PART 4 - MEMBERS

Rule 401. Rights and duties of members. Members of the House have the following rights and duties.

• 1. Member's seat. The seat a member draws at the commencement of the session is that member's during the session, unless the member has leave of the Speaker to change it. No other person may occupy a member's seat at any time during a session of the House.
• 2. Pairing of votes. A member may not pair that member's vote with the vote of another member.
• 3. Sit at Speaker's or Clerk's desk. A member may not sit at the desk of the Speaker or Clerk, except by the permission of the Speaker.
• 4. Member may not speak. A member may not speak without first rising and addressing the Speaker and being recognized, and a member may not speak while away from that member's seat without leave from the Speaker. A member shall sit down as soon as the member is done speaking.
• 5. Debate. A member shall limit debate to that which is relevant to some definite question under consideration.
• 6. May not interrupt. A member may not interrupt another member while the other is speaking, except to call to order or correct a mistake. A member may not stand up to the interruption of another while any member is speaking, pass unnecessarily between the Speaker of the House and the person speaking, stand in an aisle or sit or stand covered during the session of the House.
• 7. Speak more than twice. A member may not speak more than twice to the same question without first asking leave of the House. Any other member objecting to that member speaking more than twice to the same question must stand and be recognized by the Speaker of the House and the objection must be noted.
• 8. Counsel. A member may not act as counsel for any party before a joint committee of the Legislature or a committee of the House.
• 9. Leave of absence. A member may not be absent more than 2 days without leave of the House; and a member may not have such a leave, unless it is reported by the Committee on Leave of Absence.
• 10. Papers. Any member having obtained leave of absence shall leave any papers relating to the business before the House with the Clerk.
• 11. Breach of rules. When any member is guilty of a breach of any of the rules and orders of the House and the House has determined that the member has violated a rule or order, that member may not be allowed to vote or speak, unless by way of excuse for the breach, until the member has made satisfaction.
• 12. Voting. A member who is in the House when a question is put shall vote, unless the presiding officer for reasons excuses that member. When yeas and nays are ordered, a member may not leave the member's seat until the vote is declared. A call for yeas and nays must close no more than 30 minutes after a roll call is commenced. In all elections by the House, or on joint ballot of the Chambers, a member may not leave the member's seat after voting, before a return of the House is had. A member may not vote on any question before the House when that question immediately involves that member's private right as distinct from the public interest.
• 13. Sponsor obtains signatures. A bill or resolve in final form that is ready for signature whose primary sponsor is a member of the House may be circulated for signatures only by the sponsor or cosponsors of that bill or resolve, except that legislation presented by a department, state agency or the Governor may be circulated by agents of the department, the state agency or the Governor. This does not preclude a bill or a resolve from being held for signature in the Office of the Speaker of the House, the offices of the minority or majority party or the Office of the Revisor of Statutes.
  
  

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