Recommended Guidelines Work Session

The following are the procedures that our Committee Chairs and Co-Chairs are to follow in order to conduct each Committee Work Session.

“Chair or Co-Chairs script is in Bold Type”

“Instructions as to What should happen

Note to the Chair

Work sessions are less formal proceedings than public hearings and are held primarily for the purpose of committee deliberation and voting on bills, nomination, amendments, and other committee matters. This being the case, more flexibility may be exercised in their conduct. These following guidelines may be helpful in providing structure and organization to work sessions, while still allowing sufficient flexibility.

SCHEDULING: Prior to scheduling, please consult with your committee staff to determine which bills are ready to be worked on. More than one work session may be held on a bill, particularly if committee amendments are being drafted and considered.

NOTICE: We would like you to notify those with interest on the bill to know when the work session is being held on the bill.

QUORUM: A quorum must be present to vote on a motion but isn’t required to start the work session

TO OPEN THE WORK SESSION

Bang the Gavel

Chair:         We will begin the committee work session on LB (Bill #), AN ACT TO (Bill Title)

Have someone briefly summarize the bill and testimony the committee received.

CONDUCTING THE WORK SESSION

This is the time for the committee to have the opportunity to publicly discuss the merits of the bill

Work sessions are usually reserved for discussion of the bill among members of the committee.

Permission of the committee (through the chair) is usually required for someone other than a committee member speak to the committee, or otherwise participate in the session.

We encourage that you allow non-committee members to be involved in answering questions, or giving information or suggest amendments.

AMENDMENTS

Any amendment to a bill must be submitted to the committee in writing.

Amendments should be discussed individually, and must be voted on for inclusion in the bill.

Any amendments that are voted on to be added to the bill must be included in the bill jacket.

Committee Chairs will have Amendment Forms, each Amendment must be written on the form and placed in the Bill Jacket.

VOTING

All votes must be taken in public.

Reports that may be recommended unanimously or by a plurality of the committee include:

• Ought to Pass
• Ought to Pass as Amended
• Ought Not to Pass

A Motion from a Committee must be made as to which Committee Report is to be voted upon.

COMMITTEE MEMBER:    I move we recommend that LD (Bill #), (Recommendation).

When the Committee recommendation is not unanimous, a minority report or reports are required. All reports on any legislative document must be submitted at the same time.

The Committee Clerk records the vote. The vote is taken by raising hands or calling the roll as is convenient for the committee and the clerk.

CONCLUDING THE WORK SESSION

When the final vote has been taken or the bill has been tabled, the chair will announce:

CHAIR:     The work session on LD (Bill #) is closed

Bang the Gavel.

POST WORK SESSION ACTIVITIES

The Committee Chair will then make sure:
That all bills and their Bill Jackets are correctly marked with the correct committee report, and vote.

That all amendments to each bill are included on the correct form in the bill jacket

That members signed the bill, and that the vote tally is correct

The Chair is then responsible for, getting bills and jackets to the Secretary of State.

Making sure the committee room is put in order, chair placed in correct location, and trash picked up.
(Notify program director if problems with room)

Leave room turn out lights and close the door.