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05 LC 14 8970

Senate Resolution 2

By: Senators Johnson of the 1st, Stephens of the 27th and Balfour of the 9th

ADOPTED SENATE

A RESOLUTION

Adopting the Rules of the Senate; and for other purposes.

BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE that the following, upon adoption of this resolution, shall constitute the rules of the Senate for the regular 2005 session and for the duration of this General Assembly:

RULES OF THE SENATE

SECTION ONE
OFFICERS, SENATORS, EMPLOYEES, AND ETHICS

PART 1: OFFICERS OF THE SENATE

1-1.1 President of the Senate

(a) There shall be a Lieutenant Governor, who shall be elected at the same time, for the same term, and in the same manner as the Governor. The Lieutenant Governor shall be the President of the Senate and shall have such executive duties as prescribed by the Governor and as may be prescribed by law not inconsistent with the powers of the Governor or other provisions of this Constitution. The compensation and allowances of the Lieutenant Governor shall be as provided by law. (Ga. Const., art. V, sec. I, par. III.)

(b) The Lieutenant Governor shall, before entering on the duties of office, take an oath or affirmation as prescribed by law.(Ga. Const. art. V. sec I, par VI).

(c) The presiding officer of the Senate shall be called the "President of the Senate". (Ga. Const., art. III, sec. III, par. I.)

(d) As used in these Rules, the term "President of the Senate" refers solely to the Lieutenant Governor and "President" refers to the Lieutenant Governor, the President Pro Tempore, or any other Senator who is presiding over the Senate.

(e) All Acts and resolutions shall be signed by the President of the Senate and Secretary of the Senate and all writs, warrants, and subpoenas issued by order of the Senate shall be signed by the President of the Senate and attested by the Secretary of the Senate.

(f) All Acts shall be signed by the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives. (Ga. Const., art. III, sec. V, par. X.)

1-1.2 President Pro Tempore

(a) A President Pro Tempore shall be elected by the Senate from among its members by a majority of the Senators voting, provided the total vote constitutes a quorum. The President Pro Tempore shall act as President in case of the temporary disability of the President of the Senate. In case of the death, resignation, or permanent disability of the President of the Senate or in the event of the succession of the President of the Senate to the executive power, the President Pro Tempore shall become President of the Senate and shall receive the same compensation and allowances as the Speaker of the House of Representatives. The General Assembly shall provide by law for the method of determining disability as provided in this Paragraph. (Ga. Const., art. III, sec. III, par. I.)

(b) Whenever from any cause the President of the Senate shall be absent, the President Pro Tempore shall preside. If both shall be absent, the Secretary of the Senate shall call the Senate to order and shall preside until the election of an acting presiding officer, which said election shall be the first business of the Senate. The acting presiding officer shall preside until the return of one of the first named officers, at which time his or her functions shall cease.

(c) The President of the Senate may, during a day's session, name the President Pro Tempore or the designee of the President Pro Tempore to perform the duties of the Chair during any part of that day, but no longer.

(d) While presiding, or in the absence of the President of the Senate, the President Pro Tempore shall have the same powers and duties as the President of the Senate. (O.C.G.A. 28-1-6)

(e) The President Pro Tempore shall serve as Parliamentarian of the Senate.

1-1.3 Voting Rights of a Senator when Presiding

When the President Pro Tempore or any other Senator is presiding, he or she shall not vote unless the Senate shall be equally divided, or unless his or her vote, if given to the minority, will make the division equal. The presiding Senator shall vote in all elections. In all cases where a fixed constitutional vote is required to pass a bill or measure under consideration, and said bill or measure shall lack only one vote to pass the same, the presiding Senator shall vote, and his or her vote shall be counted the same as that of any other member.

1-1.4 Caucus Officers

The Majority Party may, by caucus, elect a Majority Leader and a Majority Whip, whose names shall be certified to the Secretary of the Senate. The Minority Party may, by caucus, elect a Minority Leader and a Minority Whip, whose names shall be certified to the Secretary of the Senate.

1-1.5 Secretary of the Senate

(a) There shall be a Secretary of the Senate elected by the members of the Senate by recorded vote, and a majority of votes cast is necessary to elect. The term of office shall be the time for which the members of the Senate are elected and until their successors are elected. (O.C.G.A. 28-3-20) (Ga. Const. art. III, sec. III, par. III)

(b) The Secretary of the Senate, before entering on the discharge of his or her duties, shall take an oath before the presiding officer of the Senate to discharge his or her duties faithfully and to the best of his or her skill and knowledge. Said oath should be entered in the Journal of the Senate. (O.C.G.A. 28-3-25)

(c) The Senate shall be organized by the Secretary of the Senate who shall be the ex-officio presiding officer until a presiding officer is elected. No question except one relating to the organization shall be entertained by such officer; and, in deciding such question, he or she shall be governed, as far as practicable, by the standing rules of the Senate. In the absence of such officer, his or her assistant may officiate. In the absence of both, the Senate may appoint a chairman whose powers and duties shall be the same as those of the Secretary.(O.C.G.A. 28-1-3)

(d) Immediately after his or her election, the Secretary of the Senate shall give bond and security in the sum of $5,000, payable to the Governor and his or her successors in office, and conditioned for the faithful discharge of his or her respective duties. The bonds shall be approved by the President of the Senate. (O.C.G.A. 28-3-21)

1-1.6 Sergeant at Arms

(a) The Senate is entitled to a Sergeant at Arms who shall perform such duties as may be required of him or her, who shall be elected by the Senate and a majority of votes cast is necessary to elect. He or she shall be compensated as provided by resolution of the Senate. (O.C.G.A. 28-3-1)

(b) It shall be the duty of the Sergeant at Arms to attend to the wants of the Senate while in session, to aid in the enforcement of order under the direction of the President and the Decorum Committee, to supervise the doorkeepers, and to execute the demands of the Senate from time to time, together with all such processes, issued under its authority, as may be directed to him or her.

(c) The President Pro Tempore shall have power to suspend the Sergeant at Arms for misconduct or neglect of duty. He or she shall report any such suspension to the Senate on its next regular business day thereafter for such action as the Senate may see fit to take.

PART 2: SENATORS

1-2.1 Oath of Office

(a) In addition to any other oath prescribed by law, each Senator, before taking the seat to which elected, shall take the following oath: "I do hereby solemnly swear or affirm that I will support the Constitution of this state and of the United States and, on all questions and measures which may come before me, I will so conduct myself, as will, in my judgment, be most conducive to the interests and prosperity of this state." (O.C.G.A. 28-1-4a.)

(b) In addition, each Senator shall swear that he or she:

(i) is not the holder of any unaccounted for public money due this state or any political subdivision or authority;

(ii) is not the holder of any office of trust under the government of the United States, any other state, or any foreign state which he or she is by the laws of the State of Georgia prohibited from holding;

(iii) is otherwise qualified to hold said office according to the Constitution and laws of Georgia;

(iv) will support the Constitution of the United States and of this state; and

(v) has been a resident of his or her district for the amount of time established by law or Constitution. (O.C.G.A. 45-3-1)

(c) The oath of office may be administered to the members of the General Assembly by any Justice of the Supreme Court, Judge of the Court of Appeals, Judge of the superior courts, or judge of the state courts. Such Justice or Judge shall be procured by the person organizing each branch. (O.C.G.A. 28-1-4b.)

1-2.2 Excused Absence

(a) A motion to excuse a Senator from voting must be made before the Senate divides, or before the roll call is commenced, and it shall be decided without debate, except that the Senator making the motion must briefly state the reason why, in his or her opinion, it should prevail.

(b) All Senate Conference Committee members shall be excused from voting during meetings of the Conference Committee. The excuse shall be entered in the Journal if the Conference Committee member notifies the Secretary of the actual time of the meeting before leaving and after returning to the Chamber.

1-2.3 Seating in the Senate Chamber

(a) Senators elected to the following offices shall choose their Senate seats in the order listed below:

President Pro Tempore

Majority Leader

Minority Leader

All Senators who have more than 20 years of continuous service in the Senate shall select their seat in the order of seniority.

Majority Whip

Minority Whip

Administration Floor Leader

Chairman of the Rules Committee

(b) All other Senators shall be seated by district number in ascending numerical order commencing with the lowest permanently numbered available seat.

(c) Only on the first day of the first regular session of a General Assembly and at no other time, any two members may, by mutual agreement communicated in writing to the Secretary of the Senate, exchange with each other the seats which would otherwise be assigned to them under this rule.

1-2.4 Travel and Reimbursement

(a) No member of the Senate shall engage in any travel at State expense outside the State of Georgia unless such travel is first approved in writing by the Committee on Administrative Affairs. The person requesting such approval shall state in writing the places to be visited, the dates, and the purposes, which shall be directly relevant to legislative duties.

(b) Prior to any disbursement by the Legislative Fiscal Officer, there shall be on file with said Fiscal Officer a copy of the approval by the Senate Administrative Affairs Committee, and the person requesting reimbursement shall submit an itemized listing of all expenses claimed hereunder.

PART 3: EMPLOYEES OF THE SENATE

1-3.1 Compensation for Employees

All officers and employees of the Senate shall be paid for their services by the Legislative Fiscal Officer from funds appropriated to the General Assembly. (O.C.G.A. 28-4-6)

1-3.2 Travel and Reimbursement

(a) No Senate staff member shall engage in any travel at State expense outside the State of Georgia unless such travel is first approved in writing by the Committee on Administrative Affairs. The person requesting such approval shall state in writing the places to be visited, the dates, and the purposes, which shall be directly relevant to official duties.

(b) Prior to any disbursement by the Legislative Fiscal Officer, there shall be on file with said Fiscal Officer documentation of the approval by the Committee on Administrative Affairs of all out-of-state travel reimbursement requests, submitted by the Secretary of the Senate or the directors of the Senate Research, Information, and Budget offices, and the person requesting reimbursement shall submit an itemized listing of all expenses claimed hereunder.

1-3.3 Conflicts of Interest

A person shall not be paid for services rendered to the Senate in any capacity while such person is drawing any salary, wages, or other compensation from any other Department of the State.

PART 4: CONDUCT AND ETHICS

1-4.1 Personal Financial Gain

(a) Senators and Senate staff shall refrain from using government positions to attain personal financial gain.

(b) Senators and staff shall not use public resources or personnel for the purpose of conducting personal or private business activity. Ordinary and necessary communications which Senators and staff must conduct with their homes and business interests while serving in their public capacities are permitted.

(c) Senators shall not seek, accept, use, allocate, grant, or award public funds for any purpose other than as approved by law.

(d) No Senator shall vote upon any question if the Senator or any member of the Senatoŕs immediate family has a direct pecuniary interest in the result of such vote which interest is distinct, unique or peculiar to the Senator or the Senatoŕs immediate family.

1-4.2 Campaign Contributions

(a) No Senator or staff shall solicit a campaign contribution in a state office building. Senators shall not operate political campaigns or operate political fund raising campaigns from state office buildings which have not been leased or rented for such purposes.

(b) Senators shall not agree to, or threaten to withhold, political action or constituent services as a result of a person's decision to provide or not to provide a political contribution, charitable contribution, or support.

1-4.3 Conflicts of Interest

(a) Senators and staff shall avoid financial conflicts of interest and close economic associations where official action or decisions are motivated not by public duty but by economic self-interest or association. "Financial conflicts of interest and close economic associations" are defined as those financial interests or interests arising from close economic associations with other persons or entities which are so material, direct, distinct, unique, and peculiar to the Senator or staff that it might reasonably be expected that impartial official judgment could not be exercised.

(b) No Senator or staff shall seek, accept, or retain employment which: makes it unreasonably difficult to fulfill legislative obligations; requires the disclosure or use of nonpublic or confidential information acquired in the course of legislative service; requires improper use of government relationships or the prestige associated with legislative offices; or will require the Senator or staff to compromise any other ethical or legal duty.

1-4.4 Special Treatment; Acceptance of Things of Value

(a) No Senator or staff, acting as an attorney or representative of another, shall seek or accept any special treatment not otherwise approved by law or judicial order because of his or her legislative role.

(b) No Senator or staff shall accept anything of value when such thing of value is offered with the understanding that official action will be taken or withheld by a Senator or staff in consideration of acceptance of that which is offered. Any offer made which is conditioned upon the taking or withholding of official action shall immediately be reported in writing to the Chairman of the Ethics Committee. (O.C.G.A. 16-10-2)

1-4.5 Crimes of Moral Turpitude and Controlled Substances

No Senator or staff shall knowingly commit any crime involving moral turpitude or knowingly possess, use, manufacture, or distribute any controlled substance, dangerous drug, marijuana, or alcoholic beverage in violation of any state or federal law or any county or municipal ordinance. Conviction of any such crime, the acceptance of a plea of guilty or nolo contendere to any such crime, or imposition of payment of a criminal or administrative penalty for any such crime shall constitute a violation of this rule.

1-4.6 Sexual Harassment

(a) The Senate is committed to providing a healthy and appropriate work environment for legislators, legislative employees, interns, aides, and other state employees which is free from sexual harassment. Sexual harassment in any manner will not be tolerated.

(b) Senators and staff are expected to discourage sexual harassment in the workplace and at events, professional meetings, seminars or any activities that involve legislative business.

(i) verbal abuse of a sexual nature,

(ii) graphic verbal comments about a persońs body,

(iii) physical touching of a sexual nature,

(iv) sexual advances and propositions,

(v) sexually degrading words used to describe an individual,

(vi) display in the work place of any sexually suggestive object or picture, and

(vii) any threat or insinuation, either explicitly or implicitly, that a persońs refusal to submit to a sexual advance will adversely affect that persońs employment, evaluation, wages, duties, work shifts, or any other condition of employment or career advancement.

(d) The provisions of this rule apply to Senators, Senate staff, and Senate aides, interns, and volunteers.

(e) Complaints may be brought against Senators, Senate staff, and Senate aides, interns, and volunteers under the provisions of Rule 1-4.11. Senators, Senate staff, and Senate aides, interns and volunteers will be subject to sanctions proportionate to the seriousness of the offense. A supervisor who does not take appropriate action when the supervisor knows or has reason to suspect that harassment is occurring is also subject to sanctions proportionate to the seriousness of the offense.

1-4.7 Discriminatory Harassment

(a) The Senate is committed to providing a working environment free from discriminatory harassment and intimidation of any kind, including harassment or discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, age, veteran status, disability or gender. Discriminatory harassment includes any verbal or other conduct which disparages any individual or group and which creates an offensive, intimidating, or hostile working environment.

(b) All forms of discriminatory harassment are prohibited, whether in the form of pictures, cartoons, teasing, jokes, e-mail, epithets, slurs, negative stereotyping, name-calling, offensive gestures, or threatening, intimidating or hostile acts.

(d) Complaints may be brought against Senators, Senate staff, and Senate aides, interns, and volunteers under the provisions of Rule 1-4.11. Senators, Senate staff, and Senate aides, interns and volunteers will be subject to sanctions proportionate to the seriousness of the offense. A supervisor who does not take appropriate action when the supervisor knows or has reason to suspect that harassment is occurring is also subject to sanctions proportionate to the seriousness of the offense.

1-4.8 Standard of Conduct

All contact with constituents, staff, lobbyists, representatives of the media, and others interested or involved in the process of government shall be conducted in a courteous, professional, and discreet manner.

1-4.9 Circumvention of Rules

No Senator or staff shall knowingly circumvent the clear purpose or intent of laws or any Senate Rule.

1-4.10 Opinions and Advice Regarding the Senate Rules

A Senator or staff member may request in writing the opinion or advice of the Committee on Ethics with regard to interpretation of any section of Part Four of Section One. The Committee on Ethics shall expeditiously respond in writing to such request. All requests for opinions or advice or any opinion or advice given shall be confidential.

1-4.11 Ethics Complaints

(a) A complaint shall be initiated by the filing of a statement alleging a violation of any section of Part Four of Section One of these Rules with the Secretary of the Senate. If a person who is directly supervised by the Secretary of the Senate has a complaint against the Secretary of the Senate, then such complaint may be filed with the President Pro Tempore. A complaint may be brought only by any Senator or staff or others who are directly involved in legislative activity or business. The complaint shall specifically describe the nature of the alleged violation and the party or parties involved and shall be signed by the complainant and verified under oath. The Secretary of the Senate, or the President Pro Tempore, shall promptly refer the complaint to the Chairman of the Committee on Ethics, who shall schedule a meeting of the Committee to investigate the complaint utilizing in-house staff and counsel and investigators as the Committee deems necessary. If the Chairman of the Committee on Ethics is the subject of the complaint, then the Chairman shall recuse himself or herself and such proceedings of the Committee regarding such complaint shall be overseen in their entirety by the Vice-Chairman of the Committee. The Committee shall promptly serve the named respondent with a copy of the complaint. Service of such complaint shall be by personal service or by certified mail, return receipt requested.

(b) The Committee may also initiate an investigation on its own initiative by majority vote. Within a reasonable time following the Committee's initiation of such investigation, however, a majority of the Committee shall sign a complaint that specifically describes the nature of the alleged violation and the party or parties involved. The Committee shall promptly serve the named respondent with a copy of the complaint and service of such complaint shall be by personal service or by certified mail, return receipt requested.

(c) Any complaint brought by or before the Committee shall remain confidential until the Committee has determined that substantial cause exists that a violation occurred. If the Committee determines that substantial cause does not exist that a violation occurred, the complaint shall remain confidential.

(d) Upon completion of an investigation, the individuals conducting the investigation shall prepare a written report detailing the investigation findings and shall present such report to the members of the Committee. If the Committee does not find that evidence exists to provide substantial cause to determine that a violation has occurred, it shall dismiss the complaint with notice to the complaining party and the respondent. If the Committee finds substantial cause to determine that a violation has occurred, the Committee may negotiate a settlement with the respondent or set the matter for a hearing.

(e) Any settlement shall be a matter of public record and shall be filed with the Secretary of the Senate. If no settlement is reached, the Committee will hold open hearings, taking any relevant evidence that addresses the charges. The Committee may require the attendance and testimony of witnesses and the production of materials which the Committee deems advisable and may administer oaths and affirmations. The respondent shall receive reasonable notice of any hearing and shall be entitled to receive within a reasonable time before the hearing copies of all material before the Committee that is not otherwise exempt from disclosure under the Georgia Open Records Law; to secure counsel of his or her choosing; and to examine any witnesses who may be called by the Committee to appear at any hearing. The respondent shall also have the right to call witnesses and present evidence at any hearing. The Committee shall assure that all hearings are recorded. The Committee shall have the burden of proof. Both the Committee and the respondent shall be entitled to rebuttal. Upon completion of such hearing, the Committee shall issue a report of its findings and recommendations of action. The report and recommended action shall be a matter of public record and shall be filed with the Secretary of the Senate.

(f) The Committee on Ethics must find "clear and convincing evidence" in order to conclude that a violation of Part Four of Section One of these Rules has occurred.

(g) If the Committee on Ethics finds a Senator in violation of Part Four of Section One of these Rules, it may recommend a sanction or penalty including a letter of reprimand, to the Senate. The Senate may independently initiate action against a Senator pursuant to the Georgia Constitution, art. III, sec. IV, par VII.

(h) If the Committee on Ethics finds a Senate staff member, aide, intern or volunteer in violation of Part Four of Section One of these Rules, it may recommend a sanction or penalty, up to and including dismissal, to the Administrative Affairs Committee. The Administrative Affairs Committee may implement the recommendation of the Committee on Ethics or take alternate action, including dismissing the complaint, issuing a lesser penalty or issuing a harsher penalty than that recommended by the Committee on Ethics.

(i) Persons who report to the Committee on Ethics regarding an alleged violation of Part Four of Section One of these Rules, or any other government entity regarding such violation, shall not subjected to reprisal, retaliation, harassment, discrimination, or ridicule by Senators or staff, nor shall the confidentiality provisions contained herein be abridged.

1-4.12 Distribution of Rules; Educational Seminars

The Secretary of the Senate shall distribute a copy of Senate Rules to all Senators and staff. The Committee on Ethics shall, when deemed appropriate, conduct seminars or other educational programs designed to inform Senators, staff, or other interested parties of the provisions of these Rules, especially Part Four of Section One, as well as statutes relating to ethical standards and conduct, sexual harassment, and discrimination.

Part 5: Public Meetings

1-5.1 Open meetings

(a) All sessions of the Senate and all meetings of Senate committees shall be open to the public, except by a majority vote of a quorum of a committee or subcommittee, a meeting may be closed to the public when the committee or subcommittee is

(1) discussing the future acquisition of real estate,

(2) discussing the appointment, employment, or dismissal of a public officer or employee or disciplinary action against such officer or employee, or

(3) hearing complaints or charges brought against public officer or employee, unless the officer or employee requests that the meeting be open to the public.

(b) All meetings of the Committee on Assignments and the Committee on Administrative Affairs shall be closed to the public.

(c) All meetings of Committees of Conference shall be open to the public. The Conference Committee may establish rules for the conduct of its meetings not in conflict with the provisions of this rule.

SECTION TWO
COMMITTEES

Part 1: Committees--Organization, Duties, and Responsibilities

2-1.1 Committee on Assignments

(a) The Committee on Assignments shall be composed of the President Pro Tempore, the President of the Senate, and the Majority Leader. The President Pro Tempore shall serve as Chair of the committee. Actions of this committee shall be reported to the Senate by the President Pro Tempore as necessary. The meetings of this committee shall be closed to the public.

(b) All committees, officers of committees and subcommittees, and members of committees shall be appointed by the Committee on Assignments, provided that the chairperson of a standing committee may appoint subcommittees in cases not provided by the Committee on Assignments.

2-1.2 Committee on Administrative Affairs

There shall be a Committee on Administrative Affairs composed of the President Pro Tempore, the Majority Leader, the Minority Leader, the Secretary of the Senate, the Chairman of the Committee on Rules, and two members of the Senate appointed by the President Pro Tempore. This Committee shall have the responsibility of employing, supervising, disciplining, and setting the compensation of all aides, secretaries and other personnel for the Senate, including the Senate Budget, Senate Information and Senate Research offices. The Committee shall supervise the purchase and allotment of supplies for the Senate. This Committee shall also supervise and approve all out-of-state travel of members of the Senate and staff.

2-1.3 Standing Committees; Number of Members

(a) The Committee on Assignments shall appoint standing committees and the maximum number of Senators which may serve on that committee as follows:

AGRICULTURE AND CONSUMER AFFAIRS - 8

APPROPRIATIONS - 26

BANKING AND FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS - 9

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT - 11

EDUCATION AND YOUTH - 9

ETHICS - 12

FINANCE - 10

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES - 11

HIGHER EDUCATION - 8

INSURANCE AND LABOR - 10

INTERSTATE COOPERATION - 5

JUDICIARY - 11

NATURAL RESOURCES AND THE ENVIRONMENT - 12

PUBLIC SAFETY AND HOMELAND SECURITY - 8

REAPPORTIONMENT AND REDISTRICTING - 13

REGULATED INDUSTRIES AND UTILITIES - 11

RETIREMENT - 7

RULES - 12

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY - 8

SPECIAL JUDICIARY - 7

STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTAL OPERATIONS - 8

STATE INSTITUTIONS AND PROPERTY - 9

TRANSPORTATION - 13

VETERANS AND MILITARY AFFAIRS - 9

(b) The above limitations shall not apply when the Committee on Assignments appoints a Senator to committees if that Senator was duly elected in a special election.

2-1.4 Subcommittees

The Committee on Assignments may create, in its discretion, within any standing committee, a subcommittee or subcommittees and appoint the membership and officers thereof. Nothing herein contained shall be construed to limit the authority of the standing committees or the officers thereof.

2-1.5 Committee Powers and Responsibilities

(a) A committee may act upon a bill, resolution, or other matter when the Senate is in session or during a recess or adjournment after the opening day of a regular session and prior to the last day of that session. When a committee so acts during a day of recess or adjournment, the Secretary of the Senate may accept the report of the committee on such day, and the committee report shall be received and read by the Senate on the next day when the Senate is in session. A standing committee may not take official action after the adjournment sine die of a session and prior to the convening of the next session.

(b) No bill shall be reported to the Senate until it has been acted upon by the full standing committee, and all actions of any subcommittee shall be approved or disapproved by the standing committee.

(c) A committee cannot circumvent the provisions of the rules governing committees by suspending any rule or part thereof.

(d) Committees may establish rules of operation that are not in conflict with Senate Rules or the most current edition of Masońs Manual of Legislative Procedure.

2-1.6 Committee Reports

(a) All reports of a committee shall be in writing, and the minority of a committee, signed by any member, may make a report in writing, setting forth succinctly the reasons for their dissent.

(b) If the report of a committee is favorable to the passage of a General bill or resolution, the same shall be given a second reading without question, and any Local bill or resolution shall be placed on the Local Consent Calendar.

2-1.7 Committee Meetings

(a) In order to secure adequate quorums, standing committees shall meet at a time and place scheduled and designated by the Secretary of the Senate and approved by the Committee on Administrative Affairs; a list of the committee meetings, stating their time and location, shall be posted by 10:00 a.m. on the Friday preceding the week of the scheduled meetings. A Chairman may request in writing directed to the Secretary of the Senate additional meetings if the request is made no later than twenty-four (24) hours prior to the scheduled meeting. A Chairman may cancel a meeting by notifying the Secretary of the Senate in writing no later than twenty-four (24) hours prior to the scheduled meeting. However, if no agenda for the meeting has been posted or distributed, the meeting may be canceled by notifying the Secretary of the Senate in writing one (1) hour prior to the meeting; the request will be immediately adjudicated. There shall be no standing committee meetings in the Senate Chamber except a scheduled public hearing.

(b) The Committee on Assignments and the Committee on Administrative Affairs shall be exempt from the requirements of paragraph (a). The Committee on Rules shall also be exempt from the requirements of paragraph (a) except for meetings where the Committee on Rules is discussing legislation or other legislative matters referred to it directly by the President Pro Tempore.

(c) No standing or interim committee or subcommittee of the Senate shall officially meet at any place within the State where any citizen of the State is denied admittance on the basis of religion, race, creed, nationality, or sex or on property belonging to any private club, organization, or association in which any citizen is denied membership on the basis of religion, race, creed, nationality, or sex; except a correctional facility may be exempt if security requirements demand.

(d) The chair of each standing committee or subcommittee shall arrange to have minutes kept of the meetings of the committee or subcommittee and shall see that proceedings of all meetings are reduced to writing. This record shall show:

(i) the time and place of each meeting of the committee,

(ii) the attendance of the committee members,

(iii) an accurate record of all votes taken,

(iv) the number of all bills acted upon,

(v) all motions and results,

(vi) any appearances by any persons other than members of the committee,

(vii) the date and time the committee convened and adjourned, and

(viii) such additional information as the committee shall determine.

Committee minutes shall be subject to correction only if authorized by a majority vote of the committee.

(e) All committee reports shall be prepared under the direction of the Chairman and no committee report shall be offered unless signed by the Chairman of the committee or the person acting as Chairman when the bill was voted upon.

(f) Any member may file a statement from the Chairman of a committee whose meeting he or she (the committee member) is attending to be included in the roll call portion of the minutes of any other committee meeting held at an overlapping time that he or she was absent because he or she was attending another standing committee meeting of which he or she is a member.

2-1.8 Committee Quorum

Each standing committee at its first organizational meeting for the term shall set the number of members required for a quorum; however, the quorum shall not be set at less than a majority of the membership of the committee. Ex-officio members shall not be counted in setting the number of members required for a quorum for any committee but shall count as a voting member for purposes of establishing a quorum at any given meeting.

2-1.9 Attendance and Testimony by Sponsor of Bill

The committee shall not vote on any bill until the author or his or her designee has been given the opportunity to appear and be heard. Each committee shall provide in writing the details for carrying out the provisions of this paragraph.

2-1.1 Rules Committee; Calendar; Special Rules

(a) The Committee on Rules shall arrange and fix the calendar for each daýs business for the last 35 days of each regular session of the General Assembly. The Committee shall post the calendar as soon as practicable following the setting of the calendar.

(b) The Committee on Rules may refer any bill or resolution before it back to the committee which has reported out such bill or resolution or to any other committee selected by the Committee on Rules.

PART 2: COMMITTEE OFFICERS

2-2.1 Appointment of Chair, Vice-Chair and Secretary

The Committee on Assignments shall appoint as officers a Chairman, a Vice-chairman, and a Secretary for all standing committees and a Chairman of standing subcommittees. The Committee on Assignments may remove a Senator from any appointed Committee officer position at any time for any reason.

2-2.2 Chair, Vice-Chair; Vote

The Chairman or the Senator presiding in the place of the Chairman shall not vote unless the committee shall be equally divided or unless his or her vote if given in the minority will make the division equal. In case the vote is equally divided, the Chairman or the Senator acting in his or her place must vote.

2-2.3 Powers of the Chair

The principal duties of the Chair of a committee are:

(i) To call the committee to order at the time provided by these Rules;

(ii) To preside over meetings of the committee and recognize members and speakers;

(iii) To preserve order and decorum and to have general control of the committee room;

(iv) To prepare or supervise the preparation of reports of the committee;

(v) To decide all questions of order.

2-2.4 Vice-Chaiŕs Duties

A Vice-Chairman may preside in the absence of the Chairman if the Chairman is incapacitated and the Vice-Chairman is directed to preside by the Secretary of the Senate or if he or she is directed by the Chairman to preside. The presiding officer of the committee shall be recorded in the Committee Report.

PART 3: COMMITTEE MEMBERS

2-3.1 Membership

(a) Each Senator shall be appointed to serve on four committees provided for in this Rule. Membership on the Committee on Assignments or the Committee on Administrative Affairs shall not count as one of the four committees. Membership on the Committee on Ethics and the Committee on Reapportionment and Redistricting shall not count as one of the four committees, except that the Chairmen of these two committees shall count the committee as one of his or her four committees.

(b) After the public announcement of the standing committees and subcommittees, no other Senators shall be placed thereon; except when Senators have been elected to fill vacancies caused by death or resignation from the Senate.

(c) Once a Senator is appointed to a standing committee, except for the Committee on Rules, he or she shall not be removed from that committee during that term of office to which he or she was most recently elected unless removed by the Committee on Assignments pursuant to Rule 2-3.3. Members of the Committee on Rules may be removed at any time for any reason by the Committee on Assignments.

2-3.2 Ex-officio Members

(a) In addition to the members otherwise provided for on any committee, the Committee on Assignments may add one or more ex-officio members to any committee. The limitations provided by Rules 2-1.3 and 2-3.1 shall not apply with respect to such ex-officio memberships.

(b) Ex-officio members may be removed from a standing committee at any time for any reason by the Committee on Assignments.

2-3.3 Attendance

(a) Every member of a committee shall be in attendance during each of its meetings.

(b) Failure to attend three (3) consecutive meetings, unless excused from attendance in the Senate on those days as provided in these Rules or unless he or she has filed a statement pursuant to Rule 2-1.7(f), shall be cause for removal from the committee by the Committee on Assignments.

PART 4: COMMITTEE VOTING

2-4.1 Voting; Call for the Yeas and Nays

Upon the call for the Yeas and Nays, if one-third of the committee members present sustain the call, the roll call shall be taken and recorded.

2-4.2 Votes by Proxy and Abstentia Prohibited

No member of any committee shall be allowed to vote by proxy. Members may not abstain from voting unless the member or any member of the Senatoŕs immediate family has a direct pecuniary interest in the result of such vote which interest is distinct, unique or peculiar to the Senator or the Senatoŕs immediate family.

PART 5: COMMITTEE MOTIONS AND PRECEDENCE

2-5.1 Motions; How Made

All motions in standing committees shall receive a second before being put by the presiding officer.

2-5.2 Motions; Do Pass; Do Not Pass; Effect

A "do pass" motion that fails does not automatically give a "do not pass" recommendation, nor does a "do not pass" motion which fails give an affirmative recommendation.

2-5.3 Motions; Precedence

When a bill or resolution is before the committee for consideration, the following shall be the precedence of the motions:

1. a motion that a bill do pass;

2. a motion that a bill do not pass;

3. a motion to postpone to a time certain;

4. a motion to refer a bill to a subcommittee.

PART 6: COMMITTEE DECORUM AND DEBATE

2-6.1 Committee Testimony; Recording; Transcripts

Testimony before the committee may be recorded at the discretion of the committee; however, any additional paid personnel to take testimony must be approved by the Committee on Senate Administrative Affairs. Transcription of any recorded testimony shall be made or released only upon the written direction of the committee or the Secretary of the Senate when the Senate is not in session.

2-6.2 Appeals

Appeals from the ruling of the Committee Chairman shall be in order if seconded. Procedure in committee following an appeal which has been properly seconded shall be the same procedure followed in the Senate.

PART 7: COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
2-7.1 Process

The Senate may resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole by a majority of those voting, provided that the total vote constitutes a quorum, on motion of a member made for that purpose; provided, further, that notice of intention to make such motion shall be given during the session of the preceding day. Individual speeches on such motion shall be limited to three minutes. If such notice shall not have been given, the motion shall prevail if it shall receive the affirmative votes of two-thirds of those voting; provided that the two-thirds shall constitute a majority of all the members elected to the Senate. Provided, further, that whenever the Senate, by its own vote, shall commit any bill or resolution to the Committee of the Whole, and, subsequently, a motion shall be made to resolve the Senate into a Committee of the Whole to consider such bill or resolution, and such motion shall be lost, the said motion shall not be again renewed; but it shall be the duty of the President to require the Secretary of the Senate to read the bill or resolution again at the following day's session under the order of introduction of new matter or reading of bills the first time, and to refer such bill or resolution to the appropriate committee as directed by the President Pro Tempore, unless otherwise ordered by the Senate.

2-7.2 Presiding Officer

In forming a Committee of the Whole the President of the Senate shall leave the Chair, and the President Pro Tempore or his or her designee shall preside.

2-7.3 Quorum

The Committee of the Whole shall not proceed with the business before it whenever a vote on any question shall disclose the fact that no quorum of the Senate is present. Whenever it is suggested that a quorum is not present, the President Pro Tempore or his or her designee shall satisfy himself or herself of the fact by actual count of the Committee and shall report the same to the Committee; and the President Pro Tempore or his or her designee shall, on his or her own motion, order that the Committee immediately rise, and he or she shall report the fact of the absence of a quorum to the Senate.

2-7.4 Reading of Bills; Order of Debate

In the Committee of the Whole, bills shall be first read throughout by the Secretary of the Senate, and then again be read or debated by clauses, or sections, leaving the preamble to be last considered, unless otherwise ordered.

2-7.5 Applicability of Senate Rules; Limitations; Powers

(a) The Rules of the Senate shall be observed by the Committee of the Whole, so far as they may be applicable, except that the Committee of the Whole cannot refer a matter to any other committee; it cannot adjourn; the previous question cannot be enforced; a motion to lay on the table or indefinitely postpone shall not be in order; a member may speak as often as he or she may obtain the floor; no call of the Senate shall be in order; and no votes shall be taken by yeas and nays.

(b) While in the Committee of the Whole, any papers in the possession of the Senate may be called for by any member, and read by the Secretary of the Senate for the information of the Committee, unless the Committee shall otherwise order.

(c) During any meeting of the Committee of the Whole, the President Pro Tempore or his or her designee shall have power to have the galleries or lobbies cleared in case of any disorderly conduct therein.

(d) A Committee of the Whole cannot punish disorderly conduct of its members, but must report the same to the Senate for action thereon.

2-7.6 Voting Responsibilities of Members

In the Committee of the Whole all members shall vote on all questions before the Committee, unless excused.

2-7.7 Limits on Debate

If, at any time in the Committee of the Whole, it shall be desired to close the debate, or to limit the time to be allowed members for speaking, the Committee may rise and report its desire to the Senate, and the Senate shall take such action thereon as it may see fit, by a resolution. Said resolution shall apply only to the subject matter before said Committee. When said resolution has been agreed to or refused by the Senate, the action of the Senate shall be deemed the sense of the Committee, and the Senate may then, on motion, again resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole and continue the consideration of the subject.

2-7.8 Motion to Rise, Report Progress, and Ask Leave to Sit Again

(a) In the event that a Committee of the Whole at any sitting, for want of time, shall fail to complete any matter under consideration, it may, on motion, at any time, rise, report progress, and have leave to sit again, generally, or at a day certain.

(b) A motion "that the Committee rise, report progress, and ask leave to sit again" may be made at any time, when the Senator making such motion can legitimately obtain the floor, and shall take precedence over all other motions, and shall be decided without debate. When the motion prevails, the Committee shall immediately rise. When the regular hour for adjournment of the Senate arrives, the Committee shall automatically rise, and the President of the Senate shall assume the Chair.

2-7.9 Report of a Committee of the Whole

(a) When the Committee of the Whole has disposed of bills, resolutions, or other measures before it, by motion and question, it shall arise, and the President Pro Tempore or his or her designee shall be instructed to report the action of the Committee to the Senate. At this point the President of the Senate shall resume his or her seat, and the President Pro Tempore or his or her designee shall return to the floor and shall state in substance as follows: "Mr. President, the Committee of the Whole Senate has had under consideration (naming what) and has instructed me, as its Chairman, to report the same back to the Senate, with the recommendation that the same 'do pass,' 'do pass by substitute,' or 'do pass as amended,' or 'do not pass,'" as the case may be.

(b) The President shall receive this report and repeat the same, and the matter shall then be before the Senate for action, just as though reported by any other committee.

2-7.10 Amendments by a Committee of the Whole

(a) Amendments offered to an amendment in the Committee of the Whole shall not be reported to the Senate, but the report shall contain only the result of the Committee's action on the bill, resolution, or measure under its consideration.

(b) Amendments proposed by the Committee of the Whole may be amended or rejected by the Senate, and matters stricken out by the Committee may be restored by the Senate.

2-7.11 Recording of Proceedings

The proceedings of the Committee of the Whole shall not be recorded in the Journal of the Senate, except so far as reported to the Senate by the Chairman of said Committee.

PART 8: COMMITTEE OF CONFERENCE

2-8.1 Membership

Whenever any member moves that a Committee of Conference be appointed, on disagreeing votes or other matters of the two Houses, and said motion prevails, the Committee on Assignments shall appoint three (3) members for the Committee, who voted in the majority on the position assumed by the Senate, if such vote has been had.

2-8.2 Powers

The Committee of Conference may consider the whole subject matter embraced in a bill, resolution, or other matter before it, and may recommend recision by either House, new amendments, new bills and resolutions, or other germane changes, unless instructed otherwise by the Senate on motion, before the members of the Committee of Conference are appointed.

2-8.3 Reports; Approval; Distribution; Time of Consideration

(a) A report of a Committee of Conference must be approved by a majority vote of the entire membership of the Committee before the report may be transmitted to either the Senate or the House.

(b) All Committee of Conference reports shall be printed and distributed to the Senators one hour prior to consideration of the same, except that after the thirty-ninth (39th) day of any regular session the same may be dispensed with by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of all the members elected to the Senate.

2-8.4 Time Limit; Discharge; Appointment of New Members

After a Committee of Conference has been in existence for five (5) days and has failed to make a report to the Senate on the question under consideration, the Senate, on motion and by a majority vote of all members elected to the Senate, may discharge the Senate conferees and appoint new conferees, instruct said Senate conferees, or make any other motion not contrary to the Rules of the Senate. Provided, that during the last five (5) days of the session, the above motions may be made and passed at any time, but not more often than every twenty-four hours.

2-8.5 Germaneness of Reports

The President, upon point of order being made, shall report the decision of the Parliamentarian stating that in his or her opinion a Conference Committee report is not germane to the original bill or resolution, and such Conference Committee report shall be ruled out of order. The effect of such ruling of the Parliamentarian, if not appealed from or if appealed from and the appeal not sustained, shall be the same as a vote of the Senate to reject, and as such the Secretary shall so report it to the House. Such point of order shall take precedence over a motion to adopt.

2-8.6 Final Passage

Any Conference Committee report must be adopted by the vote required to pass the bill, resolution, or matter under consideration.

SECTION THREE
BILLS, RESOLUTIONS, AND CONFIRMATIONS

PART 1: GENERAL BILLS AND RESOLUTIONS

3-1.1 Form of Bills

(a) All bills and resolutions shall have the name of the Senator or Senators introducing the same, as well as the district or districts represented, endorsed in ink on the bill back of the bill. There shall also appear on the back of the bill, the title or a brief summary thereof.

(b) No bill shall pass which refers to more than one subject matter or contains matter different from what is expressed in the title thereof. (Ga. Const., art. III, sec. V, par. III.)

(c) No law, or section of the Code shall be amended or repealed by mere reference to its title or to the number of the section of the Code; but the amending or repealing Act shall distinctly describe the law or Code Section to be amended or repealed as well as the alteration to be made. (Ga. Const., art. III, sec. V, par. IV.)

3-1.2 Introduction of Bills

(a) No bill or resolution requiring the concurring vote of the House for passage shall be introduced unless the same shall have been filed in the office of the Secretary before 4:00 p.m. on the previous day.

(b) No general bill or resolution, including any House bill or resolution, having the effect of law shall be introduced or read the first time and referred to any committee after the thirty-third (33rd) day of any regular session. The provisions of this paragraph shall in no case be suspended except by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the members to which the Senate is entitled.

(c) All bills for raising revenue, or appropriating money, shall originate in the House of Representatives. (Ga. Const., art. III, sec. V, par. II.)

(d) All resolutions which may appropriate money out of any funds shall be treated in all respects, in the manner of introduction and procedure, as bills; they shall originate in the House of Representatives, and shall receive three readings previous to their passage, but the Senate may propose or concur in amendments.

(e) To introduce a bill or resolution, a member shall file an original and one copy with the Secretary of the Senate. All original and duplicate bills and resolutions shall show an "01" and "02" respectively stamped in red on the back side of the last page.

3-1.3 Distribution of Bills

The Secretary of the Senate shall, as soon as possible after any bill or resolution is filed in his or her office, print for distribution and release a copy thereof to the internet. Whenever any such bill or resolution of general application shall be reported back by the committee to which it was referred with the recommendation that it do pass as amended, the Secretary of the Senate shall print for distribution and release a copy thereof to the internet. No bill or resolution of general application shall be placed for passage unless copies of the same and any committee amendments shall have been printed and placed in each Senatoŕs calendar book prior to consideration for passage. The Senate may at any time by the vote of a majority of those voting, provided the total vote constitutes a quorum, suspend action upon any pending bill or resolution of general application until all amendments offered on the floor of the Senate shall have been printed and distributed to the Senators.

3-1.4 Fiscal Notes

(a) Any general bill having a significant impact on the anticipated revenue or expenditure level of any state agency, authority, board, council, committee, bureau, or commission must be introduced no later than the twentieth day of the session. The sponsor of such legislation must request a fiscal note from the Office of Planning and Budget and the Department of Audits and Accounts by November 1. Members-elect must request a fiscal note by December 1. (O.C.G.A. 28-5-42)

(b) Failure to request a fiscal note by November 1 or December 1 will preclude consideration by the Senate unless the committee to which a bill is assigned determines, on a specific motion, for waiver, that the bill has a significant impact, waives the November 1 or December 1 deadline, requests a fiscal note from the director of the Office of Planning and Budget and the state auditor and the chair of the committee suggests a preferred order of completion to guide the director of the Office of Planning and Budget. (O.C.G.A. 28-5-42)

(c) If any bill having a significant fiscal impact is introduced after the twentieth day, it shall not be considered or acted upon by the Senate. The President of the Senate shall decide whether a bill which is introduced falls within this category. (O.C.G.A. 28-5-42)

(d) Fiscal notes shall include a reliable estimate in dollars of the anticipated change in revenue or expenditures under the provisions of the bill. It shall also include a statement as to the immediate effect and, if determinable, the long-range effect of the measure. The fiscal note shall not express opinion relative to the merits of the measure, but may identify technical or mechanical defects. (O.C.G.A. 28-5-42)

(e) No substitute or amendment to any bill shall be offered which changes the version of the bill on which the most recent fiscal note was submitted until a new fiscal note covering the provisions of the substitute or amendment is supplied to the Secretary of the Senate and made available to all members.

(f) No bill shall be put upon its passage, nor shall any House amendment, House substitute or Conference Committee report to a bill, if said Conference Committee report changes the bill from its version as passed by the Senate, be adopted, until an adequate fiscal note covering the bill, or covering the House amendment, House substitute or Conference Committee report is supplied to the Secretary of the Senate and made available to all members.

(g) The provisions of this rule that are not in conflict with the Georgia Fiscal Note Act may be suspended by a two-third's vote of the members elected to the Senate by a roll-call vote.

3-1.5 Receipt of House Bills on the 33rd day

When a general bill or resolution is received from the House during a period when the Senate is in recess on the thirty-third (33rd) day of a regular session, the bill or resolution may be read and referred to a standing committee by the President Pro Tempore during such period of recess. The Secretary of the Senate shall maintain a public listing of all bills so read and referred. Any Senator who desires to move to engross any such bill or resolution must serve written notice of his or her intention to do so by delivering such written notice to the Secretary before midnight of that thirty-third (33rd)day. When notice is so given, further proceedings on a motion to engross shall be as provided in Rule 6-9.1(b), except as otherwise provided in this rule.

3-1.6 Possession of Bills

(a) The original of any bill or resolution shall be for the exclusive use of the Senate and the committee to which it is assigned and shall be the official bill or resolution of the Senate, and shall not be subject to any other use. The duplicate of any bill shall be retained by the Secretary of the Senate, subject to use for information.

(b) The engrossed copies of all bills and of all resolutions intended to have the effect of law passed by either house of the General Assembly shall be preserved by the Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the House of Representatives and deposited in the office of the Secretary of State. The enrolled copies of all bills and of all resolutions intended to have the effect of law, which, when signed by the Governor, become enrolled Acts, shall be deposited in the office of the Secretary of State. The Secretary of State shall provide for the publication of such Acts. (O.C.G.A. 28-1-11)

(c) No Committee or Senator shall amend a bill, resolution, or other paper by writing on or defacing the paper, but shall report any amendment recommended, on a separate paper, noting the section, page, or line to which said amendment relates.

3-1.7 Withdrawal of Bills

Any bill or resolution may be withdrawn by the primary author at any stage thereof by consent of the Senate by majority vote.

3-1.8 Failed Bills; Prohibition Against Being Proposed Again

No bill or resolution intended to have the effect of law which shall have been rejected by either house shall again be proposed during the same regular or special session under the same or any other title without the consent of two-thirds of the house by which the same was rejected. (Ga. Const., art. III, sec. V, par. XII.)

PART 2: LOCAL BILLS

3-2.1 Local Bills; General

(a) The term "local bill" means any bill for which a notice of intention to introduce a local bill has been advertised as provided for in Code Section 28-1-14, and every resolution intended to have the effect of local law. The term "local bill" shall not include any bill listed in paragraphs (1) through (6) of subsection (c) of Code Section 28-1-15, relating to population bills.

(b) No local bill shall become law unless notice of the intention to introduce such bill shall have been advertised in the newspaper in which the sheriff's advertisements for the locality affected are published one time before the bill is introduced. Such advertisement must be not more than 60 days prior to the convening date of the session at which the bill is introduced. After the advertisement has been published the bill may be introduced at any time during that session unless the advertisement is published during the session, in which event the bill may not be introduced before Monday of the calendar week following the week in which the advertisement is published. A copy of the notice as it was advertised and an affidavit stating that the notice has been published as provided by this Code section shall be attached to the bill and shall become a part of the bill. Such affidavit shall be made by the author of the bill. (O.C.G.A. 28-1-14)

(c) Upon the favorable report of the Committee on State and Local Government Operations, the bill shall be placed on a Local Consent Calendar, but not before the second day after introduction.

3-2.2 Approval by Local Delegation

(a) In order for local legislation to be favorably reported by the State and Local Governmental Operations Committee, such legislation must be signed by a majority of the Senators representing the political subdivision affected by such legislation. If an even number of Senators representing multi-member political subdivisions are equally divided on any local bill or resolution, the legislation may be considered by the State and Local Governmental Operations Committee on its merits, and the committee may report the legislation to the Senate with the recommendation that it "do pass" or "do not pass."

(b) For the purpose of determining which Senator or Senators represent a political subdivision, the Senator's district must include all or a portion of the geographical area of the political subdivision affected by the local legislation. Annexation bills shall be assumed to affect other municipalities and the county in which they are located. If an annexation bill affects more than one senatorial district, the bill must be signed by the Senate delegation representing all the affected counties and municipalities.

(c) Approval of local legislation shall be evidenced by a Senator's signature and senatorial district in the designated place on the legislation. Once a bill has been signed the signature is permanent and cannot be removed; however, any Senator retains the right to object under the provisions of Senate Rule 4-2.9.

PART THREE: CONFIRMATIONS

3-3.1 Confirmations; Procedure

(a) Upon receiving nominations by the Governor that require Senate confirmation, the President Pro Tempore shall immediately refer such nominations to the Committee on Rules and shall instruct the Secretary of the Senate to notify the Senate that such nominations have been received. However, no nominations may be considered by the Senate until the expiration of seventy-two (72) hours after receipt thereof by the President Pro Tempore, or until the expiration of forty-eight (48) hours after being referred to the committee. The Secretary of the Senate shall make such nominations available for review by any Senator. The Chair of the Committee on Rules shall cause such nomination or nominations to be considered by the Committee within a reasonable period of time after receiving the nomination or nominations. The Chair of the Rules Committee shall then report the Committeés recommendations to the full Senate.

(b) Rule 3-3.1 may be suspended by a majority vote of the Senate during the last ten (10) days of the session.

(c) Upon the request of the Rules Committee, any nominee must furnish to the Senate a resume of all business transactions that he or she has had with the State of Georgia during the period of the two years before the appointment.

SECTION FOUR
ORDER OF BUSINESS AND CALENDAR

PART 1: CALENDAR AND SCHEDULE

4-1.1 Sessions of the Senate

The Senate and the House of Representatives shall organize each odd-numbered year and shall be a different General Assembly for each two-year period. The Senate shall meet in regular session on the second Monday in January of each year and may continue in session for no longer than 40 days in the aggregate each year. The Senate shall convene daily at 10:00 A.M. unless otherwise ordered by the Senate. The Senate shall meet at the state capitol. (Ga. Const., art. 3, sec. 4, par. 1; O.C.G.A. 28-1-2)

4-1.2 Adjournment of Both Houses

(a) Neither house shall adjourn during a regular session for more than three days or meet in any place other than the state capitol without the consent of the other. Following the fifth day of a special session, either house may adjourn not more than twice for a period not to exceed seven days for each such adjournment. In the event either house, after the thirtieth day of any session, adopts a resolution to adjourn for a specified period of time and such resolution and any amendments thereto are not adopted by both houses by the end of the legislative day on which adjournment was called for in such resolution, the Governor may adjourn both houses for a period of time not to exceed ten days. (Ga. Const., art. III, sec. IV, par. I(b).)

(b) By concurrent resolution, the General Assembly may adjourn any regular session to such later date as it may fix for reconvening. Separate periods of adjournment may be fixed by one or more such concurrent resolutions.

(c) If an impeachment trial is pending at the end of any session, the House shall adjourn and the Senate shall remain in session until such trial is completed. (Ga. Const., art. III, sec. IV, par. I(a), (c).)

PART 2: Order of Business

4-2.1 Daily Order of Business

Report of the Committee on the Journal.
Reading of the Journal.
Motions to Reconsider.
Confirmation of the Journal.
Introduction of Bills and Resolutions.
First Reading and Reference of Senate Bills and Resolutions.
First Reading and Reference of House Bills and Resolutions, which shall also be in order at any later time when no other business is pending.
Reports of Standing Committees.
Second Reading of General Bills and Resolutions.
Call of the Roll.
Recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance.
Prayer of the Chaplain.
Unanimous Consents.
Points of Personal Privilege.
Adoption of Privileged Resolutions.

Motions to withdraw bills or resolutions from one committee and commit to another committee.
Passage of Local Uncontested Bills and Resolutions.
Consideration of Local Contested Bills and Resolutions.
General Consent Calendar for Commemorative Resolutions.
Motions to Engross.
Third Reading and Consideration of General Bills and Resolutions.

4-2.2 Reports of the Committee on Rules; Messages

(a) The report of the Committee on Rules shall be in order at any time, and messages from the Governor or from the House may be received under any order of business. Messages may be received at any time while the door is open, except while a question is being put or a ballot or a voice vote is being taken.

(b) When a message is sent to the Senate, it shall be respectfully communicated in any written form to the Chair and all Senators by the Secretary of the Senate.

4-2.3 Reading of the Journal

(a) It shall be the duty of the Chairman of the Committee on Rules or his or her designee to read the Journal of each day's proceedings, and report to the Senate that the same is correct before the Journal is read by the Secretary.

(b) The reading of the Journal shall not be dispensed with, except by a vote of a majority of the members voting or by unanimous consent.

4-2.4 Reading of Bills and Joint Resolutions

(a) The title of every general bill and of every resolution intended to have the effect of general law or to amend this Constitution or to propose a new Constitution shall be read three times and on three separate days in each house before such bill or resolution shall be voted upon; and the third reading of such bill and resolution shall be in their entirety when ordered by the presiding officer or by a majority of the members voting on such question in either house. (Ga. Const., art. III, sec. V, par. VII)

(b) Before reading any bill or resolution the second or third time, the Secretary of the Senate shall distinctly state its number and the name of the Senator(s) by whom introduced. Provided, that the General Appropriations Bill shall have precedence on third reading over all other matters, even Special Orders, until final disposition of the said Bill.

(c) The General Assembly may provide by law for the procedure for considering local legislation. The title of every local bill and every resolution intended to have the effect of local law shall be read at least once before such bill or resolution shall be voted upon; and no such bill or resolution shall be voted upon prior to the second day following the day of introduction. (Ga. Const., art. III, sec. V, par. VIII)

4-2.5 Reference of Bills

(a) Upon the introduction of any bill or resolution or other matter, requiring reference to a committee, the President, shall as a matter of course and without debate, report the reference of the bill to the proper committee as directed by the President Pro Tempore.

(b) Upon the introduction of local legislation, the number, authors, and title to each local bill or resolution shall be read, and the President of the Senate shall report the reference of the bill, at the direction of the President Pro Tempore, to the standing Committee on State and Local Governmental Operations.

4-2.6 Order for Second (2nd) Reading; Second Reading After the 35th Day

Any general bill or resolution shall be automatically passed to a second reading on the legislative day following the day the bill or resolution is reported by the committee to which it was referred. Except that after the thirty-fifth (35th) day of any regular session, every bill and resolution shall be read a second time on the same legislative day that the bill or resolution is reported by the committee to which it was referred. No debate shall be admitted upon any bill at the first or second reading.

4-2.7 Roll Call

(a) The electronic roll call system shall be used to call the roll of the Senators, who shall use the Yea switch to signify their presence.

(b) The roll call at the opening of each session of the Senate shall not be dispensed with, except by a majority vote of the Senators voting or by unanimous consent.

4-2.8 General Consent Calendar for Commemorative Resolutions

(a) All general commemorative resolutions shall be placed on a General Consent Calendar for Commemorative Resolutions. As used in this rule, the term "commemorative resolutions" means all resolutions that name or rename roads, streets, highways, parks, bodies of water, bridges, institutions, buildings, structures, and any other geographic landmark within one senatorial district. If the proposal involves naming or renaming such geographic landmark that extends beyond one senatorial district, the resolution is not appropriate for this calendar.

(b) The General Consent Calendar for Commemorative Resolutions must be placed on each Senator's desk at the time of the third reading and shall be read a third time by title and then put to the Senate for a vote on the electronic roll-call system as a group at the time provided in the order of business; and the question shall be whether all resolutions of the General Consent Calendar for Commemorative Resolutions shall pass.

(c) Before the time the General Consent Calendar for Commemorative Resolutions is put to a vote, if a member of the Senate objects in writing to the inclusion of any bill on the General Consent Calendar for Commemorative Resolutions, the general resolution on which the objection is made shall then be placed at the bottom of the calendar of bills of general application then in order for a third reading.

4-2.9 Local Consent Calendar

(a) All local bills on the Local Consent Calendar, which must be placed on each Senatoŕs desk no less than one hour before the time of convening, shall be put to the Senate for a vote on the electronic roll call system as a group at the time provided in the order of business, and the question shall be whether all bills on the Local Consent Calendar shall pass.

(b) Before the time the Local Consent Calendar is put to a vote, if three members of the Senate, one of whose district is directly affected, object (in writing on forms furnished by the Secretary of the Senate) to the inclusion of any local bill on the Local Consent Calendar, the local bill on which the objection is made shall then be placed on the Calendar for "Local Contested Bills" which is next in the order of business.

(c) The number, authors, and title of each bill on the Local Contested Calendar shall be read, considered and voted on as provided in the rules for general legislation, except that the proponents and opponents shall each be limited to ten (l0) minutes.

4-2.10 Third Reading and Consideration

(a) All bills and resolutions shall be called in the order in which they appear on the Rules calendar. On the days on which there is no Rules calendar, bills shall be called in numerical order. No general Senate bill or resolution having the effect of law shall be read the third time and put upon its passage or adoption after the thirty-third (33rd)day of any regular session. No general House bill or resolution having the effect of law shall be read the third time and put upon its passage or adoption after the thirty-ninth (39th) day of any regular session except that this prohibition shall not apply to a bill or resolution which was laid on the table on the thirty-ninth (39th) day. The provisions of this paragraph shall in no case be suspended except by a two-thirds' (2/3) vote of the members to which the Senate is entitled.

(b) The Committee on Rules shall arrange and fix the calendar for each day's business for the last thirty-five (35) days of each regular session of the General Assembly. Such calendar shall be a standing and continuing special order during said period. No matter shall be taken up or acted on otherwise than in the order and manner fixed by such calendar, except by a three-fourths vote of those voting, provided such three-fourths constitutes a majority of the members elected to the Senate. This rule may not be suspended by a two-thirds vote of the Senate.

(c) All bills and resolutions shall be called in the order in which they appear on the Rules calendar. The President shall not recognize any Senator at any time for the purpose of asking unanimous consent to place any general bill out of its regular order. Neither shall he or she recognize any request for unanimous consent for the introduction of new matter, to read any bill or resolution the second time, or to place any local bill or resolution on its passage. The President shall entertain but one unanimous consent at one time.

4-2.11 Bills Placed on Desk; Calendar Changes

No General bill or resolution shall be put for final passage unless the same has been put on a calendar and placed on each Senator's desk no less than one hour prior to the time of convening on the date of passage. The Secretary of the Senate shall put all bills which appear on the prepared calendar and which may be considered that day in order on the Senatorś desks. The calendar can be changed by a vote of two-thirds of the Senators voting, provided such two-thirds constitutes a majority of the members elected to the Senate. Nothing in this Rule shall apply to local bills or local resolutions.

4-2.12 Reference to More Than One Committee; Effect

When a bill or a resolution has been referred to and reported by more than one committee or has been reported by and then committed to the same committee, the last committee report shall be acted on by the Senate; and in all cases the report of the Committee of the Whole shall be first acted on by the Senate.

4-2.13 Disagreement with Committee Report on Third Reading

When a bill or resolution, favorably reported by a committee is on its third, or last reading, if the report of the committee is disagreed to by the Senate, the bill or resolution shall be lost, unless the action of the Senate in disagreeing to the committee report is reconsidered within the proper time.

4-2.14 Transmittal to the House

No bill or resolution shall be transmitted to the House on the day of passage thereof unless two-thirds of the Senators voting, provided the total vote constitutes a quorum, shall so order. Provided, during the last three legislative days of any regular session, any bill, resolution or other matter which requires action by the House shall be immediately transmitted to the House by the Secretary of the Senate. The Secretary shall also immediately transmit Senate Bills and Resolutions requiring House action on the thirty-third (33rd) legislative day after any notice to reconsider is disposed of.

4-2.15 Fixed Hour of Adjournment

Whenever the hour of adjournment, as fixed by a prior resolution, shall arrive while the electronic vote of the Senate is being taken, the session shall continue until the vote is announced. If said fixed hour of adjournment shall arrive while the Senate is acting on the main question, after a motion for the previous question has been sustained, and before the voting machine is unlocked, the Senate shall stand adjourned by virtue of said prior resolution.

SECTION FIVE
VOTING

5-1.1 Votes Required for Passage

(a) No bill shall become law unless it shall receive a majority of the votes of all the members to which each house is entitled, and such vote shall so appear on the Journal of each house. (Ga. Const., art. III, sec. V, par. V.)

(b) In the event no specific vote is provided in these Rules for the passage of any Senate amendment, motion or procedural matters and on all other matters not otherwise provided for in these Rules, the vote for passage or adoption thereof shall be a majority of those voting, provided the total vote constitutes a quorum.

(c) As to all resolutions not otherwise provided for in these Rules, the vote for adoption shall be by a majority of the votes of all the members to which the Senate is entitled.

5-1.2 Quorum

(a) A majority of the members to which the Senate is entitled shall constitute a quorum to transact business. A smaller number may adjourn from day to day and compel the presence of its absent members. (Ga. Const., art. III, sec. IV, par. III.)