Senate Clerk's Office

Senate Rules and Joint Rules of the House and Senate

Resolved by the Senate:

That the following are the Senate Rules for the 2007 and 2008 sessions:

1. The President shall take the chair on each session day, at the hour to which the Senate stands adjourned. The President shall thereupon call the Senate to order and after prayer and recitation of the pledge of allegiance, if a quorum is present, proceed to business.

2. In the absence of a quorum, the President may adjourn the Senate to a subsequent time on that day or to the next session day. At all other times an adjournment shall be pronounced by the President on motion.

3. The President shall preserve order and decorum and shall decide all questions of order, upon which no debate shall be allowed except at the request of the President; but the decision shall be subject to an appeal to the Senate which must be seconded and on which no member shall speak more than once. No other business shall be in order until such appeal is disposed of.

4. The President shall rise to put a question or to address the Senate, but may read sitting.

5. If there is any disturbance, disorderly conduct or other activity in or about the Senate Chamber which, in the opinion of the presiding officer, may impede the orderly transaction of the business of the Senate, the presiding officer may take such action as is deemed necessary to preserve and restore order.

6. If the President while presiding, wishes to leave the chair, the president pro tempore shall preside, or, in the absence of the president pro tempore, the president pro tempore's designee shall preside for a period not exceeding one day.

7. Within one week after appointment, the President Pro Tempore shall nominate a chaplain and up to three deputy chaplains, and if such nominations are confirmed by the Senate by a majority vote, the candidates so nominated and confirmed shall serve for the 2007 and 2008 sessions.

8. The clerk shall keep a journal of the Senate, and shall enter therein a record of each day's proceedings and record any amendment that may be offered to any bill or resolution.

9. (a) Upon acceptance of a Senate agenda, the clerk's office shall act upon the items listed as indicated and shall incorporate the items by reference in the Senate journal and Senate transcript. The clerk shall keep a Calendar on which he or she shall enter daily (1) all bills and joint resolutions received from the House for action except (a) bills and resolutions which do not have a favorable report of a joint committee which shall, upon being read by the clerk, be referred without further action to the appropriate committee, (b) all bills and joint resolutions received from the House for action by the Senate which have not been referred by the Senate to any committee, and (2) all bills and resolutions favorably reported to the Senate from any committee; and these shall be entered on the Calendar in the order in which they are received. Each joint resolution proposing an amendment to the constitution and each bill so entered shall be printed and 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: (A) A resolution may be acted on in accordance with joint rule 17(b), (B) 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, (C) any bill or resolution certified in accordance with section 2-26 of the general statutes, may be acted upon immediately in the first house, may be transmitted immediately to the second house and may be acted upon immediately when received by the second house, (D) if the Senate rejects an amendment adopted by the House, the bill or resolution after final action by the Senate may be transmitted immediately to the House, or if the House rejects an amendment adopted by the Senate, the bill or resolution when received from the House may be placed immediately on the Calendar, (E) during the last five calendar days of the session, if the Senate rejects an amendment adopted by the House, or adopts a Senate amendment to a bill or resolution received from the House, or takes any action on the bill or resolution requiring further action by the House, the bill or resolution after final action in the Senate, may be transmitted immediately to the House, or if the House rejects an amendment adopted by the Senate or adopts a House amendment to a bill or resolution received from the Senate, or takes any action on the bill or resolution requiring further action by the Senate, the bill or resolution when received from the House may be placed immediately on the calendar and may be acted upon immediately, (F) during the last five calendar days of the session, any bill or resolution after final action by the senate may be transmitted immediately to the house, or (G) during the last five calendar days of the session, any bill or resolution received by the senate after final action by the house may be placed on the calendar immediately. All bills and resolutions starred for action shall be acted upon only when reached in their regular order, and any bill or resolution passed over when so reached shall retain its place on the Calendar unless it is passed temporarily, put on the foot of the Calendar or its consideration is made the order of the day for some specified time.

(b) On any day that is not scheduled as a session day, the President Pro Tempore and the Minority Leader, or their designees, may call the Senate into session for purposes of transacting business of a procedural nature by filing with the clerk or the clerk's designee a written instruction to conduct a pro forma Senate session with or without the presence of a senator. Said direction shall include a written motion to adopt the day's Senate agenda and act on all items as indicated and incorporate the items by reference into the Senate journal and Senate transcript. Said motion shall be read into the record and shall have the same force and effect as if the Senate were convened with a presiding officer and senator.

10. The clerk shall retain all bills, resolutions and other papers, in reference to which any member has a right to move a reconsideration, until the right of reconsideration has expired, and no longer.

11. The clerk shall also keep a record of all petitions, resolutions, and bills for all acts which are presented for the consideration of the Senate, and said record shall be so kept as to show by a single reference the action of the Senate on each of them to that date.

12. The assistant clerk shall have the same powers and perform the same duties as the clerk, subject to the direction of the clerk. The bill clerk and the journal clerk shall perform such duties as are assigned to them by the clerk.

13. The clerk shall cause the journals and calendars to be distributed on the desks of the members daily, before the opening of the session.

14. No member shall speak more than twice upon the same question without leave of the Senate, except to explain.

15. No member who is interested in the decision of any question in such manner that he or she cannot vote thereon may stay in the Senate when such question is discussed or decided.

16. If a member, in speaking or otherwise, transgresses the rules and order of the Senate, the president shall, or any member may, call such member to order; and if speaking, such member shall sit down, unless permitted to explain; and if a member is guilty of a breach of any of the rules and orders, such member may be required by the Senate, on motion, to make satisfaction therefor, and until satisfaction has been made shall not be allowed to vote or speak except by way of excuse.

17. If a candidate for the Senate notifies the clerk on or before the opening day of the session that such candidate contests the results of the election for his or her district, a committee of three shall be appointed by the President Pro Tempore within the first two days of the session. If a candidate for the Senate in a special election notifies the clerk no later than fourteen days following such election that such candidate contests the results of the election for his or her district, a committee of three shall be appointed by the president pro tempore no later than sixteen days following such election. The committee shall take into consideration such contested election and report the facts with its opinion thereon.

18. The majority leader, other leaders of the majority party in the Senate and the chairperson and vice chairpersons of each standing and select committee shall be appointed by the president pro tempore of the Senate. Chairpersons and vice chairpersons shall serve at the pleasure of the president pro tempore and the majority leader. The clerks of the standing and select committees and the chairpersons of the subcommittees thereof shall be appointed by the chairpersons of the respective committees with the approval of the president pro tempore of the Senate. The minority leader shall be elected by the members of the minority party in the Senate and the other leaders of the minority party in the Senate shall be appointed by the minority leader. The minority leader shall appoint ranking minority members to each standing and select committee. Such ranking members shall serve at the pleasure of the minority leader. All standing and select committee members shall be appointed by the president pro tempore by the fifth regular session day of the first year of the term, except to fill a vacancy caused by death or incapacity or resignation from the Senate or from a committee; and except that the president pro tempore may appoint any member elected after the fifth regular session day of the first year of the term to any committee within five calendar days after the member takes the oath of office. Not more than nine senators shall be appointed to any standing committee, except that the joint standing committees on Appropriations and Finance, Revenue and Bonding shall consist of not more than eleven senators. The member first named shall be chairperson. The chairperson of each committee may appoint one of the members of the committee as clerk thereof. All Senate leaders, standing committee assignments, chairpersons, vice chairpersons and clerks and subcommittee chairpersons shall serve for both the 2007 and the 2008 sessions.

19. The order of business shall be as follows:.

1. Reception of petitions.

2. Reception of communications from the Governor, secretary of the state, annual and biennial reports, interim committee reports and reports

3. Introduction of bills and resolutions.

4. Reports of committees.

5. Reception of business from the House.

6. Business on the calendar.

7. Introduction of guests.

8. Miscellaneous business.

9. Resolutions removed from consent calendar.

20. Before any petition or resolution is received, a brief statement of its object shall be made by the introducer.

21. When a motion is made, it shall be stated to the Senate by the president before any debate is had thereon, and every motion shall be reduced to writing if the president so directs or any member desires it.

22. When a motion is stated by the president, or read by the clerk, it shall be deemed to be in the possession of the Senate. It may be withdrawn by the mover at any time before decision or amendment, but not after amendment, unless the Senate gives leave.

23. If the question under debate consists of two or more independent propositions any member may move to have the question divided. The president shall rule on the order of voting on the divisions of a question.

24. The yeas and nays shall be taken on the roll call machine on all final action on bills on the regular calendar and on all other questions at the desire of one-fifth of the members present, expressed at any time before a declaration of the vote.

25. Whenever the result of a vote as stated by the presiding officer is doubted, it shall be taken again by rising.

26. When a vote has been taken, it shall be in order for any senator on the prevailing side to move for a reconsideration thereof on the day of the vote or on the next succeeding session day, if the bill is still in the possession of the Senate; provided also that there shall be no reconsideration of the following motions: To adjourn, for the previous question or to reconsider, and no question shall be twice reconsidered.

27. Pairs may be made by senators whose votes if they were present would be cast on opposite sides of any question, by filing with the clerk of the Senate a memorandum, containing the names of the senators, and their votes, who are thus paired and the subject matter or matters to which such pairs apply. Senators making any such pairs shall be excused from voting upon the merits of the matters involved while the pair continues, but no pairs shall operate while both of the senators paired are present.

28. Persons, other than members of the General Assembly, shall not be permitted on the floor of the Senate while it is in session. Lobbyists shall be prohibited from the floor of the Senate on any day during which the Senate is in session except during a public hearing in the Senate chamber. This rule shall not apply to the staff of the General Assembly, to any state or municipal official or member of the media who has been given permission to be on the Senate floor by the president of the Senate, president pro tempore, majority leader or minority leader, or to persons invited to the Senate for purposes of recognition or ceremony. Other persons who desire to speak with a member of the Senate while it is in session shall communicate such desire through one of the messengers and shall not converse with such member in the chamber while the Senate is in session.

29. When a question is under debate, no motion shall be received except:.

1. To adjourn.

2. To recess.

3. For the previous question.

4. To close the debate at a specified time.

5. To pass temporarily.

6. To pass retain.

7. To postpone to a certain time.

8. To commit or recommit.

9. To divide the question.

10. To amend.

11. To refer to another committee.

12. To postpone indefinitely.

13. To place at foot of calendar.

These several motions shall have precedence in the order listed in this rule, and no motion to commit or recommit, to continue to the next General Assembly or to postpone indefinitely, having been once decided, shall be again allowed at the same session and at the same state of the bill or subject matter.

30. Amendments shall be filed with the clerk of the Senate before 12 noon on the day the bill is acted upon. Exceptions to this rule shall be allowed (1) upon approval of any two of the following: The president pro tempore, the majority leader of the Senate, the minority leader of the Senate or (2) in the case of bills or resolutions not starred for action or bills or resolutions reported in accordance with subparagraph (a) of paragraph (d) of Rule 15 of the joint rules of the Senate and the House of Representatives.

Any member who offers an amendment, originating in the Senate which, if adopted, would reduce state revenues or increase state expenditures by a specified amount or which would involve a significant fiscal impact, shall make available to the president, president pro tempore, the majority leader of the Senate and the minority leader of the Senate at the time the amendment is offered, in addition to a fiscal note, a signed and typewritten explanation, of the decrease in expenditures or the source of the increased revenues required to balance the state budget.

Whenever a bill or resolution is substantively amended, it may be referred to the legislative commissioners to be re-examined for the purposes set forth in Rule 13 of the joint rules of the Senate and the House of Representatives and to be reprinted as amended. The legislative commissioners' office shall complete its examination of any such bill within three calendar days of its receipt. It shall then be printed in the files with a file number and marked on the calendar starred for action on the session day on which it appears.

31. There shall be a consent calendar on which shall be entered such bills and resolutions as the majority and minority leaders of the respective house shall designate. All bills and resolutions starred for action on the consent calendar shall be passed on motion without discussion unless, at any time before voting has commenced, a member requests removal of a bill or resolution from the consent calendar in which case such bill or resolution shall be so removed.

32. The rules of parliamentary practice comprised in the 2000 edition of Mason's Manual of Legislative Procedure shall govern the Senate whenever applicable and whenever they are not inconsistent with the standing rules and order of the Senate or the joint rules of the Senate and House of Representatives.

33. The rules of the Senate shall take precedence over the joint rules of the Senate and House of Representatives or Mason's Manual of Legislative Procedure in the event of conflict.

34. No person shall smoke in the Senate chamber or the gallery. No person shall operate a wireless telephone or similar device in the Senate chamber or gallery while the Senate is in session. No person shall operate a laptop computer or similar device in the Senate gallery while the Senate is in session. The presiding officer shall enforce this rule.

35. These rules shall not be altered, amended or suspended except by vote of at least two-thirds of the members present.

Motions to suspend the rules shall be in order on any session day. Suspension of a rule shall be for a specified purpose; after the accomplishment of such purpose, the rule shall remain in force as before.

36. Every member present in the Senate Chamber when a question is put by the presiding officer shall vote, unless excused under Rule 15.

Joint Rules

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 2007-2008 legislative term.

MESSAGES BETWEEN CHAMBERS

1. Messages from one chamber 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 chamber 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 chambers 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 four 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 chamber, 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 or resolutions.

(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; and libraries, including the State Library, 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 or resolutions 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 or resolutions, 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 purposes relate to the financial provisions of such bills or resolutions.

(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, the Office of State Ethics and the Citizen's Ethics Advisory Board; 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 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.

(9) 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

(10) A committee on BANKS which shall have cognizance of all matters relating to the Department of Banking, 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.

(11) 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.

(12) 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 relating to alcoholic beverages.

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

(14) 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 Labor Department; and all matters relating to conditions of employment of state and municipal employees and the substantive law of state and municipal employees' collective bargaining.

(15) 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.

(16) A committee on PUBLIC SAFETY AND SECURITY which shall have cognizance of all matters relating to the Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security, including civil preparedness and homeland security, 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, 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, Connecticut Innovations, Incorporated and the Connecticut Commission on Culture and Tourism.

(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, the 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, the committee shall include the legislative commissioners and the clerks of each chamber ex officio. The 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 chamber requests, a vote of the majority of the members present of each chamber shall be required for approval of a question. The committee 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 said leader's designee, the minority leader of the Senate or said leader's designee, 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, the majority leader of the House or said leader's designee, the minority leader of the House or said 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. In addition, the cochairpersons and ranking members of the committee having cognizance of matters relating to the duties of a nominee for the position of a department head, as defined in section 4-5 of the general statutes, shall be nonvoting, ex-officio members of the committee on executive and legislative nominations for the consideration of such nomination. All executive and legislative nominations requiring action of either or both chambers, except judicial nominations and nominations of workers' compensation commissioners, shall be referred to the committee on executive and legislative nominations.

(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 chairpersons 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 or resolution it deems necessary concerning housing. Any bills or resolutions 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 or resolution it deems necessary concerning children. Any bill or resolution 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.

(4) A select committee on VETERANS' AFFAIRS 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 committee on public safety and security 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 or resolution it deems necessary concerning military and veterans' affairs, except veterans' pensions. Any bill or resolution 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 chamber, 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 chamber and members of the minority party shall be appointed on nomination of the minority leader of each chamber.

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 3 through January 10, in 2007 and from February 6 through February 8 in 2008. The chairpersons of each committee shall jointly call a meeting during said period in 2007 for the purpose of organization and to consider such other business as is deemed necessary.

(2) Beginning on January 11, in 2007, and on February 11, in 2008, 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 March 28 in 2007 and after March 10 in 2008.

(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 chamber so request, the committee members of each chamber 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 chamber 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 chamber, 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 chamber 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 chambers 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.

(1) 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 and resolutions, during sessions, except that subject matter public hearings on proposed bills, proposed drafts and proposed resolutions shall be held not later than twenty-one calendar days in 2007 and fourteen calendar days in 2008 before the committee's reporting out date designated in the schedule shown in Rule 15.

(2) 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.

(3) In the event of inclement weather on the day on which a committee has scheduled a public hearing:

(A) If the State Capitol and Legislative Office Building have been officially closed due to inclement weather:

(i) If the hearing has been convened prior to the official closing, the committee may continue the hearing or may recess the hearing as provided in subsection (c)(5) of this rule.

(ii) If the hearing has not been convened prior to the official closing, the hearing shall be deemed cancelled and shall be rescheduled pursuant to subsection (a)(3)(D) of this rule.

(B) If the State Capitol and Legislative Office Building have not been officially closed:

(i) If the hearing has been convened, the committee may recess the hearing as provided in subsection (c)(5) of this rule.

(ii) If the hearing has not yet been convened, the chairpersons of the committee may cancel the hearing if, in their opinion, the seriousness of the weather conditions is likely to reduce substantially the attendance at the hearing by members of the public or members of the committee.

(C) If the State Capitol and Legislative Office Building have not been officially closed, the committee clerk shall give notice of cancellation to the clerk of each chamber and shall post notice of the cancellation in a conspicuous place in or near the committee office, at the location of the scheduled hearing and on the Internet.

(D) The chairpersons shall reschedule a cancelled hearing on the earliest feasible date that is 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 the rescheduled hearing to the clerk of each chamber and, when practicable, to the Legislative Bulletin clerk for inclusion in the next Legislative Bulletin and shall post notice of the rescheduled hearing in a conspicuous place in or near that committee office and on the Internet. The notice of the rescheduled hearing shall include the place, time and subject matter of the rescheduled hearing, together with a list of the numbers and titles of each bill and resolution to be considered, which subject matter and list shall be identical to the subject matter and list in the notice of the original hearing. The notice of the rescheduled hearing is not subject to subsection (b) of this rule if the notice of the original hearing complied with said subsection (b).

(4) 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.

(1) 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 (A) place their own name on the list, if they wish to testify, or (B) 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.

(2) 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 legislator, a representative of a state agency or a municipal chief elected official. If any legislators, representatives of state agencies or municipal chief elected officials 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.

(3) 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 in person, by mail or facsimile transmission, or electronically 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.

(4) 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 or resolution 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.

(5) 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 chamber 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 AND RESOLUTIONS

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 chamber 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 proposed resolution may be sponsored by more than one member of the General Assembly and its designation as to chamber of origin shall be made by the Legislative Commissioners' Office based on the chamber of the proposer. Any member of the General Assembly may co-sponsor a proposed bill, proposed draft or proposed resolution, committee bill or raised bill or resolution by (A) requesting the Legislative Commissioners' Office, in writing, to add such member's name to the proposed bill or proposed resolution in its possession, or (B) making a request in writing after it has been filed, to the clerk of the chamber in which the bill has been filed to add such member's name as a co-sponsor of the proposed bill, proposed draft or proposed 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 date of 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 chamber in which the bill or resolution was filed to remove the member's name but not later than the time specified in subsection (c)(1)(B) of this rule. 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 and Resolutions -- 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 chamber. The original number on a proposed bill, proposed draft or proposed 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 proposed resolutions drafted by that office, proposed drafts processed by that office, and fully drafted bills or resolutions 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 committee to which it was referred.

(g) Form and Introduction of Bills and Resolutions -- Format. Each proposed bill, proposed draft, proposed resolution, 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 and Resolutions -- 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 and Resolutions -- 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 12, 2007 for the 2007 session and on February 8, 2008 for the 2008 session, in each session at 5 p.m. or at an hour the presiding officer of each chamber 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 chamber, 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 proposed 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 copies of the bill or resolution have been made, 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 chamber for concurring reference. The original of the proposed bill, proposed draft or proposed 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 chamber, 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 any time prior to 12 o'clock noon on January 22 in 2007 and February 13 in 2008.

COMMITTEE BILLS, RAISED BILLS, BILLS, RESOLUTIONS

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 or resolutions 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, proposed drafts or proposed 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 proposed 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 chamber 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 or proposed drafts or a resolution is 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, proposed drafts or proposed 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, proposed drafts or proposed 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 2007.

In 2008, the time limit shall be 5 p.m. on February 20 for the committees in Group A and on February 21 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, proposed drafts or proposed resolutions on which subject matter public hearings are held shall be submitted not later than 5 p.m. on the seventeenth calendar day in 2007 and the tenth calendar day in 2008 prior to the committee's reporting out date designated in the schedule shown in Rule 15.

(g) Raised Bill Deadline. In 2007, the time limit for committees to submit requests for raised bills and resolutions to the Legislative Commissioners' Office shall be 5 p.m. on February 14 for the committees in Group A and the Program Review and Investigations Committee, and 5 p.m. on February 13 for the committees in Group B, the Legislative Management Committee, and the select committees. In 2008, the time limit for committees to submit requests for raised bills and resolutions to the Legislative Commissioners' Office shall be 5 p.m. on February 22 for the committees in Group A and the Program Review and Investigations Committee, and 5 p.m. on February 21 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 or resolutions to provide for the current expenses of government, (2) bills or resolutions 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 or resolutions 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 and Resolutions -- Types of Bills and Resolutions in 2008 Session. In the 2008 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 and Resolutions 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 chamber where the bill or resolution 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 or resolution 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 OR RESOLUTIONS

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 or resolution, set forth in Rule 9, any member of the General Assembly may present to the clerk of the member's chamber, 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 proposed 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 or resolution, 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 chamber 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

12. 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 or resolution, 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 or resolution and shall bear the same file number as the bill or resolution.

(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 chamber in which it originated within five calendar days, excluding holidays, after such notice.

(d) Bills or Resolutions Returned to Committee. If the commissioner finds upon completion of the examination of a bill or resolution that the bill or resolution is unconstitutional or is already law, the commissioner shall return the bill or resolution to the committee and shall notify the Office of Fiscal Analysis and the Office of Legislative Research of its return. Whenever a bill or resolution 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 or resolution 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 chamber of origin. Reading and referral of straight changes of reference shall be by printing in the House and Senate journals.

REPORTING OF BILLS OR RESOLUTIONS

14. Except as provided in Rules 19 and 20, all bills and joint resolutions reported by any committee shall be first reported to the chamber of origin, but any bill or resolution favorably reported by only one chamber shall first be reported to that chamber regardless of the chamber 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 chamber 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 chamber thereof for any purpose." When an amendment is offered to a bill or resolution 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 or resolutions 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 or resolutions 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 or Resolutions Not Acted on by Committee; Bills or Resolutions Not Printed and in Files. All bills or resolutions not acted on by the committees within the time limits established by this section shall be deemed to have failed in committee, except that (1) a bill or resolution shall be reported to the chamber 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 it being acted on by the General Assembly or (2) if a majority of the members of either chamber present to the clerk of such chamber a written petition as provided by Rule 19, requesting that a bill or resolution be reported, it shall be reported to the chamber in which the petition originated. Any bill or resolution 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 or resolution, in which case a copy of the bill or resolution, 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 chamber 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 chamber from which it was referred, within two regular session days of the date of referral.

(f) Referral of Bill or Resolution 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 chamber, 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 chamber, 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 chambers, 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 chamber 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 chamber 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 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 chamber and may be acted upon immediately when received by the second chamber, (3) if one chamber rejects an amendment adopted by the other chamber, the bill or resolution after final action may be transmitted immediately to and may be placed on the calendar immediately in the second chamber, (4) during the last five calendar days of the session, if one chamber rejects an amendment adopted by the other chamber or adopts an amendment to a bill or resolution received from the other chamber, or takes any action on such bill or resolution requiring further action by the other chamber, the bill or resolution after final action may be transmitted immediately to the second chamber and placed immediately on the calendar and may be acted upon immediately in the second chamber, or (5) during the last five calendar days of the session, any bill or resolution, after final action in one chamber, may be transmitted immediately to the second chamber and may be placed on the calendar immediately in the second chamber.

(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 chamber 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 chambers 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 chamber 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 chamber unless it has received a joint favorable or a favorable report of the members of the committee of that chamber, 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 or resolution is substantively amended there shall be no action on passage of the bill or resolution 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 chamber in which the bill or resolution is pending shall not take final action thereon until the reprinted bill or resolution 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 or resolution. Reprinting of amended bills or resolutions shall not be required for bills or resolutions passed after June 2, 2007, for the 2007 session and May 3 for the 2008 session.

PETITION FOR COMMITTEE REPORT

19. Upon presentation to the clerk of either chamber of a petition signed in the original by not less than a majority of the members of either chamber 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 or resolution 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 chamber 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 chamber whose clerk will receive the petition. If the committee members of one chamber vote to report a bill or resolution favorably, the petition so circulated and presented to the clerk may be signed only by the members of the other chamber.

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 chamber in which the petition originated with either a favorable or unfavorable report thereon and the bill or resolution 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 chamber 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 23, 2007 in the 2007 session or April 23, 2008 in the 2008 session, the legislative commissioners shall transmit the bill or resolution, with or without approval, to the clerk of the chamber 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 chamber of origin. If the unfavorable report is accepted by the chamber of origin, the bill or resolution shall be lost.

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

RECALL FROM OTHER CHAMBER FOR RECONSIDERATION

21. No resolution or motion to recall a bill, resolution or other matter from the other chamber 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 chamber rejects an amendment adopted by the other chamber, the bill or resolution shall be returned to the other chamber for further action. If that chamber 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 chamber. 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 chamber, except that in all cases, at least one member in each chamber 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 chamber on the committee. The committee report shall be made to both chambers 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 chamber which created the disagreeing action.

(c) Action by Chambers. Each chamber shall vote to accept or reject the report. A vote by either chamber to accept the report of the committee shall be final action by that chamber on the bill or resolution. If both chambers vote to accept the report of the committee, the bill is passed or the resolution is adopted as of the time the last chamber votes to accept the report. If either chamber rejects the report of the committee, the bill or resolution is defeated and the second chamber 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 chambers and has been transmitted to the Governor for approval, or to the legislative commissioners for engrossing, if either chamber desires its return for further consideration, it may, by resolution adopted by both chambers, 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 chamber 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 chambers; 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 legislative 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 legislative 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 legislative commissioners. If the committee believes a correction should be made, it shall so inform the legislative commissioners who shall report the bill or resolution to the chamber 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 chambers, the bill or resolution shall stand as amended. If the proposed amendment is rejected by either chamber, the bill or resolution shall not be transmitted to the other chamber, 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 chambers 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 chambers, the clerk of the chamber last taking action thereon shall forthwith cause a copy to be sent to the Governor.

(b) Engrossed Bills and Resolutions. Each bill and resolution, with the engrossed copy, shall be transmitted by the clerks of the House and Senate to the Secretary of the State as soon a