The Committee on Rules & Enrolled Bills proposes the following Senate Rules changes for adoption by the Senate. Note that some rule numbers have also been changed. Deleted text is indicated by strike through. Additional or amended text is indicated by underline.

1. Determination of quorum; correction of Journal.	25 23. Amended bills, printed distributed and disposed of.
2. Members, decorum of	26 24. Appropriating money, to whom referred.
3. Members, conduct when speaking	27 25. President to sign bills, etc.
4. Members not to speak more than twice.	28 26. Committees, appointment of.
5. President shall recognize whom.	29 27. Standing Committees.
6. Questions of order, appeal.	30 28. Messages sent to House.
7. Member, absenting himself.	31 29. Messages, when received.
8. Motions, order of preference.	32 30. Voting; division of Senate.
9. Questions postponed indefinitely not acted upon in same biennium.	33 31. Visitors to Senate.
10. Questions, when divided.	34 32. Hours of meeting.
11. Objections to reading paper, how determined.	35 33. Rules of Senate, how suspended.
12. Roll Call, everyone must vote.	36 34. Rules of Senate, how rescinded.
13. Galleries, clearing of.	37 35. Committee of the whole.
14. Reconsideration, motion for.	38 36. President may name member to chair.
15. Petitions, introduction of.	39 37. Senate staff; composition and duties.
16. Bills; shall be numbered and expressed clearly.	40 38. Senate staff, days of employment.
17. Bills, introduction of.	41 39. Committees, reports and meetings
18 (a) 17-A (a) Bills, deadlines for drafting.	45 40. Appeal, presiding officer ruling.
18 (b) 17-b Bills, deadlines for information	46 41. Motions, no substitution under color of amendment.
18 (c) 17-c Final deadline. 19 17-B Committees of Conference.	42. Conflict of Interest
20 18. Resolutions to be treated as bills	43. Committee of Conference reports
21 19. Bills shall have three readings; Progress of; time for second and third readings. 22 20. Bills, printing and distribution.	44. Personal privilege.
23 21. Bills amended only on second reading; filing of amendments.	47 45. Requisition Approval Required.
24 22. Public hearings to be held and advertised.	18 (d) 46. Fiscal notes, requirements

1. The President, having taken the chair, shall determine a quorum to be present. Any erroneous entry in the daily journal shall be corrected no later than the third succeeding legislative day, and the permanent journal corrected within one week after the permanent journal copy is placed in the hands of the Senate.
2. No member shall hold conversation with another while a member is speaking in debate, or use electronic devices, including but not limited to personal computers, and telephonic devices, without leave of the Senate.
3. Every member, wishing to speak, shall notify address the President. When the member is recognized to speak he shall rise and address the President, and when he has finished shall , if having risen to speak, then sit down.
4. No member shall speak more than twice on the same question on the same day without leave of the Senate President.
5. More than one member rising wishing to speak at the same time, the President shall decide who shall speak first.
6. The President shall preserve decorum and order. If any member transgresses the rules of the Senate, the President shall, or any member may, call him to order in which case the member so called to order shall immediately cease and desist, and the Senate, if appealed to, shall decide the case. But if there is no appeal, the decision of the President shall be conclusive.
7. No member shall absent himself without permission from the Senate.
8. When any question is under debate, no motion shall be received but first, to adjourn; second, to lay upon the table; third, for the previous question; fourth, to postpone to a certain day; fifth, to commit; sixth, to amend; and seventh, to postpone indefinitely; which several motions shall have precedence in the order in which they are so arranged. Motions to adjourn, to lay upon the table, for the previous question, and to take from the table shall be decided without debate. Motions to postpone to a certain day shall be debatable both as to time and subject matter. No motion to postpone indefinitely, to postpone to a certain day, or to commit, being decided, shall be in order at the same stage of the bill or resolution, until after adjournment.
9. A question which is postponed indefinitely shall not be acted upon during the biennium except whenever two-thirds of the whole number of elected Senators shall on division taken, vote in favor thereof. Any bill which is indefinitely postponed shall not be reintroduced under cover of an amendment to the general appropriations (budget) any bill, resolution, order, or committee of conference report. No motion to suspend this rule shall be permitted.
10. Any member may call for a division of the question when the sense will admit it. Unless otherwise specifically provided for, a majority of those present and voting shall be required to pass any vote.
11. When the reading of a paper or document is objected to by a member, the question shall be determined by a vote of the Senate; and without debate.
12. When the nays and yeas have been moved by a member and duly seconded by another member each member present shall declare his assent or dissent to the question, unless for special reason he be excused by the Senate. The names of the persons so making the motion and the second shall be recorded in the Journal. A member who is to be absent when the yeas and nays are required may pair his vote with another member, to be present or also to be absent, who intends to vote on the opposite side of the question. Pairs shall be permitted only if the yeas and nays are taken on such question. Both members shall file such pair in writing with the Clerk before the question is put. In all cases of pairing, the vote of neither member shall be counted in determining the result of the roll call; but the Clerk shall announce all pairs and enter them in the Journal. The President shall determine the order of the roll call. No member shall be required to vote in any case where he was not present when the question was put.
13. In case of any disturbance or disorderly conduct in the gallery, the President shall have the power to order the same to be cleared. The Chairman of the Committee of the Whole may restrict attendance to the duly elected Senators.
14. No vote shall be reconsidered, unless the motion for reconsideration be made by a member who voted with the prevailing side , nor unless the notice of such motion be given to the Senate in open session prior to adjournment on the same day on which the vote as passed, or on the next day on which the Senate shall be in session within one half hour after the convening of the early session, and any such notice of reconsideration shall be effective for three legislative days only and thereafter shall be null and void.

No vote shall be reconsidered, unless the motion for reconsideration be made by a member who voted with the prevailing side. The notice of such motion for reconsideration shall be given to the Senate in open session prior to adjournment on the same day on which the vote as passed, or to the clerk within 24 hours of the vote. Any such notice of reconsideration shall be effective for three legislative days only and thereafter shall be null and void. Reconsideration of any bills subject to a transfer date established by Senate joint rules must be acted upon on or before the Senate joint rule deadline, and thereafter shall be null and void.

15. Before any petition shall be received and read, a brief statement of the contents thereof shall be made by the member introducing the same.
16. All petitions, memorials and other papers addressed to the Senate and all bills and resolutions to be introduced in the Senate, shall be endorsed with the name of the Senator presenting them, and with the subject matter of the same. Every bill shall be marked on the first page "Senate Bill" and numbered serially; every joint resolution shall be marked "Senate Joint Resolution" and numbered serially; every concurrent resolution proposing a constitutional amendment shall be marked "Concurrent Resolution Proposing a Constitutional Amendment" and numbered serially; and every other concurrent resolution shall be marked "Senate Concurrent Resolution" and numbered serially, as each bill or resolution is introduced into the Senate.
17. All petitions, memorials and other papers addressed to the Senate and all bills and resolutions to be introduced into the Senate shall be delivered or caused to be delivered to the Office of Legislative Services, which in turn will submit it to the sponsor for his signature, and then to the Clerk by Legislative Services. If requested by the sponsor, a proposed bill, resolution or petition shall not be made public, except by the sponsor, until signed by the sponsor. During any adjournment the President may receive bills and resolutions for printing and for reference to committee, provided that no bill shall have a public hearing until it is formally introduced into the Senate printed and available for distribution. The President shall take up all bills and resolutions for introduction at the early session.
18. Drafting of Bills

(a) The Office of Legislative Services shall not draft a Senate bill or resolution, other than the general appropriations (budget) bill or the capital budget bill, unless a request by a member for drafting with complete information has been received not later than 3:00 p.m. on Friday, December 20, 2002.

(b) Every Senate bill and joint resolution, except the general appropriations (budget) bill or the capital budget bill, must be signed off in Legislative Services by 3:00 5:00 p.m., on Friday, January 24 19, 2003 2001. The last day to act on all Senate bills in the first body is April 10, 2003.

(c) Filing period for legislation to be acted on in the second half of the biennium, beginning January 2004 2002, will commence on Monday, October 27, 2003 April 16, 2001. The office of legislative services shall not draft a senate bill or joint resolution, unless a request by a member for drafting with complete information has been received not later than 3:00 p.m., Friday, November 14, 2003 April 20, 2001. Last day to sign-off legislation for the January 2004 2002 session shall be Friday December 19, 2003 August 1, 2001, at 3:00 p.m.

(d) If a drafting request for a bill or resolution has been filed with the office of Legislative Services requiring a fiscal note as provided in RSA 14:44-47, the substance or a draft of the proposal may be provided to the legislative budget assistant for preparation of the required fiscal note without the specific consent of the sponsor of the proposal, provided that the identity of the sponsor shall not be disclosed.

(e) Notwithstanding the provisions of 17 (a), (b), and (c), a Senate bill, Senate joint resolutions, or Senate concurrent resolution may be accepted by Legislative Services for drafting and introduced into the Senate at any time prior to the deadline established by Senate Joint Rules for the transfer of bills out of the first body if approved by either a majority of the Senate Rules Committee or a two-thirds vote on the floor.

(f) No bill the subject matter of which has been indefinitely postponed or made inexpedient to legislate in the Senate in the first-year session shall be admitted into the second-year session whether as a bill, an amendment, a committee of conference report or in any other manner.

(g) Legislation returned from the non-originating body, with an amendment, shall not be re-referred to Committee but shall have one of the following recommendations: Concur, Nonconcur, Nonconcur and Request a Committee of Conference. Adoption of a A motion to Nonconcur kills the legislation.

19. Committees of Conference.

(a) Whenever there be any disagreement between the Senate and the House on the content of any bill or resolution, and whenever both bodies, voting separately, have agreed to establish a committee of conference, the President of the Senate shall appoint three members to the Senate conference committee on the bill and the Speaker of the House shall appoint four members to the House conference committee. Exceptions: (1) the House committee of conference on the operating budget shall consist of five members; (2) the number of the members of the committees of conference on any bill may increase or decrease if the President and the Speaker both agree. The two committees of conference on a bill shall meet jointly but vote separately while in conference. A unanimous vote by both committees of conference shall be necessary for an agreed report to the Senate and the House by the committees of conference.

(b) The first-named person from the body where the bill or resolution in disagreement originated shall have the authority to call the time and place for the first meeting of the committees of conference on said bill.

(c) The first-named person on a committee of conference shall be the chairman of that conference. The chairman of the committee of conference of the body where the bill or resolution in disagreement originated shall chair the joint meeting of the committees of conference.

(d) No action shall be taken in either body on any committee of conference report earlier than some subsequent day, after the report has been delivered to the seats or placed on a member's desk. A committee of conference may neither change the title of any bill submitted to it nor add amendments which are not germane to the subject matter of the bill as originally submitted to it.

(e) Conference Committees on Budget Bills. The report of each committee of conference on either the general appropriation bill, or the capital improvements bill shall be printed in the journal or a supplement thereto of the appropriate body before action on said report is taken on the floor. Non-germane amendments, sections and footnotes to such bills (except footnotes in explanation of the principal text of such bills or designating the use or restriction of any funds or portions thereof) are prohibited and shall not be allowed under any circumstances. Notwithstanding the general provisions of paragraph (h) of this section, the Conference Committee on general appropriations bill may propose new items for inclusion in said bill but no such item may be so included unless and until it shall have been returned to both the Senate and the House and adopted in identical form by a majority vote in each body.

(f) When both committees of conference on a concurrent resolution proposing an amendment to the constitution have agreed, the committee of conference from the body which acceded to a request for committees of conference shall file its report with the clerk of that body who shall print it in full in the journal or supplement of that body. The report shall be made a special order of business at the late session of a subsequent day. After said report has been adopted by the first body, a message shall be transmitted to the second body which shall then act upon the report of its committee of conference.

(g) The sponsor of any bill or joint resolution referred to committees of conference shall, upon his request, be granted a hearing before said committees prior to action thereon.

(h) No member of a committee of conference shall sign any report that contains non-germane amendments or subject matter that has been indefinitely postponed in either body. For the purposes of this rule, a non-germane amendments would be any subject matter not contained in either the House or the Senate version of the bill.

(i) The deadline for Committee of Conference report sign -off is June 18, 2003 at 3:00 p.m.

20. All resolutions which may require the signature of the Governor shall be treated in the same manner as bills.
21. Every bill shall have three readings in the Senate previous to its passage. The first and second readings shall be by title only which may be accomplished by a conglomerate resolution, after which the bill shall be referred by the President to the appropriate committee and shall be printed as provided in Rule 22 20, unless otherwise ordered by the Senate. No bill after it has been read a second time shall have a third reading until after adjournment from the early session. The time assigned for the third reading of bills and resolutions shall be in the late session unless otherwise ordered by the Senate. The orders of the day for the reading of bills shall hold for every succeeding day until disposed of.
22. After every bill shall have been read a second time, and referred by the President to the appropriate committee, the Clerk shall procure a sufficient number of copies, printed on paper of uniform size, for the use of the legislature, and cause the same to be distributed to the members, and when printed the bill shall be immediately delivered to the committee to which it shall have been referred. Bills received from the House shall be printed at the same stage of their procedure unless they have been printed in the House and copies distributed in the Senate, in which case any amendment made by the House shall be duplicated and distributed in the Senate.
23. No amendment shall be made but upon the second reading of a bill; and all amendments to bills and resolutions shall be in writing, with the name of the Senator and the district he represents, or in the case of a committee amendment the name of the committee that recommended it, thereon. No amendment to any bill shall be proposed or allowed at any time or by any source, including a committee of conference, except it be germane. Amendments shall have been reviewed by the Office of Legislative Services for form, construction, statutory and chapter reference.
24. A hearing shall be held upon each bill referred to a committee, and notice of such hearing shall be advertised at least 5 days before hearing in the Senate Calendar. The Senate Calendar shall be available on the Internet World Wide Web for viewing as soon as it has been released for printing.

(a) All bills in the possession of committees shall be reported out with one of the following recommendations: ought to pass, ought to pass with amendment, re-refer to committee, inexpedient to legislate, or refer for interim study. Refer for interim study shall be a committee report only in the second year.

(b) Any legislation creating a chapter study committee shall have membership limited to members of the General Court.

25. When a bill is reported favorably with an amendment, the report of the committee shall state the amendment, and then recite the section of the bill in full as amended. The amendment shall be printed in the calendar of the Journal on the date that the report is listed for action. If no action is taken on that day, then the amendment shall be printed on the day to which the bill has been referred. All bills reported shall be retained by the clerk laid upon the table and shall not be finally acted upon until the following legislative day, and a list of such bills with the report thereon shall be published in the Journal for the day on which action shall be taken.
26. Every bill and joint resolution appropriating money, which has been referred to another committee and favorably accepted by the Senate, shall be committed to the Finance Committee for review. If any such bills have been referred jointly to the Finance Committee and another standing committee, the Finance Committee may report separately and a further public hearing may be held at the discretion of the Finance Committee. All bills appropriating money, which are referred directly to the Finance Committee shall have a hearing. Any bill which has been referred to another committee and favorably accepted by the Senate, which has an economic impact on the state may be referred to the Committee on Economic Development for review. The Committee on Economic Development may hold a further public hearing at the discretion of the Committee.
27. All warrants, subpoenas and other processes issued by order of the Senate shall be under the hand and seal of the President attested by the Clerk.
28. All committees of the Senate, including Senate members on committees of conference, shall consist of members of both parties as nearly equal as possible, provided that on all committees, both parties shall be represented. The President shall appoint the members of all committees, after consulting with the minority leader.
29. The standing committees of the Senate shall be as follows: The Committee on Finance, Committee on Capital Budget, Committee on Ways & Means, Committee on Banks, Committee on (present Economic Development) Energy and Economic Development, Committee on Education, Committee on Environment, Committee on Executive Departments & Administration, Committee on Wildlife & Recreation, Committee on Insurance, Committee on Internal Affairs, Committee on Interstate Cooperation, Committee on Judiciary, Committee on Public Affairs, Committee on Public Institutions Health & Human Services, Committee on Rules & Enrolled Bills, and the Committee on Transportation.
30. Messages shall be sent to the House of Representatives by the Clerk of the Senate.
31. Messages from the Governor or House of Representatives may be received at all times, except when the Senate is engaged in putting the question, in calling the yeas and nays, or in counting the ballots.
32. All questions shall be put by the President, and each member of the Senate present shall signify his assent or dissent by voting answering yea or nay, or shall abstain from voting by reason of a conflict pursuant to rule 42. If the President doubts, or a division is called for, the Senate shall divide. Those in the affirmative on the question shall first rise from their seats and stand until they be counted. The President shall rise and state the decision of the Senate.
33. No person except the Governor members of the executive, or the Speaker members of the House of Representatives and its officers, shall be admitted to the floor of the Senate while the Senate is in session, except by the invitation of the President, or some member with the President’s his consent.
34. The Senate shall adjourn to meet on the subsequent legislative day for the early session at the time mentioned in the adjournment motion. The late session shall immediately follow the early session unless the Senate shall otherwise order.
35. No standing rule of the Senate shall be suspended unless two-thirds of the members present and voting vote in favor thereof. This rule shall not apply to Senate Rule 9.
36. No rule shall be rescinded unless two days notice of the motion has been given and two-thirds of those present and voting vote therefore.
37. The Senate may resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole at any time on motion made for that purpose; and in forming a Committee of the Whole, the President shall leave the chair, and appoint a chairperson to preside in committee.
38. The President when performing the duties of the Chair may, at any time, name any member to perform the duties of the Chair.
39. The staff of the Senate shall be comprised of a clerk, an assistant clerk, a sergeant-at-arms, and a doorkeeper who are to be elected by the Senate, and such other personnel as the President shall appoint. The President shall define the duties of all members of the Senate staff which are not fixed by statute or otherwise ordered by the Senate.
40. Each member of the staff of the Senate shall be available on call to carry out the work of the Senate.
41. The committees shall promptly consider and report on all matters referred to them. The President may authorize such committees having a heavy load of investigation, re-drafting, research or amendments to meet as needed on non-legislative days during the legislative session. The Clerk of the Senate shall prepare a list by number, title and sponsor of all Senate bills and resolutions in committee which have not been acted upon within one week before the deadline established for the transfer of bills and resolutions from the Senate to the House of Representatives, and he/she shall distribute this list to every member of the Senate as soon as it is prepared.
42. In all instances every member shall act in conformance with the duly adopted Ethical Guidelines and Opinions of the New Hampshire General Court.
43. Action on the floor of a report of the Committee on Finance or a Committee of Conference on either the general appropriations (budget) bill or the capital budget bill, shall not be taken by the Senate, until said report has been available from the Senate Clerk twenty-four hours in advance, in written form. Nongermane amendments and footnotes to such bills (except footnotes in explanation of the principal text of such bills or designating the use or restriction of any funds or portions thereof) are prohibited and shall not be allowed under any circumstances.
44. PERSONAL PRIVILEGE: A Senator may, as a matter of personal privilege, defend his/her position on a bill, his/her integrity, his/her record, or his/her conduct, against unfair or unwarranted criticism, or may speak of an issue which relates to his/her rights, privileges or conveniences as a Senator; provided, however, the matters raised under personal privilege shall not be subject to questioning, answer, or debate, by another Senator. Personal Privilege remarks may be included in the Daily Journal if requested by the Senator, and in the Permanent Journal by vote of the Senate. A Senator may speak on other matters of his/her choosing and in such cases may be subject to questioning and/or answer according to the Rules of the Senate.
45. Any appeal from the ruling of the presiding officer shall be decided by majority vote of the members present and voting.
46. No new motion shall be admitted under color of amendment as a substitute for the motion under debate.
47. No officer or employee of the Senate during the session or any adjournment thereof shall purchase or contract for the purchase, pay or promise to pay any sum of money on behalf of the Senate or issue any requisition or manifest without the approval of the Senate President.

Legislative license plates and photo ID cards will be issued Tuesday, January 7 and Wednesday, January 8 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. in Room 101 & 103 of the Legislative Office Building. Senators may pick up their plates and ID cards at 8:30 a.m. on January 8. Please bring current, valid registration of each vehicle that will carry legislative plates. Up to two sets (four plates) will be available to each member.

Reminder. Senator's Portrait Photos will be taken on January 8, 2003 in Room 104 of the Legislative Office Building from 7:30-9:00 a.m. Please contact Deb at 271-3042 if you have any questions.