whose clerk will receive the petition. If the committee members of one house vote to report a bill favorably, the petition so circulated and presented to the clerk may be signed only by the members of the other house.

Any bill or resolution so petitioned, except those carrying or requiring appropriations, shall not be referred to any other committee without first having been voted upon by the House or Senate. Those carrying or requiring appropriations shall be referred first to the joint standing committee on Appropriations. The Appropriations committee shall, within two session days after such reference, report such bill or resolution back to the house in which the petition originated with either a favorable or unfavorable report thereon and the bill shall then be voted upon.  In the event of a conflict between the report of the original committee and that of the Appropriations committee, the vote shall be on the report of the Appropriations committee.

UNFAVORABLE REPORTS

20. All bills and resolutions reported unfavorably shall first be printed under the supervision of the legislative commissioners, without correction and without their approval, and shall be in the files and on the calendar as if favorably reported but shall appear on the calendar under the heading "Unfavorable Reports." If the unfavorable report is rejected by the house of origin, the bill or resolution shall be returned to the legislative commissioners for their approval and reprinting in final form, except that in the case of an unfavorable report of the committee on executive and legislative nominations, or an unfavorable report of the committee on judiciary of a judicial nomination or of a nomination of a workers' compensation commissioner, the resolution shall not be returned to the legislative commissioners and may be acted upon immediately. If the bill or resolution is returned to the legislative commissioners after May 21, 2003 in the 2003 session or April 21, 2004 in the 2004 session, the legislative commissioners shall transmit the bill or resolution, with or without approval, to the clerk of the house from which it was received, not later than five calendar days after it is received. It shall then be in the files, with special marking on the calendar, as if favorably reported with a file number for two session days and starred for action on the session day next succeeding in the house of origin.  If the unfavorable report is accepted by the house of origin, the bill or resolution shall be lost.

When an unfavorable report is rejected by the first house and the bill is passed or the resolution adopted by that house it shall then be in the files and on the calendar of the other house, but shall appear on the calendar under the heading "Unfavorable Reports". 

RECALL FROM OTHER HOUSE FOR RECONSIDERATION

21. No resolution or motion to recall a bill, resolution or other matter from the other house shall be allowed for the purpose of reconsideration or amendment after the time has elapsed for the reconsideration of any vote thereon except when there has clearly been a mistake in such vote or an error in the language of the bill, resolution or other matter.

COMMITTEE OF CONFERENCE

22. (a) Appointment of Committee. When one house rejects an amendment adopted by the other house, the bill or resolution shall be returned to the other house for further action. If that house readopts the rejected amendment, the readoption constitutes a matter for a committee of conference, and a committee of conference shall be appointed by the Speaker and the President Pro Tempore. The committee of conference shall be comprised of three members from each house. If the vote has not been unanimous there shall be at least one member of the committee who was not on the prevailing side in such member's house, except that in all cases, at least one member in each house shall be a member of the minority party.

(b) Committee Reports. The committee may propose any changes within the scope of the bill or resolution, but any action, including changes, taken by the committee shall be by a majority vote of the members of each house on the committee. The committee report shall be made to both houses at the same time. The committee report shall contain the following information: The bill or resolution number and title, the members of the committee, the action of the committee, indicating the adoption or rejection of each house or Senate amendment previously adopted, identified by schedule letter, which accompanied the bill or resolution, the adoption of a new amendment, if any, and the signature of the members of the committee accepting or rejecting the report. A member's refusal to sign shall be deemed a rejection. Any new amendment shall be prepared by the Legislative Commissioners’ Office and shall be attached to and made a part of the report and shall be identified by a schedule letter of the house which created the disagreeing action.

(c) Action by Chambers. Each house shall vote to accept or reject the report. A vote by either house to accept the report of the committee shall be final action by that house on the bill or resolution. If both houses vote to accept the report of the committee, the bill is passed or the resolution adopted as of the time the last house votes to accept the report. If either house rejects the report of the committee, the bill or resolution is defeated and the second house shall not be required to consider the committee report. The report of the committee may be accepted or rejected, but it may not be amended.

RETURN OF BILL FROM GOVERNOR
OR LEGISLATIVE COMMISSIONERS

23. Whenever a bill has passed both houses of the assembly and has been transmitted to the Governor for approval, or to the legislative commissioners for engrossing, if either house desires its return for further consideration, it may, by resolution adopted by both houses, appoint a joint committee of one senator and two representatives to be sent to the Governor or the commissioners to request them to return the bill. In the case of a bill transmitted to the Governor, if the Governor consents, and in the case of a bill transmitted to the legislative commissioners the bill shall be returned first to that house in which the motion for its return originated, and the bill may then be altered or totally rejected by a concurrent vote of the two houses; but, if not altered or rejected by concurrent vote, it shall be again transmitted to the Governor or the legislative commissioners, as the case may be, in the same form in which it was first presented to the Governor or commissioners.

EXAMINATION OF BILLS AND RESOLUTIONS

24. (a) Examination and Correction. All bills, and all resolutions proposing amendments to the constitution, when finally passed, shall be examined immediately by the legislative commissioners. If the commissioners find that any correction should be made in the text, they shall report it to the committee on legislative management. If the committee believes that no correction should be made, it shall so inform the commissioners.  If the committee believes a correction should be made, it shall so inform the legislative commissioners who shall report the bill to the house which last took action upon it, with the proposed correction in the form of an amendment, within five calendar days, Sundays and holidays excepted, after its passage.

(b) Consideration of Proposed Correction. The report shall be placed at the head of the calendar, and shall take precedence of all other business on the calendar; and the only question on the report shall be, "Shall the proposed amendment be adopted?" If the proposed amendment is adopted by both houses, the bill or resolution shall stand as amended. If the proposed amendment is rejected by either house, the bill or resolution shall not be transmitted to the other house, but shall stand as originally passed. If, in the consequence of the adjournment of the General Assembly subject to reconvening for the consideration of vetoed bills or for any other reason, any bill or resolution which has been passed by both houses fails to be amended as recommended by the commissioners, the bill or resolution shall stand as originally passed.

ENGROSSING OF BILLS AND RESOLUTIONS

25. All bills, all resolutions proposing amendments to the constitution and all resolutions memorializing Congress when finally passed shall be engrossed under the direction of the legislative commissioners, and immediately thereafter shall be transmitted to the clerks. The legislative commissioners shall carefully compare all engrossed bills and resolutions with the bills and resolutions as finally passed, and a commissioner shall certify by his or her signature to the correctness of the engrossed copies. As soon as engrossed and certified, as herein provided, the bill or resolution and amendment shall be presented to the House and Senate clerks, who shall sign the engrossed and certified copies.

TRANSMITTAL TO GOVERNOR

26. (a) Transmittal of Copy. On the passage of a bill by both houses, the clerk of the house last taking action thereon shall forthwith cause a copy to be sent to the Governor.

(b) Engrossed Bills. Each bill and resolution, with the engrossed copy, shall be transmitted by the clerks of the House and Senate to the secretary as soon as it has been signed, as herein provided, and not later than the twelfth day after the expiration of the time allowed for reconsideration under the rules of the General Assembly, Sundays and legal holidays excepted; and the secretary shall forthwith present the engrossed copy of each bill to the Governor for approval.

(c) Records of Transmittal. The secretary shall give the clerks a receipt for each bill, and shall notify them of the date and hour at which each bill was presented to the Governor. The secretary shall give the Governor a receipt showing the date and hour at which the Governor approved it or returned it to the secretary with a statement of his or her objections and shall notify the clerks of the dates and hours. The clerks shall record the dates and hours of presentation and approval or return in the journals of the House and Senate.

(d) Immediate Transmittal. The house last taking action on a bill, before engrossing, may order immediate transmittal of the bill to the Governor, in which case the clerk of that house shall forthwith present the bill to the Governor, taking a duplicate receipt therefor showing the day and hour at which the bill was deposited in the executive office, one of which receipts the clerk shall deliver to the secretary. Except as provided in this subsection, a bill shall be transmitted to the Governor only after engrossing.

BILLS NOT REPORTED

27. The official copies of all bills and joint resolutions not reported by committees shall be delivered to the secretary of the state by the clerk of the committee

DISTURBANCES

28. If there is any disturbance, disorderly conduct or other activity in or about the State Capitol or the grounds thereof which, in the opinion of the President Pro Tempore and the Speaker, may impede the orderly transaction of the business of the General Assembly or any of its committees, they may take whatever action they deem necessary to preserve and restore order.

AMENDMENT AND SUSPENSION OF RULES

29. These rules shall not be altered, amended or suspended except by the concurrent vote of at least two-thirds of the members present in each house.

Motions to suspend the rules shall be in order on any session day.

Suspension of the rules shall be for a specified purpose. Upon accomplishment of that purpose, any rule suspended shall be again in force.

RESTRICTIONS

30. (a) Smoking. No person shall smoke in the capitol or legislative office building except in a separately designated room which is designated as a smoking area by the Joint Committee on Legislative Management.

(b) Non-Partisan Offices. Lobbyists shall be prohibited from the Legislative Commissioners’ Office, the Office of Fiscal Analysis and the Office of Legislative Research but not from the legislative library.

(c) Wireless Telephones.  No person shall operate a wireless telephone or similar device in the senate chamber while the senate is meeting, in the house chamber while the house is meeting, or in any room while a committee is meeting or holding a public hearing in that room.

(d) E-Mail.  The computer system of the Connecticut General Assembly shall suspend the delivery of electronic mail to members from outside the Connecticut General Assembly while in session in their respective chambers.

COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS

31. When a collective bargaining agreement, negotiated under the provisions of chapter 68 of the general statutes, or a supplemental understanding reached between the parties to such agreement, or an arbitration award resulting from an arbitration proceeding under that chapter, is submitted to the General Assembly for approval as provided in section 5-278 of the general statutes, the following procedures shall apply: 

(1) In the case of a collective bargaining agreement or supplemental understanding, the bargaining representative of the employer shall submit one executed copy and five  copies of the agreement, or of the master agreement and individual working agreements or the supplemental understanding, to the clerk of the House, and one  executed copy and five  copies to the clerk of the Senate. In the case of an arbitration award, the bargaining representative of the employer shall submit five copies of the arbitration award, signed by the arbitrator, and a statement setting forth the amount of funds necessary to implement the award, to the clerk of the House and to the clerk of the Senate.  The bargaining representative of the employer shall submit with such agreement, supplemental understanding or award: (A) A list of the sections of the general statutes or state agency regulations, if any, proposed to be superseded, (B) the effective date and expiration date of the agreement, supplemental understanding or award. An agreement shall be deemed executed only when it has been approved, in the case of an executive branch employer, including the division of criminal justice, by the Governor's designee, in the case of a judicial branch employer, by the chief administrative officer or such officer's designee, and in the case of a segment of the system of higher education, the chairperson of the appropriate board of trustees, and by the executive committee or officers of the respective bargaining unit or units and has been ratified by the membership of such bargaining unit or units.

(2) (A) During periods when the General Assembly is in session, the agreement or supplemental understanding or the award shall be stamped by the clerks with the date of receipt and, within two calendar days thereafter, the Speaker of the House and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate shall cause separate House and Senate resolutions to be prepared proposing approval of the agreement or supplemental understanding or, in the case of an award, separate House and Senate resolutions concerning the sufficiency of funds for implementation of the award. Each resolution shall be given a first reading in the appropriate house. Resolutions proposing approval of a collective bargaining agreement or a supplemental understanding, together with a copy of the agreement or supplemental understanding, and resolutions concerning the sufficiency of funds for implementation of an arbitration award, together with a copy of the award, shall be referred to the committee on Appropriations. With respect to each resolution referred to the committee on or before the deadline of the committee to report favorably on a bill or resolution as designated in the schedule shown in Rule 15, the committee shall hold a public hearing on each such resolution, and within fifteen days after the referral, shall report the appropriate resolutions approving or disapproving the agreement or supplemental understanding or concerning the sufficiency of funds for implementation of the award to the House and the Senate, notwithstanding the provisions of Rule 15. If the Appropriations committee fails to take action within the time period set forth in this rule, the agreement or supplemental understanding shall nevertheless be deemed approved or, in the case of an award, the sufficiency of funds affirmed and the resolutions shall be reported to the House and the Senate as favorable reports.

(B) If an agreement or supplemental understanding is reached or an arbitration award is made during the interim between sessions, the provisions of subsection (b) of section 5-278 of the general statutes, as amended, shall apply.

(3) Each resolution, favorably or unfavorably reported, shall be read in, and tabled for the calendar and printing, in the appropriate house. Copies of the master agreement and individual working agreements, identified by the resolution numbers, copies of the salary schedules and appendices, and copies of the arbitration awards, identified by the resolution numbers, and the statements setting forth the amount of funds necessary to implement the awards, shall be made available in the clerks' offices.

(4) The Office of Fiscal Analysis shall prepare an analysis of each agreement, supplemental understanding and award and a fiscal note both of which shall be upon the desks of the members, but not necessarily printed in the files, before