SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 2
INTRODUCED BY J. HARP
BY REQUEST OF THE SENATE RULES COMMITTEE
A RESOLUTION OF THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MONTANA CLARIFYING CERTAIN SENATE RULES.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MONTANA:
That the following changes be made to the Senate rules adopted in Senate Resolution No. 1:
S30-60. Committee reports to Senate. (1) Reports of standing committees shall be read on Order of Business No. 2, and no debate may be had on any report unless a minority report has been submitted. A minority report is submitted after a majority report.
(2) Committee reports may recommend approval or disapproval, with or without amendment. They may not be reported to the Senate without recommendation.
(3) Any Senator seeking a reconsideration of the Senate's action on the adoption of a committee report shall do so on Order of Business No. 6 by motion to reconsider. Any Senator may make such motion and need not have voted on the prevailing side. This rule applies notwithstanding any joint rule to the contrary.
(4) The Rules Committee and conference committees may report at any time, except during a call of the Senate or when a vote is being taken.
S50-90. Reconsideration. (1) Any Senator may, on the day the vote was taken or on the next day the Senate is in session, move to reconsider the question. A motion to reconsider is a debatable motion, but the debate is limited to the motion. The debate on a motion to reconsider may not address the substance of the matter for which reconsideration is sought.
(2) A motion to reconsider may not be withdrawn after such next legislative day without the unanimous consent of the Senate, and thereafter any Senator may call it up for consideration; however, a motion to reconsider made after the 54th day of the session shall be disposed of when made.
(3) A motion to recall a bill from the House of Representatives constitutes notice to reconsider and shall be acted on as a motion to reconsider. A motion to reconsider or to recall a bill from the House of Representatives may be made only under Order of Business No. 6 and, under that order of business, takes precedence over all motions except motions to recess or adjourn.
(4) When a motion to reconsider is laid on the table, a two-thirds majority is required to take it from the table. When a motion to reconsider fails, the question is finally and conclusively settled.
(5) If a motion to reconsider third reading action is carried, there shall be no further action until the succeeding legislative day.
S50-120. Second reading. (1) The Senate may resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole for consideration of business on second reading, by approval of a motion for that purpose.
(2) After a Committee of the Whole has been formed, the President shall appoint a chair to preside.
(3) All legislation considered in the Committee of the Whole shall be read by a summary of its title. Proposed amendments shall be considered; then the bill shall be considered in its entirety.
(4) Prior to adoption of the Committee of the Whole report, a Senator may move to segregate legislation. If the motion prevails, the legislation remains on second reading.
(5) When a Committee of the Whole report on legislation is rejected, the legislation shall remain on second reading.
S50-160. Voting on second reading. (1) On Order of Business No. 8, in addition to other methods, a recorded vote may be made in the following manner: the chair may call for a voice vote to accept or reject a question. If the vote is other than unanimous, the chair may ask that the lesser number on the question indicate their vote by standing. The Secretary will then record the vote of those standing. The chair may then rule that unless excused those not standing and present have voted on the prevailing side of the question and that their vote be recorded as such. If there was a unanimous voice vote, all those present will be recorded as having voted for the question.
(2) Except as provided in subsection (3), if a motion to recommend that a bill "do pass" or "be concurred in" fails in the
Committee of the Whole, the obverse, i.e., a recommendation that the bill "do not pass" or "be not concurred in", is
considered to have passed. If a motion to recommend that a bill "do not pass" or "be not concurred in" fails in the
Committee of the Whole, the obverse, i.e., a recommendation that the bill "do pass" or "be concurred in", is considered to
have passed.
(3) If a motion under subsection (2) fails on a tie vote, the bill remains on second reading A motion on second reading
must be disposed of by a positive vote.
S50-210. House amendments to Senate legislation. (1) When the House has properly returned Senate legislation with House amendments, the Senate shall announce the amendments on Order of Business No. 5 and the President shall place them on second reading for debate. The President may rerefer Senate legislation with House amendments to a committee for a hearing if the House amendments constitute a significant change in the Senate legislation. The second reading vote is limited to consideration of the House amendments.
(2) If the Senate accepts House amendments, the Senate shall place the final form of the legislation on third reading to determine if the legislation, as amended, is passed or if the required vote is obtained.
(3) If the Senate rejects the House amendments, the Senate may request the House to recede from its amendments or may direct appointment of a conference committee and request the House to appoint a like committee.
Appendix A
List of Questions Requiring Other Than a Majority Vote
The following questions require the vote specified:
(1) a call of the Senate with a quorum (five Senators);
(2) a motion to lift a call of the Senate (two-thirds of the members present and voting);
(3) a motion to amend or suspend rules (two-thirds);
(4) a motion to override the Governor's veto (two-thirds);
(5) a motion to approve a bill to appropriate the principal of the coal trust fund (three-fourths of each house);
(6) a motion to approve a bill to appropriate highway revenue as described in Article VIII, section 6, of the Montana Constitution for purposes other than therein described (three-fifths of each house);
(7) a motion to approve a bill proposing to amend the Montana Constitution (two-thirds of the entire Legislature); and
(8) an appeal of the ruling of the presiding officer (one Senator, seconded by two other Senators); and
(9) a motion to approve a bill conferring immunity from suit as described in Article II, section 18, of the Montana Constitution (two-thirds).
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