Powers
and Duties of Standing Committees and
Subcommittees
The chair of each
standing committee and subcommittee shall fix regular weekly, biweekly or
monthly meeting days for the transaction of business before the committee or
subcommittee. The chair of the committee or subcommittee shall notify all
members, at least 24 hours in advance of the date, time and place of regular
meetings, and, insofar as possible, the subjects on the agenda. In addition to
regular meetings, special meetings may be called from time to time by the chair
of the committee or subcommittee as they deem necessary. No recess or
combination of recesses shall exceed 48 hours for any committee meeting or
subcommittee meeting. No committee shall meet during any session of the House
without first obtaining permission of the Speaker. During any such meeting, no
vote shall be taken on the Floor of the House on any amendment, recommittal
motion, final passage of any bill, or any other matter requiring a roll call
vote. Any committee meeting called off the Floor of the House shall meet in a
committee room. In addition to the specific provisions of this rule, all
provisions of 65 Pa.C.S. Ch. 7 (relating to open meetings) relative to notice
of meetings shall be complied with.
At regularly
scheduled meetings, or upon the call of the chair, or subcommittee chair, for
special meetings, the membership of such committees shall meet to consider any
bill, resolution, or other matter on the agenda. The secretary of each standing
committee, or in case of subcommittees a secretary designated by the
subcommittee chair, shall record:
(1) the minutes of
the meeting,
(2) all votes taken,
(3) a roll or
attendance of members at standing committee or subcommittee meetings showing
the names of those present, absent or excused from attendance, and the majority
and minority chairs or their designees shall verify by their signatures all
votes taken and the roll or attendance of those members present, absent or
excused before said records are submitted to the Chief Clerk, and
(4) dispatch of
bills and resolutions before the committee. Such records shall be open to
public inspection. On the first legislative day of each week the House is in
session, the chair of each standing committee shall submit to the Chief Clerk
for inclusion in the House Journal only, the roll or record of attendance of
members at standing committee or subcommittee meetings held prior thereto and
not yet reported, along with the record of all votes taken at such meetings.
All reports from standing committees shall be prepared in writing by the
secretary of the committee. Members of a standing committee may prepare in
writing and file a minority report, setting forth the reasons for their
dissent. Such committee reports shall be filed with the Chief Clerk within five
days of the meeting. All meetings at which formal action is taken by a standing
committee or subcommittee shall be open to the public, making such reports as
are required under Rule 44. When any member, except for an excused absence,
fails to attend five consecutive regular meetings of his or her committee, the
chair of that committee or subcommittee shall notify the member of that fact
and, if the member in question fails to reasonably justify absences to the
satisfaction of a majority of the membership of the standing committee of which
he or she is a member, membership on the committee or subcommittee shall be
deemed vacant and the chair of the standing committee shall notify the Speaker
of the House to that effect. Such vacancy shall then be filled in the manner
prescribed by these rules.
Whenever the chair
of any standing committee shall refuse to call a regular meeting, then a
majority of the members of the standing committee may vote to call a meeting by
giving two days written notice to the Speaker of the House, setting the time
and place for such meeting. Such notice shall be read in the House and the same
posted by the Chief Clerk in the House Chamber. Thereafter, the meeting shall
be held at the time and place specified in the notice. In addition, all
provisions of 65 Pa.C.S. Ch. 7 (relating to open meetings) relative to notice
of meetings shall be complied with.
Records, bills and
other papers in the possession of committees and subcommittees, upon final
adjournment of the House shall be filed with the Chief Clerk.
No committee report,
except a report of the Appropriations Committee, shall be recognized by the
House, unless the same has been acted upon by a majority vote of the members of
a standing committee present at a committee session actually assembled and
meeting as a committee, provided such majority vote numbers at least 15
members, and provided further a quorum is present. No committee report of the
Appropriations Committee shall be recognized by the House, unless the same has
been acted upon by a majority vote of the members of such committee present at
a committee session actually assembled and meeting as a committee, provided
such majority vote numbers at least 18 members, and provided further a quorum
is present.
No proxy voting
shall be permitted in committee, except as provided for herein. If a member
reports to a scheduled committee meeting and advises the chair and other
members of a conflicting committee meeting or other legislative meeting which
he or she must attend on the same day, the member is authorized to give the
chair or minority chair his or her proxy in writing which shall be valid only
for that day and which shall include written instructions for the exercise of
such proxy by the chair or minority chair during the meeting. The member should
also advise the chair where he or she can be reached. In the event the
conflicting committee meeting or other legislative meeting is scheduled to
convene at the same time or prior to the meeting at which a member desires to
vote by proxy, such proxy shall be delivered by the member in person to the
offices of both the chair and minority chair prior to, but on the same day as,
the conflicting meetings.
When the majority of
the members of a standing committee believe that a certain bill or resolution
in the possession of the standing committee should be considered and acted upon
by such committee, they may request the chair to include the same as part of
the business of a committee meeting. Upon failure of the chair to comply with
such request, the membership may require that such bill be considered by
written motion made and approved by a majority vote of the entire membership to
which such committee is entitled.
Whenever the phrase
"majority of members of a standing committee or subcommittee" is used
in these rules, it shall mean majority of the entire membership to which a
standing committee or subcommittee is entitled, unless the context thereof
indicates a different intent.
To assist the House
in appraising the administration of the laws and in developing such amendments
or related legislation as it may deem necessary, each standing committee or
subcommittee of the House shall exercise continuous watchfulness of the
execution by the administrative agencies concerned of any laws, the subject
matter of which is within the jurisdiction of such committee or subcommittee;
and, for that purpose, shall study all pertinent reports and data submitted to
the House by the agencies in the executive branch of the Government.
The Committee on
Appropriations shall have the power to issue subpoenas under the hand and seal
of its chair commanding any person to appear before it and answer questions
touching matters properly being inquired into by the committee, which matters
shall include data from any fund administered by the Commonwealth, and to
produce such books, papers, records, documents and data and information
produced and stored by any electronic data processing system as the committee
deems necessary. Such subpoenas may be served upon any person and shall have
the force and effect of subpoenas issued out of the courts of this
Commonwealth. Any person who willfully neglects or refuses to testify before
the committee or to produce any books, papers, records, documents or data and
information produced and stored by any electronic data processing system shall
be subject to the penalties provided by the laws of the Commonwealth in such
case. Each member of the committee shall have power to administer oaths and
affirmations to witnesses appearing before the committee. The committee may
also cause the deposition of witnesses either residing within or without the
State to be taken in the manner prescribed by law for taking depositions in
civil actions.
