Introduction
and Printing of Bills
Bills shall be
introduced in quadruplicate, signed and dated by each member who is a sponsor
of the bill, and filed with the Chief Clerk on any day that the offices of the
House of Representatives are open for business. A sponsor may be added or
withdrawn upon written notice to the Speaker, Majority Leader, Minority Leader
and the prime sponsor. In the case of withdrawals, the names shall be withdrawn
if and when the bill is reprinted. Additional sponsors may be added only by the
prime sponsor by providing written notice to the Speaker, Majority Leader and
Minority Leader.
Bills introduced
when received at the Chief Clerk's desk shall be numbered consecutively and
delivered to the Speaker, who shall refer each bill to an appropriate committee
on any day whether or not the House is in session. If the resolution creating a
select committee authorizes the referral of bills to that committee, the
Speaker may refer bills, within the scope of the resolution, to such select
committee. Insofar as applicable, the select committee shall consider and
report bills in accordance with the rules governing the consideration and
reporting of bills by standing committees. The Speaker shall report to the
House the committees to which bills have been referred, either on the day
introduced or received or on the next two legislative days the House is in
session, unless the House is in recess for more than four consecutive days in
which case the Speaker shall provide a list to the Majority Leader and the
Minority Leader, within two calendar days, of all bills which were referred
during such period when the House was not in session.
If the Speaker
neglects or refuses to refer to committee any bill or bills (whether House or
Senate) as above after introduction or presentation by the Senate for
concurrence, any member may move for the reference of the bill to an
appropriate committee. If the motion is carried, said bill or bills shall be
immediately surrendered by the Speaker to the committee designated in said
motion.
The first copy of
each bill introduced shall be for the committee, the second copy shall be for
the printer, the third copy shall be for the news media and the fourth copy
shall be for the Legislative Reference Bureau.
Every bill, after
introduction and reference to committee, shall be printed and shall also be
posted on the Internet with the hyperlink to the web page for the members of
the House of Representatives.
Bills may not be
withdrawn after reference to committee.
