GOVERNMENT BILL 23

 

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

An act To Establish A Permanent Committee On Rules

 

 

 

BE IT ENACTED,     by the North Carolina State University Student Senate that:

 

Section 1.       Student Body Statutes §2-1.1(a) shall be amended by inserting prior to “The President shall provide notice of all meetings at least two class days in advance of the meeting date.”, “The President shall call no less than two (2) meetings of the Student Senate at least one week apart during the spring semester of his or her election.”

 

Section 2.       Student Body Statutes §2-1.1 shall be amended by adding

                        (d) Meetings at the call of the Committee on Rules. By an affirmative vote of five (5) members, the Committee on Rules may schedule a meeting of the Student Senate at such time and date prescribed by the committee, provided that notice is given to all senators by electronic mail 72 hours prior to the scheduled Senate meeting. All Senators shall be notified by electronic mail at least 24 hours prior to the consideration of any motion to schedule a meeting of the Senate by the Committee on Rules.

 

Section 3.       Student Body Statutes §2-1.3(b) shall be amended by inserting

                        (7) Consideration of Special Rules.

 

Section 4.       Student Body Statutes §2-1.3(b) shall be amended by inserting

                        (10) Expedited Agenda.

 

Section 5.       Student Body Statutes §2-1.3(b) shall be amended by striking

                        (11) Motions to fast-track.

 

Section 6.       Student Body Statutes §2-1.3(c) shall be amended by striking “and Operations”.

 

Section 7.       Student Body Statutes §2-1.3 shall be amended by inserting:

 

                        (g) Expedited agenda. At the appointed time the president shall sequentially proceed through such acts of legislation that have been previously been placed on the expedited agenda. Such acts shall be considered adopted, unless five (5) Senators rise in objection thereto. All such acts so objected, are immediately placed on the end of the calendar for second reading.

 

Section 8.       Student Body Statutes §2-1.3(g) shall be amended by striking

Any Senator wishing to raise an issue for informal discussion by the Senate shall submit his or her intent to raise such an issue, and a brief statement of the issue to be raised, to the Senate via electronic mail at least twenty-four (24) hours prior to the meeting at which he or she intends to raise the issue. In the event that more than three such requests are submitted, the President shall, at his or her discretion, select three of them for the Senate’s consideration.

 

and inserting

 

Any Senator wishing to raise an issue for informal discussion by

the Senate shall submit his or her intent to raise such an issue, and a brief statement of the issue to be raised, to the Committee on Rules via electronic mail by noon of the Monday prior to the meeting at which he or she desires to raise the issue. The Committee on Rules shall consider the matter at its next meeting and place the matter on the Senate Calendar by an affirmative vote of three (3) members.

 

Section 9.       Student Body Statutes §2-1.5(b) shall be amended by striking

                        No one save members of the Senate shall be extended the floor or recognized in debate, except by the President.

and inserting:

            No one save members of the Senate shall be extended the floor, except by the President. No one save members of the Senate shall be recognized in debate, unless approved by two thirds of the Senate.

                                                                                                                                                          

Section 10.     Student Body Statutes §2-1.8(d) shall be amended by striking:

                        The President shall proceed directly to a vote by roll call on the second reading of all policy-making Resolutions, without intervening voice vote or standing vote.

 

            and inserting:

                        No roll call vote shall be in order on Senate Resolutions in nature of a special rule, however the President shall proceed directly to a vote by roll call on the second reading of all policy-making Resolutions and finance related bills, without intervening voice vote or standing vote.

 

Section 11.     Student Body Statutes §2-1.10(e) shall be amended by striking both “the Rules of the Senate” and “reviewing matters of controversy and Senate procedure.”

 

Section 12.   Student Body Statutes §2-1 shall be amended by inserting Rule 11 Permanent Committee on Rules to read as follows:

 

(a)   Membership of Committee on Rules. The committee on rules shall be composed of the Senate President Pro Tempore, ex-officio, the Chairman of the Committee on Government Operations, ex-officio, and five at-large Senators. The President Pro Tempore shall serve as chair of the committee, and the Chairman of the Committee on Government Operations shall serve as vice-chairman of the committee.

 

(b)  At-large members of Committee on Rules. Three class days prior to the second Senate meeting of a session, the at-large members of the Committee on Rules shall be appointed. Two members shall be appointed by the Student Senate President Pro Tempore, and then three members shall be appointed by the Student Senate President. At-large members of the Committee on rules shall be subject to majority confirmation of the Senate. At large members of the Committee on Rules may be removed for cause at any time by the original appointing official.

 

(c)   Composition Restrictions of Committee on Rules. All members of the Committee on Rules shall be Senators representing one of the several colleges, schools, or recognized programs. At no time shall the Committee on Rules be comprised of, including the Vice-Chair but excluding the Chair, more than:

(1)  Two (2) members of any given standing committee.

(2)  Two (2) standing committee chairmen.

(3)  Two (2) members of any given college, school, or recognized program Senate delegation.

 

(d)  Meetings of the Committee on Rules. The Committee on Rules shall meet at the call of the Chair. The Committee must meet the evening two days prior to any Senate meeting. The Chair shall publish in electronic form the agenda for a given meeting at or before 1:00 PM on the day of a meeting of the Committee on Rules. Quorum of the Committee on Rules shall be four (4) members.

 

Section 13.     Student Body Statutes §2-1 shall be amended by inserting Rule 12 Duties of the Committee on Rules to read as follows:

                       

(a)   Special Rules for Consideration of Legislation. The Committee on Rules may compose a Special Rule, by majority vote, for consideration of any act of legislation. All such special rules shall be in the form of a Senate Resolution.

 

(b)  Placement of Legislation on Expedited agenda. The Committee on Rules may place, by majority vote, any act of Legislation, on the expedited agenda provided that it has received a committee report recommending Senate consideration.

 

(c)   Consideration of Ordinary Business. The Committee on Rules shall be empowered to consider ordinary committee matters including referred legislation, referred business and matters of the committee’s own concern in accordance with all rules governing standing committees except those involving membership.

 

(d)  General Committee Duties. The Permanent Committee on Rules shall be responsible for reviewing amendments to the rules of the Senate, reviewing matters of controversy in Senate procedure, promulgating special rules, determining the composition of the expedited agenda, overseeing procedural education of the Senate with the assistance of the Parliamentarian, and advising the President and other Senate officers on Senate Rules outside of meetings of the Senate.

 

Section 14.     Student Body Statutes §2-1 shall be amended by inserting Rule 14 Special Rules to read as follows:

 

(a)   Calendaring of Special Rules. All duly reported special rules shall be placed on the calendar for consideration at the next Senate meeting.

 

(b)  Consideration of Special Rules. At the appointed time, each calendared special rule shall be considered sequentially in numerical order. The question of the adoption of a special rule, and all subsidiary motions thereto, shall be by no means debatable. The special rule shall not be amendable by any means, save general consent, and may only be referred to the Committee on Rules. Such special rules shall be adopted by a simple majority vote, except where otherwise prohibited by law.

 

Section 15.     Student Body Statutes §2-1.14(b) shall be amended by adding:

                        (5) Senate Bill. A Senate Bill amends the standing rules of the Student Senate or other bodies of law under the discretionary authority of the Student Senate.

 

Section 16.     Student Body Statutes §2-1.14(d) shall be amended by striking:

                        All legislation exercising one or more privileges of the Student Senate, or directed to a member or organization of the Student Body, shall be in the form of a Resolution, but shall be distinguished from Resolutions designated in Rule 14(c) by being identified as a "Senate Resolution". This shall include, but shall not be limited to, the adoption of proposals and formal recommendations regarding internal policy. Additionally, Senate Resolutions may utilize the same amendment privileges as Bills; a Senate Resolution prescribing such an amendment shall be considered a Bill with regard to voting procedure.

 

            and inserting:

                        All legislation exercising one or more privileges of the Student Senate, shall be in the form of a Resolution, but shall be distinguished from Resolutions designated in Rule 14(c) by being identified as a "Senate Resolution". All special rules shall be presented in the form of a Senate Resolution.

 

Section 17.     Student Body Statutes §2-1.15(c) shall be amended by adding: “Signatories shall be applicable only to policy-making resolutions.”

 

Section 18.     Student Body Statutes §2-1.15 shall be amended by inserting:

                        (c) Special Rule Legislation. Senate Resolutions in the nature of Special Rules shall be introduced by the Committee on Rules. Such resolutions shall be submitted no later than noon the calendar day prior to the Senate meeting at which the special rule shall be considered. Such legislation shall bear no sponsor. All such legislation shall contain at least a paragraph of plain English describing completely and accurately the purpose and nature of the special rule.

 

Section 19.     Student Body Statues §2-1.15(d) shall be amended by striking:

                        Motion to fast-track legislation. A Senator may move that legislation receive its first and second readings at the same meeting. This procedure shall be known as "fast-tracking" the legislation. Such a motion shall be considered by the Senate at the meeting at which the legislation is on the calendar for first reading, and shall only be in order provided that the Senator has submitted his or her intent to make such a motion to all Senators by electronic mail, in the manner prescribed by the President, at least twenty-four (24) hours prior to the meeting.

 

            and inserting:

                        Fast Track of Legislation. A Senator may notify the Committee on rules of their desire that legislation receive only a second reading at the meeting of introduction. With the written concurrence of three members of the committee on rules, no later than noon the calendar day prior to the meeting at which the legislation is to be considered, a special rule shall be introduced. Such special rule shall only provide for the suspension of the requirement of the first reading and the point on the calendar at which the legislation shall be considered.

 

Section 20.     Student Body Statutes §2-1.16(c) shall be struck.

 

Section 21.     Student Body Statutes §2-1.16(d) shall be amended by striking “and not fast tracked”.

 

Section 22.     Student Body Statutes §2-1.17(a) shall be amended by adding, “, unless provided otherwise by special rule”.

 

Section 23.     Student Body Statutes §2-1.17(b) shall be amended by striking:

                        Any legislation which is successfully fast-tracked shall be considered placed at the end of the calendar for second reading.

 

Section 24.     Student Body Statutes §2-1.17(d) shall by struck.

 

Section 25.     Student Body Statutes §2-1.19(b) shall be amended by adding after “serve as Chair of the Committee of the Whole Senate”, “and as Chair of the Permanent Committee on Rules”.

 

Section 26.     Student Body Statutes §2-1.19(d) shall be amended by striking:

                        The Parliamentarian shall additionally be responsible for the coordination of Senate procedural education.  

 

           And replacing with:

 

                        The parliamentarian shall assist the Committee on Rules in the coordination of Senate procedural education.

 

Section 27.     Student Body Statutes §2-1.22(a) shall be amended by adding:

                        No clause of these Rules dealing with the consideration of legislation may be suspended except by special rule.

 

Section 28.     Student Body Statutes §2-1.22(a)(b) shall be amended, effective October 15, 2002, by inserting: “, except the Student Senate President Pro Tempore.”, after “all elective offices”.

 

Section 29.     This act shall be effective immediately upon its adoption.