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1 SENATE RESOLUTION
2 RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-THIRD GENERAL
3 ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that the following are
4 adopted as the Rules of the Senate of the Ninety-Third
5 General Assembly:
6 ARTICLE I
7 DEFINITIONS
8 As used in these Senate Rules, the following terms have
9 the meanings ascribed to them in this Article I, unless the
10 context clearly requires a different meaning:
11 (Senate Rule 1-1)
12 1-1. Chairperson. "Chairperson" means that Senator
13 designated by the President to serve as chair of a committee.
14 (Senate Rule 1-2)
15 1-2. Committee. "Committee" means a committee of the
16 Senate and includes a standing committee, a special
17 committee, and a special subcommittee of a committee.
18 "Committee" does not mean a conference committee, and the
19 procedural and notice requirements applicable to committees
20 do not apply to conference committees.
21 (Senate Rule 1-3)
22 1-3. Constitution. "Constitution" means the
23 Constitution of the State of Illinois.
24 (Senate Rule 1-4)
25 1-4. General Assembly. "General Assembly" means the
26 current General Assembly of the State of Illinois.
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1 (Senate Rule 1-5)
2 1-5. House. "House" means the House of Representatives
3 of the General Assembly.
4 (Senate Rule 1-6)
5 1-6. Joint Action Motion. "Joint action motion" means
6 any of the following motions before the Senate: to concur in
7 a House amendment, to non-concur in a House amendment, to
8 recede from a Senate amendment, to refuse to recede from a
9 Senate amendment, and to request that a conference committee
10 be appointed.
11 (Senate Rule 1-7)
12 1-7. Legislative Digest. "Legislative Digest" means the
13 Legislative Synopsis and Digest that is prepared by the
14 Legislative Reference Bureau of the General Assembly.
15 (Senate Rule 1-8)
16 1-8. Legislative Measure. "Legislative measure" means
17 any matter brought before the Senate for consideration,
18 whether originated in the Senate or House, and includes
19 bills, amendments, resolutions, conference committee reports,
20 motions, and messages from the executive branch.
21 (Senate Rule 1-9)
22 1-9. Majority. "Majority" means a simple majority of
23 those members present and voting on a question. Unless
24 otherwise specified with respect to a particular Senate Rule,
25 for purposes of determining the number of members present and
26 voting on a question, a "present" vote shall not be counted.
27 (Senate Rule 1-10)
28 1-10. Majority Caucus. "Majority caucus" means that
29 group of Senators from the numerically strongest political
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1 party in the Senate. "Majority caucus" also includes any
2 Senator who is not from the numerically strongest or
3 numerically second strongest political party in the Senate
4 but who casts his or her final vote for Senate President for
5 the person who is elected Senate President.
6 (Senate Rule 1-11)
7 1-11. Majority of those Appointed. "Majority of those
8 appointed" means an absolute majority of the total number of
9 Senators appointed to a committee.
10 (Senate Rule 1-12)
11 1-12. Majority of those Elected. "Majority of those
12 elected" means an absolute majority of the total number of
13 Senators entitled to be elected to the Senate, irrespective
14 of the number of elected or appointed Senators actually
15 serving in office. So long as 59 Senators are entitled to be
16 elected to the Senate, "majority of those elected" shall mean
17 30 affirmative votes.
18 (Senate Rule 1-13)
19 1-13. Member. "Member" means a Senator. Where the
20 context so requires, "member" may also mean a Representative
21 of the Illinois House of Representatives.
22 (Senate Rule 1-14)
23 1-14. Members Appointed. "Members appointed" means the
24 total number of Senators appointed to a committee.
25 (Senate Rule 1-15)
26 1-15. Members Elected. "Members elected" means the
27 total number of Senators entitled to be elected to the
28 Senate, irrespective of the number of elected or appointed
29 Senators actually serving in office. So long as 59 Senators
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1 are entitled to be elected in the Senate, "members elected"
2 shall mean 59 Senators.
3 (Senate Rule 1-16)
4 1-16. Minority Caucus. "Minority caucus" means that
5 group of Senators from other than the majority caucus.
6 (Senate Rule 1-17)
7 1-17. Minority Leader. "Minority Leader" means the
8 Minority Leader of the Senate.
9 (Senate Rule 1-18)
10 1-18. Minority Spokesperson. "Minority Spokesperson"
11 means that Senator designated by the Minority Leader to serve
12 as the Minority Spokesperson of a committee.
13 (Senate Rule 1-19)
14 1-19. Perfunctory Session. "Perfunctory session" means
15 the convening of the Senate, pursuant to the scheduling of
16 the President, for purposes consistent with Rule 4-1(c) or
17 (d).
18 (Senate Rule 1-20)
19 1-20. President. "President" means the President of the
20 Senate.
21 (Senate Rule 1-21)
22 1-21. Presiding Officer. "Presiding Officer" means that
23 Senator serving as the presiding officer of the Senate,
24 whether that Senator is the President or another Senator
25 designated by the President, in his or her capacity as
26 presiding officer.
27 (Senate Rule 1-22)
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1 1-22. Principal Sponsor. "Principal sponsor" means the
2 first listed Senate sponsor of any legislative measure; with
3 respect to a committee-sponsored bill or resolution, it means
4 the Chairperson of the committee.
5 (Senate Rule 1-23)
6 1-23. Secretary. "Secretary" means the elected
7 Secretary of the Senate.
8 (Senate Rule 1-24)
9 1-24. Senate. "Senate" means the Senate of the General
10 Assembly.
11 (Senate Rule 1-25)
12 1-25. Senator. "Senator" means any of the duly elected
13 or duly appointed Illinois State Senators, and means the same
14 as "member".
15 (Senate Rule 1-26)
16 1-26. Term. "Term" means the two-year term of a General
17 Assembly.
18 (Senate Rule 1-27)
19 1-27. Vice-Chairperson. "Vice-Chairperson" means that
20 Senator designated by the President to serve as
21 Vice-Chairperson of a committee.
22 ARTICLE II
23 ORGANIZATION
24 (Senate Rule 2-1)
25 2-1. Adoption of Rules. At the commencement of a term,
26 the Senate shall adopt new Rules of organization and
27 procedure by resolution setting forth those Rules in their
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1 entirety. The resolution must be adopted by a majority of
2 those elected. These Rules of the Senate are subject to
3 revision or amendment only in accordance with Rule 7-17.
4 (Senate Rule 2-2)
5 2-2. Election of the President.
6 (a) Prior to the election of the President, the Governor
7 shall convene the Senate, designate a Temporary Secretary of
8 the Senate, and preside during the nomination and election of
9 the President. As the first item of business each day prior
10 to the election of the President, the Governor shall order
11 the Temporary Secretary to call the roll of the members to
12 establish the presence of a quorum as required by the
13 Constitution. If a majority of those elected are not
14 present, the Senate shall stand adjourned until the hour of
15 12:00 noon on the next calendar day, excepting weekends. If
16 a quorum of members is present, the Governor shall then call
17 for nominations of members for the Office of President. All
18 such nominations shall require a second. When the
19 nominations are completed, the Governor shall direct the
20 Temporary Secretary to call the roll of the members to elect
21 the President.
22 (b) The election of the President shall require the
23 affirmative vote of a majority of those elected. Debate
24 shall not be in order following nominations and preceding or
25 during the vote, and Senators may not explain their vote on
26 the election of the President.
27 (c) No bills may be considered and no committees may be
28 appointed or meet prior to the election of the President.
29 (d) When a vacancy in the Office of President occurs,
30 the foregoing procedure shall be employed to elect a new
31 President; however, when the Governor is of a political party
32 other than that of the majority caucus, the Assistant
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1 Majority Leader having the greatest seniority of service in
2 the Senate shall preside during the nomination and election
3 of the successor President. No legislative measures, other
4 than such nominations and election, may be considered by the
5 Senate during a vacancy in the Office of President.
6 (Senate Rule 2-3)
7 2-3. Election of the Minority Leader. The Senate shall
8 elect a Minority Leader in a manner consistent with the
9 Constitution and laws of Illinois.
10 (Senate Rule 2-4)
11 2-4. Assistant Leaders.
12 (a) The President and the Minority Leader shall appoint
13 from within their respective caucuses the number of Assistant
14 Majority Leaders and Assistant Minority Leaders as are
15 allowed by law.
16 (b) These appointments shall take effect upon their
17 being filed with the Secretary and shall remain effective for
18 the duration of the term unless a vacancy occurs by reason of
19 resignation or because an assistant leader has ceased to be a
20 Senator. Successor assistant leaders shall be appointed in
21 the same manner as their predecessors. Assistant leaders
22 shall have those powers delegated to them by the President or
23 Minority Leader, as the case may be.
24 (Senate Rule 2-5)
25 2-5. Powers and Duties of the President.
26 (a) The President shall have those powers conferred upon
27 him or her by the Constitution, the laws of Illinois, and any
28 motions or resolutions adopted by the Senate or jointly by
29 the Senate and House.
30 (b) Except as provided by law with respect to the Senate
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1 Operations Commission, the President is the chief
2 administrative officer of the Senate and shall have those
3 powers necessary to carry out that function. The President
4 may delegate his or her administrative duties as he or she
5 deems appropriate.
6 (c) The powers and duties of the President shall
7 include, but are not limited to, the following:
8 (1) To preside at all sessions of the Senate, although
9 the President may call on any member to preside
10 temporarily.
11 (2) To open the session at the time at which the Senate
12 is to meet by taking the podium and calling the
13 members to order. The President may call on any
14 member, or the Secretary in case of perfunctory
15 days, to open the session.
16 (3) To announce the business before the Senate in the
17 order in which it is to be acted upon.
18 (4) To recognize those members entitled to the floor.
19 (5) To state and put to vote all questions that are
20 regularly moved or that necessarily arise in the
21 course of the proceedings, and to announce the
22 result of the vote.
23 (6) To preserve order and decorum.
24 (7) To decide all points of order, subject to appeal,
25 and to speak thereon in preference to other
26 members.
27 (8) To inform the Senate when necessary, or when any
28 question is raised, on any point of order or
29 practice pertinent to the pending business.
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1 (9) To sign or authenticate all acts, proceedings, or
2 orders of the Senate. All writs, warrants, and
3 subpoenas issued by order of the Senate shall be
4 signed by the President and attested by the
5 Secretary.
6 (10) To sign all bills passed by both chambers of the
7 General Assembly in order to certify that the
8 procedural requirements for passage have been met.
9 (11) To have general supervision, including the duty to
10 protect the security and safety, of the Senate
11 chamber, galleries, and adjoining and connecting
12 hallways and passages, including the power to clear
13 them when necessary.
14 (12) To have general supervision of the Secretary and
15 his or her assistants, the Sergeant-at-Arms and his
16 or her assistants, the majority caucus staff, and
17 all employees of the Senate except the minority
18 caucus staff.
19 (13) To appoint all majority caucus members of
20 committees and to designate all Chairpersons and
21 Vice-Chairpersons of committees, except as the
22 Senate otherwise orders in accordance with these
23 Senate Rules.
24 (14) To enforce all constitutional provisions, statutes,
25 rules, and regulations applicable to the Senate.
26 (15) To guide and direct the proceedings of the Senate
27 subject to the control and will of the members as
28 provided in these Senate Rules.
29 (16) To direct the Secretary to correct non-substantive
30 errors in the Journal.
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1 (17) To assign meeting places and meeting times to
2 committees.
3 (18) To decide, subject to the control and will of the
4 members in accordance with these Senate Rules, all
5 questions relating to the priority of business.
6 (d) The President, at his or her discretion, may
7 designate from among those members serving in the statutorily
8 created positions of assistant majority leader, no more than
9 one member to serve as the Senate Majority Leader. The
10 Senate Majority Leader shall serve at the pleasure of the
11 President and shall receive no additional compensation other
12 than that provided statutorily for the position of assistant
13 majority leader.
14 (e) This Rule may be suspended by a vote of three-fifths
15 of the members elected.
16 (Senate Rule 2-6)
17 2-6. Powers and Duties of the Minority Leader.
18 (a) The Minority Leader shall have those powers
19 conferred upon him or her by the Constitution, the laws of
20 Illinois, and any motions or resolutions adopted by the
21 Senate or jointly by the Senate and House.
22 (b) The Minority Leader shall appoint to all committees
23 the members from the minority caucus and shall designate a
24 Minority Spokesperson for each committee, except as the
25 Senate otherwise orders in accordance with these Senate
26 Rules.
27 (c) The Minority Leader shall have general supervision
28 of the minority caucus staff.
29 (Senate Rule 2-7)
30 2-7. Secretary of the Senate.
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1 (a) The Senate shall elect a Secretary, who may adopt
2 appropriate policies or procedures for the conduct of his or
3 her office. Except where the authority is by law given to
4 the Senate Operations Commission, the President shall be the
5 final arbiter of any dispute arising in connection with the
6 operation of the Office of the Secretary.
7 (b) The duties of the Secretary shall include the
8 following:
9 (1) To have custody of all bills, papers, and records
10 of the Senate, which shall not be taken out of the
11 Secretary's custody except in the regular course of
12 business in the Senate.
13 (2) To endorse on every original bill and each copy its
14 number, names of sponsors, the date of
15 introduction, and the several orders taken on it.
16 When printed, the names of the sponsors shall
17 appear on the front page of the bill in the same
18 order they appeared when introduced.
19 (3) To cause each bill to be placed on the desks of the
20 members as soon as it is printed, or alternatively
21 to provide for a method that any Senator may use to
22 secure a copy of any bill he or she desires.
23 (4) To keep the Journal of the proceedings of the
24 Senate and, under the direction of the President,
25 correct errors in the Journal.
26 (5) To keep the transcripts of the debates of the
27 Senate and make them available to the public under
28 reasonable conditions.
29 (6) To keep the necessary records for the Senate and
30 its committees and to prepare the Senate Calendar
31 for each legislative day.
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1 (7) To examine all Senate Bills and Constitutional
2 Amendment Resolutions following Second Reading and
3 prior to final passage, for the purpose of
4 correcting any non-substantive errors therein, and
5 to report the same back to the President promptly;
6 to supervise the enrolling and engrossing of bills
7 and resolutions, subject to the direction of the
8 President; and to certify passage or adoption of
9 legislative measures, and to note thereon the date
10 of final Senate action. Any corrections suggested
11 to the President by the Secretary, and thereafter
12 approved by the Senate, shall be entered upon the
13 Journal.
14 (8) To transmit bills, other documents, and other
15 messages to the House and secure a receipt
16 therefor, and to receive from the House bills,
17 documents, and receipts therefor.
18 (9) To file with the Secretary of State those debate
19 transcripts and Senate documents as are required by
20 law.
21 (10) To attend every session of the Senate; record the
22 roll; and read all bills, resolutions, and other
23 papers as directed by the Presiding Officer. Bills
24 shall be read by title only. Upon initial reading,
25 motions may be read by title and sponsor only.
26 (11) To supervise all Assistant Secretaries and other
27 employees of his or her office, as well as all
28 committee clerks in their capacity as committee
29 clerks.
30 (12) To establish the format for all documents, forms,
31 and committee records prepared by committee clerks.
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1 (13) To perform those duties as assigned by the
2 President.
3 (Senate Rule 2-8)
4 2-8. Assistant Secretary of the Senate. The Senate
5 shall, in a manner consistent with the laws of Illinois,
6 elect an Assistant Secretary, who shall perform those duties
7 assigned to him or her by the Secretary.
8 (Senate Rule 2-9)
9 2-9. Sergeant-at-Arms. The Senate shall elect a
10 Sergeant-at-Arms who shall perform those duties assigned to
11 him or her by law, or as are ordered by the President or
12 Presiding Officer. Such duties shall include the following:
13 (1) To attend the Senate during its sessions and
14 execute the commands of the Senate, together with
15 all process issued by authority of the Senate, that
16 are directed to him or her by the President or
17 Presiding Officer.
18 (2) To maintain order among spectators admitted into
19 the Senate chambers, galleries, and adjoining or
20 connecting hallways and passages.
21 (3) To take proper measures to prevent interruption of
22 the Senate.
23 (4) To supervise any Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms.
24 (5) To perform those duties as assigned by the
25 President.
26 (Senate Rule 2-10)
27 2-10. Schedule.
28 (a) The President shall periodically establish a
29 schedule of days on which the Senate shall convene in regular
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1 and veto session, with that schedule subject to revisions at
2 the discretion of the President. The President may also at
3 his or her discretion schedule perfunctory session days of
4 the Senate. The President may establish deadlines for the
5 following legislative actions:
6 Final day to request bills from the Legislative
7 Reference Bureau.
8 Final day for introduction of bills.
9 Final day for standing committees of the Senate to
10 report Senate bills, except Senate appropriations
11 bills.
12 Final day for standing committees of the Senate to
13 report Senate appropriation bills.
14 Final day for Third Reading and passage of Senate
15 bills, except Senate appropriation bills.
16 Final day for Third Reading and passage of Senate
17 appropriation bills.
18 Final day for standing committees of the Senate to
19 report House appropriation bills.
20 Final day for standing committees of the Senate to
21 report House bills, except appropriation bills.
22 Final day for Third Reading and passage of House
23 appropriation bills.
24 Final day for Third Reading and passage of House
25 non-appropriation bills.
26 (b) The President may establish additional deadlines for
27 final action on conference committee reports and any
28 categories of joint action motions.
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1 (c) The foregoing deadlines shall become final upon
2 being filed by the President with the Secretary. The
3 Secretary shall Journalize the deadlines.
4 (d) The President may schedule alternative deadlines for
5 legislative action during any special session of the Senate
6 pursuant to written notice filed with the Secretary.
7 (e) The President may schedule deadlines for any other
8 action on any category of legislative measure as he or she
9 deems appropriate.
10 ARTICLE III
11 COMMITTEES
12 (Senate Rule 3-1)
13 3-1. Committees.
14 (a) The committees of the Senate are: (i) the standing
15 committees listed in Rule 3-4; (ii) special committees
16 created by resolution or notice under Rule 3-3; and (iii)
17 special subcommittees created by standing committees or by
18 special committees under Rule 3-3. Subcommittees may not
19 create subcommittees.
20 (b) All committees shall have a Chairperson and Minority
21 Spokesperson, who shall not be of the same caucus, except as
22 provided in Rule 3-2. Committees of the whole shall consist
23 of all Senators. The number of majority caucus members and
24 minority caucus members of all standing committees, and all
25 other committees unless otherwise ordered by the Senate in
26 accordance with these Senate Rules, shall be determined by
27 the President. The numbers of majority caucus and minority
28 caucus members shall become final upon the President filing
29 with the Secretary an appropriate notice, which shall be
30 Journalized.
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1 (c) The Chairperson of a committee shall have the
2 authority to call the committee to order, designate which
3 legislative measures shall be taken up, order the roll call
4 vote to be taken on each legislative measure called for a
5 vote, preserve order and decorum during committee meetings,
6 and implement and supervise the business of the committee.
7 The Vice-Chairperson of a committee may preside over its
8 meetings in the absence or at the direction of the
9 Chairperson.
10 (d) A vacancy on a committee, or in the Chairperson or
11 Minority Spokesperson position on a committee, occurs when a
12 member resigns from that position or ceases to be a Senator.
13 Resignations shall be made in writing to the Secretary, who
14 shall promptly notify the President and Minority Leader.
15 Absent concurrence by a majority of those elected, or as
16 otherwise provided in Rule 3-5, no member who resigns from a
17 committee shall be reappointed to that committee for the
18 remainder of the term. Replacement members shall be of the
19 same caucus as that of the member who resigns, and shall be
20 appointed by the President or Minority Leader, depending upon
21 the caucus of the resigning member. In the case of vacancies
22 on special subcommittees that were created by committees, the
23 parent committee shall fill the vacancy by motion.
24 (e) The Chairperson of a committee shall have the
25 authority to call meetings of that committee, subject to the
26 approval of the President in accordance with Rule 2-5(c)(17).
27 Except as otherwise provided by these Senate Rules, committee
28 meetings shall be convened in accordance with Rule 3-11.
29 (Senate Rule 3-2)
30 3-2. Membership and Officers of Standing Committees.
31 (a) At the commencement of the term, the members of each
32 standing committee shall be appointed for the term by the
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1 President and the Minority Leader, except as provided in
2 subsection (c) of this Rule or in Rule 3-5. The President
3 shall appoint the Chairperson and the remaining committee
4 members of the majority caucus (one of whom the President
5 shall designate as Vice-Chairperson), and the Minority Leader
6 shall appoint the Minority Spokesperson and the remaining
7 committee members of the minority caucus, except as provided
8 in paragraph (b) of this Rule. The appointments shall become
9 immediately effective upon the delivery of appropriate
10 correspondence from each of the respective leaders to the
11 Secretary, regardless of whether the Senate is in session.
12 The Chairperson and Minority Spokesperson shall serve at the
13 pleasure of the President or Minority Leader, as the case may
14 be. The Secretary shall Journalize all appointments. A
15 standing committee is empowered to conduct business when a
16 majority of the total number of committee members has been
17 appointed.
18 (b) Notwithstanding any other provision of these Senate
19 Rules, the President may appoint any two members to serve as
20 Co-Chairpersons of a standing committee. Co-Chairpersons
21 shall not be of the same caucus and shall serve at the
22 pleasure of the President. A standing committee with
23 Co-Chairpersons shall not have a Minority Spokesperson. For
24 purposes of Section 1 of the General Assembly Compensation
25 Act (25 ILCS 115/1), one Co-Chairperson shall be considered
26 "chairman" and the other shall be considered "minority
27 spokesperson". Co-Chairperson appointments shall become
28 immediately effective upon the delivery of appropriate
29 correspondence from the President to the Secretary,
30 regardless of whether the Senate is in session. The
31 Secretary shall Journalize all appointments.
32 (c) To maintain the efficient operation of the Senate, a
33 committee member may be temporarily replaced due to illness.
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1 The temporary appointment is effective upon delivery of
2 appropriate correspondence from the President or Minority
3 Leader, depending upon the caucus of the member affected, and
4 shall remain effective for the duration of the illness.
5 (Senate Rule 3-3)
6 3-3. Special Committee and Subcommittees.
7 (a) The Senate may create special committees by
8 resolution adopted by a majority of those elected. The
9 President also may create special committees by filing a
10 notice of the creation of the special committee with the
11 Secretary. The appointed members of a special committee
12 shall be designated by the President and the Minority Leader
13 in the same manner outlined in Rule 3-2 with respect to
14 standing committees.
15 (b) A committee may create a special subcommittee by
16 motion adopted by a majority of those appointed. The members
17 of a special subcommittee shall come from the membership of
18 the creating committee, and shall be appointed in the manner
19 determined by the creating committee.
20 (c) The resolution, motion, or notice creating a special
21 committee or special subcommittee shall specify the subject
22 matter of the special committee or subcommittee and the
23 number of members to be appointed thereto, and may specify a
24 reporting date during the term (in which event the special
25 committee or subcommittee is abolished as of that date).
26 Unless an earlier date is specified by resolution, motion, or
27 notice, special committees and subcommittees shall expire at
28 the end of the term.
29 (d) When the Senate is not in session, Special Temporary
30 Committees may be created and appointed by the President.
31 The actions of the President and of a Special Temporary
32 Committee shall stand as the action of the Senate unless the
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1 action is amended or modified on a roll call vote by a
2 majority of those elected during the next day the Senate
3 convenes.
4 (e) In accordance with Section 1 of the General Assembly
5 Compensation Act (25 ILCS 115/1), no Chairperson or Minority
6 Spokesperson of a committee created under this Rule shall
7 receive additional compensation for such service.
8 (Senate Rule 3-4)
9 3-4. Standing Committees. The Standing Committees of
10 the Senate are as follows:
11 AGRICULTURE AND CONSERVATION
12 APPROPRIATIONS I
13 APPROPRIATIONS II
14 EDUCATION
15 ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY
16 EXECUTIVE
17 EXECUTIVE APPOINTMENTS
18 FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS
19 HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
20 INSURANCE AND PENSIONS
21 JUDICIARY
22 LABOR AND COMMERCE
23 LICENSED ACTIVITIES
24 LOCAL GOVERNMENT
25 REVENUE
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1 STATE GOVERNMENT
2 TRANSPORTATION
3 (Senate Rule 3-5)
4 3-5. Service Committee.
5 (a) In addition to the standing committees, there is a
6 permanent service committee known as the "Rules Committee".
7 The Rules Committee shall have those powers and duties that
8 are outlined in these Senate Rules, as well as those that may
9 be periodically ordered in accordance with these Senate
10 Rules.
11 (b) The Rules Committee shall consist of five members,
12 three of whom shall be appointed by the President and two of
13 whom shall be appointed by the Minority Leader. Both the
14 President and the Minority Leader shall be eligible to be
15 appointed to the Rules Committee. The Rules Committee shall
16 be empowered to conduct business when a majority of the total
17 number of its members has been appointed.
18 (c) The majority caucus members of the Rules Committee
19 shall serve at the pleasure of the President, and the
20 minority caucus members shall serve at the pleasure of the
21 Minority Leader. Appointments thereto shall be by notice
22 filed with the Secretary, and shall be effective for the
23 balance of the term or until a replacement appointment is
24 made, whichever first occurs. Appointments shall take effect
25 upon filing with the Secretary regardless of whether the
26 Senate is in session. Notwithstanding any other provision of
27 these Senate Rules, any Senator who is replaced on the Rules
28 Committee may be reappointed to the Rules Committee without
29 concurrence of the Senate.
30 (d) Notwithstanding any other provision of these Senate
31 Rules, the Rules Committee may meet upon reasonable public
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1 notice. All legislative measures pending before the Rules
2 Committee shall be eligible for consideration at any meeting
3 thereof, and all such legislative measures shall be deemed
4 posted for hearing by the Rules Committee for all of its
5 meetings.
6 (e) This Rule may be suspended by a vote of three-fifths
7 of the members elected.
8 (Senate Rule 3-6)
9 3-6. Referrals of Resolutions, Messages, and
10 Reorganization Orders.
11 (a) All resolutions, after being initially read by the
12 Secretary, shall be automatically referred to the Rules
13 Committee unless the Presiding Officer determines that the
14 resolution is a death resolution and orders that the
15 resolution be placed on the Resolutions Consent Calendar.
16 Resolutions determined by the Rules Committee to be of a
17 non-substantive, commemorative, or congratulatory nature
18 shall be returned to the principal sponsor for action
19 pursuant to Rule 6-4. No resolution may be placed on the
20 Resolutions Consent Calendar if any member objects.
21 (b) All messages from the Governor or any other
22 executive branch Constitutional Officer regarding
23 appointments that require confirmation by the Senate shall,
24 after having been initially read by the Secretary,
25 automatically be referred to the Executive Appointments
26 Committee.
27 (c) All executive reorganization orders of the Governor
28 issued pursuant to Article V, Section 11 of the Constitution,
29 after being read into the record by the Secretary, shall
30 automatically be referred to the Rules Committee for its
31 referral to a committee, the latter of which may issue a
32 recommendation to the Senate with respect to the executive
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1 order. The Senate may disapprove of any executive order only
2 by resolution adopted by a majority of those elected; no such
3 resolution is in order until a committee has reported to the
4 Senate on the executive reorganization, or until the
5 executive order has been discharged pursuant to Rule 7-9.
6 (Senate Rule 3-7)
7 3-7. Rules Committee.
8 (a) The Rules Committee may consider any legislative
9 measure referred to it pursuant to Rules 3-6, 3-8 and 3-9, by
10 motion or resolution, or by order of the Presiding Officer
11 upon initial reading. The Rules Committee may, with the
12 concurrence of a majority of those appointed, sponsor motions
13 or resolutions; notwithstanding any other provision of these
14 Senate Rules, any motion or resolution sponsored by the Rules
15 Committee may be immediately considered by the Senate without
16 reference to a committee.
17 (b) During even-numbered years, the Rules Committee
18 shall refer to a committee of the Senate only appropriation
19 bills implementing the budget and other legislative measures
20 deemed by the Rules Committee to be of an emergency nature or
21 to be of substantial importance to the operation of
22 government. This subsection (b) applies equally to Senate
23 Bills and House Bills introduced into or received by the
24 Senate.
25 (Senate Rule 3-8)
26 3-8. Referrals to Committees.
27 (a) All Senate Bills and House Bills shall, after having
28 been initially read by the Secretary, be automatically
29 referred to the Rules Committee, which may thereafter refer
30 any bill before it to a committee. The Rules Committee may
31 refer any resolution before it to a committee. No bill or
32 resolution may be referred to a committee except pursuant to
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1 this Rule or Rule 7-17. A standing or special committee may
2 refer a matter pending in that committee to a special
3 subcommittee of that committee.
4 (b) All floor amendments, joint action motions for final
5 action, and conference committee reports shall, upon filing
6 with the Secretary, be automatically referred to the Rules
7 Committee. No such amendment, joint action motion, or
8 conference committee report may be considered by the Senate
9 unless approved for consideration by the Rules Committee.
10 The Rules Committee may approve for consideration to the
11 Senate any floor amendment, joint action motion for final
12 action, or conference committee report that: (i) consists
13 of language that has previously been favorably reported to
14 the Senate by a committee; (ii) consists of technical or
15 clarifying language that is non-substantive in nature; or
16 (iii) consists of language deemed by the Rules Committee to
17 be of an emergency nature, of substantial importance to the
18 operation of government, or in the best interests of
19 Illinois. The Rules Committee may refer any floor amendment,
20 joint action motion for final action, or conference committee
21 report to a committee for its review and consideration (in
22 those instances, and notwithstanding any other provision of
23 these Senate Rules, the committee may hold a hearing on and
24 consider those legislative measures pursuant to one-hour
25 advance notice). Any floor amendment, joint action motion
26 for final action, or conference committee report that is not
27 approved for consideration or referred by the Rules
28 Committee, and is attempted to be acted upon by a committee
29 shall be out of order, except as provided for under Rule 8-4.
30 (c) All committee amendments shall, upon filing with the
31 Secretary, be automatically referred to the Rules Committee.
32 No committee amendment may be considered by a committee
33 unless the committee amendment is referred to the committee
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1 by the Rules Committee. Any committee amendment referred by
2 the Rules Committee shall be referred to the committee before
3 which the underlying bill or resolution is pending. Any
4 committee amendment that is not referred by the Rules
5 Committee to a committee, and is attempted to be acted upon
6 by a committee shall be out of order.
7 (d) The Rules Committee may at any time re-refer a
8 legislative measure from a committee to a Committee of the
9 Whole or to any other committee.
10 (e) This Rule may be suspended by a vote of three-fifths
11 of the members elected.
12 (Senate Rule 3-9)
13 3-9. Re-Referrals to the Rules Committee.
14 (a) All legislative measures, with the exception of
15 resolutions to amend the State Constitution, that have failed
16 to meet the applicable deadline established in accordance
17 with Rule 2-10 for reporting to the Senate by a standing
18 committee shall automatically be re-referred to the Rules
19 Committee unless: (i) the deadline has been suspended
20 pursuant to Rule 7-17, with re-referral to the Rules
21 Committee to occur if the bill has not been reported to the
22 Senate in accordance with the revised deadline; or (ii) the
23 Rules Committee has issued a written exception to the
24 Secretary with respect to a particular bill prior to the
25 reporting deadline, with re-referral to occur, if at all, in
26 accordance with the written exception. Should the President
27 in accordance with Rule 2-10 establish deadlines for action
28 on joint action motions or conference committee reports, the
29 foregoing re-referral provisions and exceptions shall apply
30 with respect to those legislative measures that fail to meet
31 those deadlines.
32 (b) All legislative measures, with the exception of
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1 resolutions to amend the State Constitution, pending before
2 the Senate or any of its committees shall automatically be
3 re-referred to the Rules Committee on the 31st consecutive
4 day that the Senate has not convened for session unless: (i)
5 this Rule has been suspended in accordance with Rule 7-17; or
6 (ii) the Rules Committee has issued a written exception to
7 the Secretary prior to that 31st day.
8 (Senate Rule 3-10)
9 3-10. Reporting by Committees. Committees shall report
10 to the Senate, and subcommittees shall report to their parent
11 committees.
12 (Senate Rule 3-11)
13 3-11. Committee Procedure.
14 (a) A committee may consider any legislative measure
15 referred to it and may make with respect to that legislative
16 measure one of the following reports to the Senate or to the
17 parent committee, as appropriate:
18 (1) that the bill "do pass";
19 (2) that the bill "do not pass";
20 (3) that the bill "do pass as amended";
21 (4) that the bill "do not pass as amended";
22 (5) that the resolution "be adopted";
23 (6) that the resolution "be not adopted";
24 (7) that the resolution "be adopted as amended";
25 (8) that the resolution "be not adopted as amended";
26 (9) that the floor amendment, joint action motion, or
27 conference committee report "be adopted";
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1 (10) that the floor amendment, joint action motion, or
2 conference committee report "be not adopted";
3 (11) that the floor amendment, joint action motion, or
4 conference committee report "be approved for
5 consideration";
6 (12) that the floor amendment, joint action motion, or
7 conference committee report "be not approved for
8 consideration";
9 (13) "without recommendation"; or
10 (14) that the legislative measure "be re-referred to the
11 Rules Committee".
12 Any of the foregoing reports may only be made upon the
13 concurrence of a majority of those appointed. All
14 legislative measures reported "do pass", "do pass as
15 amended", "be adopted", "be adopted as amended", or "be
16 approved for consideration" shall be deemed favorably
17 reported to the Senate. Except as otherwise provided by
18 these Senate Rules, any legislative measure referred to a
19 committee and not reported pursuant to this Rule shall remain
20 in that committee. Pursuant to Rules 3-11(g) and 7-10, a
21 committee may report a legislative measure as tabled.
22 (b) No bill that provides for an appropriation or
23 expenditure of money from the State Treasury may be
24 considered for passage by the Senate unless it has first been
25 reported to the Senate by an Appropriations Committee,
26 unless:
27 (1) the bill was discharged from an Appropriations
28 Committee in accordance with Rule 7-9;
29 (2) the bill was exempted from this requirement by a
30 majority of those appointed to the Rules Committee;
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1 or
2 (3) this Rule was suspended in accordance with Rule
3 7-17.
4 (c) The Chairperson of each committee shall keep, or
5 cause to be kept, a record in which there shall be entered:
6 (1) The time and place of each meeting of the committee.
7 (2) The attendance of committee members at each meeting.
8 (3) The votes cast by the committee members on all
9 legislative measures acted upon by the committee.
10 (4) Such additional information as may be requested by
11 the Secretary.
12 (d) The committee Chairperson shall file with the
13 Secretary, along with every bill or resolution reported upon,
14 a sheet containing such information as is required by the
15 Secretary. The Secretary may adopt forms, policies, and
16 procedures with respect to the preparation, filing, and
17 maintenance of these reports.
18 (e) Except as provided in Rule 3-5 or 3-8 or unless this
19 Rule is suspended pursuant to Rule 7-17, no committee may
20 consider or conduct a hearing with respect to a legislative
21 measure absent notice first being given as follows:
22 (1) The Chairperson of the committee shall, no later
23 than six days before any proposed hearing, post a
24 notice on the Senate bulletin board identifying each
25 legislative measure that may be considered during
26 that hearing. The notice shall contain the day,
27 hour, and place of the hearing.
28 (2) Meetings of the Rules Committee may be called
29 pursuant to Rule 3-5; meetings of committees to
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1 consider floor amendments, joint action motions, and
2 conference committee reports may be called pursuant
3 to Rule 3-8.
4 (3) The Chairperson shall, in advance of a committee
5 hearing, notify all principal sponsors of
6 legislative measures posted for hearing of the date,
7 time, and place of hearing. When practicable, the
8 Secretary shall include a notice of all scheduled
9 hearings, together with all posted bills and
10 resolutions, in the Daily Calendar of the Senate.
11 Irrespective of whether a legislative measure has been posted
12 for hearing, it shall be in order for a committee during any
13 of its meetings to refer that legislative measure pending
14 before it to a subcommittee of that committee.
15 (f) Other than the Rules Committee, no committee may
16 meet during any session of the Senate, and no commission
17 created by Illinois law that has legislative membership may
18 meet during any session of the Senate.
19 (g) Regardless of whether notice has been previously
20 given, it is always in order for a committee to order any
21 legislative measure pending before it to lie on the table
22 when the principal sponsor so requests. When reported to the
23 Senate, such committee action shall stand as the action of
24 the Senate.
25 (h) When a committee fails to report a legislative
26 measure pending before it to the Senate, or when a committee
27 fails to hold a public hearing on a legislative measure
28 pending before it, the exclusive means of bringing that
29 legislative measure directly before the Senate for its
30 consideration is pursuant to Rule 7-9.
31 (i) No bill or resolution may be called for a vote in
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1 committee in the absence of the principal sponsor, or the
2 chief cosponsor when the committee so consents, without the
3 approval of the principal sponsor.
4 (Senate Rule 3-12)
5 3-12. Committee Reports.
6 (a) All bills favorably reported to the Senate from a
7 committee, or with respect to which a committee has been
8 discharged, shall stand on the order of Second Reading unless
9 otherwise ordered by the Senate, and may be amended only on
10 Second Reading. Bills reported to the Senate from committee
11 "do not pass", "do not pass as amended", "be not approved for
12 consideration", or "without recommendation" shall lie on the
13 table.
14 (b) All floor amendments, joint action motions, and
15 conference committee reports favorably reported to the Senate
16 from a committee shall be before the Senate and eligible for
17 consideration by the Senate when it is on an appropriate
18 order of business (floor amendments may be considered by the
19 Senate only when the bill to be amended is on Second
20 Reading). All floor amendments, joint action motions, and
21 conference committee reports that are reported to the Senate
22 from committee "be not adopted", "be not approved for
23 consideration", or "without recommendation" shall lie on the
24 table.
25 (c) All resolutions favorably reported to the Senate
26 from a committee, or with respect to which a committee has
27 been discharged, shall stand on the order of Resolutions.
28 All resolutions that are reported to the Senate from
29 committee "be not adopted", "be not adopted as amended", or
30 "without recommendation" shall lie on the table. Floor
31 amendments to resolutions shall be subject to the same
32 procedure applicable to floor amendments to bills.
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1 ARTICLE IV
2 CONDUCT OF BUSINESS
3 (Senate Rule 4-1)
4 4-1. Sessions of the Senate.
5 (a) The Senate shall be deemed in session whenever it
6 convenes in perfunctory session, regular session, veto
7 session, or special session. Members shall be entitled to
8 per diem expense reimbursements only on those regular, veto,
9 and special session days that they are in attendance at the
10 Senate. Attendance by members is not required or recorded on
11 perfunctory session days.
12 (b) Regular and veto session days shall be scheduled
13 with notice by the President in accordance with Rule 2-10.
14 Special session days shall be scheduled in accordance with
15 the Constitution and laws of Illinois.
16 (c) The President, at his or her discretion, may
17 schedule perfunctory session days during which the Secretary
18 may read into the Senate record any legislative measure.
19 Properly convened committees may meet and may consider and
20 act upon legislative measures during a perfunctory session
21 day, and the Secretary may receive and read committee reports
22 into the Senate record during a perfunctory day. Excepting
23 any automatic referral provisions of these Senate Rules, no
24 action may be taken by the Senate with respect to a
25 legislative measure during a perfunctory session day.
26 (d) The President may also schedule perfunctory session
27 days for the purpose of affording those members designated by
28 the President and Minority Leader an opportunity to negotiate
29 with respect to any unfinished business of the Senate without
30 necessitating the presence of all members and the related
31 costs to Illinois taxpayers.
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1 (Senate Rule 4-2)
2 4-2. Hour of Meeting. Unless otherwise ordered by the
3 Presiding Officer or by a majority of those elected, the
4 Senate shall regularly convene at noon.
5 (Senate Rule 4-3)
6 4-3. Entitled to Floor.
7 (a) Except as otherwise provided in these Senate Rules,
8 only the following persons shall be admitted to the Senate
9 while it is in session: members and officers of the General
10 Assembly; elected officers of the executive branch; justices
11 of the Supreme Court; the designated aide to the Governor;
12 the parliamentarian; majority staff members and minority
13 staff members, except as limited by the Presiding Officer;
14 former Presidents of the Senate, except as limited by the
15 President or prohibited under subsection (d); former members
16 who served in the Senate at any time during the past four
17 years, except as limited by the President or prohibited under
18 subsection (d); and employees of the Legislative Reference
19 Bureau, except as limited by the President. Representatives
20 of the press, while the Senate is in session, may have access
21 to the galleries and places allotted to them by the
22 President. No person is entitled to the floor unless
23 appropriately attired.
24 (b) On days during which the Senate is in session, the
25 Sergeant-at-Arms shall clear the floor of all persons not
26 entitled to access the floor a quarter hour before the
27 convening time, and he or she shall enforce all other
28 provisions of this Rule.
29 (c) The Senate may authorize, by motion adopted by
30 majority vote, the admission to the floor of any other
31 person, except as prohibited under subsection (d).
32 (d) No person who is directly or indirectly interested
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1 in defeating or promoting any pending legislative measure, if
2 required to be registered as a lobbyist, is allowed access to
3 the floor of the Senate at any time during the session.
4 (e) When he or she deems it necessary for the
5 preservation of order, the Presiding Officer may by order
6 remove any person from the floor of the Senate. A Senator
7 may be removed from the floor only pursuant to Rule 11-1.
8 (Senate Rule 4-4)
9 4-4. Daily Order. Unless otherwise determined by the
10 Presiding Officer, the daily order of business of the Senate
11 shall be as follows:
12 (1) Call to Order, Invocation, and Pledge of
13 Allegiance.
14 (2) Reading and Approval of the Journal.
15 (3) Reading of Senate Bills a first time.
16 (4) Reports from committees, with reports from the
17 Rules Committee ordinarily made at any time.
18 (5) Presentation of Resolutions, Petitions, and
19 Messages.
20 (6) Introduction of Senate Bills.
21 (7) Messages from the House, not including reading
22 House Bills a first time.
23 (8) Reading of Senate Bills a second time.
24 (9) Reading of Senate Bills a third time.
25 (10) Reading of House Bills a third time.
26 (11) Reading of House Bills a second time.
27 (12) Reading of House Bills a first time.
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1 (13) Senate Bills on the Order of Concurrence.
2 (14) House Bills on the Order of Non-Concurrence.
3 (15) Conference Committee Reports.
4 (16) Motions in Writing.
5 (17) Constitutional Amendment Resolutions.
6 (18) Motions with respect to Vetoes.
7 (19) Consideration of Resolutions.
8 (20) Motions to Discharge Committee.
9 (21) Motions to Take from the Table.
10 (22) Motions to Suspend the Rules.
11 (23) Consideration of Bills on the Order of Postponed
12 Consideration.
13 (Senate Rule 4-5)
14 4-5. Quorum.
15 (a) A majority of those elected shall constitute a
16 quorum of the Senate, and a majority of those appointed shall
17 constitute a quorum of a committee, but a smaller number may
18 adjourn from day to day, or recess for less than one day, and
19 compel the attendance of absent members. The attendance of
20 absent members may also be compelled by order of the
21 President.
22 (b) The question of the presence of a quorum in any
23 committee may not be raised on consideration of a legislative
24 measure by the Senate unless the same question was previously
25 raised before the committee with respect to that legislative
26 measure.
27 (Senate Rule 4-6)
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1 4-6. Approval of the Journal. The President or his or
2 her designee shall periodically examine and report to the
3 Senate any corrections he or she deems should be made in the
4 Journal before it is approved. If these corrections are
5 approved by the Senate, they shall be made by the Secretary.
6 (Senate Rule 4-7)
7 4-7. Executive Sessions. The sessions of the Senate
8 shall be open to the public. Sessions and committee meetings
9 of the Senate may be closed to the public if, pursuant to
10 Article IV, Section 5(c) of the Constitution, two-thirds of
11 the members elected determine that the public interest so
12 requires.
13 (Senate Rule 4-8)
14 4-8. Length of Adjournment. Pursuant to Article IV,
15 Section 15(a) of the Constitution, the Senate shall not
16 adjourn, without the consent of the House, for more than
17 three days, nor to another place than that in which the two
18 chambers of the General Assembly are sitting. The Senate
19 shall be in session on any day in which it shall convene in
20 perfunctory session, regular session, veto session, or
21 special session.
22 (Senate Rule 4-9)
23 4-9. Transcript of the Senate. In accordance with
24 Article IV, Section 7(b) of the Constitution, nothing
25 contained in the official transcript of the Senate shall be
26 changed or expunged except by written request of a Senator to
27 the Secretary and Presiding Officer, which request may be
28 approved only on a roll call vote of three-fifths of the
29 members elected.
30 ARTICLE V
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1 BILLS AND AMENDMENTS
2 (Senate Rule 5-1)
3 5-1. Bills.
4 (a) A bill may be introduced in the Senate by
5 sponsorship of one or more members of the Senate, whose names
6 shall be on the printed copies of the bills, in the Senate
7 Journal, and in the Legislative Digest. The principal
8 sponsor shall be the first name to appear on the bill and may
9 be joined by no more than four chief cosponsors with the
10 approval of the principal sponsor; other cosponsors shall be
11 separated from the principal sponsor and any chief cosponsors
12 by a comma. By motion, the sponsorship of a bill may be
13 changed to that of another Senator (or Senators, as the case
14 may be), or to that of the standing committee to which the
15 bill was referred or from which the bill was reported. Such
16 a motion may be made at any time the bill is pending before
17 the Senate or any of its committees.
18 (b) The principal sponsor of a bill shall control the
19 bill. A committee-sponsored bill shall be controlled by the
20 Chairperson of the committee, who for purposes of these
21 Senate Rules shall be deemed the principal sponsor.
22 Committee-sponsored bills may not have individual
23 co-sponsors.
24 (c) The House sponsor of a bill originating in the House
25 may request substitute Senate sponsorship of that bill by
26 filing a notice with the Secretary; that notice shall
27 automatically be referred to the Rules Committee and deemed
28 adopted if approved by the Rules Committee. If disapproved
29 by the Rules Committee, the notice shall lie on the table.
30 If the Rules Committee fails to act on any such notice, that
31 notice may be discharged pursuant to Rule 7-9.
32 (d) All bills introduced in the Senate shall be read by
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1 title a first time, ordered printed, and automatically
2 referred to the Rules Committee in accordance with Rule 3-8.
3 When a House Bill is received, it shall be taken up, ordered
4 printed, and placed on the order of House Bills on First
5 Reading; after having been read a first time, it shall
6 automatically be referred to the Rules Committee in
7 accordance with Rule 3-8.
8 (e) All bills introduced into the Senate shall be
9 accompanied by twelve copies. Any bill that amends a statute
10 shall indicate the particular changes in the following
11 manner:
12 (1) All new matter shall be underscored.
13 (2) All matter that is to be omitted or superseded
14 shall be shown crossed with a line.
15 (f) No bill shall be passed by the Senate except on a
16 roll call vote of a majority of those elected. A bill that
17 has lost and has not been reconsidered may not thereafter be
18 revived.
19 (Senate Rule 5-2)
20 5-2. Reading and Printing of Bills. Every bill shall be
21 read by title on three different days prior to passage by the
22 Senate, and the bill and all adopted amendments thereto shall
23 be printed before the vote is taken on its final passage.
24 (Senate Rule 5-3)
25 5-3. Printing and Distribution. The Secretary shall, as
26 soon as any bill is printed, deliver to the Sergeant-at-Arms
27 sufficient copies to furnish each Senator with a copy, and
28 the Sergeant-at-Arms shall at once cause the bills to be
29 distributed upon the desks of the Senators. Alternatively,
30 and pursuant to Rule 2-7(b)(3), the Secretary may establish a
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1 method any Senator may use to secure a copy of any bill he or
2 she desires.
3 (Senate Rule 5-4)
4 5-4. Amendments.
5 (a) An amendment to a bill may be adopted either by a
6 standing committee when the bill is before that committee, or
7 by the Senate when a bill is on the order of Second Reading.
8 The former shall be known as a "committee amendment" and the
9 latter as a "floor amendment". All amendments must be in
10 writing. All amendments still pending in a committee upon
11 the passage or defeat of a bill on Third Reading shall
12 automatically be tabled. Any unadopted amendment still
13 pending before the Senate or any of its committees shall
14 automatically be tabled when the bill to which it relates is
15 referred to the Rules Committee pursuant to Rule 3-9.
16 (b) Committee amendments may only be offered by the
17 principal sponsor or a member of the committee while the
18 affected bill is before the committee, and shall be adopted
19 by a majority of those appointed. Floor amendments may only
20 be offered by a Senator while the bill is on the order of
21 Second Reading, and shall be adopted by a majority vote of
22 the Senate. An amendment may be the subject of a motion to
23 "do adopt" or "do not adopt", and may only be adopted
24 pursuant to a successful motion to "do adopt".
25 (c) Committee amendments and floor amendments shall be
26 filed with the Secretary, and shall be in order only when
27 twelve copies have been filed. The Secretary shall provide
28 copies of committee amendments to the Chairperson and
29 Minority Spokesperson of the appropriate committee as soon as
30 practicable.
31 (d) The Secretary shall have printed all adopted
32 committee amendments that come before the Senate pursuant to
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1 Rule 3-12. The Secretary shall also have printed all adopted
2 floor amendments. No floor amendment may be adopted by the
3 Senate unless it has been first reproduced and placed on the
4 members' desks.
5 (e) No floor or committee amendment shall be in order
6 unless approved or referred by the Rules Committee in
7 accordance with Rule 3-8 or brought before the Senate
8 pursuant to Rule 7-9.
9 (f) Amendments that propose to alter any existing law
10 shall set forth completely the statutory Sections amended,
11 and shall conform to the requirements of Rule 5-1(e).
12 (g) If a committee reports a bill "do pass as amended",
13 the committee amendments shall be deemed adopted by the
14 committee action and shall be reproduced and placed on the
15 members' desks before the bill may be read a second time.
16 (Senate Rule 5-5)
17 5-5. Fiscal and Other Notes. The Senate shall comply
18 with all effective Illinois laws requiring notes on any bill,
19 including without limitation the Fiscal Note Act, the Pension
20 Impact Note Act, the Judicial Note Act, the State Debt Impact
21 Note Act, the Correctional Budget and Impact Note Act, the
22 Home Rule Note Act, the Balanced Budget Note Act, the Housing
23 Affordability Impact Note Act, and the State Mandates Act,
24 all as amended. All such notes shall be filed with the
25 Secretary with a time stamp endorsing the date and time
26 received, and shall then be attached to the original of the
27 bill and be available for inspection by the members. As soon
28 as practicable, the Secretary shall provide a copy of the
29 note to the Legislative Reference Bureau, which shall provide
30 an informative summary of the note in subsequent issues of
31 the Legislative Digest.
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1 ARTICLE VI
2 RESOLUTIONS AND CERTIFICATES OF RECOGNITION
3 (Senate Rule 6-1)
4 6-1. Resolutions.
5 (a) A resolution shall be introduced in the Senate by
6 sponsorship of one or more members of the Senate, and the
7 names of all sponsors shall be printed in the Senate Journal
8 and in the Legislative Digest. Each resolution introduced
9 shall be accompanied by twelve copies.
10 (b) Any resolution calling for the expenditure of State
11 funds may be adopted only by a roll call vote of a majority
12 of those elected.
13 (c) The Secretary shall periodically print a Resolutions
14 Consent Calendar, which the Secretary shall periodically
15 distribute prior to its consideration by the Senate
16 (generally the last daily session of the week). No debate is
17 in order regarding any resolution appearing on the
18 Resolutions Consent Calendar. All resolutions appearing on
19 the Resolutions Consent Calendar may be adopted in one
20 motion; however, any Senator may vote "no" or "present" on
21 any resolution appearing on the Resolutions Consent Calendar
22 by providing written notice of that intention to the
23 Secretary prior to the vote on the Resolutions Consent
24 Calendar. Prior to the adoption of any resolution on the
25 Resolutions Consent Calendar, if any three members file with
26 the Secretary a written objection to the presence of a
27 resolution thereon, that resolution shall be removed from the
28 Resolutions Consent Calendar and is automatically referred to
29 the Rules Committee.
30 (Senate Rule 6-2)
31 6-2. State Constitutional Amendments. All resolutions
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1 introduced in the Senate proposing amendments to the
2 Constitution shall be printed in the same manner in which
3 bills are printed. Every such resolution that originated in
4 the House and is presented to the Senate shall be ordered
5 printed in like manner unless the resolution has been
6 similarly printed by the House in the same form in which it
7 was presented to the Senate. No such resolution may be
8 adopted unless read in full in its final form on three
9 different days. Amendments to these resolutions may be in
10 order on the initial First and Second Readings only.
11 (Senate Rule 6-3)
12 6-3. Federal Constitutional Amendments and
13 Constitutional Conventions. The affirmative vote of
14 three-fifths of those elected shall be required to adopt any
15 resolution:
16 (1) requesting Congress to call a federal
17 constitutional convention;
18 (2) ratifying a proposed amendment to the Constitution
19 of the United States; or
20 (3) to call a State convention to ratify a proposed
21 amendment to the Constitution of the United States.
22 (Senate Rule 6-4)
23 6-4. Certificates of Recognition. Any member may
24 sponsor a certificate of recognition with the name and
25 signature of the member, and attested by the Secretary with
26 the State Seal attached to recognize any person,
27 organization, or event worthy of public commendation. The
28 form of the Certificate of Recognition shall be determined by
29 the Secretary with the approval of the President and Minority
30 Leader.
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1 ARTICLE VII
2 PARLIAMENTARY PRACTICE
3 (Senate Rule 7-1)
4 7-1. Voting within Bar. No Senator shall be permitted
5 to vote on any question before the Senate unless on the floor
6 before the vote is announced. No member of a committee may
7 vote except in person at the time of the call of the
8 committee vote. Any vote of the Senate shall be by roll call
9 whenever two Senators so request or whenever the Presiding
10 Officer so orders.
11 (Senate Rule 7-2)
12 7-2. Announcing a Roll Call Vote. When a roll call vote
13 is requested, the Presiding Officer shall put the question
14 and then announce to the Senate: "The voting is open.".
15 While the roll call is being taken, the Presiding Officer
16 shall state: "Have all voted who wish?". The voting is
17 closed when the Presiding Officer announces: "Take the
18 Record.". The Presiding Officer, unless an intervening
19 motion to postpone consideration by the principal sponsor is
20 made, shall then announce the results of the roll call. No
21 Senator is permitted to vote or to change his or her vote
22 after the Presiding Officer announces: "Take the Record.".
23 (Senate Rule 7-3)
24 7-3. Decorum and Debate.
25 (a) When any Senator is about to speak or deliver any
26 matter to the Senate, he or she shall rise and address the
27 Presiding Officer as "Mister President" or "Madam President",
28 as the case may be. Upon being recognized by the Chair, the
29 latter will address the Senator by name and thereupon, and
30 not until then, the engineer in charge of operating the
31 microphones in the Senate will give the use of the microphone
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1 to the Senator who has been so recognized. The Senator in
2 speaking shall confine himself or herself to the subject
3 matter under discussion and avoid personalities.
4 (b) The Presiding Officer may at his or her discretion,
5 and with consideration for the efficient operation of the
6 Senate, determine whether any member shall be afforded the
7 floor for the purpose of introduction of guests in the
8 gallery. Questions affecting the rights, reputation, and
9 conduct of members of the Senate in their representative
10 capacity are questions of personal privilege. A matter of
11 personal explanation does not constitute a question of
12 personal privilege.
13 (c) If any Senator in speaking (or otherwise)
14 transgresses these Senate Rules, the Presiding Officer shall,
15 or any Senator may, call him or her to order, in which case
16 the Senator so called to order shall sit down, unless
17 permitted to explain; and the Senate, if appealed to, shall
18 decide on the case without debate. If the decision is in
19 favor of the Senator called to order, he or she is at liberty
20 to proceed. If otherwise, and the case requires it, he or
21 she is liable to the censure of the Senate.
22 (d) If any Senator is called to order for words spoken
23 in debate, the person calling him or her to order shall
24 repeat the words excepted to, and they shall be taken down by
25 the Secretary. No Senator shall be held to answer or be
26 subject to the censure of the Senate for words spoken in
27 debate if any Senator has spoken in debate or other business
28 has intervened after the words spoken and before exceptions
29 to them shall have been taken.
30 (e) If two or more Senators rise at once, the Presiding
31 Officer shall name the Senator who is to speak first.
32 (f) No person shall give any signs of approbation or
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1 disapprobation while the Senate is in session.
2 (g) No Senator shall speak more than five minutes on the
3 same question without the consent of the Senate, nor more
4 than twice on that question. No Senator shall speak more
5 than once until every Senator choosing to speak has spoken.
6 No Senator may explain his or her vote.
7 (h) While the Presiding Officer is putting a question,
8 no Senator shall leave or walk across the Senate Chamber.
9 When a Senator is addressing the Senate, no Senator or other
10 person entitled to the floor shall entertain private
11 discourse or pass between the speaker and the Presiding
12 Officer.
13 (i) In case of any disturbances or disorderly conduct in
14 the lobby, gallery, or hallways adjoining the chamber, the
15 President shall have the power to order the same to be
16 cleared.
17 (j) All material placed on the desks of Senators shall
18 contain the name of the Senator requesting its distribution.
19 (Senate Rule 7-4)
20 7-4. Motions, Generally. The following are general
21 rules for all motions:
22 (1) Every motion, except to adjourn, recess, or postpone
23 consideration, shall be reduced to writing if the Presiding
24 Officer desires it. Unless otherwise provided in these
25 Senate Rules, no second shall be required to any motion
26 presented to the Senate. The Presiding Officer may refer any
27 motion to the Rules Committee.
28 (2) Before the Senate debates a motion, the Presiding
29 Officer shall state an oral motion and the Secretary shall
30 read aloud a written motion.
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1 (3) After a motion is stated by the Presiding Officer or
2 read by the Secretary, it shall be deemed in the possession
3 of the Senate, but may be withdrawn at any time before
4 decision by consent of a majority of the Senate.
5 (4) If a motion is divisible, any member may call for a
6 division of the question.
7 (5) Any question taken under consideration may be
8 withdrawn, postponed, or tabled by unanimous consent or, if
9 unanimous consent is denied, by a motion adopted by a
10 majority vote.
11 (Senate Rule 7-5)
12 7-5. Precedence of Motions.
13 (a) When a question is under debate, no motion may be
14 entertained except:
15 (1) to adjourn to a time certain;
16 (2) to adjourn;
17 (3) to question the presence of a quorum;
18 (4) to recess;
19 (5) to lay on the table;
20 (6) for the previous question;
21 (7) to postpone consideration;
22 (8) to commit or recommit; and
23 (9) to amend, except as otherwise provided in these
24 Senate Rules.
25 The foregoing motions shall have precedence in the order in
26 which they are listed.
27 (b) During a roll call, no motion (except a motion to
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1 postpone consideration) shall be in order until after the
2 announcement of the result of the vote.
3 (c) A motion to commit or re-commit, until it is
4 decided, precludes all amendments and debate on the main
5 question. A motion to postpone consideration, until it is
6 decided, precludes all amendments on the main question.
7 (Senate Rule 7-6)
8 7-6. Verification.
9 (a) After any roll call vote, except for a vote that
10 requires a specific number of affirmative votes and that has
11 not received the required votes, and before intervening
12 business, it shall be in order for any Senator to request
13 verification of the results of the roll call.
14 (b) In verifying a roll call vote, the Presiding Officer
15 shall instruct the Secretary to call the names of those
16 Senators whose votes are to be verified. The Senator
17 requesting the verification may thereafter identify those
18 members he or she wishes to verify. If a member does not
19 answer, his or her vote shall be stricken; however, the
20 member's vote shall be restored to the roll if his or her
21 presence is recognized before the verification is completed.
22 The Presiding Officer shall determine the presence or absence
23 of each member whose name is called, and shall then announce
24 the results of the verification.
25 (c) While the results of any roll call are being
26 verified, it is in order for any Senator to announce his or
27 her presence on the floor and thereby have his or her vote
28 verified.
29 (d) A request for a verification of the affirmative and
30 negative results of a roll call may be made only once on each
31 roll call.
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1 (e) No Senator shall be permitted to vote or to change
2 his or her vote on verification.
3 (Senate Rule 7-7)
4 7-7. Appealing a Ruling.
5 (a) If any appeal is taken from a ruling of the
6 Presiding Officer, the Presiding Officer shall be sustained
7 unless three-fifths of the members elected vote to overrule
8 the Presiding Officer. The motion to appeal requires a
9 second, and it shall not be in order if the Senate has
10 conducted intervening business since the ruling at issue was
11 made.
12 (b) If any appeal is taken from a ruling of a committee
13 Chairperson, the Chairperson shall be sustained unless
14 three-fifths of those appointed vote to overrule the
15 Chairperson. The motion to appeal requires a second, and it
16 shall not be in order if the committee has adjourned or
17 recessed, so long as intervening business has occurred.
18 (c) In an appeal of a ruling of the Presiding Officer or
19 Chairperson, the question is: "Shall the ruling of the Chair
20 be sustained?".
21 (d) This Rule may be suspended by a three-fifths vote of
22 the members elected.
23 (Senate Rule 7-8)
24 7-8. Previous Question.
25 (a) A motion for the previous question may be made at
26 any time. The motion for the previous question is not
27 debatable and requires approval of a majority of those
28 elected.
29 (b) The previous question shall be stated in the
30 following form: "Shall the main question now be put?".
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1 Until the previous question is decided, all amendments and
2 debate are precluded. When it is decided that the main
3 question shall not be put, the main question shall be
4 considered as remaining under debate.
5 (c) The effect of the main question being ordered is to
6 put an end to all debate and bring the Senate to a direct
7 vote on the immediately pending motion. After a motion for
8 the previous question has been approved, unless the vote on
9 the motion suggests the absence of a quorum, it is not in
10 order to move for adjournment or to make any other motion
11 prior to a decision on the main question.
12 (Senate Rule 7-9)
13 7-9. Discharge of Committee.
14 (a) A committee may be discharged from further
15 consideration of a legislative measure by a vote of
16 three-fifths of the members elected. Upon concurrence of a
17 majority of those appointed, the Rules Committee may advance
18 any legislative measure pending before it to the Senate
19 without referral to another committee; however, the Rules
20 Committee shall not so report any bill that has never been
21 before a standing committee of the Senate.
22 (b) This Rule may be suspended by a vote of three-fifths
23 of the members elected.
24 (Senate Rule 7-10)
25 7-10. Tabling.
26 (a) A motion to lay on the table applies only to the
27 particular proposition and is neither debatable nor
28 amendable.
29 (b) A motion to table a bill or resolution shall
30 identify the bill or resolution by number. The principal
31 sponsor of a bill or resolution may, with leave of the
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1 Senate, table his or her bill or resolution at any time. A
2 motion to table a committee bill that is before the Senate
3 may be adopted only by a majority of those elected.
4 (c) The principal sponsor of a bill or resolution before
5 a committee may, with leave of the committee, table the bill
6 or resolution. Upon such tabling, the Chairperson of the
7 committee shall return the bill or resolution to the
8 Secretary, noting thereon that it has been tabled.
9 (d) A motion to table an amendment adopted by the Senate
10 on a voice vote or by a committee is in order on Second
11 Reading. A motion to table a committee amendment has
12 priority over a floor amendment. Motions to table amendments
13 are debatable and may be adopted by a majority.
14 (Senate Rule 7-11)
15 7-11. Motion to Take from Table.
16 (a) A motion to take from the table shall require a
17 majority of those elected if the Rules Committee has
18 previously recommended that action by written notice filed
19 with the Secretary; otherwise, a motion to take from the
20 table shall require a three-fifths vote of the members
21 elected.
22 (b) A bill taken from the table shall be placed on the
23 Daily Calendar on the order on which it appeared before it
24 was tabled.
25 (c) This Rule may be suspended by a three-fifths vote of
26 the members elected.
27 (Senate Rule 7-12)
28 7-12. Motion to Postpone Consideration. A motion to
29 postpone consideration on a legislative measure may not be
30 made more than once on the same bill or proposition. Unless
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1 otherwise provided by these Senate Rules, a motion to
2 postpone consideration shall be granted as a matter of
3 privilege; however, no motion to postpone consideration is in
4 order if the involved legislative measure initially received
5 a vote of fewer than two-fifths of the members elected.
6 (Senate Rule 7-13)
7 7-13. Motion on Different Subject. No motion or other
8 legislative measure on a subject different from that under
9 consideration shall be admitted under color of amendment.
10 (Senate Rule 7-14)
11 7-14. Division of Question. If the question in debate
12 contains several points, any Senator may have the same
13 divided. On a motion to strike out and insert, it is not in
14 order to move for a division of the question. The rejection
15 of a motion to strike out and insert one proposition does not
16 prevent a motion to strike out and insert a different
17 proposition.
18 (Senate Rule 7-15)
19 7-15. Reconsideration.
20 (a) A member who voted on the prevailing side of a
21 record vote on a legislative measure still within the control
22 of the Senate may on the same or following day move to
23 reconsider the vote. The motion to reconsider may be laid on
24 the table without affecting the vote to which it referred.
25 When the motion to reconsider is made during the last three
26 scheduled days of regular session, or any time thereafter
27 during the regular session, or at any time during a veto or
28 special session, any member may move that the vote on
29 reconsideration be taken immediately. A question that
30 requires the votes of a majority of those elected or more to
31 carry requires a majority of those elected to reconsider.
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1 (b) A motion to reconsider a record vote on the adoption
2 of an amendment to a bill may be made only on Second Reading.
3 An amendment adopted by the Senate on a record vote may not
4 be tabled by motion until its adoption has been reconsidered.
5 (c) If a motion to reconsider is made pursuant to this
6 Rule and the motion is later tabled, the question shall not
7 be further reconsidered. This subsection (c) may be
8 suspended by a three-fifths vote of the members elected.
9 (d) When a motion to reconsider is made within the time
10 prescribed by these Senate Rules, the Secretary shall not
11 allow the bill or other subject matter of the motion to pass
12 out of the possession of the Senate until after the motion
13 has been decided or withdrawn. Such a motion shall be deemed
14 rejected if laid on the table.
15 (e) A Senator who voted "present" or failed to vote on a
16 question shall not have the right to move for
17 reconsideration.
18 (f) Upon a motion to reconsider the vote on the final
19 passage of any bill, the affirmative vote of a majority of
20 those elected shall be required to reconsider the same.
21 (Senate Rule 7-16)
22 7-16. Motion to Adjourn.
23 (a) A motion to adjourn is in order at any time, except
24 when a prior motion to adjourn has been defeated and no
25 intervening business has transpired.
26 (b) A motion to adjourn is neither debatable nor
27 amendable.
28 (c) The Secretary shall enter in the Journal the hour at
29 which every motion to adjourn is made.
30 (d) Unless the Presiding Officer otherwise orders, the
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1 standing hour to which the Senate adjourns is 12:00 noon.
2 (e) A motion to adjourn for more than three days is not
3 in order unless both chambers of the General Assembly have
4 adopted a joint resolution permitting that adjournment.
5 (Senate Rule 7-17)
6 7-17. Amendment to or Suspension of Rules.
7 (a) Rules may be proposed or amended only by resolution.
8 Any such resolution shall show the proposed changes in the
9 existing Rules by underscoring all new matter and by crossing
10 out with a line all matter that is to be omitted or
11 superseded.
12 (b) Any resolution proposing to amend a Senate Rule or
13 any Joint Senate-House Rule shall, upon initial reading by
14 the Secretary, automatically be referred to the Rules
15 Committee. Resolutions for amendment of the Senate Rules or
16 any Joint Senate-House Rules may be initiated and sponsored
17 by the Rules Committee; these resolutions shall not be
18 referred to a committee and may be immediately considered and
19 adopted by the Senate.
20 (c) A resolution to amend the Senate Rules or any Joint
21 Senate-House Rules that has been reported "do adopt" or "do
22 adopt as amended" by a majority of those appointed to the
23 Rules Committee shall require the affirmative vote of a
24 majority of those elected for adoption by the Senate. Any
25 other resolution proposing to amend the Senate Rules or any
26 Joint Senate-House Rules shall require the affirmative vote
27 of three-fifths of the members elected for adoption by the
28 Senate.
29 (d) No Senate Rule or any Joint Senate-House Rule may be
30 suspended except by unanimous consent of the Senators present
31 or upon a motion supported by affirmative vote of a majority
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1 of those elected unless a higher number is required in the
2 Rule sought to be suspended. A committee may not suspend any
3 Rule.
4 (e) This Rule may be suspended by a three-fifths vote of
5 those elected.
6 (Senate Rule 7-18)
7 7-18. Motion to Commit or Recommit. No motion to commit
8 or recommit a legislative measure to committee, being decided
9 in the negative, shall again be allowed on the same day, or
10 at the same stage of the legislative measure.
11 (Senate Rule 7-19)
12 7-19. Effective Date.
13 (a) A bill passed after May 31 of a calendar year shall
14 not become effective prior to June 1 of the next calendar
15 year unless an earlier effective date is specified in the
16 bill and it is approved by a three-fifths vote of the members
17 elected.
18 (b) If a majority of those elected, but fewer than
19 three-fifths of the members elected, vote affirmatively for a
20 bill on Third Reading after May 31, where the bill specifies
21 an effective date earlier than the following June 1, the bill
22 shall not be declared passed, and the principal sponsor shall
23 have the right to have the bill automatically reconsidered
24 and returned to the order of Second Reading for an amendment
25 to remove the earlier effective date. The amendment, if
26 offered and approved by the Rules Committee, shall be
27 reproduced and placed on the desks of the members before the
28 bill is taken up again on the order of Third Reading.
29 (Senate Rule 7-20)
30 7-20. Home Rule. No bill denies or limits any power or
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1 function of a home rule unit, pursuant to paragraph (g), (h),
2 (i), (j), or (k) of Section 6 of Article VII of the
3 Constitution, unless there is specific language limiting or
4 denying the power or function and the language specifically
5 sets forth in what manner and to what extent it is a denial
6 or limitation of the power or function of a home rule unit.
7 If a majority of those elected, but fewer than three-fifths
8 of the members elected, vote affirmatively for a bill on
9 Third Reading that requires a vote of three-fifths of the
10 members elected to deny or limit a power of a home rule unit,
11 the bill shall not be declared passed, and the principal
12 sponsor shall have the right to have the bill automatically
13 reconsidered and returned to the order of Second Reading for
14 an amendment to remove those effects of the bill. The
15 amendment, if offered and approved by the Rules Committee,
16 shall be reproduced and placed on the desks of the members
17 before the bill is taken up again on the order of Third
18 Reading. The Rules Committee may also refer the amendment to
19 a committee.
20 ARTICLE VIII
21 JOINT ACTION
22 (Senate Rule 8-1)
23 8-1. Concurring in or Receding from Amendments.
24 (a) If a bill or resolution is received back in the
25 Senate with amendments added by the House, it shall be in
26 order for the principal sponsor only to present a motion "to
27 concur" or "not to concur and ask the House to recede" with
28 respect to those amendments. Any two members may demand a
29 separate roll call on any such amendment.
30 (b) When the House has refused to concur in amendments
31 added to a bill or resolution by the Senate and has returned
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1 the bill or resolution to the Senate with a message
2 requesting the Senate to recede from its amendments, it shall
3 be in order for the principal sponsor only to present a
4 motion "to recede" from the Senate amendments or "not to
5 recede and to request a conference". Any two members may
6 demand a separate roll call on any such amendments.
7 (Senate Rule 8-2)
8 8-2. Conference Committees.
9 (a) A disagreement between the Senate and House exists
10 with respect to any bill or resolution in the following
11 situations:
12 (1) when the House refuses to recede from the adoption
13 of any amendment, after the Senate has previously
14 refused to concur in the amendment; or
15 (2) when the Senate refuses to recede from the adoption
16 of any amendment, after the House has previously
17 refused to concur in the amendment.
18 In these cases of disagreement between the Senate and House,
19 the Senate may request a conference. When a request for
20 conference is made, both chambers of the General Assembly
21 shall appoint a committee to confer with the other on the
22 subject of the bill or resolution giving rise to the
23 disagreement. The combined committees of the two chambers
24 appointed for this purpose is the conference committee.
25 (b) The conference committee shall consist of an equal
26 number of members of each Chamber of the General Assembly.
27 The number of majority caucus members from each chamber shall
28 be one more than the number of minority caucus members from
29 each chamber. A conference committee shall consist of five
30 members from each chamber.
31 (c) In addition to the House members thereof, each
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1 conference committee shall be comprised of five Senators,
2 three of whom shall be appointed by the President and two of
3 whom shall be appointed by the Minority Leader. No
4 conference committee report may be filed with the Secretary
5 until a majority of the Senate conferees has been appointed.
6 (Senate Rule 8-3)
7 8-3. Conference Committee Reports.
8 (a) No subject shall be included in any conference
9 committee report on any bill unless that subject matter
10 directly relates to the matters of difference between the
11 Senate and House that have been referred to the conference
12 committee unless the Rules Committee, by a majority vote of
13 the members appointed, determines that the proposed subject
14 matter is of an emergency nature, of substantial importance
15 to the operation of government, or in the best interests of
16 Illinois.
17 (b) No conference committee report shall be received by
18 the Secretary or acted upon by the Senate unless it has been
19 signed by at least six conferees. The report shall be signed
20 in duplicate. One of the reports shall be filed with the
21 Clerk of the House and one with the Secretary. The report
22 shall contain the agreements reached by the committee.
23 (c) If the conference committee determines that it is
24 unable to reach agreement, the committee shall so report to
25 each chamber of the General Assembly and request appointment
26 of a second conference committee. In the event of agreement,
27 the committee shall so report to each chamber.
28 (Senate Rule 8-4)
29 8-4. Prerequisites for Senate Consideration.
30 (a) No joint action motion for final action or
31 conference committee report may be considered by the Senate
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1 unless it has first been referred or approved by the Rules
2 Committee in accordance with Rule 3-8, or unless the joint
3 action motion or conference committee report has first been
4 discharged from the Rules Committee pursuant to Rule 7-9.
5 (b) No conference committee report may be considered by
6 the Senate unless it has first been reproduced and
7 distributed on the members' desks for one full session day.
8 (c) Prior to any conference committee report on an
9 appropriation bill being considered by the Senate, that
10 conference committee report shall first be the subject of a
11 public hearing by a standing Appropriations Committee (the
12 conference committee report need not be referred to an
13 Appropriations Committee, but instead may remain before the
14 Rules Committee or the Senate, as the case may be). The
15 hearing shall be held pursuant to not less than one hour
16 advance notice by announcement on the Senate floor, or one
17 day advance notice by posting on the Senate bulletin board.
18 The Appropriations Committee shall not issue any report with
19 respect to any conference committee report following any such
20 hearing.
21 (d) Any Senate Bill amended in the House and returned to
22 the Senate for concurrence in the House amendment shall lie
23 upon the desk of the Secretary for not less than one hour
24 before being further considered. No Senate Bill that is
25 returned to the Senate with House amendments shall be called
26 except by the principal sponsor.
27 (e) The report of a conference committee on a
28 non-appropriation bill or resolution shall be confined to the
29 subject of the bill or resolution referred to the conference
30 committee. The report of a conference committee on an
31 appropriations bill shall be confined to the subject of
32 appropriations.
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1 (Senate Rule 8-5)
2 8-5. Action on Conference Committee Reports.
3 (a) Each chamber of the General Assembly shall inform
4 the other by message of any action taken with respect to a
5 conference committee report. Copies of all papers necessary
6 to a complete understanding of any such action shall
7 accompany the message. The original bill or resolution shall
8 remain in the chamber of origin.
9 (b) If either chamber refused to adopt the report of the
10 conference committee, or the first conference committee is
11 unable to reach agreement, either chamber may request a
12 second conference committee. When such a request is made,
13 each chamber shall again appoint a conference committee. If
14 either chamber refuses to adopt the report of a second
15 conference committee, the two chambers have adhered to their
16 disagreement, and the bill or resolution is lost.
17 ARTICLE IX
18 VETOES
19 (Senate Rule 9-1)
20 9-1. Recording of Vetoes. Upon the receipt by the
21 Senate of any bill returned by the Governor under any of the
22 provisions of Article IV, Section 9 of the Constitution, the
23 Secretary shall enter the objections of the Governor on the
24 Journal, and shall distribute copies of all veto messages to
25 each member's desk, together with copies of the vetoed bill
26 or item, as soon as practicable.
27 (Senate Rule 9-2)
28 9-2. Amendatory Vetoes.
29 (a) The Governor's specific recommendations for change
30 with respect to a bill returned under subsection (e) of
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1 Section 9 of Article IV of the Illinois Constitution shall be
2 limited to addressing the Governor's objections to portions
3 of a bill, the general merit of which the Governor
4 recognizes, and shall not alter the fundamental purpose or
5 legislative scheme set forth in the bill as passed.
6 (b) Any motion to accept the Governor's specific
7 recommendations for change shall automatically be referred to
8 the Rules Committee. The Rules Committee shall examine the
9 Governor's specific recommendations for change and determine
10 by a majority of the members appointed whether those
11 recommendations comply with the standard set forth in
12 subsection (a). Any motion to accept specific
13 recommendations for change that the Rules Committee
14 determines shall be in compliance with subsection (a) of this
15 Rule are subject to action by the Rules Committee in the same
16 manner as floor amendments, joint action motions, and
17 conference committee reports under Rule 3-8(b).
18 (c) This Rule may not be suspended.
19 (Senate Rule 9-3)
20 9-3. Motions to Consider Vetoes. For purposes of this
21 Article, the term "motions" shall mean those motions to
22 accept or override a veto of the Governor. Motions with
23 respect to bills returned by the Governor may be made by the
24 principal sponsor, the committee chairperson in the case of a
25 committee bill, or by any member who voted on the prevailing
26 side on the vote on final passage of the bill in question.
27 Every motion shall be filed in writing with the Secretary,
28 prior to any consideration thereof by the Senate. If more
29 than one motion is filed with respect to any bill, all such
30 motions shall be heard at the time the bill is called;
31 however, after such a motion is adopted, no other motion on
32 that veto may be considered. The motion of the principal
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1 sponsor or chairperson, in the case of committee bills, shall
2 be considered first and all other motions considered in the
3 order filed. If the principal sponsor does not call a bill
4 within eight calendar days after the Governor's objections to
5 the bill are entered in the Journal, thereafter any person
6 filing such a motion may call the bill.
7 (Senate Rule 9-4)
8 9-4. Consideration of Motions.
9 (a) The vote to override a bill vetoed in its entirety
10 shall be by roll call vote and shall be entered on the
11 Journal. The form of motion with respect to such bills shall
12 be: "I move that ______ Bill _____ do pass, notwithstanding
13 the veto of the Governor."
14 (b) The vote to override an item veto shall be by roll
15 call vote as to each item separately and shall be entered on
16 the Journal. The form of motion with respect to such item
17 shall be: "I move that the item on page _____, line _____,
18 of _____ Bill ______ do pass, notwithstanding the item veto
19 of the Governor."
20 (c) The vote to restore an item which has been reduced
21 shall be by roll call vote as to each item separately and
22 shall be entered on the Journal. The form of motion with
23 respect to such items shall be: "I move the item on page
24 _____, line _____, of _____ Bill ______ be restored,
25 notwithstanding the item reduction of the Governor."
26 (d) A bill returned together with specific
27 recommendations of the Governor may be acted upon in either
28 of the following manners:
29 (1) By a motion to accept the specific recommendations
30 of the Governor. The form of motion in this event
31 shall be: "I move to accept the specific
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1 recommendations of the Governor as to _____ Bill
2 _____ in manner and form as follows: (inserting
3 herein the language deemed necessary to effectuate
4 the specific recommendations)"; or
5 (2) By considering the bill as a vetoed bill and
6 overriding the recommendation and passing the bill
7 in its original form. The form of motion in this
8 event shall be: "I move that _____ Bill _____ do
9 pass, notwithstanding the specific recommendations
10 of the Governor."
11 (Senate Rule 9-5)
12 9-5. Vetoed Bills Considered in Entirety. If a bill is
13 returned by the Governor containing more than one veto,
14 reduction, specific recommendation, or combination thereof,
15 the bill shall be acted upon in its entirety before the bill
16 is released from the custody of the Senate.
17 (Senate Rule 9-6)
18 9-6. Disposition of Vetoes. When a bill or item has
19 received the affirmative vote of at least three-fifths of the
20 members elected (as to overrides of outright vetoes, item
21 vetoes, and specific recommendations for change) or the
22 affirmative vote of at least a majority of those elected (as
23 to overrides of reductions or acceptances of specific
24 recommendations for change), the Presiding Officer shall
25 declare that the bill or item has been passed or restored
26 over the veto of the Governor, or that the specific
27 recommendations for change have been approved, as the case
28 may be. The bill shall then be so certified by the Secretary
29 who shall note thereon the day the bill passed. The bill and
30 the objections of the Governor thereto shall then be
31 immediately delivered to the House. When specific
32 recommendations have been accepted, then such accepting
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1 language shall be attached to the original bill and the bill
2 shall be delivered to the House.
3 ARTICLE X
4 NOMINATIONS
5 (Senate Rule 10-1)
6 10-1. Nominations.
7 (a) Every nomination subject to confirmation by the
8 Senate shall be referred to the Executive Appointments
9 Committee in accordance with Rule 3-6; nominations may also
10 be considered by other committees in accordance with these
11 Senate Rules. Each nominee shall be required to appear in
12 person before that meeting of a committee convened for the
13 purpose of considering the qualifications of the person for
14 the office to which he or she has been nominated. The
15 appearance of the nominee may be waived by the committee by a
16 vote of a majority of those appointed.
17 (b) The Executive Appointments Committee shall, six days
18 prior to any of its meetings, post a notice on the Senate
19 bulletin board indicating the nominees to be considered at
20 its next meeting and the time, date, and place of the
21 meeting. The Chairperson of the committee shall provide a
22 copy of the notice to the Governor's Office of Legislative
23 Affairs, which shall be responsible for notifying each
24 nominee scheduled to be considered of the date, time, and
25 place of hearing.
26 (c) On considering the report of the Executive
27 Appointments Committee on a nomination, the Presiding
28 Officer shall put the following question: "Does the Senate
29 advise and consent to the nomination just made?" Whenever a
30 group of nominees has been submitted together, five or more
31 members may request the question be put and the vote
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1 separately taken upon each of the individuals in that group.
2 The Senate may determine, by a majority vote of those
3 elected, after having voted upon the question of one or more
4 of the nominees individually, to act upon the question of the
5 remaining nominees in that group as a unit.
6 (d) While any nomination remains with the Senate, it is
7 in order to reconsider any vote taken thereon, subject to the
8 provisions of Rule 7-15 not related to the time for making
9 such a motion.
10 ARTICLE XI
11 DISCIPLINE AND PROTEST
12 (Senate Rule 11-1)
13 11-1. Disorderly Behavior.
14 (a) In accordance with Article IV, Section 6(d) of the
15 Constitution, the Senate may punish any of its members for
16 disorderly behavior and, with the concurrence of two-thirds
17 of the members elected, expel a Senator (but not for a second
18 time for the same cause). The reason for the expulsion shall
19 be entered upon the Journal with the names and votes of those
20 Senators voting on the question.
21 (b) In accordance with Article IV, Section 6(d) of the
22 Constitution, the Senate during its session may punish by
23 imprisonment any person other than a Senator guilty of
24 disrespect of the Senate by disorderly or contemptuous
25 behavior in its presence. The imprisonment shall not extend
26 beyond 24 hours at one time unless the person persists in
27 disorderly or contemptuous behavior.
28 (Senate Rule 11-2)
29 11-2. Protest. Any two Senators shall have the right to
30 dissent and protest, in respectful language, against any act
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1 or resolution that they may think injurious to the public or
2 to any individual, and have the reason of their protest
3 entered upon the Journal. When by motion a majority of
4 Senators determine that the language of a protest is not
5 respectful, the protest shall be referred back to the
6 protesting Senators.
7 ARTICLE XII
8 FORCE AND EFFECT
9 (Senate Rule 12-1)
10 12-1. Applicability. The meetings and actions of the
11 Senate, including all of its committees, shall be governed by
12 these Senate Rules.
13 (Senate Rule 12-2)
14 12-2. Robert's Rules. The rules of parliamentary
15 practice appearing in the 10th edition of Robert's Rules of
16 Order shall govern the Senate in all cases to which they are
17 applicable, providing that they are not inconsistent with
18 these Senate Rules.
19 (Senate Rule 12-3)
20 12-3. Certification by President. With respect to any
21 bill that has been passed by the Senate and has been
22 certified by the President in accordance with Article IV,
23 Section 8(d) of the Constitution, there shall be an
24 irrebuttable presumption that all of these Senate Rules have
25 been fully complied with in obtaining such passage.
26 (Senate Rule 12-4)
27 12-4. Effective Date. These Rules shall be in full
28 force and effect upon their adoption, and shall remain in
29 full force and effect except as amended in accordance with
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1 these Senate Rules, or until superseded by new Rules adopted
2 as part of the organization of a newly constituted General
3 Assembly at the commencement of a term.