Rule 1

Rule Authority: Unless specific rules to the contrary are adopted by the Joint Committee, the Joint Rules of the Senate and House of Representatives will govern the proceedings in the Joint Committee, or in the absence of Joint Rules, Senate Rules will apply. In all cases not covered by rule, and in which they are not inconsistent with Joint Committee Rules, Joint Rules or Senate Rules, the general rules of parliamentary practice and procedure as set forth in Mason’s Manual of Legislative Procedure shall govern the proceedings of the Joint Committee.

Rule 2

Chairmanship: Chairmanship of the Joint Committee shall alternate between the Senate Finance Chairman and the House Appropriations Chairman from day to day. In the absence of both chairmen, the Vice-Chairman of the committee whose chairman was to chair the meeting will preside as Chairman.

Rule 3

Necessary Majority: All decisions shall be by simple majority of the quorum present, except decisions to reopen a budget, or to suspend the rules. (See Rules 12 and 16).

Rule 4

Roll Call Vote: A roll call vote is required on any motion authorizing expenditures of money. (See Rule 11). When a roll call is called for, the members will remain seated until the roll call is completed.

Rule 5

Motions: Only one main motion (original motion) can be pending at one time: however, the main motion (original motion) may be amended (substitute motion) and the amendment may be amended (amended substitute motion). Vote is taken first on the amended substitute motion; in the event such a motion fails, the vote is taken on the substitute motion; and in the event the substitute motion fails, vote is then taken on the original motion. Privileged motions as listed in Section 176, Mason’s Manual, take precedence over main motions before the committee, i.e. the motion to adjourn, recess, etc. Committee members shall be seated at their desk in order to vote.

Rule 6

Specificity of Motions: All motions considered by the Joint Committee shall specify the dollar amounts to be appropriated by agency or program and by source of funding (i.e. general, dedicated, other and federal). Specification of standard classes and/or FTP positions may also be included.

Rule 7

Bills Originating in Joint Committee: By majority vote or unanimous consent the Joint Committee may report an appropriation bill originating in the Joint Committee to either house “without recommendation” or with a “do pass recommendation.” Recommendations, once made, give authorization for a measure to be introduced in both houses, without being returned for further recommendation or consideration to the membership of the Joint Committee, the House Appropriations Committee or the Senate Finance Committee. In the event, however, an appropriation bill is amended on the floor to alter the action of the Joint Committee, then such amended bill, after transmittal to the house in which the action remains to be taken, and if referred by the presiding officer to the Joint Committee, the House Appropriations Committee or the Senate Finance Committee, shall not be automatically referred out of Committee.

Rule 8

Other Bills: An appropriation bill or any other bill originating in another committee and referred to the House Appropriations Committee or the Senate Finance Committee, and considered by the Joint Committee, may be reported by majority vote out of the Joint Committee to the appropriate house “without recommendation”, with a “do pass recommendation”, with a “do not pass recommendation”, with a recommendation that it “be amended”, or with a recommendation that it be “referred” to another committee.

Rule 9

Legislative/Committee Intent: Language may be included with any motion to provide directions, restrictions, and/or clarifications with regard to how certain moneys are used. Such language can be adopted as one of two types of intent:

(a) Intent Language in Committee Minutes: Intent language included in any motion shall be read back and explained to the committee by the maker of the motion prior to the vote. Language so adopted shall be set out in the written committee minutes.

(b) Intent Language in Appropriation Bills: Any intent language meant to be included as a part of the appropriation bill shall be submitted in writing to the committee at the time the motion is made.

(i) Such written language may be amended or changed by the committee prior to adoption.  Language so adopted shall be set out in the written committee minutes and noted that it is included in the appropriations bill.

(ii) Such written language may be edited after adoption to address non-substantive issues identified during the bill drafting process, such as technical, stylistic, grammatical, transposition, or typographical corrections, without committee action.

Rule 10

Motion to Hold: A Motion to Hold a bill in the Joint Committee, to hold consideration of a budget or to hold the vote on a motion or motions must specify a time certain to which such is to be held.

Rule 11

Alteration of Committee Action: With the exception of the provisions of Rule 9(b)(ii), an action formally taken by the Joint Committee may thereafter be altered only by formal action of the Joint Committee.

Rule 12

Reconsideration: Any member of the Joint Committee may move to reopen a budget previously established by the Joint Committee prior to the time an appropriation measure has been finally acted upon by the houses into which it is originally introduced, and any member may likewise move to reopen consideration of an appropriation request for which funding has been denied. A two-thirds affirmative roll call vote of the quorum present is necessary to reopen.

Rule 13

Supplemental Appropriations: Requests for supplemental appropriations shall first require unanimous consent, or a two-thirds affirmative roll call vote of the quorum present, to reopen the current year appropriation for that agency or institution requesting the supplemental appropriation. Once reopened for consideration, a simple majority shall be required for approval of the supplemental appropriation, or any other changes to the current year appropriation bill.

Rule 14

Reconsideration of Defeated Appropriation: In the event an appropriation bill originating in the Joint Committee is defeated in either house, reconsideration by the Joint Committee of an appropriation in replacement thereof shall be by majority vote.

Rule 15

Impacting Legislation: In the event legislation is enacted which changes the financial requirements of a program for which an appropriation has been established by the Joint Committee (i.e., statutory salary increases, elimination of a statutory duty, etc.), the appropriation may be increased or reduced by majority vote of a quorum present, for the substantive change made by the impacting legislation only.

Rule 16

Sine Die Adjournment: The Joint Committee shall adjourn sine die after consideration has been given to the funding requirement of ALL the statutorily- created departments, offices, programs and institutions of the state for which formal requests, made through established channels, have been made. Sine die adjournment shall require a majority of the membership present (there being a quorum) at the meeting. (Ref. Section 67-3514-3515, Idaho Code).

Rule 17

Suspension of Rules: Rules adopted by the Joint Committee may be suspended by a two-thirds vote of the membership (quorum present) of the Joint Committee. ADOPTED: January 12, 1999

Rules Commonly Operative in Joint Committee Meetings (from Senate Rules)

1. Quorum: The Joint Committee shall not proceed to the transaction of business except upon a quorum being present when the committee convenes, nor thereafter if any member objects to a lack of a quorum. A quorum shall consist of a majority of the committee membership.
2. Motions: No motion shall be debated or voted upon until the same is seconded, when required, and put by the Chair; and, if desired by the presiding officer or requested by any member, such motion shall be reduced to writing and read before the same is debated or voted upon.
3. Withdrawal of Modification of Motion: Before a motion has been stated by the Chair, its maker may withdraw or modify the same without consent of the second. Once put by the Chair, however, and before amendment or being voted upon, it may be withdrawn or modified only with consent of the second.
4. Roll Call Vote: Under no circumstances shall a roll call, once ordered, be interrupted except (a) to explain a vote under provisions of Mason’s Manual, Section 528, or (b) for a call to or for order from the Chair.
5. Explanation of Vote: Any member may explain his or her vote when his or her name is called upon a roll call vote, provided such member has not participated in debate and provided further that such explanation shall not exceed one minute duration.
6. Change of Vote: Any member may change his or her vote before the decision of a question shall have been announced by the Chair, but no explanation for such change shall be permitted.
7. Buck Slips: Buck slips may be used for committee action on the instruction of or recommendations on bills, but only in instances where committee meetings are impractical. The objection to the use of a buck slip by one committee member shall preclude its use in that instance. All Committee members, who are not absent and excused from attendance on that day, shall be required to sign their names indicating their aye or nay vote on the matter being considered.