Overview of the Senate Rules

On the first day of the start of each two-year legislative session, the Senate adopts rules for its internal procedures. For the 2021-2022 Session, the Standing Rules of the Senate are contained in Senate Resolution 3 (Atkins). The following are all of those rules:

1 – Hours of Meeting

2 – Calling to Order

3 – Attendance of Senators

4 – Order of Business

5 – Executive Sessions

6 – The President

7 – The President pro Tempore

8 – Presiding by Senators

9 – Secretary of the Senate

10 – Sergeant at Arms of the Senate

10.5 – Elected and Appointed Officers

10.6 – Officers and Employees Compensation: Approval

11 – Appointment of Committees

12 – Standing Committees

12.3 – Committee on Legislative Ethics

12.5 – General Research Committee

12.7 – Additional Committee on Rules Powers

13 – Committee on Rules

13.1 – Expenses of Senate Committees

13.2 – Alteration, Repair, and Improvement to Senate

13.3 – Rooms and Property of Senate

13.4 – Inventory of Senate Property

13.5 – Status of Standing Rules for Regular Session

13.6 – Operating Expense Fund

14 – Schedule of Committee Meetings

16 – Powers of Standing Committees

17.5 – Funerals

18 – Expenditures

18.5 – Printing of Reports

19 – Resolutions and Constitutional Amendments

20 – Parliamentary Rules

21 – Suspension of Rules or Amending of Rules

21.1 – Suspension of the Joint Rules

21.2 – Permission of Committee on Rules

21.5 – Rules Governing Standing Committees

21.6 – Additional Rules

21.7 – Reporting Measures Out of Committee

21.8 – Press Participation

22 – Introduction, First Reading, and Reference of Measures

22.5 – Bill Introduction Limitation

22.6 – Short Title

22.7 – Bills Assigning, Requesting, or Requiring Studies

23 – Introduction of Bills by a Committee

23.5 – Bill Introduction Deadline

24 – Introduction of Bills and Resolutions at Special Sessions

24.5 – Resolutions

25 – Senate Resolutions

26 – Bills Authored by a Former Member

27 – Author’s Amendments

28 – Withdrawing a Bill from Committee

28.3 – Consent Calendar

28.4 – Referral of Bills

28.5 – Measures to be Authored

28.7 – Vote in Committee

28.8 – Appropriations Committee

28.9 – State-Mandated Local Program Bills

28.10 – Display Bills

29 – Order of Making Files

29.2 – Strike from File

29.3 – Measures Amended from the Floor

29.4 – Bills Approving Memoranda of Understanding

29.5 – Amended Forms of Measures

29.6 – Conference Reports

29.7 – Conference Committee Meetings

29.8 – Analysis of Measures, Conference Reports, and Floor Amendments

29.9 – Consideration of Conference Reports

29.10 – Referral of Bills

30 – Special Order

31 – Messages from the Governor or Assembly

32 – Engrossing Measures

33 – Enrolling Measures

34 – Statement of Motion

35 – Regulations as to Speaking

36 – Order in Debate

37 – Right to Address the Senate

38 – Amendments to Measures

38.5 – Amendments to Be Germane

38.6 – Amendments from the Floor

39 – Motion to Lay on the Table

40 – Division of a Question

41 – The Previous Question

42 – Call of the Senate

43 – Reconsideration

43.5 – Rescinding

44 – Voting on Rollcall

45 – Excused from Voting

46 – Voting by Presiding Senator

47 – Vote Required

48 – Vote Required for Amendments

49 – Proceedings to Be Printed

50 – Titles of Measures to Be Printed

51 – Other Matters to Be Printed

52 – Duty of Secretary to Order Printing

53 – Printing Only on Written Orders; Rush Orders

55 – Admission to the Senate Chamber

56 – Procedures During Emergencies